Tag Archives: Exeter

Student Case Study: The University of Exeter

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Name of Student: Alice Sharp 

Degree Subject: Medicine (BMBS) 

Job Title: BMBS Student Intern 

Company Name: The University of Exeter 

Description of Organisation:  

The Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for biomedical and clinical research and teaching with a focus on understanding the mechanisms and treatment of human disease. 

Their research delivers direct benefit to patients, the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry, with the aim of understanding the underlying cellular, molecular and genomic basis of disease and applying this knowledge in innovative ways that lead to improved treatment and a better quality of life for patients. Scientists and clinicians in CBS work closely together to ensure that our research is directly targeted to clinical need. 

Type of Internship:   

Student Campus Partnership (SCP) | Employer Engagement & Student Employment | University of Exeter  

 What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship? 

Looking at a set of year 1 LSRC sessions and seeing if they included: equality, diversity and inclusion. Also, looking at and suggesting ways that the following can be included in those set of year 1 LSRCs. 

What was your biggest achievement on your internship? 

Contributing to changes in the medical school curriculum to make it more inclusive and to stimulate conversations around these subjects. 

Were there any challenges and how did you overcome these?  

I was given a lot of anatomy sessions, given the content of these sessions it was hard to think of ways to make them inclusive as the focus was on learning the structures in the body. 

Skills Learnt:  

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure 
  • Organisation 
  • Time and Work Load Management 
  • Strategic Planning 
  • Researching 
  • IT 

Attributes Developed: 

  • Perseverance 
  • Motivation 
  • Cultural Awareness 
  • Creative thinking 
  • Independence 
  • Confidence 

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector? 

“During my internship as a 3rd year medical student, I had the invaluable opportunity to contribute to the improvement of the year 1 curriculum for medicine. It was an enriching experience that allowed me to apply my theoretical knowledge in a practical setting.

Throughout the internship, I closely examined the existing curriculum, identifying its strengths and areas that needed enhancement. Collaborating with senior faculty members, I actively participated in discussions and proposed innovative ideas to refine the course structure and content.

This internship provided me with a deeper understanding of medical education and allowed me to make a meaningful contribution to the development of future physicians. It reinforced my passion for teaching and inspired me to continue striving for excellence in medical education. “

Employer Case Study: The University of Exeter

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Name of Organisation: University of Exeter 

Description of Organisation:  

At the University of Exeter, they want to make the exceptional happen, and have a real and lasting impact on the world around them. They are already firmly at the forefront of universities worldwide and their ambition is to increase that position, particularly as a Global 100 institution. They challenge their talented students to achieve more than they ever thought possible and recruit the very best people from around the world to reach greater heights in research excellence, innovation and impact.   

Name of Employer: Craig McEwan 

Job Title:  Academic Developer 

Internship Scheme used:  

The Graduate Business Partnership Scheme (GBP) | Employer Engagement & Student Employment | University of Exeter 

Feedback: 

“Will was the first person that I line managed. He was a good colleague, and I enjoyed the experience.” 

“Will played an important role in supporting the management of this summer’s Students as Change Agents projects. He provided valuable support to the six Change Agent SCPs, their line manager and the three project leads.”

“Will also helped to take forward two important projects in the Academic Development & Skills team. He gathered and consolidated the views of the team and presented suggestions for a new set of standards for ‘writing for the web’ in our team. He also started an important project to map the level and type of academic skills support provided within academic departments across the university. All this work will be taken forward and built on by the team follow his departure.” 

 

Employer Case Study: Devon County Council

Name of Organisation: Devon County Council: Communications Team  

Description of Organisation:  

At Devon County Council, they work to improve life across Devon for everyone. They want to create a place that people enjoy living in, as well as a place where people enjoy working. Every day, everyone who works there is making an impact and able to see the differences that they make to the people of Devon.At Devon County Council, they do everything they can to support staff and help grow their careers. Devon County Council and its staff seek to eliminate discrimination, advance equality and foster good relations. 

Name of Employer: Julia Hulland 

Job Title: Senior Communications Officer 

Internship Scheme used:  

The Graduate Business Partnership Scheme (GBP) | Employer Engagement & Student Employment | University of Exeter 

Feedback: 

“Seeing Hannah’s confidence increase during her time with us was very satisfying. She has some great ideas but had been reluctant to speak up in meetings and put her thoughts across. I hope she leaves us with a lot more faith in her own ability.”

