Author: Abbey Burgess
Gaining real-world experience while in college is invaluable. It closes the gap between academic learning and gaining hands-on experience, providing students with skills that make them stand out in the job market. The Gig Training Program embodies this by offering students short-term, project-based opportunities that boost their resumes and prepare them for their future careers post-graduation.
Gig Training projects will be posted in the first week of classes, meaning students can apply soon!
In an interview with Emily Protiva, a student who participated in the Gig Training Program last summer, she highlights the importance of her program experience. Emily is a student athlete at UNC Charlotte and is studying Pre-Business, specifically organizational management, and minoring in communications. Being a student athlete has affected her ability to find idle time to gain experience. She discusses how the Gig Training Program provided professional opportunities that fit with her schedule.
“Being a sophomore, I was seeking a job or internship that would provide me with the “work life” experience I was looking for, but I was striking out due to my limited schedule. However, the Gig Training program provides condensed training for a short time period, and they understand the chaos of being a college student.”
Emily participated in the Gig Training program, working with the Counseling and Psychological Services department on campus, where she helped to develop and plan events the department hosts. While this is one option, the Gig Training Program offers a slew of different opportunities to students wishing to participate. Other projects have included Market Research, Social Media Campaigning, Financial and Data Analysis, Website Design, and many more, encompassing nearly all majors.
To get a better understanding of what projects can look like, Emily offered insight into the program and her projects.
“On Tuesdays, I would go into the Counseling and Psychological Services around 3-3:30ish and stay until 5. These counted as my in-person hours, and my remaining hours I would complete virtually. The first thing I would do is greet my supervisor, Dr. Shar’Dane, and we would review last week’s work and discuss what needed to be completed in the following week. I would then go into my student office space, which I shared with other gig training students, and complete my work until 5. This work initially included brainstorming and planning ideas for our event while factoring in what was truly realistic with our resources and time frame.” She then talks about how later in the project, it transitioned into marketing the events and designing the advertising materials, giving her a well-rounded experience that grew many of her skills.
Emily is a prime example of how gaining professional experience while in college is crucial to growing as a professional, and our Gig Training Program is a perfect way for Charlotte students to begin their careers and build competencies employers seek in graduates.
“The experiences I gained developed me into a better fit candidate for my career goals. I now have the professional experience of analyzing a community, breaking down feedback, and maximizing its success with implementation into a final product. Knowing and reaching your audience is critical in marketing, public relations, and management, and I am grateful to have gained experience in this area.”
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Emily! We wish her the best of luck as she embarks on her future career endeavors.