Overall Reflections
The person I am in this moment is completely different than the person that started out in May. I'm very grateful for this opportunity, it was an experience of a lifetime!
I truly believe that the mentorship I received was unparalleled. As the Canadian Policy Team was quite small, I was trusted enough to be treated as a full-time employee. The 'intern' title didn't limit the responsibilities that I was handled with. The exposure I received to other sides of the business was extremely eye-opening. The policy team at Tesla acts as the glue between many departments, from sales to legal.
Overall, this experience taught me so much about all the differing forces that go into policy development from the perspective of the private sector. I have a better understanding of what interaction with government looks like, and how consultation & input from stakeholders looks like. Moreover, I learned tons about how company strategies are developed to deal with the array of issues that can arise out of the blue.
Experiences that made my work term stand out
- While my team was on the east coast and my position was fully remote, I worked frequently from Tesla's delivery centre in Vancouver. It was so motivating to head into an office setting everyday. I made so many friends and acquaintances from many sides of the business. Also, it was fun to work from the customer-facing side of the business.
- Halfway through my 6 months, I got to go to Victoria and help out with the grand opening of our first Service, Sales, and Delivery on Vancouver Island. It was extremely hectic and busy but I got to take on tasks that I don't usually do in my day to day. In addition, I got to meet so many people!
- I got to work with so many sides of the business on tasks that only challenged me for the better. From legal, safety, sales, to homologation, every day held with it a new surprise.
- I got to do a lot of external work for my capstone project (can't disclose). I got to meet with stakeholders from industry and environmental groups. It was so awesome to see how many diverse players can find middle ground to align on important issues.
Connections between my work and studies
My internship was basically a lot of what I study, but in action. I like to think of public policy as the intersection between both of my majors. My internship was not as complicated as a lot of the educational content that I'm regularly exposed to. I now have a better understanding of what I want to take out of my classes during my last semester.
Longer term career plans
I would love to stick around in the electric vehicle industry! My time at Tesla has shown me how much growth an industry can experience in merely 6 months. If not in the EV industry, I'd be interested to try out consulting. Moreover, I do see myself getting a Masters in Public Policy in the future.
I learned so much through practice, whether it was drafting responses to policy proposals or deciphering legal clauses. I know I was a vital part of a team that always worked together creatively to solve problems. Moreover, this internship gave me a lot of clarity on the applicability of my studies in a professional role.