I learned various things during my internship at Amtrak as a business analyst, with a focus on SAP SuccessFactors and Learning Management Systems (LMS), that I was unable to learn in a classroom through textbooks. I developed a thorough understanding of how academic information is used practically in a real-world commercial setting. This involved learning about particular company procedures and workflows, enhancing my teamwork and communication talents, improving versatility and problem-solving skills, and becoming an expert in data management. I also gained an understanding of the value of soft skills, gained insight into company culture, broadened my professional network, and underwent both personal and professional development. In addition to enhancing my educational experience, these practical experiences have prepared me for a successful future as a business analyst in a corporate environment.
Procurement and negotiation is hard to teach in a classroom. Aside from the basic terminology, most classroom material lightly aided in dealing with suppliers in tough situations. I leveraged techniques from past experiences into this one. In addition, skills like future employment and salary negotiations were other areas I took from past internships into this one. Conversations around HR can be difficult and uncomfortable if new, but having these talks early on in my work experience shaped my present conversations today. I also learned technical skills like more complex SQL queries, Tableau, Excel Macros, and presentation formatting that I carried to Apple and further expanded my breadth of knowledge.
It can be hard to teach time management and decision-making in the classroom. From my current internship and previous internships, I was able to learn to make decisions that have real consequences, whether it was good or bad. This kind of skill cannot be taught in the classroom it has to be taught through experiencing it hands-on. My internships have helped me develop my decision-making skills with failures and successes and have allowed me to understand the impact of my choices. Time management is an important skill to have especially when tasked with multiple things. This skill also has to be taught through experience. For me, I learned a lot about managing my time for the past year while doing school while holding a part-time internship. With these skills that are from experience, there is a lot of trial and error but no textbook can teach you these skills.
The lessons I learned during my internship that I just couldn’t learn in the classroom or from a textbook were the soft skills and adaptability skills. The soft skills played a large role in my professional growth because no matter what company or job you end in, you must interact with people. This type of skill cannot be learned in a classroom or textbook because every interaction you have with someone is unique. There could be some guiding advice on the questions you ask but overall, you must be able to communicate effectively in your own way. Adaptability skills is something I did not learn until I began my internship during school. Being able to adapt to whatever situation is thrown at you is a skill you must have and also understanding that things don’t always go to plan is something I learned during my internship.
I learned new coding languages, software, and business models in my internship. These skills were great and set me up for success in the industry, however they could have been learned in a classroom environment. I also learned about work ethic and professional growth in my internship. This could not have been taught in a classroom. I was inspired by those around me at work, they took it upon themselves to be better. Because they were so passionate about their job, they would spend their free time learning new ways to grow in their job. One of my mentors was a bartender who lost his job due to covid. He took a 6-month coding bootcamp and earned a full-time job as a developer. This was inspiring to see how much we can grow outside of work if we love what we do.
I learned various things during my internship at Amtrak as a business analyst, with a focus on SAP SuccessFactors and Learning Management Systems (LMS), that I was unable to learn in a classroom through textbooks. I developed a thorough understanding of how academic information is used practically in a real-world commercial setting. This involved learning about particular company procedures and workflows, enhancing my teamwork and communication talents, improving versatility and problem-solving skills, and becoming an expert in data management. I also gained an understanding of the value of soft skills, gained insight into company culture, broadened my professional network, and underwent both personal and professional development. In addition to enhancing my educational experience, these practical experiences have prepared me for a successful future as a business analyst in a corporate environment.
Procurement and negotiation is hard to teach in a classroom. Aside from the basic terminology, most classroom material lightly aided in dealing with suppliers in tough situations. I leveraged techniques from past experiences into this one. In addition, skills like future employment and salary negotiations were other areas I took from past internships into this one. Conversations around HR can be difficult and uncomfortable if new, but having these talks early on in my work experience shaped my present conversations today. I also learned technical skills like more complex SQL queries, Tableau, Excel Macros, and presentation formatting that I carried to Apple and further expanded my breadth of knowledge.
It can be hard to teach time management and decision-making in the classroom. From my current internship and previous internships, I was able to learn to make decisions that have real consequences, whether it was good or bad. This kind of skill cannot be taught in the classroom it has to be taught through experiencing it hands-on. My internships have helped me develop my decision-making skills with failures and successes and have allowed me to understand the impact of my choices. Time management is an important skill to have especially when tasked with multiple things. This skill also has to be taught through experience. For me, I learned a lot about managing my time for the past year while doing school while holding a part-time internship. With these skills that are from experience, there is a lot of trial and error but no textbook can teach you these skills.
The lessons I learned during my internship that I just couldn’t learn in the classroom or from a textbook were the soft skills and adaptability skills. The soft skills played a large role in my professional growth because no matter what company or job you end in, you must interact with people. This type of skill cannot be learned in a classroom or textbook because every interaction you have with someone is unique. There could be some guiding advice on the questions you ask but overall, you must be able to communicate effectively in your own way. Adaptability skills is something I did not learn until I began my internship during school. Being able to adapt to whatever situation is thrown at you is a skill you must have and also understanding that things don’t always go to plan is something I learned during my internship.
I learned new coding languages, software, and business models in my internship. These skills were great and set me up for success in the industry, however they could have been learned in a classroom environment. I also learned about work ethic and professional growth in my internship. This could not have been taught in a classroom. I was inspired by those around me at work, they took it upon themselves to be better. Because they were so passionate about their job, they would spend their free time learning new ways to grow in their job. One of my mentors was a bartender who lost his job due to covid. He took a 6-month coding bootcamp and earned a full-time job as a developer. This was inspiring to see how much we can grow outside of work if we love what we do.