As my internship at CDIP has progressed, I have learned how important self advocacy is in the workplace. I have had to speak up for myself when I need support and when I'm confused about something. I am a relatively fast learner but I need instruction to know what I need to do in the first place, especially when I have had no prior exposure to the kind of work that I am doing in my Internship.
CDIP is a laid back work environment but also a work heavy program. People are always working on something and people always could always use help with something. However, this is not apparent unless you go around, talk to people and ask them for help. For example, yesterday I had finished working on a information flyer for Jennifer McWhorter and did not know what to work on next. She was away and did not know what I should do. I decided to go over to the lab and see if they needed help, sure enough they did. I ended up doing interesting work, making a portion of a buoy's mooring that attaches both to the anchor chain and the acoustic release. I learned a new skill. Had I not taken the initiative to go around and find work, I would have ben stuck doing nothing.
Grant, a CDIP programmer and one of my mentors, has only so much time to work with me on the Beaglebone project. After I am done working with him of the day, I have to find other work. I usually go over to the lab, where all of the buoys are stored to see what the engineers/mechanists need help with. I can keep busy and the work is helpful to the team. As I have advocated for myself over time, the CDIP staff comes to trust me more, see that I can handle myself and see that I am a useful person.
I have been following the advice in Alec Patton's "How to be an intern everyone remembers" and so far, it has been useful. I am constantly keeping busy, showing up on time, taking notes and dressing professionally. I think that these steps have helped me to be a useful intern. I think that The first rule, "Always be doing something". has been the most useful.
CDIP is a laid back work environment but also a work heavy program. People are always working on something and people always could always use help with something. However, this is not apparent unless you go around, talk to people and ask them for help. For example, yesterday I had finished working on a information flyer for Jennifer McWhorter and did not know what to work on next. She was away and did not know what I should do. I decided to go over to the lab and see if they needed help, sure enough they did. I ended up doing interesting work, making a portion of a buoy's mooring that attaches both to the anchor chain and the acoustic release. I learned a new skill. Had I not taken the initiative to go around and find work, I would have ben stuck doing nothing.
Grant, a CDIP programmer and one of my mentors, has only so much time to work with me on the Beaglebone project. After I am done working with him of the day, I have to find other work. I usually go over to the lab, where all of the buoys are stored to see what the engineers/mechanists need help with. I can keep busy and the work is helpful to the team. As I have advocated for myself over time, the CDIP staff comes to trust me more, see that I can handle myself and see that I am a useful person.
I have been following the advice in Alec Patton's "How to be an intern everyone remembers" and so far, it has been useful. I am constantly keeping busy, showing up on time, taking notes and dressing professionally. I think that these steps have helped me to be a useful intern. I think that The first rule, "Always be doing something". has been the most useful.