By Olivia Hale
I’ve been asked a few times this summer, “What’s your summer job?” I’m a 16-year-old high school student, so it’s typical to have a summer job, but when I answer their question it’s usually taken with a look of surprise. I’m interning with two businesses that are impacting me as well as the community. How did I get this lucky in the small town of Palm Coast, Florida?
Through a friend’s referral, I heard about the “InternReady Program.” I looked into it and found that it was a pilot program offered by the Flagler County Education Foundation, my local school district. Taught primarily by Lisa Ekinci, a co-founder of a well-known local business by the name of Office Divvy, I would attend four Saturday workshops along with other high school students. We’d experience a combination of presentations, scenarios, and teamwork exercises. The culmination of the InternReady Program was my fellow students and I’s graduation and meetings with companies we’d have the opportunity to intern with. The interview experience was invaluable. Office Divvy gained feedback from the students and the businesses, and worked to create the best matches. I matched with both Office Divvy and Peralta Design, and I’ve gained a lot more knowledge about myself and the business world ever since.
At the beginning of my internships in early- to mid-June, I was working around 25 hours a week between the two internships. I have really gotten to see what it’s like to “go to work” around 9 to 5 on some days. Without the opportunities I discovered that led me to working here, I probably wouldn’t have gotten to participate in anything like a “real job” until I had a full-time, long-term job after college. As my summer has gotten busier with summer camps and other responsibilities, I’ve pulled back on my hours, but I’m still learning and moving forward.
I’m sure interning for a large and/or franchised business would be a wonderful experience, but I’ve had a unique experience with these two small-in-size-but-large-in-impact businesses. I’m often just a few feet away from CEOs and co-founders, and I’m able to see things through their eyes. I sit in on staff meetings, I’m constantly exposed to what the team’s tasks are, and I know I make a difference that is recognized. This personalized experience has led me to learn a lot about myself, too. I’ve narrowed down my ideas about major and career paths. I know more about what makes me excited to complete a task, what I want my future work environment to be like, and how I want to brand myself. All of this has been a result of my experience with Peralta Design and Office Divvy that I wouldn’t have found anywhere else than Palm Coast, Florida.
Ramon has over 20 years of experience in award-winning, market-proven, print collateral, marketing material, iphone/ipad app and website design specializing in corporate identity and branding. Ramon’s passion for entrepreneurial design was borne out of 10 years as Creative Director for Jay Walker at Walker Digital, the Stamford based idea laboratory and business incubator holding over 300 US Patents. Ramon served as Senior Art Director on the start-up launch team behind Priceline.com, a Walker company and invention. Most recently, Ramon’s logo and identity work was selected to be published in “Typography and Enclosures” the fourth book in the Master Library series by LogoLounge.
Peralta Design is an award winning, think tank and digital creative house (with offices in Shelton, CT and Palm Coast, FL). We not only help monetize ideas and determine what the MVP, the Minimal Viable Product is for you, but we also handle everything from logo design and branding, to recommending technology, to building custom web applications and websites. We also develop mobile apps and create promotional videos. As I also mentioned, we work with entrepreneurs, startups and companies (large and small) like yours. We Launch Brands!®
Need help with your brand identity or want to overhaul your existing brand? Need a responsive cutting edge web development project completed? Contact: ramon@peraltadesign.com
Tell us about your next project at: https://www.peraltadesign.com/launchmybrand
Follow Ramon on Twitter @Peralta_Design
