Guest Blog Post: My Summer Internship
Guest Blogger Kaitlyn Fitzpatrick, our summer intern, reflects on her time in the Mayor's office:
As my time in the Mayor’s office comes to an end, I would like to share some of the opportunities I was given over the course of this internship. I have spent the past 5 weeks learning all about the Mayor’s roles and responsibilities within the city, helping me to better understand many of the current issues Burlington is facing - such as climate change. By replying to emails and making phone calls, I was also able to gain additional insight as to what Burlington residents would like to see within our city. I found this very interesting and loved learning about how city staff can make such a big difference in some citizens’ lives. I was also able to sit in on meetings such as Committee of the Whole and a student transit conference. These experiences allowed me to gain first-hand knowledge of government procedures and current municipal issues that I would not have been able to learn if I were studying in a classroom. Before I began this internship, I was open to working within the Mayor’s office as a possible career path. However, after this experience, I have come to the conclusion that this line of work is not for me. I am very grateful for the opportunity - but I think I am going to stick with pursuing a geography-related occupation that will allow me to be more active in project work and external activities. As for the future, I would like to see the city continue to work against the impacts of climate change and over-intensification. These are both issues that will impact our community greatly and I am glad actions have already been taken to address these matters. I would also like to see more community events such as Burlassic Park as they are not only fun to attend but also draw more people to discover what the city has to offer. Finally, I would like to thank all the staff members at City Hall for welcoming me to this new environment and teaching me so much in such a short period of time. More specifically, I would like to thank the Mayor and her team, John, Georgie, and Victoria, for letting me join their office and taking the time to teach me about what each of their roles entails. If it weren't for being a part of such a great team I definitely would not be leaving with the same knowledge and experience I have today. Kaitlyn FitzpatrickRELATED LINK: