"One of the most important skills you need in a workplace is "self advocacy" - the ability to speak up for yourself when you need support, when you're confused about something, or when you're uncomfortable with a situation." I'll admit, it's really intimidating to speak up when you're surrounded by adults in a professional environment. One of the most valuable pieces of advice I received was during the first week; a manager had mentioned that it's normal for everyone to be uncomfortable in a new environment, but all it takes is "getting out of your office and meeting someone new everyday." After that I made an effort to stay amiable and meet as many people as possible. Once I'm comfortable in an environment it's easier for me to speak up. Something that alleviated the pressure was encouragement from my mentor as well as the friendly and accepting environment.
Thesis:
A strong relationship between employee and manager is vital to the success of the FAA; without a mutual understanding of one another’s responsibilities, the working relationship between the two will suffer. Throughout the next two weeks, I will conduct a series of interviews in order to analyze leadership development and interpersonal relations in the FAA. My ultimate goal will be to write a report that emphasizes the successes, identifies the faults, and proposes innovative recommendations in order to improve relations. To carry out this project I will need to set up interviews with the employees and put my interviewing skills to use. I could also talk with my mentor and see if he has any suggestions on who I should interview and what I should ask.
The answers to these questions were very insightful. I learned a lot about not only about my mentors career path, but what it takes to be a great leader like him. It makes me happy to realize that it's possible to rise in ranks as long as you have the drive and willingness to better yourself. My mentor's "rise to the top" wasn't instantaneous, he worked hard everyday (and he still works hard everyday) to meet his goals. Interning with a government branch is an opportunity I have never gotten the chance to experience before. It is definitely different from what I had imagined; it involves a lot of time in the cubical and note taking. Nevertheless, I really admire the configuration of day to day operations. For example, team briefings are a daily requirement and interpersonal relations are necessary to a successful administration. Everyone is very sociable, responsible, and socially responsible. They know the work they do is vital to their nation and they perform their duties with pride. The general attitude of employees at the FAA is inspiring and respectable.
Describe a typical work day at this site.
A typical day of work at the Federal Aviation Administration varies greatly depending on the core hours one works. The busiest hours occur early in the morning because that is when the most flights go out. Later on in the day is when air traffic becomes less hectic. The most common core hours are 7am-3pm and 8am-4pm but there are employees present 24 hours of the day because air traffic is continuous. The main air traffic control room is kept dark and it's generally not too loud because employees are focused on monitors that track air space. Other areas of work are the main office, where the administrative employees work and meetings are held. Explain what the business's general work policies (tardiness, absence, etc.) are. Employees are held to a strict performance policy and must demonstrate all of the following: Attendance, productivity, accuracy, completeness, neatness, initiative, resourcefulness, dependability, organization, attitude, friendliness, courtesy, academic training, confidence, communication, and judgement. Describe the dress code that seems to be in place at this work site. The dress code is business casual but also clothes that are comfortable to sit in for long amounts of time. Look for ways in which you would be applying the skills you have learned in your high school classes. My mentor expressed his enthusiasm for High Tech High students' innovation and unique skills and welcomed our input and new ideas. He said the FAA is looking to employ innovative minds and to be confident in the skills I've learned from High Tech High. Explain your internship project and how you will be contributing to the workplace. Please write a reflection which describes your experiences during Career Day. How did your day in the professional world compare to your expectations of the professional world? We went over expectations and created a presentation on the spot about new information we learned. My mentor informed us that our daily schedules are going to be sporadic and change everyday based on whats going on and what needs to be done that day. Somedays we may need to copy papers and do some filing, other day we may have to create a presentation and present to a group of managers or shadow an air traffic controller or tour an airport. It all really depends. We were thrown right into the rush of an average day and given expectations and rules immediately. This is what I expected, definitely from a serious government job. What is an artifact(s) from Career Day that you can share? Artifacts can include photographs, brochures, videos, etc. (My pages of notes) |
AuthorThis blog showcases my experiences while interning at the FAA. ArchivesCategories |