Guest Post: Introducing Burlington Mayor's Office Summer Intern Kaitlyn Fitzpatrick

Note from Mayor Marianne Meed Ward: A huge commitment of mine is to mentor young women interested in journalism or the political world. As a result, and even as a Councillor, I offer internships and day visits to help facilitate this. This will be the third time as an elected official I have hosted an intern in my office. I was at Assumption Catholic Secondary School earlier this year and spoke to Kaitlyn's class about being Mayor and the co-op I was looking to continue in the Mayor's Office — and Kaitlyn came up to me afterwards and expressed her interest. While Kaitlyn only started with my team in the Mayor's Office Tuesday (July 2), she has already begun adapting to the fast-paced environment here and displaying a genuine desire to learn and improve upon her skills. We're very happy to have her on-board. And now, I'll let Kaitlyn tell you more about herself. By: Kaitlyn Fitzpatrick Friday, July 5, 2019Hello everyone! My name is Kaitlyn Fitzpatrick and I am currently participating in a month-long co-operative education program in the Burlington Mayor’s Office. I am passionate about learning and am very excited for the month I am about to spend exploring the role of Mayor Marianne Meed Ward's summer intern. As a student at Assumption Catholic Secondary School, I quickly discovered my interest in city planning and the political organization of space. About to enter my final year of high school this fall, I am looking to pursue a role in the urban planning sector to gain additional knowledge and experience of what a position of this manner truly entails. During my academic career, I also managed to gain more than two years of practical experience. I had the privilege of working for Burlington Gymnastics Club in a role where I learned valuable professional skills, such as conflict resolution, lesson planning, and adaptive teaching methods. I enjoyed my position as a coach as it allowed me to share my knowledge and understanding of the sport of gymnastics with the youth of the city. As for the future, I am considering attending university in hopes of receiving the Registered Professional Planner designation through courses related to the concept of urban planning. While I am Mayor Meed Ward’s summer intern,  I hope to learn more about the city and gain experience in the duties of a variety of different government roles. I understand the difficulty of these positions and would like to familiarize myself with the fast-paced work environment in preparation for my future career.Aside from the knowledge I hope to gain in the Mayor’s office, I am also looking to strengthen my communication skills in and out of the workplace.During my first week, I have spoken with many residents and City staff, as well as responded to a variety of emailed concerns. I quickly realized that the ability to communicate is crucial for success in a role such as the one I am pursuing.Additionally, I have found that the problems citizens face are quite intriguing and I am excited to discover the process of how these issues can be resolved. Overall, I am very thankful for this opportunity and am looking forward to continuing to learn about the work Mayor Meed Ward is doing to improve the well-being of our city.