Conversation is a Credential: How Sophia Lee Landed Two Internships before her Final Year of Uni

In this episode of Take Your Seat, we’re sitting down with Sophia Lee, a fourth-year Civil Engineering student at the University of Auckland, to talk through what her internship experiences at KiwiRail and Frequency have actually been like — day to day, not just on paper.Sophia speaks candidly about starting internships without feeling particularly confident, learning by observing how people work together, and realising early on that being approachable and willing to ask questions mattered more than trying to prove herself. She reflects on workplace culture, how she gauges whether an environment feels right, and how small conversations and relationships ended up shaping her opportunities more than formal applications ever did.This episode is a grounded look at early engineering work — how you settle in, learn quietly, and build trust before you build certainty.By the way... it's not you, it's me. The Audio of this episode faced technical difficulties! Bear with me, it's fixed for the next one :)Here are the episode's takeaways:Being approachable and curious can open more doors than feeling “ready.Real-world learning happens outside structured classes—relationships accelerate itWorkplace culture shapes early experiences, seek environments that support learning.Soft skills, communication, and adaptability matter as much as technical ability.Early conversations can turn into opportunities; start where you are, not where you think you need to be. Scaffolded networking!If this episode resonated with you, Make sure to Like this episode and Follow the Take Your Seat Podcast for more;📸 Instagram: @takeyourseatpod🎧 Podcast: Take Your Seat💬 Join the conversation & share this episode with someone who needs it.Take Your Seat — where women’s stories spark possibility.--- Chapters ---00:00 – Meet Sophia01:18 – Life as an Intern: The Daily Grind03:43 – Tackling Early Internship Challenges05:39 – Culture Shock: Learning from Workplace Vibes07:59 – Conversations Over CVs: Landing the Internship12:21 – Networking That Works16:19 – Beyond Textbooks19:46 – Making her mark24:02 – Advice on Taking Your Seat