Interview with Seneca Rasey and Aleksandra Noveska, interns at the Public Affairs and Communications Sector at Pivara Skopje

Seeking an internship that will help them broaden their understanding of working in the corporate world, Seneca Rasey and Aleksandra Noveska seized the opportunity that Pivara Skopje’s internship program provides to young talented students. These two ladies joined the Public Affairs and Communications Sector’s team in 2015. Seneca Rasey won the competitive application process at the Lehigh University in the USA and managed to join our team as an intern in the period June-July 2015. Aleksandra Noveska, as an economics student at the Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, stood out due to her remarkable skills in graphic design and joined the team in the period of September-October 2015. It was a great pleasure to work with these amazing students who enjoyed learning and further developing themselves while contributing to various projects. In the following interview, we invite you to read more about their experiences and the challenges they faced during our internship program:

On which projects have you worked in Pivara Skopje and for how long?

I was an intern with the Public Affairs & Communications department from June to July 2015. I worked on the Art & Beer Exhibition, the Ohridsko Leto sponsorship project, the Galicnik Wedding, and other events. I also composed CSR summaries for the Heineken website, distributed weekly e-tools, and proofread various texts.

I was an intern in Pivara Skopje for one month and I had the opportunity to work on two projects. The first project referred to the Drive Safely and Consume Responsibly Campaign, and I was charged with preparing a short video presentation and photos of the activities we organised during the Enjoy Responsibly Day. The second project I was part of was the new Pivara Skopje digital platform called GLASS FULL.

What challenges did you face trying to fit in Pivara Skopje’s dynamic environment?

The biggest challenge was the language barrier. I do not speak Macedonian and although many of my colleagues in Pivara Skopje spoke English, it was difficult to communicate with some people. Understandably, most meetings with external stakeholders were in Macedonian, so I was unable to fully understand or participate. Overall though, everyone was very helpful and made me feel welcome from the start!

At the very beginning, the main challenge I faced was how to fit in the dynamic environment in Pivara Skopje. The next challenge was how to respond the best to the professional obligations and duties, as well as how to organize efficiently all my activities throughout the day. The pace in Pivara Skopje is so dynamic and each new day brings new challenges that need to be addressed efficiently without affecting the process of completing any of the day-to-day tasks.

How has your academic knowledge helped you in accomplishing your work responsibilities?

My academic background prepared me extremely well for this internship. I have a strong work ethic and was able to accomplish tasks thoroughly and efficiently. Additionally, I felt confident and comfortable in a professional setting.

Among numerous other tasks I had in Pivara Skopje, I was also assigned tasks that required from me to come up with visual solutions. The tasks that were usually assigned to me were in the area of economics, so being a student at the Faculty of Economics helped me enormously in understanding the concepts, while my skills and knowledge in the area of graphic design helped me represent such solutions visually.

What was the role of the mentor during the internship?

I had two mentors during my internship – Sonja Todorova and Lambro Patce. They did a wonderful job of integrating me into the team and the company’s various programs and events. I was constantly included and trusted with responsibilities, and I truly felt like an employee of Pivara, not just a two month intern.

The role of the mentor is very serious, since in addition to coping with day-to-day responsibilities, mentors are expected to dedicate great deal of attention to interns. The most important job mentors have is to motivate interns, advise and assist them in completing required tasks, point out to any shortcomings in the process and, finally, help interns correct such shortcomings. In addition, mentors should exhibit great deal of patience, cooperate with interns, and delegate proper responsibilities to provide them an opportunity to show what they are capable of doing. Overall, any mentor should be a role model to interns. And when it comes to Pivara Skopje, I was lucky enough to have great experience in all these aspects.

What have you learned during the internship program that will help you in the future? Has your experience as a Pivara Skopje intern made it possible to gain new valuable experiences and knowledge?

I saw incredible passion for Public affairs and communications and for Pivara Skopje with my two mentors. I learned in depth about the company and got to experience many different aspects of the business; I was able to interact with other departments and outside agencies as well. I gained valuable professional skills that will help me in any future career.

Through my experience as an intern in Pivara Skopje I was able to gain new skills and knowledge in areas in which I had no previous experience. Moreover, I was able to learn how to cope more easily with all my obligations and how to complete them within the timeframe provided by learning how to prioritize. I have managed to learn that it is very important to be detail-oriented and to double check everything you do. Simply put, everything needs to be in perfect order. What I have learned from my experience in Pivara Skopje is that there is no room for improvisation and that everything that employees do, and even everything that interns do, should be nothing short of excellence.

What will you advise future interns in Pivara Skopje, how to fit better in the environment?

My advice to future interns at Pivara Skopje is to be involved! Take your responsibilities seriously and ask your mentors to include you in every opportunity. You can learn so much from such a prominent company so take advantage of your time at Pivara Skopje.

The first thing I would recommend is to take the chance of being a Pivara Skopje intern, since an internship in Pivara Skopje is not just another professional experience, but it is also a valuable lifetime experience. When it comes to fitting more easily in Pivara Skopje’s dynamic environment, my only advice would be to stay focused and get organised.

In the end, what were your expectations from the internship in Pivara Skopje, and how much do they differ from what you actually gained?

Prior to arriving in Macedonia, I did not know which department I would be placed in, but I hoped to gain general professional skills and knowledge about the business. Interning with Public affairs and communications, I was able to participate not only in company processes and events, but to attend cultural events as well, and I learned a lot about Macedonian culture. Spending time with other departments and creative and communication agencies further enhanced my internship. My experience at Pivara Skopje exceeded my expectations!

Of course that prior to coming to Pivara Skopje I had certain expectations which were based on the fact that Pivara Skopje is a brand that has managed to survive, grow and develop in our market for more than 90 years. Still, Pivara Skopje has managed to offer me an experience that exceeded my expectations in so many ways, meaning that I have managed to gain much more than I have ever imagined. I believe that this company is a great place to work and build a successful career.