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A pair of students are gaining professional experience and insight into the day-to-day responsibilities of working in marketing.

Lourdes Pastrana, a fourth-year student from Morelia, Mexico, and Adriana Badillo, a fourth-year student from Quito, Ecuador,  have been interning as marketing assistants at Ignite Fredericton—a local economic development agency that works with entrepreneurs, businesses, and economic builders—since late October.

They’re responsible for writing blogs and newsletters, creating posts for social media, event planning, and assisting with marketing strategies.

“As an intern, you get insight into the industry that can’t be learned from an article or in a classroom,” Badillo said. “This experience has been a bridge between university and the professional world and I’ve been able to gain valuable skills and learn directly from communications and business experts.”

Working under Book Sadprasid, BA’ 17, marketing and communications manager, and Eric Douglas, marketing and client services coordinator, has allowed Badillo and Pastrana to receive meaningful one-on-one instruction.

“They’ve given us workshops on social media and writing, and they take time to teach us,” Pastrana said. “You get feedback from them right away, so it’s a really nice dynamic.”

 Badillo, who is completing a double major in Communications and Public Policy and Economics, and Pastrana, who is honouring in Psychology, work 10 hours per week at Ignite Fredericton’s office.

Both of them applied for the internship, which was coordinated through the Office of Experiential and Community Based Learning, to learn from professionals in the field and prepare for post-graduate studies—Badillo intends to pursue a master’s in economic development and Pastrana plans to complete a master’s in marketing.

“This is going to be incredibly beneficial for me moving forward. The hands-on work is amazing because you’re learning while you’re experiencing it,” Pastrana said.

Badillo agreed.

“I’ve gained a lot of confidence,” she said. “This experience has allowed me to meet many professionals, and in the future having one or two personal ambassadors can make a big difference when applying for jobs.”

Interested in gaining professional experience? Browse internship opportunities here.