Research Communications and Engagement Intern Review

I really enjoyed my internship. The tasks given on a day-to-day basis were varied, and it felt like a lot of thought had been put into my projects to make sure I developed a whole range of skills - I never found myself doing the same thing day in day out. It always felt like I was there to develop my own skills, rather than just doing menial tasks. The office atmosphere was relaxed and I rarely felt stressed or under too much pressure.

My team was really friendly, and they always seemed appreciative of the work I was doing. The interns were treated like any other member of the team and were invited to all social events, including the team BBQ. Morale was generally very high and I felt welcomed into the department from day 1.

I couldn't fault my manager at all. We had weekly 1-to-1 sessions to discuss my progress, and she checked in frequently to see if I needed any extra support with any of my tasks. She was really approachable and always available to answer any questions. She really listened at the start of my internship to find out what I wanted to get out of it, and made sure I was given tasks to develop relevant skills.

With the exception of the first week, I was kept busy through my whole placement. I rarely found myself with nothing to do, and my manager was always checking to see if I had enough to be getting on with. There were a few occasions when I was particularly busy, but it didn't feel like I was out of my depth, and there was a real sense of satisfaction when everything was completed.

I think I was given the right amount of responsibility throughout the placement. At the beginning, I was more heavily supervised by my manager, which was good as it gave me time to settle in and build my confidence. I was given more responsibility as the internship went on, but there was always someone available to help out if I needed it.

The role gave me valuable experience in communications, and the skills I've learnt will be useful for the relevant modules I'm taking in third year. This is similar to what I'm looking to do after I graduate, so the chance to develop such a wide variety of skills will set me up really well for the future. I feel more confident now about applying for jobs and grad schemes, especially as I can take away a number of examples for interview questions and the general experience in an office environment.

The atmosphere of the office was always really positive, and every member of the team was friendly. Everyone worked together well and it felt like I could ask anybody for help if needed, particularly in the week my manager was on holiday. The office wasn't overly serious, and there was even a monthly bake-off within the team, which got quite competitive! There were also plenty of team lunches and even a BBQ one Friday afternoon.

Overall, the internship scheme was organised well. It's easy to tell it's been running for a long time as the interns seem to have their own place within the organisation. There was an induction day in the first week, which was a great chance to meet some of the other interns, and career-related workshops in the following weeks (e.g. CV workshop, interview skills, LinkedIn tips). However, I think there could be more consistency across the whole scheme, because the experiences seemed to vary quite a bit depending on what department you worked in. I was always really busy but some of the other interns seemed to be struggling to find things to do. There was also some inconsistency between departments about the value of expenses that were covered.

The scheme was really focused on personal development, and it felt like I was there to learn new skills rather than just provide free work for the company. My manager took the time to listen to me at the start of the internship and tailored my projects where possible to make sure I developed the skills that were most important to me. I was able to learn a huge amount in a short period of time, and it felt like they wanted to prepare me for my next career steps as much as possible.

There seems to be a good history of interns getting jobs within the organisation, and many of the current staff started out on the internship scheme. However, being an intern definitely doesn't make it easy to get a job there, especially in the current economic climate. I'd like to work for the organisation after I graduate but I'm not sure how likely this would be.

There were almost 50 interns in total, so the social scene was really good, especially being in London. We went out for drinks every Thursday, and there were a number of other socials throughout the summer (e.g. Wimbledon). Fundraising was a big part of the internship, which gave everyone even more chance to get involved.

Working in London is always going to be expensive, so the cost didn't really come as a surprise. My expenses also added up since I don't live in London, and the cost of travel from anywhere further isn't covered by the scheme. I ended up spending a lot of money to complete the internship, but I like to think the skills and experience I gained will be worth it.

The nightlife is great in London, so there's no shortage of things to do. However, it can be quite expensive so that's worth bearing in mind, especially on an unpaid internship.

Outside of work, there were lots of things going on. Intern fundraising was a big part, and throughout the 12 weeks there were a number of events, including a bake sale, Olympic sweepstake and pub quiz. The weekly socials were always varied and a good opportunity to get together with other interns. There were also volunteering opportunities and career-related workshops on offer.