By Shaina Richards
The internship program at NECC recently started up again this semester for Communications, Business, and CIS majors.
Sarah McCarthy, Chris Bowden and Brian Hough started as interns at HC Media, the local public access studio in Haverhill and were able to become permanent employees.
Internships open up opportunities for future employment by building up students’ resumes and providing students with important contacts and experience in their desired field of work.
McCarthy, who has been working at HC Media for 2 years, was one of the first students to do an internship at HC Media through NECC. She had been attending college at NEIA in Boston, but when it became too expensive, she came to NECC.
McCarthy had a background in film, so she decided to take both the TV Production and Video Production classes offered through NECC. She started volunteering at HC Media in 2012 and became an intern in 2013.
As a volunteer, McCarthy worked more on the shoot. As an intern, she worked more “behind the scenes” by helping to also prepare for the shoot.
“Volunteer work was more relaxed, putting in the effort you wanted to put in. As an intern, there was more emphasis on doing things in a timely manner,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy ended up not getting the three credits for taking the internship class, because after only three months as an intern, she was hired as a production coordinator at HC Media. She is currently content with how things worked out.
“I’m good here. HC Media is really growing, and I’d like to see where they go,” said McCarthy.
Chris Bowden, age 30, will have been employed at HC Media for 4 years this September. He also started as an intern and had taken the TV Production course through NECC.
“At that particular time in my life, I had no real direction and was struggling to find a career path. Not long after being in the class, I realized that video production and technology was something that I was passionate about, and I desired to know more,” said Bowden.
After becoming a member at HC Media and becoming “acclimated with the video production process,” Bowden volunteered for any and every shoot. Soon after, he was offered an internship as the videographer for the city government meetings.
“Being an intern and full-time staff member, I have gained an immense amount of knowledge that has helped me build my career as a videographer, producer and editor. I can safely say that HC Media has equipped me with the tools and know-how of video production that I otherwise would not have been able to acquire without expensive education and years of training. I greatly benefited and grew as an individual from hands-on training and by working side-by-side with the amazing HC Media staff and other volunteers,” said Bowden.
Brian Hough, age 21, started video production classes during his junior and senior years in high school.
“I fell in love with video production, particularly editing, in a whole new way,” said Hough.
As a Haverhill resident, Hough knew HC Media was a great local station where he could learn more. He spent three years as a member and interned during the summer at HC Media.
Bough said, “HC Media was also my first real step into a professional working environment. That’s where I really learned a lot of my time management skills, something that has come in handy.”
