How did you feel about the internship leading up to the start?
I was excited to be coming back to UEA, having done my undergraduate degree here. I had done limited research work before, so I was looking forward to getting involved with a proper project where I would have real responsibility.
What was your first day like?
It was really interesting. Myself and Harriet (the other intern) sat down with our supervisor for 2 hours, talking over our roles, what we would be doing, and the wider issues of the subject of our internship. As we didn't have IT access yet, we spent the afternoon reading up on the National Student Survey, which is the basis of our internships.
What have you been up to each day in your first week e.g. what tasks have you been doing, have you learnt new skills?
We still didn't have internet or computer access at the end of the first week, so we have mainly been reading academic papers, writing summaries, and discussing our findings.
Has your experience of your first week been what you expected?
I didn't really know what to expect when I came here. I'm used to working in a profit/sales driven environment, so I wasn't sure what to expect when entering academia. It is a very relaxed environment compared to a profit driven environment, and I find it easier to work in this sort of setting.
What have you enjoyed the most about your first week?
Probably being back at UEA has been the best thing. As the internship still hasn't got fully started yet, I can't really comment on the work. But I have enjoyed the working environment here, especially as I have an office!
How do you think the next few weeks will be?
After doing the reading, I am quite excited about the project I will be doing. I have taken some good ideas from these papers, and hope to be able to put them into practise. I am slightly nervous about anything to do with statistics as I have forgotten a lot of the stats work I did in my degree.
Monday, 25 November 2013
Monday, 18 November 2013
Amy's Campaign Communications and Marketing Internship with Norwich for Jobs
How Supporting Norwich 16-24 year olds into Work led me into a Job to Help Norfolk 16-24 year olds prepare for work by Volunteering
I’m pleased to say that as well as thoroughly enjoying my internship with Norwich For Jobs, the city’s campaign to half youth unemployment, the skills I developed helped me to secure longer term employment with another initiative to help local young people.
Through encouraging and supporting local businesses to offer employment and training opportunities to young people I discovered that I really want to help young people into work as well as making it easy for local organisations to benefit from the skills they have to offer. I also realised that Norwich truly is a fine city in which to work with lots of inspirational people who really want to improve community cohesion, opportunities for young people and business growth.
I developed the confidence to professionally communicate with a wide range of audiences in the public, private and charity sector; from 16 year olds to experienced business leaders. I recruited new supporters from each sphere, building up new relationships and developing existing partnerships. I improved my ability to manage correspondence and relationships with internal and external stakeholders efficiently and effectively through regular face-to-face, phone and email contact.
I also learnt the importance of and took the opportunity to network extensively; I was fortunate to meet a wide variety of really great people, working directly for and in partnership with Norwich For Jobs, many of whom I hope to stay in contact with both personally and professionally.
By the time I met the friendly Manager of Norfolk Can Inspire at a meeting I had arranged to discuss how we could work together and found out that they were recruiting for a Local Coordinator for Norwich I was not only certain that I was very interested in this line of work but I also finally felt confident that I ticked every box of the previously dreaded person specification. Even better, I could back each requirement up with a recent relevant example which enabled me to write the quickest cover letter of my life, on the spot. Not only did I feel as though I could prove myself as a resourceful self-starter with a background in youth and community work my day-to-day role with Norwich For Jobs often included exactly what they were looking for: coordination between local young people, voluntary organisations and professionals.
Shortly after giving a presentation about Norwich For Jobs at the launch of a similar initiative in East London to a significantly larger audience and after practising with a Jobcentre Plus colleague I actually felt more excited than nervous to deliver my presentation to the panel of my Norfolk Can Inspire interview. For the first time, I actually enjoyed a job interview and it paid off.
I have no doubt that my success in gaining what I am sure will be interesting, long-term employment is largely thanks to the diverse experience that I have gained through working for Norwich For Jobs, supported by the UEA.
I’m also really pleased that I am able to continue with Norwich For Jobs part-time as the Employer Engagement Manager because my job with Norfolk Can Inspire is not quite full-time. I hope this will be beneficial for both myself and the campaign because the only negative aspect of a 3 month internship is that by the end of three months you can really learn a lot, add value to the project, be given a lot of responsibility and establish important relationships but unless the employer is able to keep you on it may feel as though it’s over just as you’re getting into the swing of it.
