This summer, Low Tide welcomed two new interns to the team alongside two returning interns. Each intern has had the opportunity to gain work experience in their respective department, participate in the Intern Leadership Program, and work on a group project.
We met with the team to hear about their internship experience so far and what they are looking forward to.
What is something you have learned so far in your internship?
Isabelle Cai, Property Management Intern
It has been rewarding to see how each tenant has their own unique role in the community and personal needs that we can support in turn. No two tenants or neighbourhoods are perfectly alike and experiencing that firsthand has helped me better understand how getting to really know your tenants on a more personal level can be worthwhile. After all, the people are what really make the place!
Ravnoor Virk, Events Coordinator Intern
I have learned that the Tenant and Community Relations team is highly collaborative, working closely not only with tenants and communities but also within the Low Tide organization. Their teamwork extends to planning activations with the Property Managers, Operators, and Asset Management team.
Has anything surprised you about your role as an Intern?
Matt Petrakis, Accounting Intern
One thing that surprised me about my role as an Accounting Intern is that I am applying a good amount of knowledge that I learned in school. Specifically, one of the first tasks I performed when I started this internship was making journal entries, which was one of the first things I learned in my Intro to Accounting course back in Grade 11. I never anticipated that I would be using so much knowledge that I learned in high school, but here I am!
Carson Telfer, Asset Management Intern
I’ve previously worked in real estate but never in asset management, so it was interesting to see how individual properties are never considered in isolation but rather the wider context of the portfolio and their communities. I was also surprised by how collaborative everything is. You often find several members of the team being adaptable and collaborating on the same projects.
What projects are you currently working on?
Carson Telfer, Asset Management Intern
I am currently working on several projects, including analyzing lease transactions, transitioning our records for each property and tenant, and updating our budget assumptions as we prepare for quarterly reporting. It has been interesting to learn the ins and outs of each property, what goes into every lease, and how comprehensive the strategy is throughout Low Tide’s portfolio.
Isabelle Cai, Property Management Intern
I recently helped complete an audit of Low Tide’s accessible drawing plans, ensuring we have a better understanding of our various properties. Lately, I’ve been working on assisting the property management team in understanding the capabilities of their current on-call system and how we can better utilize its functionalities to meet our needs.
What are you excited to learn or work on for the remainder of your internship?
Ravnoor Virk, Events Coordinator Intern
We recently finished wrapping up the Strathcona Blocks Party, and I am excited to continue working on the Summer Event Series, including Meet Me in Gastown and Flats Fest. The community events are a great way to connect with community members and give back to the neighbourhood. I am looking forward to continuing conversations with community stakeholders and personalizing each event to reflect its respective neighbourhood.
Matt Petrakis, Accounting Intern
I am excited to learn more about financial planning and analysis later this summer. I have always found it interesting and have been eager to try it in practice!
Thank you to our interns for all their hard work this summer!
