Verity’s Mission Employable Experience

Hello everyone!

It is fantastic to be back writing another blog for Mission Employable, how time has flown since I was on my internship! It feels like only yesterday that I was working on these excellent initiatives with a fantastic team.

My internship experience

My internship focused on setting up the Humanities Peer Mentoring Scheme. The scheme was an opportunity for current Humanities students to help, support, and assist new students with settling in to all aspects of University life. This scheme was part of a bigger project called Mission Employable which was designed to help students become more aware of the transferable skills they develop at University through their degree and extra-curricular activities, and to encourage self-reflection. The aim was to prepare students as thoroughly as possible for the world of work.

The biggest challenge I faced during the 12-week internship was the need to adapt in unforeseen circumstances. These needs varied, from changing my day-to-day tasks to help out a colleague or attend a meeting, to bigger obstacles which affected the Peer Mentoring Scheme and therefore needed to be resolved to find a mutually-beneficial outcome. I learnt how to look at problems creatively to provide solutions, and to work efficiently and to a high standard under time constraints, which would previously have worried me.

My greatest achievement was the moment I co-hosted the Mentor Training Day in Fresher’s Week. Right at the end of my internship I saw my own hard work and the support of my fellow interns come together as something fantastic and worthwhile created for the students. I could clearly see what both Mentors and Mentees got from the scheme, as Charlotte and I explained to attendees what both parties gained through mentoring. Furthermore, standing in front of hundreds of students who believed in the scheme I had created and wanted to be part of it was the greatest achievement of all.

What happened next?

The Mission Employable internship helped me massively after graduation.  It has helped me narrow down my ideal career sectors to Public Relations, Events, or Project Management, all of which would use similar skills to those I enjoyed using in my internship.  In applications and interviews since, the internship has been an excellent selling point and made employers intrigued to know more about the work I was doing, while the fact I had sought out an internship highlighted my drive and ambition.

The internship was excellent for those competency-based questions you will (if you haven’t already!) become well acquainted with. These are simple questions that all employers will ask at interview: e.g. ‘Provide evidence of a time you have experienced something’. The internship had so much variety within it that I now use many examples from my internship to impress.  I was lucky to land my next job immediately after my internship finished, and having the experience of working for an established institution, in an office environment, made the transition from studying to work much less daunting than it would otherwise have been, meaning I settled in to my new job quickly.

On reflection….

My internship made me so aware of what career paths would make me happy, from the office environment I wanted to work in, to what level of responsibility and control I wanted in my role, to what type of industries and causes I wished to work for. It is important to remember that, even if you embark on an internship that is not as enjoyable, it will help you to refine your career pathway. You can also learn so much about your personal skills and areas for development, which in itself will make the experience worthwhile.

For someone, like many of us, who did not get into one of the top 100 grad schemes, gaining a place on the Mission Employable internship team was not only a relief but a great source of excitement and achievement. It was one of the best experiences I have had, and was an amazing way to finish three rewarding years at the University. I would highly recommend a vacation placement to any student. They are a great way to gain experience and earn some extra money over the holidays, but also, if you are in your final year, it can be an excellent stepping stone to your dream career.

See you later!

Verity