Walking into IDAfrica on my first day, I couldn’t believe I had actually bagged the internship. I was nervous, but I’m glad I met Joshua, one of my colleagues and fellow intern, who has been my go-to person from day one. He’s been putting me through, answering my countless questions, and helping me find my feet whenever I feel lost. Having someone like that around made settling in much easier.
One thing this internship has taught me so far? I did not know PR as much as I thought I did.
As a 300-level Mass Communication student, my idea of PR was built from lectures, textbooks, and classroom discussions. In my head, PR was mostly crisis management, corporate affairs, media relations, and the occasional brand event where everyone is dressed really nicely and casually chilling with celebrities.
Then I entered IDAfrica and PR basically said, “Cute, but there’s more.”
I quickly realized that real-life PR is a whole different ball game. It’s the strategy behind every post, the research before every idea, the storytelling, the planning, and the tiny details that nobody notices but somehow make all the difference.
I mean, even something as small as a caption for a video gets looked at, analysed, and probably debated more than I expected. Who knew a few words could carry that much responsibility?
It makes me proud to be here because you can see the work, creativity, and intentionality that go into everything. Nothing is just “let’s post this and move on”, there’s always a reason behind it.
So far, I’ve read reports and documents, written a story, and even developed content ideas for the company. Every task has shown me that PR is not just about what people see; it’s also about all the behind-the-scenes thinking that makes everything come together.
Working here feels like all the different parts of Mass Communication finally entered one group chat. Print, broadcasting, and PR are all connecting in real life, and it’s been interesting to experience.
The textbooks didn’t exactly lie… they just gave me the trailer, and IDAfrica is showing me the full movie.
But then again, it’s IDAfrica we’re talking about. Learning from people who are exceptionally good at what they do is both exciting and a constant reminder that there’s always more to learn.
Another thing I love is that I work with a lot of young people. I’m not going to lie, I’m glad about that because it’s not giving the typical traditional 9-to-5 environment. There’s energy, creativity, and people are always bouncing ideas off each other.
My supervisor has told us repeatedly to apply ourselves more and, at the same time, enjoy the work while we’re at it. Even though there are days when it feels like a lot is happening at once, I’m glad I chose this place.
As I wrap up my first month, I’m excited for what’s still to come. Every task, correction, and lesson has shown me how much there is to learn and how much room there is to grow. If the first month has taught me anything, it’s that growth happens when you’re willing to be challenged, and that’s exactly what this experience has been. I’m looking forward to making the most of every opportunity, learning from some of the best in the industry, and seeing just how far this journey can take me.