Work Copied: Pride and Prejudice Chapter 7

I have one day left in my first week at Discover Praxis, an apprenticeship program for young people that offers an alternative to college.

I am the 10th employee, and the youngest on the team. This week has been the most fast-paced learning experience of my life, as I integrate onto the team, learn the ins and outs of marketing, and explore some sales and customer service aspects as well.

It is highly in my advantage that I am already passionate about the product Praxis offers. The work that I did while originally researching the program is paying off as I fill in the gaps with customer service and social media marketing.

I’m coming to the conclusion that every young person should work in a startup as part of their education. Notice that I said “startup”. The experience is just not the same at an established company.

At a young, flourishing, fast-growing company, apprentices have the opportunity to have a direct impact on the future of a company. This is not impossible at a large corporation; but more often than not, the big guys are the ones that make the big decisions, and the lesser men are left under the rug.

Another advantage to working in a startup is the fact that young ideas are not only appreciated, but needed and used. There’s nothing that grows an apprentice more than to see an idea come to life with the work of a team.

In a startup, young adults get the chance to explore every area of a business. In a large company, everyone tends to stay in his own department.

It’s fun and invigorating to have a direct impact on the growth of something big. It’s also hard work, but that’s what makes it fun. Here’s to the next weeks and months of my apprenticeship!

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash