Are you thinking of doing a summer internship but don't know what to expect?
Would you like to hear from King’s students who did it?
Last summer, Amna, Rianna, Bryce and Linh did internships with Student Knowledge & Information. We asked them a few questions about their experience and here is what they said:
How did you find out about the internship and why did you apply?
Amna: Through my faculty newsletter. I wanted to acquire transferable skills. And with King's providing paid opportunities to students, I could study and work on campus which made managing time much easier.
Rianna: Through CareerConnect. I applied because I wanted to gain experience in something outside my degree and into my passions like writing. I also was interested in the technology part of the internship.
Bryce: I found out about this internship via an email from the School of Social Science & Public Policy. They were advertising a range of internships within King’s. I applied because I was eager to gain a range of transferable skills.
Linh: I received a student newsletter from my faculty, the School of Social Sciences & Public Policy, which promoted all the internships King’s was organising. As I was studying Education Management, I thought it would be a good experience to have insights into higher education, specifically student services, to explore how it can support student experience and academic development.
What have you been working on during your internship and what have you learnt?
Amna: I wrote articles for Student News varying from accessing green spaces to making the most of my time at King’s. I co-recruited participants with my line manager to improve Welcome to King's communications for new students and ran a focus group. This involved designing and delivering the presentation, selecting material to discuss, liaising with participants and other members of my team. I used Campaign Monitor (email marketing tool) to produce a summary of Student News analytics, synthesised qualitative and quantitative data on Excel and shared with senior members of staff. I collaborated with other interns for a research project where we worked together as a team and delivered a presentation. This has been an enriching experience for me. I built on my teamwork and writing skills.
Rianna: I learnt a lot about researching as a team, digitalising content and using distinguished applications such as Dynamics (business applications software) and PowerBi (interactive data visualization software).
Bryce: Throughout my internship I undertook research and familiarised myself with various forms of student knowledge communication. I learnt to use Dynamics and now understand the technical elements of publishing Student Services Online articles. I also learnt how to appropriately tailor article wording to a student audience, using ‘the ways of working frame work’ provided by the team.
Linh: I got to shadow officers at the Service Desk at Bush House and New Hunt’s House. I also participated in Welcome to King’s planning alongside my manager and other teams here in Student Knowledge & Information. I have learnt so much about the back-of-the-house operations in Student Services, how officers are dedicated and enthusiastic about helping students. My skills, especially project management, developed so much since I started this role. As I was doing multiple projects for Welcome to King’s, I learnt to manage a strict timeline, prioritising and reassessing tasks as the project progressed.
What have you enjoyed the most and what has been a challenge?
Amna: I enjoyed coming into the office and meeting new people. My one-to-ones with my line manager were helpful. She helped me brush up my writing skills and gave me artistic freedom to write content that resonated with me. Everyone in the office was very welcoming and friendly. Getting to know the other interns has also been valuable to me. If not for this internship I would have never met these students. In terms of challenges, had my manager and team not been so supportive and flexible, I reckon submitting my dissertation along with work might have been a challenge. Luckily it wasn’t.
Rianna: I enjoyed being with a team that is supportive and understanding. Being a student, they were flexible with the time. I also enjoyed my independence to organise my own schedule. At the same time, I would say scheduling time for help with projects and meetings alongside independent work was challenging and overwhelming at first but I did manage it in the end.
Bryce: I have most enjoyed working with colleagues and being able to collaborate and exchange ideas. Working on our group intern presentation was the highlight of this internship for me. I found overcoming mental barriers far more difficult than practical tasks. I found myself having to overcome a lot of apprehension surrounding publishing Student Services Online articles single handedly.
Linh: I enjoyed all aspects of this internship; from the team I was in to all the projects I have participated in. One thing that made this internship very special to me is the time I have spent collaborating with other interns. Still, I would say managing time and projects was very challenging for me at first. I was writing my dissertation simultaneously, so, at first, it was overwhelming to balance my personal workload and work responsibilities. However, I learnt to manage my time more effectively and resolved the issue by the end.
What advice would you give to other students thinking of applying to do an internship at King’s?
Amna: Get involved. It will enhance your experience at King’s. You’ll get to give direct feedback and influence student experience, make new friends and have flexible working hours. Overall, this can be an enriching experience.
Rianna: Just apply. You will make lovely friends, gain opportunities and if you want, this can be a good beginning for your career in education, content development etc.
Bryce: Go for it! There are plenty of roles to apply for which will allow you to apply a broad range of transferable skills. As a bonus, you will meet great people.
Linh: It is good work experience, especially for those that are interested in working in the higher education sector. I highly recommend using the service that King’s employability team offers and checking your application with an adviser beforehand.