ºù«Ӱҵ

Tell us about your placement experience.

The first two weeks were a little different than I expected. Most of what I completed were onboarding tasks but, after that, I was assigned a project which would culminate in a presentation to my team. 

I worked in the 50+ team which is designed to help older people get into and stay in employment. We were given the freedom to choose our own research parameters to investigate the type of career support available to a specific group of people. We chose to look into carers and put together policy recommendations to present to the wider team. 

My second project was on health and disability where I researched the support available for people with disabilities and health conditions and suggested improvements to the system. I really enjoyed this piece of work and I also worked alongside another colleague to integrate women’s health into the project. It was interesting to conduct persona-based research as I was able to look at the numbers in terms of actual people and the problems they experience.

Everyone there was really supportive and I’m still in touch with my manager. They’re supporting me with current job applications so I think the network you can gain from a placement is a really valuable thing. I was also able to travel as part of the internship. They had offices in Leeds and London which I was able to visit and during the last week the company gave us a tour of Parliament.  

What advice would you give anyone starting an internship?

I think for the first couple of weeks of starting an internship, it’s easy to feel like a fish out of water. I was in a 200-person meeting with people who had worked at the company for years and I started to question what I was doing there. Most of the time I was just trying to take everything in but eventually it all started to make sense and I felt like I could contribute. 

My advice would be to take your time and ask for support if you need it. It’s an internship. You’re there to learn. 

How do you feel the university has supported you with your employability?

The careers service is one of the best bits about ºù«Ӱҵ. Before my summer placement I participated in Workplace Insights over Easter. This is a short-term internship programme which places students on a project submitted by a partner organisation for two weeks. You’re also supported by a bursary through the university. I worked at a charity for two weeks creating marketing material to help promote their work in the local area. 

The Politics department also helped me secure a month-long volunteering opportunity. I attended a networking event organised by the department and asked whether people were offering internships or open to volunteers. Through building connections I was able to secure a role working in a London charity completing prospect research. I worked on proposals for donations to send out to potential donors.

What advice would you give students looking to make the most out of their degree?

Check your emails. Lots of opportunities are sent to students through their emails, you just need to make sure you read them.

Also, use the careers service. I joined the Workplace Insights scheme because I asked the career service if any opportunities were available. They also helped me with my civil service internship application and ran a mock interview for me.