Networking, Experience, and Hard Work Pays Off

Sara Garrity completed her internship with the Canberra Times as part of her Bachelor of Communication and Media (Journalism).

“Internships feel incredibly scary when you’re just starting them, and you will feel extremely out of your depth. But we all have to start somewhere!” she told us recently.

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions, because you will never be in a better position to get insights from people that really know what they are talking about and what they’re doing.

“It’s more than just getting those credit points!”

This attitude served Sara well during her internship.

“I went into my internship with the confidence that came from the classes I took at UC.  Data Journalism really helps with my everyday work, as I can understand data sets and see stories within them.  In Depth: Feature and Specialist Writing taught me all sorts of different ways to approach articles, and how to be creative when doing so.”

For Sara, the internship reinforced her love of journalism.

“When I did my internship at The Canberra Times, my goal was to come out of it knowing that it was the type of journalism I wanted to pursue. I was particularly excited to confirm this in a professional setting. Doing the internship confirmed within myself that I was able to pursue my chosen career path, and that I loved doing what I was doing.”

After impressing at The Canberra Times, Sara is now the sole online journalist at All Homes.

“Occasionally I get my work published in the All Homes magazine, too. I attend and summarise auction coverage and get my own double spread in the Canberra Times on Sunday. Each week, I have at least one other article in the paper as well.

“My internship at The Canberra Times makes this whole thing even more special, as I get to work with the people that taught me so much!”