My Experience as a GovTech Corporate Intern!
Hello! I’m Melissa, a final-year student majoring in Human Resource Management who spent the first half of her 2023 with GovTech’s Young Talent team.
6 months sounds like a long period of time, but my days in GovTech passed in a blink of an eye due to how eventful and different each day at work was. I recall joining GovTech with an excited, yet anxious heart because I was so unfamiliar with tech and I had zero insights to what I can expect to face in the upcoming months.
To give you a sneak preview of what your internship might look like, here’s a list of my top 5 memorable experiences during my 6-month internship:
- All-rounded Work Exposure
Agile, Bold, Collaborative are GovTech’s core values, and they are truly an organisation that practices what they preach! In GovTech, as long as you are bold in expressing your ideas and open in challenging yourself, your GovTechie colleagues will never hesitate to partner you and support your dreams.
As a HR student who has never been in tech, I recall telling my Reporting Officer (RO) that I was curious about everything that is going on within our team and I hoped to try a bit of everything, especially interviews and assessment sessions!
And like Alice, I hopped onto my adventure……
This core job scope that I had was the most memorable, and my favourite experience as I had the opportunity to meet a very diverse pool of people to collaborate with, from scholars to industry professionals. Both internally through cross-team collaborations, and externally through networking and projects. The experience of hearing their life stories and witnessing their expertise will really widen your horizons in ways that you can never imagine.
2. A Non-Tech student immersed in Tech Space
“So, why did you choose to join GovTech?”
“……because I know nothing about Tech!”
As part of my role, I’ve met numerous tech talents and a variety of organisations through GovTech’s internal and outreach events.
In these events, I’ve met students as young as Secondary 2 and numerous industry partners who shared about their work, experience and opportunities with me.
Having specialised in HR throughout my entire tertiary education, being able to attend such outreach events allowed me to see the possibilities and opportunities in tech across various industries. Even as a #GovTechIntern, my exposure to Tech was not limited to GovTech, but to other organisations as well.
From what was once a sea of uncertainties and confusion due to my unfamiliarity with tech, being immersed in the industry itself will really uncover what is offered out in this sea.
3. Work Hard, Play Hard!
Aside from work, something I was surprised to have were the retreat sessions and being well-fed during my GovTech internship!
In GovTech, you are not just an employee. You are treated as an individual, with your unique experiences and your individual personality, and fellow GovTechies understand this.
During these retreat sessions, we talked about travel plans, ‘how has life been?’, our hobbies, our attempts at keeping fit, latest cafes and good food that we found etc. (Oh, you’ll likely also get to hear stories of your colleagues renovating their new flat or wedding plans or childcare strategies — and feel as if it’s your own premonition in 5–10 years’ time HAHA)
All in all, we care for each other. Your colleagues are not just your work mentors, but possibly also life mentors who can provide their guidance and wisdom when you’re uncertain — sometimes not through words of affirmation, but also as role models that show you what you can possibly flourish and be.
4. Bonding, Networking and New Friends
As an intern, I was also part of the Intern Experience Committee where I was able to closely work with fellow interns from other departments to curate engagement events for the GovTech Intern Community!
My fellow introverts, do not panic. These events are NOT compulsory but definitely was immensely fun! Also, you will find a lot of fellow introverts lurking around in the event (spot me in the corners…)
Besides bonding over board games with my fellow interns, we also gave back to the community through a volunteer opportunity with Lion Befrienders. On top of these ‘socialising’ type of events, we also had other engagement events such as a fireside chat to better understand tech as well as hackathons!
It was during these events that I got the opportunity to spend time and befriend people of my age that were from different schools and specialising in completely different majors from me. To think of it, where else would I have the opportunity to meet them, if it wasn’t for this GovTech internship?
5. Interconnectivity
No matter your dreams or goals, GovTech is a place that uplifts you.
During my 6-months internship, everyone that I’ve met in GovTech has been inspiring, warm and encouraging. (Even our pantry staff taught me the difference between Equal sugar, raw sugar and white sugar — and which is healthier for me!)
Naturally, not all aspects of the role are going to be exciting and eventful, but every aspect of the internship will expose you to different perspectives and experiences that will shape you to become a better person by the end of it.
Most importantly, you will not only take away memories and experiences. But also companions that you will meet again in future.
If you’re looking for an enriching internship experience, and if you’re seeking for a place that supportively expose you to different horizons, GovTech Internship is really a worthy consideration. No matter which major you’re pursuing, GovTech offers a plethora of diverse projects in every internship cycle for you to choose from.
For my fellow non-tech students, if you’re curious about tech or the tech industry like me, I recommend you to take this leap of faith and give this a shot! It probably will not be easy, but it will be exciting and you will grow. After all, our youth is meant for us to leap into such adventures, isn’t it?
To find out more about GovTech Internships, head to go.gov.sg/govtechinternship to begin your own adventure!
