As 2022 wrapped up, so did our time with Assemble’s latest intern Monti Buck who joined us after recently graduating with a Bachelor of Design with a Property Major from the University of Melbourne. Monti spent most of his internship alongside our Development team working on our current project pipeline whilst also getting to experience the multidisciplinary operations here at Assemble through fortnightly team rotations.
To bookend his internship experience, Monti shared some of his thoughts and reflections about working within the Assemble team.
How did you hear about Assemble Communities and what made you reach out for the internship opportunity?
I heard about Assemble through Ingrid Langtry, Head of Experience, and thought to reach out following our chat for a possible internship position. I thought this would be a great way to further my career post-graduation with relevant industry experience in a company that is very forward-thinking with their projects and by putting residents first.
What would your typical day consist of within the Development Team?
Through working with the Development team, I was exposed to a wide variety of elements of the development process - from working on initial feasibility studies to speaking to various consultants on the projects. Additionally, I was given the great opportunity to work with most departments at Assemble and I was able to get an idea of the multidisciplinary nature and skillsets of the broader team. A typical day would also involve socialising and conversation over lunch or weekly activities run by Assemble’s Social Club.
Was there any team you worked alongside that you found interesting or unexpectedly excited to be a part of?
Outside of the Development team, I really enjoyed any task I did with the Impact and Engagement team as I felt everything I did was new and refreshing – they tailored tasks to my skillset and previous studies so I could have meaningful inputs which I really appreciated. Additionally, hearing and learning about to the work that Andy Fergus, Head of Urban Design, and Ingrid are doing with the public realm of projects was extremely invaluable.
What were your most memorable experiences of your internship at Assemble?
My most memorable experience would have to be a full day of site visits for future acquisition. A few team members and I went to the several different sites and spent a lot of time really understanding the site and its context, which was extremely insightful and helpful when working on the prospective sites back at Assemble HQ. Along with site excursions away from the office, visiting and tasting the excellent dishes at Cassette and getting to know the venues strong commitments to zero-food-waste was also a highlight of my internship. Overall, the work was extremely rewarding to be working on projects that will genuinely make huge differences to people's lives.
What are some of the key learnings or insights from your internship at Assemble?
The most valuable insight throughout my internship would have to be gaining industry experience in problem-solving and having the ability to mould the experience and skillset to achieve an unfamiliar task. This was aided by attending meetings, asking questions, and being guided by all co-workers I had the opportunity to work alongside across my internship. Additionally, the opportunity to speak to and engage with external consultants was extremely valuable in developing my professional communication skills.