FWKCC welcomes fall intern

Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce has a new face added to its staff, as Farragut High School senior Natalie Wood has joined the Chamber as a fall intern.

“I thought it would be interesting because I am interested in business,” she said.

“I would be able to meet people, work on my phone skills and talk to people.

“I didn’t really know what the Chamber of Commerce did before this, so I was interested in finding out,”

Wood added. “I feel my communication skills will be better when I’m answering phones on a job. … I think, also, it will help me make certain connections when I meet people (as an intern).”

Having an intern, “we get a glimpse of what our up-and-coming workforce and future business owners are like, and the student hopefully gets a good taste of what daily life is like in a professional and very fast-paced office — one that isn’t too different from those of our many small businesses,” FWKCC president/CEO Julie Blaylock said. “In teaching the interns, staff often also gets a chance to revisit our own procedures and why we do or don’t do things as we do.”

Wood learned about the position from her world languages teacher, Allison Maldonado.

“She said that her daughter had done it, saw (an article about the internship) in the newspaper and remembered it, so she thought I would be a good fit,” Wood said.

So far, “I created signs for the auction and (am) doing little tasks,” said Wood, adding she learned “it takes a lot of teamwork to put together events.”

She also updated the Chamber master database and put together packets for prospective members.

With an interest in marketing and accounting, Wood went to a summer camp at University of Tennessee and learned more about those subjects.

At FHS, she takes dual enrollment English at Pellissippi State Community College, Spanish and creative writing this semester. Wood is uncommitted on her college choice.