INTERNSHIP CONNECTS EDUCATION WITH WORKING WORLD

Novia D. Rulistia ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sun, 05/17/2009 1:37 PM  |  Discover

For students pursuing real life knowledge, learning from the textbook is not enough. They go for internships to get first-hand experience.

Calvin Gedionieto Moniaga, 20, worked as an intern on the latest Joko Anwar thriller Pintu Terlarang (Forbidden Door) last year.

During preproduction of the movie, the student from the broadcasting school Next Academy, in South Jakarta, was involved in the casting process.

During the shoot he was assigned as a talent coordinator.

He said that apart from completing an interning curriculum at his academy, working as an intern gave him the chance to implement what he learnt in class and broaden his point of view.

"It will mean nothing if we learn many theories but never implement them. Being an intern has given me the opportunity to learn many new things, such as technical words that are usually used during the shooting, as they're not available at school," he said.

"Besides, I also have a chance to get extra money here. The amount is quite satisfying," he laughed.

In the making of Pintu Terlarang, Calvin was not the only intern.

Lydia Jo, 23, said that after graduating from film school in San Francisco, she knew it was not enough to enter the film industry just by carrying a graduation certificate.

"I immediately applied to become an intern once I knew there was an opportunity in Bang Joko's film," she said excitedly.

Lydia worked as an intern on the movie's production stage, helping almost every department involved during the filming.

She said that although she didn't get a chance to learn directly from Joko, she still learnt just by observing the way he worked.

"In addition, by working as an intern here, I can start making my own networks to find a job in the film industry," Lydia said.

According to education expert Arief Rachman, internships are an educational method that aim to improve someone's quality through hands-on practice.

He said students or fresh graduates were well equipped with theories, but when it came to practical ability, some of them were still left in the dark.

"That's why internships are important, as they bridge the gap between theory and practice," he told The Jakarta Post recently.

Arief said to maximize the benefits gained by becoming an intern, evaluations of interns' performances should always be conducted, otherwise the activities would be useless in improving their skills.

"Interns can't just be released without supervision. Through feedback from lecturers, senior staff or supervisors, interns can measure their strengths and weaknesses to further improve their skills," he said.

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