Guest Post: Introducing Burlington Mayor’s Office Fall Intern Andrew MacLean

Note from Mayor Marianne Meed Ward: I am always on board with supporting our young folks and giving them the opportunity to gain some real world experience and expand their horizons a bit. That's why I'm very happy to announce that the Mayor's Office has a new intern for the fall — Andrew MacLean. Andrew will be helping us out twice a week, and then splitting the rest of his time lending a hand to our Clerks Department. Having only started with us this week, Andrew has already proven himself to be an asset in our fast-paced environment, taking any task assigned to him with enthusiasm and a genuine desire to build on his skills, and pick up some new ones. My staff and I are glad to have him on-board. Below, Andrew tells you more about himself. By: Andrew MacLean Friday, Sept. 27, 2019Hello Burlington! My name is Andrew MacLean and I have been invited to do a fall internship at the City of Burlington Mayor’s Office. As a co-operative education program (Co-op) student at Aldershot High School, students are given time in their schedule to go into a workplace of their choosing and receive real-world experience in a field they may be interested in.As someone who has many interests in business, politics and finances, the City of Burlington Mayor’s Office encompasses perfectly the sectors that I am interested in and many more I am looking forward to exploring and experiencing. As an intern, my duties will be to help keep the flow of information to the Mayor as efficient as possible and help where I can with social events and problem-solving for patrons. As a Grade 11 student, I enjoy math and business courses alike and decided that Co-op would be the right decision for me. I feel that though in-class courses are important, the ones that give you real-world experience or allow you to build real-world skills are the courses most important for youth my age.In my free time I love to spend time with friends and family while also balancing my academic and work life. I work a part-time job at FreshCo and have been working since I was 14. Camping, sports and music have been a part of my life since I can remember. From the age of 5 to 13, I was in the 31st Burlington scout troop where I learned some crucial skills that I still use today. These days, the camping I do is with my family in our trailer where we travel to a large variety of locations from northern Ontario to states on the east coast. I also enjoy music in all forms — I play the piano and played the trumpet in my school band.During my time here at the City of Burlington, I hope to make a positive impact in the lives of many and hope to be able to give insight on how life in Burlington is for teens my age. I am grateful for the opportunity and plan on making the best of it.