What began as a personal career journey evolved into a venture driven by one clear realization- internships and career readiness skills, when combined, do far more than build resumes- they shape futures.
My career journey began in the 1990s at Le Moyne College. At the time, I was absolutely certain I was destined to become a big-name broadcast journalist—the next Katie Couric, or so I thought.
That confidence lasted until I enrolled in a television journalism class and got my first real taste of the profession. Poor Professor Tom Hogan. He was an exceptional instructor who navigated a TV studio with ease and expertise. My classmates were equally impressive, seeming completely at home behind the camera and in front of the lights.
At first, I was thrilled. This was it—the career I had envisioned for myself. But as the semester unfolded, reality set in. While everyone around me seemed energized by the work, I found myself dreading it. The more hands-on experience I gained, the more I realized that the career I had been so sure about simply wasn’t the right fit.
What I expected to be a slam dunk turned into a valuable lesson. For the first time, I understood that having an interest in something is very different from building a career around it. The experience left me with an important question: If this wasn’t my path, where was I going to go from here?
I picked myself up and brushed myself off…and tried something different. Senior year, I secured an internship with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra as a Public Relations and Marketing intern. I loved it. I had an incredible supervisor. She believed in me, let me “run with it” but also provided the necessary guardrails to offer structure and mentorship. I was forever grateful to her for exposing me to a new career.
Internships became a teaching moment and a driving force in my life. At first, I viewed the TV station internship as a failure, but I soon realized that what I did NOT want to do professionally was equally as powerful as finding what I DID want to do.
The internship ended and reality struck. I needed a job, but the Symphony did not have the budget to hire me full time. I was crushed.
I received job offers from other companies, but nothing that inspired me, so I moved back home to the Capital District. I had no idea what I wanted to do, but my parents were patient and supportive. I applied to all sorts of opportunities. It wasn’t until I received a call from the General Electric Company, Plastics Division, where my life would change. I was offered a contractor position with the company. I wouldn’t even be a GE employee. The job was mainly administrative, answering phones and other highly-administrative tasks. Ugh. With a four year degree, I thought? Was this really what I wanted to do?
But a wise mentor who was a manager within the customer service center where I was applying assured me that this was worth the investment. “Alicia, take the job. Work hard. Prove yourself. You will not be answering phones for long” Sure enough, he was right. I accepted the administrative job in March 1992, and was offered a more full time, non- contractor role just 4 short months later. Finally a GE employee!
I thought every young professional was employed by an incredible company and had this kind of experience. Professional development, clear career pathways, incredible mentors, great benefits, competitive pay, bonuses, effective performance reviews with constructive feedback and a magnificent boss. John McGovern. He was a legend. In my first performance review he turned to me and said “Alicia, you are an incredible employee, with such potential, but I would not be doing my job or serving you well if I didn’t provide you with some constructive feedback.
Wait. What? I was always the A+ student. No one ever gave me constructive feedback. Whoa. This was something new. But John offered his feedback in such a caring and authentic manner, that I knew he only had my best interest at heart. I was so appreciative. And he ended the performance review session by gifting me with a poetry book by Seamus Heaney. I was an English major in college and adored the work of Heaney. John was a staunch Irishman who equaled my adoration for the poet. Touching. We shared a bond, and I was incredibly fortunate to have this wonderful mentor as my first boss.
While I quickly realized I had landed an incredible boss, my next major “aha” moment came during my first six weeks with the company. Surprisingly, I didn’t spend that time at a computer, answering phones, or interacting with clients. Instead, I joined a cohort of new employees in a comprehensive professional development program at GE Plastics.
For six weeks, we focused on building essential workplace skills such as time management, conflict resolution, teamwork, communication, and professionalism. Our instructors ran a disciplined, engaging program, and every lesson felt practical and relevant. As I worked through the training, a thought kept occurring to me: How much more valuable would I have been as a new employee if I had entered the workforce already equipped with these skills?
That realization stayed with me for years and ultimately became the catalyst for this current endeavor. Career readiness skills are not optional—they are foundational. They are valuable, relevant, and should be developed long before students enter the workforce. Looking back, GE was well ahead of its time in recognizing this reality.
Over the years, I have seen firsthand the direct connection between experiential learning and career readiness. Today’s research strongly supports what many of us have observed through experience: students who engage in meaningful, hands-on learning opportunities develop the competencies employers seek. When academic research aligns with real-life experience, the message is powerful.
For me, that message became a calling. Helping students gain career readiness skills through experiential learning is not simply a professional interest—it is a mission born from personal experience and reinforced by years of observing the difference those skills make in the workplace.
Students, I know there are those of you out there who are lost. I get it. I was there. Careers do not come in neatly wrapped packages. They are not linear. Ask anybody. Most people have not landed in the careers they originally thought they’d be in. You make a plan and you pursue it. You make decisions based on the information you have in front of you at the time, but if those are not the right ones, you pivot. You are not stuck. You continue to move forward as the brilliant light that you are…because you bring something to the table that no one else can,regardless of experience, degree or pedigree.
I am here to help. I believe the participation in experiential learning activities, such as internships, coupled with the honing of career readiness skills produce young professionals who are highly competitive and desirable candidates for employers.
Parents, as a mother to three “twenty- somethings” I know the pressure and desire to want to support your children in their career endeavors, but not knowing where to start. The task can be daunting. As the Assistant VP of Experiential Learning and Career Development at a local university in Albany NY, I used to joke at open houses that my job was to “get your children off your payroll in four years” by getting them employed after graduation. I took that job seriously and still do.
Employers, you have concerns about recruiting and retention. An internship program is a 13 week interview. You get to see the good, the bad and the ugly for every intern coming through your doors. In the age of AI where “every candidate looks great because their resume has been run through AI”, an internship is a differentiator. You get to see real skill and potential in action.
Educational partners and workforce development organizations, there is pressure to demonstrate and defend the return on investment of an education. Connecting career outcomes to academics seems to be a solid solution.
I am excited to let you know we are here to help.
Introducing Internship Architects….
