What It’s Like to Be an Intern at the Vancouver Convention Centre

Each year, the Vancouver Convention Centre welcomes select students from the British Columbia Institute of Technology for a nine-week internship blending classroom learning with real-world experience.  

With the reputation as an industry leader, an exciting place to intern, and opportunities for future employment, the internship is commonly one of the most sought-after placements for the students. This year’s interns, Faith and Ring from BCIT’s Tourism Marketing and Sales program, stepped into a fast-paced environment shaped by global conferences, consumer shows, and cultural gatherings. The scale and diversity of events create an ideal learning ground for anyone interested in the events and tourism industry.

From day one, interns are immersed in the inner workings of a world-class convention centre, rotating through business development, production and services, guest operations, marketing, and food and beverage. This structure offers a thorough understanding of how large-scale events are organized. 

Faith described the experience as being “like a sponge,” absorbing new knowledge daily. Each week brought new perspectives, from learning about booking cycles in business development to understanding on-the-ground event logistics. 

One key takeaway from their time with the Business Development team was the importance of collaboration. Interns learned how the convention centre partners with organizations like Destination Vancouver and local hotels to bid for international conferences. These efforts go beyond simply filling event space; they help position Vancouver as a global destination while contributing to the local economy. 

But the internship goes far beyond observation.  

Faith and Ring were involved in several high-profile events, including the final year of TED Vancouver, where they helped direct attendee wayfinding and managed information desks for international visitors. They observed the event’s entire lifecycle, from move-in to move-out, which offered insight into spatial layout planning, crowd management techniques, and elements of technical production. 

These experiences highlighted an important lesson: what attendees see on stage is only a fraction of what makes an event successful. Behind the scenes, countless teams work together to create a seamless experience. 

No two days are the same, and with over 466,500 square feet of meeting space, learning the convention centre's layout is no small task. Guided tours and hands-on experiences help interns adapt to the ever-changing event landscape. They contribute to social media, assist guests at Canada Place, enter event data, and offer fresh ideas during team meetings. 

For Faith and Ring, the experience has been transformative. They discovered new career paths, built valuable connections, and gained a stronger appreciation for the impact of the events industry. 

“This was my dream internship,” Faith shared, while Ring emphasized how fortunate they felt to be part of such a supportive organization. 

The internship program demonstrates a long-standing commitment to developing future industry professionals. Many past interns have gone on to build careers within the organization and beyond. 

By investing in students today, the Vancouver Convention Centre is helping shape the future of tourism and events, one experience at a time. 

Written by Faith & Ring