{"id":8928,"date":"2023-04-13T10:35:36","date_gmt":"2023-04-13T00:35:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/?p=8928"},"modified":"2024-01-22T13:04:07","modified_gmt":"2024-01-22T02:04:07","slug":"virtual-work-experience-internships-the-pros-cons-to-know-about","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/virtual-work-experience-internships-the-pros-cons-to-know-about\/","title":{"rendered":"Virtual Work Experience & Internships: The Pros & Cons to Know About"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

Virtual work experience opportunities and internships sprung up worldwide during the pandemic – and it was great!<\/p>\n

Even though many young people were hoping to get into a \u2018real life\u2019 workplace, a virtual experience offered some of the same benefits and provided a glimpse into how teams worldwide were using remote working.<\/p>\n

Many teams might have returned to the office, but virtual opportunities like this seem to be here to stay!<\/p>\n

But are they worth doing?<\/em> We break down the pros and cons.<\/p>\n

The PROS<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Work experience and internships are geared towards supporting young people to learn more about a specific workplace and industry and find alignment between their studies, career goals and the world of work.<\/p>\n

Virtual placements offer students this and can also support other vital areas of job readiness and career exploration.<\/p>\n

Some key pros include:<\/p>\n

1. \u00a0A more relaxed format to meet people.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

It\u2019s no secret that meeting someone via video chat<\/a> can be much less stressful than meeting in person.<\/p>\n

For anyone entering the workplace for the first time, it can be a comfort to be in your own familiar space while getting familiar with new work colleagues.<\/p>\n

2. Greater flexibility to juggle other commitments.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Minus any extra commuting or longer hours, a remote placement gives you plenty of flexibility with your time.<\/p>\n

It also helps to teach you essential workplace skills such as organisation, autonomy and time management.<\/p>\n

3. Getting familiar with remote working.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

It looks like remote working is here to stay, so a remote placement is a perfect opportunity to get used to this work format.<\/p>\n

It\u2019ll be helpful in future interviews if an employer asks about your experience and confidence working this way.<\/p>\n

4. Developing vital workplace skills.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

As touched on, completing a placement this way can help you develop valuable workplace skills.<\/p>\n

This includes communication, teamwork, creative thinking, problem solving, digital literacy, resilience, and self-management.<\/p>\n

5. Greater accessibility.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

For rural and regional students, a virtual placement offers you the chance to get access to top-tier employers and organisations to learn from!<\/p>\n

In-person placements can be tricky to undertake with the added travel and accommodation costs; in-person placements can be tricky. Remote placements give you the best of both worlds!<\/p>\n

The CONS<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Some things that add to the pros list with virtual placements also add to the cons list. In a world where we lead such digital lives, spending time with others in person is still important – and the workplace is no different.<\/p>\n

A few cons that might come up with virtual placements include:<\/p>\n

1. Less opportunity for face-to-face interactions.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Meeting and working with people through a screen isn\u2019t the same as working with them in real life. It can be harder to stand out, and if you\u2019re new in the workplace, ha+rder to put your hand up and ask for help.<\/p>\n

Being in the workplace in person allows people to see you \u2018in action\u2019 and makes you a more visible employee.<\/p>\n

2. Less chance to participate in workplace culture and social activities.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

There\u2019s a lot of great stuff about being in the workplace aside from doing the actual work! Getting coffee with colleagues, sharing lunch, and being a part of casual conversations and in-jokes – all add to a fun, positive workplace culture.<\/p>\n

When you work virtually, it\u2019s much harder to create this or be a part of it with colleagues based in an office.<\/p>\n

3. Screen fatigue!<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Is anyone else just sick of sitting in front of a screen for hours on end?!<\/p>\n

It\u2019s nice to have the chance to get stuck in, especially for specific industries where you might be overreading about what the work involves and keen to be a bit more hands-on.<\/p>\n

Is a Virtual Placement Right For You?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

There are many things to consider when deciding whether a virtual placement is right for you:<\/p>\n