Executive Officer Review

I very much enjoyed my internship because I interacted with a range of people at different levels. Alongside the variety of work to complete, there was also opportunities for personal development. The reason why I did not rate it as the best job ever was because some tasks took a long time to complete.

Although I was an intern, I felt as though I was not looked down upon in any way and I was treated as another colleague. This made me feel highly valued. Also, I was given very important tasks to complete which required a high level of responsibility. This was another reason why I felt valued.

I had a very strong support network around me. In particular, my manager held weekly catch up sessions with me to check up on my progress. She supported me by ensuring that I fully understood the tasks that were set. I also had a mentor, which was useful because I had the opportunity to discuss how my internship was going, and was given guidance on how to approach difficult issues.

I was very busy on a daily basis as I was given many tasks to do by different people. Although I could have been overwhelmed by the amount of work to do, alongside the meetings and workshops to attend, I prioritised my time effectively. Throughout the whole two months of my internship, there was never a time where I was bored or didn't have something to do.

I was given a high amount of responsibility in various ways, For example, I dealt with the responses that were received in response to an official consultation released by the government. The respondents included insurance companies, mortgage and property sector, and members of the public. I updated my work colleagues with these responses, which were then considered for the development of a law.

The time-management, communication and team-working skills will definitely help me in my degree studies and beyond. During the internship, I also completed online learning courses, which further helped me to develop my skills. I particularly learnt a lot from the unconscious bias course, which will help me in everyday life as it will prevent me from undertaking inaccurate decision making.

Although I was working in a very high paced environment, it was a friendly atmosphere. It could get stressful at times due to the pressure but nevertheless, it was a good atmosphere to work in because it motivated me to work harder.

My manager organised my internship very well because she set out a plan of the work for me to complete beforehand. This enabled me to understand what to expect of the internship. I followed this plan, which helped me a lot. Also, my laptop, telephone number, and work pass was set up in a good amount of time.

The company allowed me to access the free online courses to help with personal development, however, I was not allowed to complete the full day training sessions. This was because I was not a permanent staff working at the company.

I believe that the internship gave me a good insight into what working with the company would be like. I would like to work for the company in the future because of the work atmosphere, the development opportunities, and the chance to progress in the career.

Yes. There was a good social scene amongst the other work colleagues, as they regularly invited me to have lunch together. The managers met up to have drinks together. I also met with another intern for coffee and lunch.

Very expensive travel costs, as my work place was based in London. In terms of socialising, I found that the cost of lunch varied depending on where you went. I regularly went to the work canteen with other work colleagues, as the food was cheaper there.

Although I did not participate in any nightlife activities whilst on my internship, there was a clear nightlife vibe on those days where I left the workplace late. I saw many people going to the pub in the area and meeting with their friends.

Yes. As my placement was part of the summer diversity internship programme, the programme held many different events which wasn't related to the work I completed. This included parliamentary tours. In regards to my internship itself, my manager allowed me to complete additional activities so that I could make the most of my internship (10 Downing Street Tour).