I highly recommend the UEA Graduate Internship Programme to any graduates wishing to gain invaluable and financially viable work experience in a wide range of fields which not only makes you more attractive to employers but can also help with one of the most difficult aspects of career planning and job hunting; knowing what you’d like to do and what steps you need to take to get there.
I’m pleased to say that as well as thoroughly enjoying my internship with Norwich For Jobs, the city’s campaign to half youth unemployment, the skills I developed helped me to secure longer term employment with another initiative to help local young people.
Through encouraging and supporting local businesses to offer employment and training opportunities to young people I discovered that I really want to help young people into work as well as making it easy for local organisations to benefit from the skills they have to offer. I also realised that Norwich truly is a fine city in which to work with lots of inspirational people who really want to improve community cohesion, opportunities for young people and business growth.
I developed the confidence to professionally communicate with a wide range of audiences in the public, private and charity sector; from 16 year olds to experienced business leaders. I recruited new supporters from each sphere, building up new relationships and developing existing partnerships. I improved my ability to manage correspondence and relationships with internal and external stakeholders efficiently and effectively through regular face-to-face, phone and email contact.
I also learnt the importance of and took the opportunity to network extensively; I was fortunate to meet a wide variety of really great people, working directly for and in partnership with Norwich For Jobs, many of whom I hope to stay in contact with both personally and professionally.
By the time I met the friendly Manager of Norfolk Can Inspire at a meeting I had arranged to discuss how we could work together and found out that they were recruiting for a Local Coordinator for Norwich I was not only certain that I was very interested in this line of work but I also finally felt confident that I ticked every box of the previously dreaded person specification. Even better, I could back each requirement up with a recent relevant example which enabled me to write the quickest cover letter of my life, on the spot. Not only did I feel as though I could prove myself as a resourceful self-starter with a background in youth and community work my day-to-day role with Norwich For Jobs often included exactly what they were looking for: coordination between local young people, voluntary organisations and professionals.
Shortly after giving a presentation about Norwich For Jobs at the launch of a similar initiative in East London to a significantly larger audience and after practising with a Jobcentre Plus colleague I actually felt more excited than nervous to deliver my presentation to the panel of my Norfolk Can Inspire interview. For the first time, I actually enjoyed a job interview and it paid off.
I have no doubt that my success in gaining what I am sure will be interesting, long-term employment is largely thanks to the diverse experience that I have gained through working for Norwich For Jobs, supported by the UEA.
I’m also really pleased that I am able to continue with Norwich For Jobs part-time as the Employer Engagement Manager because my job with Norfolk Can Inspire is not quite full-time. I hope this will be beneficial for both myself and the campaign because the only negative aspect of a 3 month internship is that by the end of three months you can really learn a lot, add value to the project, be given a lot of responsibility and establish important relationships but unless the employer is able to keep you on it may feel as though it’s over just as you’re getting into the swing of it.
I highly recommend the UEA Graduate Internship Programme to any graduates wishing to gain invaluable and financially viable work experience in a wide range of fields which not only makes you more attractive to employers but can also help with one of the most difficult aspects of career planning and job hunting; knowing what you’d like to do and what steps you need to take to get there.
Monday, 11 November 2013
Lucy's Marketing Internship with UEA Writers' Service -- Final Update
How have you found your experience? Was it what you expected? What did you enjoy the most?
These past three months have been an incredibly positive experience for me, I’ve been able to really engage with the University Writers Service project and gain invaluable skills in both marketing and employability which will benefit my future career.
I expected the scheme to meet with some scepticism from the students but ended up being surprised by the positivity and support that was shown. It also allowed me to see how the university functions on a daily basis and understand the level of hard work that goes into the student experience.
My favourite moment of the internship was our first workshop: this was an opportunity to see all my hard work come together and it far surpassed expectation with over 100 students turning up. From this, we were able to provide seven students with paid freelance employment alongside their studies.
What do you feel you have gained from your internship? Have you developed new skills?
I feel I’ve gained a lot more confidence in my own abilities by undertaking such a wide variety of tasks. Although I had some experience in event management and promotion as a social secretary, the internship pushed these skills further and I was able to learn about marketing techniques and how to maximise my social media presence.
