Capilano University: Practicum Reflection Report, Summer 2019

This report is a Practicum Reflection from a student at Capilano University, detailing their internship experience at DNA Destinations North America. The student worked as a Guest Services/Check-in Agent in the cruise department, gaining experience in customer service, communication, and tea...Read More

Running head: PRACTICUM REFLECTION
PRACTICUM REFLECTION
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Executive summary
This paper is going to talk about the work experience I have gained from the company DNA
Destinations North America. This paper talks about my experience in details and reflects on
my work progress in this company. This paper gives an insight about my evaluation from the
work experience where I have understood by strengths and weaknesses. This paper provides a
detailed information about my experience and the things I have learnt which may later
contribute to my professional career.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..................................................................................................................................3
Company overview................................................................................................................3
Job Onboarding......................................................................................................................4
Experience..............................................................................................................................5
Introspection of my job..........................................................................................................6
Vision.....................................................................................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
Internship is defined as the position of a trainee or a student who work in a company
or an organization, sometimes without any remuneration in order to attain work experience,
satisfy certain requirements that are needed for a subject or some qualification ((Stirling et al,
2014). Rothman & Sisman, (2016) states internship is important for the future career as a
work background has a major significance when attempting to enter the job market.
Internship provides giving proper exposure and helps in developing oneself and prepares for
the future (Datta, Biswakarma & Nayak, 2013). This paper is going to shed a light on my
work experience and evaluate my experience in details.
Discussion
Company overview
I am currently working for an organization named DNA Destination North America in
Canada which is at the Waterfront station, Vancouver, British Columbia. DNA Destinations
is a Destination Management Company for the country, North America. The company is
basically an inbound tour operator. The company helps people to operate groups through
Canada and USA. The founders of this organization are travel professionals who have an
experience of 20 years in this receptive market (Dnatourism.com, 2019). The company has a
good market position and works with international clients like L’Oreal, Wella, ViiV
Healthcare Limited and many more notable clients (Dnatourism.com, 2019). The main
mission and goal of the organization is to become one of the largest DMC companies,
provide their clients with impeccable and positive experience, expand their services to more
international clients and provide their services in other countries as well (Dnatourism.com,
2019).

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I applied here for the post of Guest Services/ Check-in Agent. DNA Destinations does
not set any criteria for the candidates who apply for internships here and hire solely on the
basis of the personal interview that they conduct where the judge the communication skills
and their abilities to carry out the necessary jobs. I got selected as a Check-in Agent in the
cruise department. I worked under the Assistant Shore Excursions Manager in their cruise
department and report to him. The shift timing I had is a five our shift and worked only two
days a week which was Saturday and Sunday.
Job Onboarding
I was hired as a Check-in Agent and I was assigned to do jobs like help the passengers
to check-in in the cruise ships, help my supervisors by providing the necessary details and
directions to the passengers as to what they have to do and also help them clear their doubts if
they face any difficulty and confusion. Before joining the job we were provided with a seven
days training where we were given a tour of the cruise ships where we were working for and
we were given training on the communication skills, our postures, the details of the room and
check-in details which was necessary for us to know. This training was helpful as I was new
to this job and did not have any knowledge about the cruise ships and the job of a Check-in
Agent. I understood the designation and the training helped me improve my communication
skills and understand communication on a professional level. Initially I was nervous as to
how efficient I would be however, with time I had improved performed my duties with full
conviction and hard work which was evident in the results as the customers had positive
feedback to give about me. At the end of the internship I was provided with my performance
report where I could see the progress I had done and could understand my progress from my
efficiency and the way I was able to carry out the work in a faster manner in an efficient way.
I learnt how to do work in a proper manner and gained enough experience that would later
help me get a job in some other organization after completion of my degree.

