After following my passion for social media and event planning, I have found myself enjoying my role as the ‘Marketing and Events Intern’ for the Kanata North Business Association. Working for the KNBA has been an incredible learning experience and has shown me what the professional world is truly like. Coming from the Algonquin College public relations program, I have a strong understanding of social media, marketing, and events planning. This knowledge has enabled me to showcase my best work possible. In our weekly meetings we have discussed taglines, tactics, strategies, and marketing initiatives and I feel I have contributed to the company philosophy.

Working alongside Deborah and Alycia has been a great learning opportunity. Deborah has been a pleasure to work with and is a great manager that has created a great culture.  Her several years of marketing experience shows in her work and in her ability to come up with creative content. She never fails to make me laugh and has made my time at the KNBA lots of fun!  It has also been a privilege working alongside Alycia. Since my very first day Alycia has been there to walk me through each task and has been the person I go to for help. Her knowledge and assistance have been valuable in gaining a better understanding in using the tools at KNBA. Her ability to create content on social media was impressive and I enjoy creating social media plans with her. Her positive attitude and her ability to work as a team player has given me the ability to fully excel in my role.

My favourite part of each week is the Community Hub lunch parties. The lunch parties are a great way for the employees of the tech park to network and enjoy live music, games, and street food. Having each Wednesday dedicated to helping the employees of the tech park get out of the office and enjoy the summer weather is truly a great feeling.

Being a full-time student, it’s hard to gain experience in your field of study until after graduation and thus I am very fortunate that the KNBA has a summer student intern position. I can go back to school in the fall with a great knowledge of my field of study, with hands on experience. The KNBA is a great opportunity for any student looking to gain experience in the marketing world while having the pleasure to work alongside a phenomenal team. I am very grateful for the lessons that I have gained in this position.

-Neikko Burrell