Is there a right time to intern?
Posted by admin | 10th July 2012Andrea Grottick used to think that being a mature art student would prohibit her from becoming an intern, but an interview with the Learning Department at Ben Uri proved that was not the case.
It was her knowledge, enthusiasm and some impressive transferable skills that the museum cared about. Here she talks about her experience and the rewards from her intern placement.
Learning intern at Ben Uri
I was looking for paid work when I came across an advert for a Learning Intern at Ben Uri. To be honest, I hadn’t given the idea of interning much consideration in the past, as I’d heard stories about big companies exploiting young graduates, but something about the advert stood out for me; it was inviting and I wanted to know more.
As a mature Fine Art graduate, I thought I’d be laughed out of the interview but that wasn’t the case. My interviewers, the Head of Learning and the Learning Officer (or, as I now know them, Alix and Gabby), welcomed me. They immediately helped me to acknowledge my experience and recognise the transferable skills I could offer to the learning team.
I got the job – and ever since, Alix and Gabby have offered their support and openly shared their knowledge about art, learning, and working in a museum and gallery.
My work during my internship
As an intern at Ben Uri, I worked three days a week for three months. It’s difficult to describe an average day, as projects are so varied and there are so many on the go at once. Some projects show immediate results, like the school workshops and visits to the gallery, but others take time to develop and are more long term, like the learning resources for schools and the Holocaust learning packs for the London Jewish Cultural Centre.
Learning packs
One of the most rewarding parts of my internship was writing these learning packs. I was able to learn about the history and traditions of the artists in the collection, which, at times, is very moving. The stories behind the artworks are what make the collection unique, and getting to know more about the lives of the artists was at times traumatic, but always inspiring.
Is it the end of my internship?
After being so immersed in the collection and the work, the end of my internship soon crept up. I had been applying for paid positions elsewhere but wasn’t having any success and was worried my interview technique and lack of qualifications (everyone seems to have an MA these days!) were holding me back.
Intern mentor
During this time Fiona Frank, Ben Uri’s Intern Mentor, was a great support. Fiona helps the interns get the most out of their placements and search for employment. Fiona read through some of my applications and highlighted areas where I needed to get more experience and she showed me where I had the experience but didn’t realise it (it was those transferable skills again). Fiona even put me through some mock interviews during one of our Intern Development Days, which was so useful. The help from Fiona (and the other interns) was great for boosting my confidence and getting the ball rolling.
Working at Ben Uri
Part of my internship at Ben Uri was to develop a personal project that would benefit both the museum and myself, so something to put on my CV and for me to leave behind. My idea, which is still in development, was welcomed and encouraged. Indeed it was welcomed so much that I have been asked to stay on for another three months to continue working on it. Now I’m hoping to fully develop the project and see it up and running, so watch this space.
And the best part of my intern experience is that I’m now being paid to do something that I enjoy.
Find out more about Ben Uri's Learning projects.
Andrea Grottick is an artist and cnow Ben Uri's Art as Therapy and Learning Project Developer. See her work at Andrea Grottick website.
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