If you are one of those students who has passed the 10th or 12th standard board exams and opted for arts, congratulations! While some of you may have opted for arts because you are interested in the subjects the stream has to offer, others may have opted for arts because you want to avoid the subjects science and commerce have to offer, and yet others may have opted for arts because they couldn’t get through either of those streams.
Whatever be the case, you have picked a stream that has a lot of potential. Indeed, you have made a smart decision. Full disclosure: I am not unbiased. You see, I really enjoyed being an arts student myself and I hope you do too. So, don’t listen to the naysayers who may tell you that arts students don’t have a future. Of course, it’s also too soon to think about the rest of your life just yet.
You could pursue a BA degree next or if you want something more specialised then, a BA LLB (law), BFA (fine arts) or a BJM (journalism) degree might be right up your street. Can arts students do BBA (business)? Yes, you can! So, the options are not limited at all.
Then, how do you decide which one to go for? The answer is internships. Internships are a great way to gain the reality check you need about pursuing a particular career path professionally.
What exactly are internships? It refers to “the position of a student or trainee who works in an organization, sometimes without pay, in order to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification.” By exploring an internship that is related to your interests, you can make an informed decision about what to pursue post the 12th standard board exams.
There is a common misconception that internships are not meant for school students. Yes, generally, internships for college students are more widely-known, but you shouldn’t let that stop you if you are a school student.
We will look at six broad categories of internships for students can pursue in this YKA blog:
- Writing
- Sales and marketing
- Content creation
- Animation and design
- Legal research
- Working for a cause
Writing
Writing is a great skill to have and it will come in handy in almost every facet of your professional (and personal life). Be it turning in a college essay or texting a crush, you can’t escape writing.
Some writing internship opportunities from various industries include copywriting (advertising), content writing (brand building), feature writing (journalism), research writing (academia) among various others.
No matter which sub-field you opt for, you will end up becoming a better writer than before. As they say: practice makes perfect!
Sales And Marketing
If you are thinking about pursuing a BBA, chances are you are looking at a career in management. A sales and marketing internship can help you decide if that is the right career path for you.
What is sales and marketing? As an intern, your main role will be to persuade selective clients to give your company a shot i.e., the product or service it is known for.
Such an internship will help you work on our people skills (communication, negotiation and the most important of them all, according to me: building interpersonal relationships).
Content Creation
Given that it’s the digital era, many of you might be interested in content creation. For those who you come alive in front of a camera, this might be the way to go. From scripting and executing, to editing and posting a video, it takes a lot of hard work to entertain others.
As the saying goes ‘comedy is serious business’. So, if you are serious about making people laugh and have a knack for content creation (be it reels or memes), then you should definitely consider interning with a content creation platform or social media star.
For instance, have a look at this opening for a freelance video editor at Buzzfeed India:
Content creation falls under the broad umbrella of digital marketing, as most content creators end up creating sponsored content for various brands, as a way to sustain themselves online and offline.
Animation And Design
For the artistically inclined, you may want to place your bets on an internship to do with animation and/or design. You will get to work closely with experienced artists, animators and designers.
Not only will it allow you to hone your technical craft, it will also help you to improve your storytelling abilities, based on the exact nature of your position and the work responsibilities that come with it, of course.
Developing a story, designing and animating characters—if this sounds like fun and something you want to do more of, become a design and/or animation intern. Many firms offer summer internships so look for something that fits your bill and get started!
Legal Research
Whether you are looking to become a hotshot lawyer like Ram Jethmalani and Harish Salve, or a lawyer with a cause, like Vrinda Grover, Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju, you have to start somewhere.
So, why not become a paralegal to begin with? A paralegal is someone who “performs tasks that require knowledge of legal concepts but not the full expertise of a lawyer.” As an intern, you’ll mostly be dealing with legal research. This means burying your head in thick books and complex case laws, so be prepared.
But for those with a legal aptitude, this task can actually be quite enjoyable along with being the right amount of challenging. It will definitely improve your legal knowledge and give you a window into a lawyer’s life.
Working For A Cause
If you are someone who is passionate about social justice concerns, then working for an NGO which works for a cause close to your heart, might be the right door to knock on.
Be it LGBTQIA+ issues, Dalit rights, girls’ education, climate concerns or communal harmony, there are several, credible organisations working to improve the lives of the marginalised sections in Indian society.
Have a look at this internship opportunity at Panther’s Paw Publication:
Not only will an internship with such an organisation help you refine your understanding of the cause you believe in, it is bound to be a soul-satisfying experience, too, because you will leave with the feeling of having contributed to something you care about!
Tip: Keep an eye out on Internshala’s YKA page for internship opportunities and the like.