Practical training of an individual for their career has become more important than ever. Student internships are classified into processes that work for mutual benefit. A young person has the opportunity to learn directly, from live projects and tasks, and the company gets a certain fresh vision, but also a potential employee upon completion of the education.
The happy fact is that student (and generally all other) internships are increasingly recognized in the environment. Individuals come forward independently, they want to learn something, and the limiting factor can only be the resource of time and available experienced employees who will dedicate themselves to mentoring. This is where Ofir’s philanthropy strategy comes to the fore, enabling those interested to gain adequate prior knowledge to become competitive in the labor market.
The general “hype” about information technology as a suitable direction for career development had an impact on awareness, but the direct and even more concrete influence is coming from the Osijek Software City association (especially if we are talking about the area of eastern Croatia). Through the work of the association, in which Ofir is also involved, the students dispelled the myth about serious companies that they should not contact – on the contrary, they were encouraged to contact, pull on their sleeves, ask, and at the same time work on themselves as much as possible. A certain starter kit has also been prepared – a basic set of tools and knowledge that we expect from a new employee, as well as a practitioner, so there is no excuse that you did not know or could not expect something.
Our experience shows that any practice is an excellent thing. In general – the sooner you start, the better. Sometimes even high school students come to us. If nothing else, to see the atmosphere and witness live what the IT company does and in what way. Students are the vast majority. Over 30% of trainees have remained in some form of cooperation with Ofir, and we have recommended several trainees to other companies.
After the interview and selection of the practitioner, your engagement begins. We don’t count every hour you work. The priority is to get a complete insight into the work you want to do (IT support, web, marketing), or to help you decide on a career path as soon as possible. You should also keep a work diary, but only for your records, which are checked by your mentor. Depending on the selected department, you work in the office, on the field, or from home, with a mandatory earlier appointment. A relaxed, dynamic, but fun atmosphere awaits you.
However, the main conclusion is to “throw the trainee into the fire.” You do the project or task assigned to you in the best possible way. The mentor is with you, true, but don’t expect to be told where to click or which driver to install. Proactivity is what is most valued, and the way of solving challenges speaks about the current position and mindset of the trainees. A mentor is with you to teach you how to be independent.
Expect a meeting/conversation with a client, judgments, criticism and praise, rush and stress, but also relaxation and joy – in short, everything that goes into the working experience of our employees. Internships prove to be an excellent place for mutual learning, but also the first step towards a successful career for every young person eager for new (real) challenges.
So, what are you waiting for? Take a look at our practical examples and apply ASAP!
An Internship at Ofir, a career in IT
Marketing Internship
Ofir hardware Internship
Learning + fun = Summer Internship
Young trainees in Ofir’s ranks – how were they?
Successful first steps in a career in digital marketing