I was also able to work closely alongside a local business, which helped me learn how to maintain a relationship of communication and trust. I had to see the scheme through the lens of our business partner and prospective clients and importantly, the lens of our students, making sure I had effectively tailored the marketing and promotion to appeal to both audiences.
Did your internship help you to put skills learned from your degree into practice?
As an English Literature graduate, I was able to relate to the students who partook and were employed by the University Writers scheme and this enabled me to provide effective support and assistance when needed. Also, being able to hone in my research skills were applicable when I was marketing to our target market and creating class presentations aided me when I had to promote the scheme in seminars and lecture talks.
I found the main thing that I found invaluable from my university experience, was my involvement in societies alongside my degree. Not only was I able to organise and manage my time to better use, I was able to use my student contacts to draw in a good team of people to assist with the promotion of the scheme.
What are you going to be doing after your internship? Have you secured employment? Do you think your internship experience helped you to this employment? How?
I was lucky enough to be offered an internship working with the Norwich for Jobs parliamentary campaign, a scheme which is designed to help reduce levels of unemployment amongst Norwich young people. My internship with the University Writers Service was an incredible help with the application in that it allowed me to gain experience in all three sectors this internship required of me: marketing, mentoring and employment. This felt like an ideal step as it will allow me to work with a greater number of businesses and provide a larger number of young people the chance to get paid employment. I can’t wait!
These past three months have been an incredibly positive experience for me, I’ve been able to really engage with the University Writers Service project and gain invaluable skills in both marketing and employability which will benefit my future career.
I expected the scheme to meet with some scepticism from the students but ended up being surprised by the positivity and support that was shown. It also allowed me to see how the university functions on a daily basis and understand the level of hard work that goes into the student experience.
My favourite moment of the internship was our first workshop: this was an opportunity to see all my hard work come together and it far surpassed expectation with over 100 students turning up. From this, we were able to provide seven students with paid freelance employment alongside their studies.
What do you feel you have gained from your internship? Have you developed new skills?
I feel I’ve gained a lot more confidence in my own abilities by undertaking such a wide variety of tasks. Although I had some experience in event management and promotion as a social secretary, the internship pushed these skills further and I was able to learn about marketing techniques and how to maximise my social media presence.
I was also able to work closely alongside a local business, which helped me learn how to maintain a relationship of communication and trust. I had to see the scheme through the lens of our business partner and prospective clients and importantly, the lens of our students, making sure I had effectively tailored the marketing and promotion to appeal to both audiences.
Did your internship help you to put skills learned from your degree into practice?
As an English Literature graduate, I was able to relate to the students who partook and were employed by the University Writers scheme and this enabled me to provide effective support and assistance when needed. Also, being able to hone in my research skills were applicable when I was marketing to our target market and creating class presentations aided me when I had to promote the scheme in seminars and lecture talks.
I found the main thing that I found invaluable from my university experience, was my involvement in societies alongside my degree. Not only was I able to organise and manage my time to better use, I was able to use my student contacts to draw in a good team of people to assist with the promotion of the scheme.
What are you going to be doing after your internship? Have you secured employment? Do you think your internship experience helped you to this employment? How?
I was lucky enough to be offered an internship working with the Norwich for Jobs parliamentary campaign, a scheme which is designed to help reduce levels of unemployment amongst Norwich young people. My internship with the University Writers Service was an incredible help with the application in that it allowed me to gain experience in all three sectors this internship required of me: marketing, mentoring and employment. This felt like an ideal step as it will allow me to work with a greater number of businesses and provide a larger number of young people the chance to get paid employment. I can’t wait!
Friday, 1 November 2013
Brad's Internships with Zing Insights and Norwich Business School
How have you found your experience? Was it what you expected? What did you enjoy the most?
I have thoroughly enjoyed my intern employment since graduating in July with a First Class Business and Management BSc (Hons). Going into my internship at Zing Insights I was mildly apprehensive because I had no previous experience of working within a clerical environment. However, it was reassuring to discover that many of the skills I had developed throughout my degree were directly transferable to an active business environment. I feel as though my heavy emphasis on a study of marketing at Norwich Business School was particularly resourceful to me and overall I feel as though I developed considerably in areas of professionalism and other commercial skills.
