Former Liberal Arts & Natural Science Undergraduate
The internship was incredibly helpful in focusing my mind on a career path after my undergraduate studies at Birmingham. It gives you real responsibilities and builds a strong support system around you, enabling you to try out different things and get involved with various aspects of working life. I didn’t quite realise how stimulating I would find Public Affairs until I got involved with it, and this was crucial in helping me make those next steps beyond my degree.
From my time on the internship, I understood that the right choice for me was to embark on a master’s degree in public policy to gain more expertise in an area I had first experienced with the University’s Public Affairs team.
Just over two years afterwards, I have now graduated from my master’s degree and work as a Private Secretary in the Civil Service. Tasks that are routine in my job such as drafting briefings, taking minutes in meetings, liaising with senior stakeholders, and writing departmental blogs are all skills that I first acquired on the graduate internship. It was extremely useful in helping me settle into my new role and was also invaluable to reference during the job application process.
I heartily recommend that anyone should apply for the graduate internship programme, no matter how much of an idea they have about their future career. It is a wonderful opportunity to develop your skillset and to learn about the University from a fascinating new perspective.