By: Raynika Awotwi

Every week, Emerge Magazine will feature the experiences, stories and lessons learned from our writers as they work to complete their internships at media outlets across Toronto, the GTA and abroad.

When I got the call from my volunteer coordinator Colin Baird on Easter Monday last year, I honestly thought I found the jackpot in an Easter hunt. Stepping into the Rogers TV studio as a volunteer opened by eyes to the television production industry. It also made me think about my place in journalism.

So far, I have done the following as an intern: floor assist, floor directing, audio assist, camera operator, VTR, production assistant and prompter. I set up for Rogers TV shows such as Daytime Toronto, Finding Your Bliss, Goldhawk Live and Horizon Interfaith Council.

The name of the game is to be versatile in all positions. Versatility is an important asset in journalism, as it allows you to be multi-faceted. Today’s journalism is all about being a chameleon — fitting in and finding your niche within journalism’s platforms.

Although my interests are in print and magazine journalism, interning at Rogers TV showed that I should not be afraid to test the waters. Prior to volunteering at Rogers, I had little appreciation for TV production, mainly because I did not see myself in it. For young, aspiring professional confidence not only lies in your body language and mannerisms; But in skills mentioned in your resume.

The lessons I can take from volunteering and interning at Rogers TV is to rework the way you view a mistake. Is it really a mistake, or is it an experience and a precursor to success in disguise? Social skills and teamwork are important, as well.

I work alongside various personalities from different backgrounds. But the most important lesson I have learned from Rogers TV is persistence. This lesson transcends into all platforms of journalism because you cannot give up on your dreams or goals.

If you believe it, then you can achieve it. Especially when the workforce is a couple of months away, it would be realistic to assume that a job is not going to pop up in front of you.  But like the tortoise, slow and steady wins the race.