I enjoyed the chance to co-ordinate Zing’s contribution to the GoGoGorillas project - organising the logistics of visitor research and negotiating with Norfolk businesses to allow Zing to conduct research on their premises free of charge. Then I and another intern took responsibility for creating a robust data-set for our research by recruiting over 2,500 visitors to take part in our survey.
What do you feel you have gained from your internship? Have you developed new skills?
I feel that my internships have provided me with a degree of experience and confidence that I didn’t have before. I hope these developments in my CV and personality alike will support me in cultivating a professional career in marketing. My internship at Zing provided me with experience that is very relevant to the career I aspire to have. Developing and implementing a marketing strategy with marketing collateral was my primary task. This included involvement with direct and database marketing utilizing addressable media, sponsorship, personal selling and PR. Similarly, my Social Media Marketing internship allowed me to implement a marketing campaign through digital and print media as well as building on, developing and implementing Norwich Business School’s social media strategy.
Did your internship help you to put skills learned from your degree into practice?
My internship at the Norwich Business School allowed me to creatively apply the marketing communications principles that I had developed academically (through my Business and Management BSc and CIM Professional Diploma) in a practical environment. I had the opportunity to communicate with various stakeholders of the Norwich Business School over a variety of communications channels.
What are you going to be doing after your internship? Have you secured employment? Do you think your internship experience helped you to gain this employment? How?
I am currently studying the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Professional Diploma in Marketing. Alongside this I have been looking specifically for marketing roles within a higher education environment and have been conveniently offered a Graduate Social Media and Marketing Assistant role within Norwich Business School. This position is particularly attractive to me considering my passion for business education and the domain knowledge I have developed from being an active consumer of business education myself. I am sure that my immersed and enduring involvement with business education will be resourceful to me in my new role within Norwich Business School’s Local Support Office - my internship experience has certainly confirmed that the career path I have selected is the right one for me.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my intern employment since graduating in July with a First Class Business and Management BSc (Hons). Going into my internship at Zing Insights I was mildly apprehensive because I had no previous experience of working within a clerical environment. However, it was reassuring to discover that many of the skills I had developed throughout my degree were directly transferable to an active business environment. I feel as though my heavy emphasis on a study of marketing at Norwich Business School was particularly resourceful to me and overall I feel as though I developed considerably in areas of professionalism and other commercial skills.
I enjoyed the chance to co-ordinate Zing’s contribution to the GoGoGorillas project - organising the logistics of visitor research and negotiating with Norfolk businesses to allow Zing to conduct research on their premises free of charge. Then I and another intern took responsibility for creating a robust data-set for our research by recruiting over 2,500 visitors to take part in our survey.
What do you feel you have gained from your internship? Have you developed new skills?
I feel that my internships have provided me with a degree of experience and confidence that I didn’t have before. I hope these developments in my CV and personality alike will support me in cultivating a professional career in marketing. My internship at Zing provided me with experience that is very relevant to the career I aspire to have. Developing and implementing a marketing strategy with marketing collateral was my primary task. This included involvement with direct and database marketing utilizing addressable media, sponsorship, personal selling and PR. Similarly, my Social Media Marketing internship allowed me to implement a marketing campaign through digital and print media as well as building on, developing and implementing Norwich Business School’s social media strategy.
Did your internship help you to put skills learned from your degree into practice?
My internship at the Norwich Business School allowed me to creatively apply the marketing communications principles that I had developed academically (through my Business and Management BSc and CIM Professional Diploma) in a practical environment. I had the opportunity to communicate with various stakeholders of the Norwich Business School over a variety of communications channels.
What are you going to be doing after your internship? Have you secured employment? Do you think your internship experience helped you to gain this employment? How?
I am currently studying the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Professional Diploma in Marketing. Alongside this I have been looking specifically for marketing roles within a higher education environment and have been conveniently offered a Graduate Social Media and Marketing Assistant role within Norwich Business School. This position is particularly attractive to me considering my passion for business education and the domain knowledge I have developed from being an active consumer of business education myself. I am sure that my immersed and enduring involvement with business education will be resourceful to me in my new role within Norwich Business School’s Local Support Office - my internship experience has certainly confirmed that the career path I have selected is the right one for me.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)