Internship Review

Unfortunately I didn't really enjoy my work placement, as I was assessed to a directorate in which I had no interest in. I was hoping to be placed within a directorate or department which focused on social justice issue, geographical based or human rights/security issues, but rather I was placed within the directorate of prosperity focusing on science and innovation. I saw this as a fantastic opportunity because I believed that I would be able to explore a field that was out of comfort zone, I didn't learn more about the UK relation in improving innovation through discussion with my colleagues. However the task that I was set was very tedious, it predominantly consisted of using excel and putting in data entry of report that I had read. I didn't feel challenged at all, but rather helping my colleagues fulfil a task in which they found tedious and was hoping an intern like myself would get on with. However looking at the positive side, I learnt new skills in terms of improving my knowledge of how to use excel spreadsheet, and as well as being vocal to my line-manager of getting different/new task to do, which built up my communication skills. However despite the effort in pushing for a change, i soon realised that they didn't have much for me to do, and therefore I was stuck doing data entry.

I did feel very valued by my colleagues they were extremely polite, and encouraging and thanking me for providing them with support for the data entry, as I said it was a task that they probably didn't want to do so was grateful that I was there to do it (however as a intern I was hoping to have more incite, rather than do the dirty dishes) But despite that I did feel very valued, my colleagues genuinely did seek to make my internship a good experience, they regularly pushed my to meet with staff outside their department, and set me up with work shadowing in different directorate, and was always willingly to help. I felt happy going into the office because of this warm environment, and I believe that most of the benefits I got from the internship was more through speaking to my colleagues at work, rather than the actual work that I was appointed to. To be honest I felt that most colleagues at the foreign office was very friendly and willingly to be supportive. I definitely felt encouraged.

I believe that I got support that my manager was able to provide me, In relation to the work I believe that there was not much variety they could provide me, but my manager was willingly to help me, whenever I requested that I needed help, and he regularly checked up on me to see how I was getting on with the task that I was set.

I wasn't very busy, as I was set only one task predominantly, I felt like I was dragging out my task, I believed I could of got what i was set done in 2 weeks, but I realised that this was the only project that I was left to do so I dragged it out for 6 weeks others I would have starred at the screen. Also due to security issues I limited ability to obtain some of the documents needed to complete my task, the slow pace of the computer also limited the amount of work I could get up to, so if there wasn't events set up by the internship, or the ability to meet colleagues outside the office, or work shadow, I would have predominantly spent most of my hours staring at a screen.

I was given adequate responsibility, the minute i got to work, my manager let me take full control of my project and I made the decisions of how I wanted it to be, this was great help for me, because it made me realise that I like a work environment in which I was trusted to deliver, and only needed to go to my manager if I needed help. However my perspective of responsibility is quite tainted, because the work I was given was not on a high-scale of importance, but rather improving the efficiency of how the directorate stored their information, so I guess if I made a mistake, it wasn't going to bring major fracture to the office.

Overall the internship was useful, as it allowed me to realise that the power of communication is very important, being given a task i found tedious, pushed me to look for more opportunities within the foreign office and explore what else I could get up to, if I was given a interesting and exciting task, I probably would have sat at my desk and not bother to explore outside of my department. It allowed me recognise how wide and diverse the foreign office is and how policy work is drafted. I believe this internship made me realise the importance of choosing a career path in which I am extremely interested in.

The general atmosphere of the office was very calm and friendly, it wasn't frantic with people running around, but rather quite mild in pace everyone had work to get on with, but at the same time was free for a chat if need be. In one word I would describe it was relax.

I believe that the internship could be more organised, in terms of how interns are assigned to their directorate/department. I recognise that the internship is extremely competitive and places are limited, but from speaking to other interns many felt that they wasn't being productive, i think line manager should be interviewed and provide a detail document of what their intern will actually get up to each week, and how the internship will equip them with a range of experience. there is nothing wrong at all with challenging an intern to step out of their comfort zone and be placed in an department in which their subject area does not reflect. But I felt that I didn't have adequate work to do, so there was a few days I was very bored.

There was several opportunity for development, there was many event where you was given the ability experience what it was like working on an actually policy which affects the every day life of citizen. We got the chance to meet several employees and faststreams within the civil service to gain understanding about their experience, trips to parliament and as along as you had a security clearance there was many opporuntities to gain access to course which would improves ones language skills, or tech skills

Putting my experience of finding my project quite tedious aside. My general perspective is that working as a civil servant would be a great career path to take, white hall department are extremely diverse, and there so many job offers to take that seem very interesting such as climate change, security, geographic department, human right issue your definitely find something your interested in. However I realise that civil servants are moved around a lot, s there is that risk of being placed in a department your not particularly fond of, of having to leave a department in which you love. However I think its a good place to start out as a graduate because you can always tailor your CV to what suits you best and then enter within a particular organisation which specialises in your taste. However personally right now am not 100% certain that I will apply for the fast-stream because I don't think am the type of person that can handle being placed in a department in which I have no particular interest for a few years with the hope that my next move will be in a department I love, but its early days.

Interns in London within the foreign office where often sending out emails to socialise especially during Fridays, it was either heading down to the pub, where most fast-stream hang out, a chance to network, or sometimes dinner. Also if your not from London, it's a fantastic opportunity as your smack bang in central London, so there so much to explore.

The cost of living in London is expensive, but getting a Whitehall department especially foreign and commonwealth office on your CV, outweighs the cost long-term. Several places to socialise in London, not much the foreign office the place is quite like a museum very old fashion, but exquisite and beautiful. But what i mean is that its not like Google office where you want to hang out with your colleagues, the only social place within the foreign office is the Costa eating area.

Its London, abundant nightlife.

If that question is relating to employees promoting activities outside of work, I didn't receive any offers, but the foreign office regularly posted events that where happening during the day such as conference of talks so perhaps that answers that helps..