What were your main duties and responsibilities during the course of your internship?

My role was to help with communications in the Development and Alumni Relations Office (DARO), including the website, social media and email comms, that meant my remit was everything from drafting news copy to editing the layout of the website. Extra duties included helping with large-scale Web Team projects and supporting other areas of DARO as well, for example designing print comms or working on overhauls of certain sections of the website.

What would you say was your biggest achievement over the course of your internship?

My biggest achievement was diversifying my skillset. I learnt HTML and CSS, learnt how to use different software, how to write news copy and how to write for the web. I became more skilled with Photoshop and Excel, and gained loads of knowledge about communications in general. Coming from a Philosophy degree, this role definitely had an impact on how employable I am today.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

Alumni communications were maintained and developed well throughout my time there. Open rates for e-comms have not dropped, and social media remains very active. I also feel that I’ve been effective at supporting DARO in more ways than were described in the job description.

Did you encounter any problems during the course of your internship and if so, how did you overcome them?

I didn’t have formal line management for a 3 month period, which was tough for my workload but a challenge that I feel that I managed well. I became more confident in myself.

“We took on Kieran to work with our Alumni team to support their communications and web activities. He took the role in his stride, developing new skills and showing real initiative with all tasks he was faced with. He became a valuable and well-liked member of the team who made an outstanding contribution in his time with us.” – Web Marketing Officer