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Plateau
Proficiency
Duties Steep acceleration
Slow beginning
Learning
Fig: My learning curve
Experience
Working in DNA Destinations has been a great experience and it has helped me
immensely to achieve the learning goals I had in my mind. This experience has helped me
develop professionally as well as personally. The first goal I had was interpersonal skills. I
am good with conversing with others however interpersonal skills in a business is different as
there are different ways of communicating with clients, customers, entrepreneurs which is
one of the important factors. Working in DNA Destinations gave me the opportunity to learn
this as I had to engage and communicate with many clients while helping them check-in.
The other goal that I fulfilled here was to gain some background knowledge about this
industry. Assisting my immediate boss helped me in gaining some knowledge about the
industry and how the industry works. He had become my mentor and has helped me by

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providing many details from his own experience that has helped me get to know the industry
in a closer and clearer manner.
The next goal I had was to learn how to be calm and not panic under stressful
situations. Before in stressful situations I would panic and become nervous. During the
weekends there use to be a rush of people who would come to the cruise and helping
everyone check-in sometimes would become hectic however, I had learnt how to stay calm
and not let it show on my face and provide others with the service with a smiling face.
One of the other learning goal I had was enhance my technical skills however, this
was something that I could not learn as my primary job was to help people check-in and I was
not assigned to maintain records of any sort thus I hardly worked on any kind of device that
would help me enhance my technical skills.
Working in this organization had helped me fulfill many of the learning goals that I
wished to achieve. However, because of the nature of the job I could not achieve them but
this job has helped me develop my personality which will help me in my personal life as well.
The work experience was fruitful however I wish they could have extended my training and
provide me with on job training so that I could have learnt better and enhance my
performance later.
Introspection of my job
The work experience in DNA Destinations has been beneficial for me along with the
course that I have studied in the prestigious Capilano University. From the evaluation of the
work experience I have had here I have come to understand my strengths, weakness and
potential or capability. From this job experience I have come to understand that my strength
is that I am fluent in English which had helped me to communicate with people and no
miscommunication arises in that matter, the other was that I can work in a team as I did gel

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well with everyone and during team based works I did my job without any conflict. The other
strength was focused which I was since my childhood however I understood this during my
work where once I started doing one job I would do it with conviction until it was done.
From this work experience I could understand some of my negatives as well. I found
out that when I get confused about something and I do not have a clear idea about something
I get nervous and often become numb. I start doubting myself when I am unable to do
something which questions my self confidence.
I also understood that I have potential to learn quickly and do things efficiently as I
have done much extra work which have been assigned by my immediate boss that I was not
supposed to do but after him explaining me the basics I have successfully managed to do the
job.
This job has helped me immensely develop many skills and enhance them and I
would recommend trying and gaining experience from DNA Destinations to all my
classmates who are looking for internships and looking forward t develop themselves. This
job has helped me meet new people and gain knowledge about various different subjects by
just conversing with them and has helped me make contacts that I hope will help me in the
near future. Moreover the course I have learnt has contributed immensely while doing this
job. The etiquettes and behavior taught in the course has helped me in making proper
conversations with customers or clients and teamwork done in college has been beneficial
that has helped me work in teams in the workplace as well.
Vision
The work experience gained in DNA Destinations has been beneficial as well as
amazing. I have met new people and made very good friends here. After gaining work
experience from this esteemed organization, after completing my course I see this experience

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contributing to give a weight to my curriculum vitae and will help me in gaining jobs in other
prominent tourism companies. From this job experience I will apply for jobs in big hotels
where I will be able to gain more experience that will help me develop and acquire more
skills and also help me grow in my career.
Conclusion
Internships are necessary for students who want to make a successful career as
practical experience contributes to the development of a better career in the future.
Internships helps people especially students to get a clear insight of the professional work and
help learn many things that helps them in their professional career. The work experience that
I have gained has been beneficial and fruitful as I have learnt many things that will help in
my overall development.

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Reference
Datta, A., Biswakarma, S., & Nayak, B. (2013). Effect of internship on career perception of
hotel management students. ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary
Research, 3(10), 50-63.
Dnatourism.com. (2019). Destination North America (DNA) - about us. Retrieved 23 July
2019, from http://www.dnatourism.com/about.htm
Dnatourism.com. (2019). Destination North America is your partner for all groups to the
USA or Canada. Retrieved 23 July 2019, from http://www.dnatourism.com/
Rothman, M., & Sisman, R. (2016). Internship impact on career consideration among
business students. Education+ Training, 58(9), 1003-1013.
Stirling, A. E., Kerr, G., Banwell, J., MacPherson, E., Bandealy, A., & Battaglia, A. (2014).
What is an Internship?: An Inventory and Analysis of" internship" Opportunities
Available to Ontario Postsecondary Students. Higher Education Quality Council of
Ontario.