“It has been an excellent experience and we are pleased to have been able to support another University of Exeter graduate in their first job. Unfortunately, our current budget pressures meant we were unable to offer Hannah an extension or full-time role with us, but this is absolutely not a reflection of her ability or suitability. We are very pleased that Hannah has secured a full time, permanent communications role in London. “

Student Case Study: The University of Exeter

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Name of Student: Varsha Balakrishnan 

Degree Subject: Spanish and Communications 

Job Title: Student as Change Agent Intern 

Company Name: The University of Exeter 

Description of Organisation:

At the University of Exeter, they want to make the exceptional happen, and have a real and lasting impact on the world around them. They are already firmly at the forefront of universities worldwide and their ambition is to increase that position, particularly as a Global 100 institution. They challenge their talented students to achieve more than they ever thought possible and recruit the very best people from around the world to reach greater heights in research excellence, innovation and impact.  

Type of Internship:   

Student Campus Partnership (SCP) | Employer Engagement & Student Employment | University of Exeter  

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship? 

My biggest responsibilities were to reach out to different students – from different backgrounds/ different societies (connect with them via social media). Also, to use excel to create spreadsheets and signposting information for attending Teams meetings. Working in this area you help with the communication and branding of key pieces of work to ensure they are easily accessible and helpful for students. Liaising with project partners to make decisions about the project shape and outputs with a key role for me. As well as this I took a leading role in the direction and management of key elements of the project communicating and collaborating with students, academic and professional services staff and Guild/SU representatives where appropriate. Moreover, I planned, designed, and undertook student engagement research to better improve the services offered to students by the university.   

 What was your biggest achievement on your internship? 

My biggest achievement was the work I produced (an excel tool that departments will now use). As well as this a big achievement of my internship has been the ideas and opportunities it has given me. For example, I was encouraged by my team leaders to apply for the student as change agent self-funded projects because of the ideas I have – and my project was accepted. 

Were there any challenges and how did you overcome these?  

There weren’t very many challenges for me. I was a little nervous to present PowerPoints in interviews, but I realised it would help me gain confidence for the future by practising this skill. As well as this my team leaders encouraged me which further helped.  

Skills Learnt:  

  • Communication 
  • Teamwork and Collaboration 
  • Problem Solving  
  • Ability to Work Under Pressure  
  • Organisation 
  • Time and Workload Management 
  • Strategic Planning 
  • IT 
  • Decision Making 
  • Researching  

 

Attributes Developed: 

  • Confidence 
  • Initiative 
  • Perseverance 
  • Motivation 
  • Logical thinking 
  • Independence 
  • Work Ethic 

 

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector? 

It was very fun, and enjoyable. I learned about the inner workings of the University’s non-academic departments; which helped me with the tasks I had to do as part of my internship. My supervisors were incredibly supportive and were there to help me if I had any questions – even after I completed the internship, they told me on numerous occasions that they are available to help and support me with any career, CV, interview help, and much more. I would recommend it to any student who would like valuable experience and would want to develop and learn new skills (that are appealing to employers). 

 

Employer Case Study: Devon County Council

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Name of Organisation: Devon County Council 

Description of Organisation:  

Devon County Council is one of the largest employers in the County. The County Council recently declared a climate emergency and post COVID-19 there is an urgent need to support the economic recovery. The Government continues to invest in infrastructure to stimulate activity on both these fronts with announcements for more investment in walking and cycling and in public transport. 

The transport planning and road safety team has a key role in developing transport plans to support delivery of ambitious housing and job numbers, whilst also ensuring that they respond positively to Devon County Council’s climate emergency declaration. 

Name of Employer: Hannah Clark 

Job Title: Transport Planning Team Leader 

Internship Scheme used:  

The Graduate Business Partnership Scheme (GBP) | Employer Engagement & Student Employment | University of Exeter 

Feedback: 

“Lauren has contributed towards researching economic benefits of active travel and provided support on public consultation activities. Lauren has also developed initial ideas towards the development of a Local Transport Plan. 

Lauren’s biggest achievement was running a public consultation for an active travel route in Dartmoor.  

Lauren was an exemplar intern, and we are delighted to welcome Lauren as a full-time member of our team.” 

  

Employer Case Study: The University of Exeter

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Name of Organisation:  The University of Exeter 

Description of Organisation:  

At the University of Exeter, they want to make the exceptional happen and have a real and lasting impact on the world around them. They are already firmly at the forefront of universities worldwide and their ambition is to increase that position, particularly as a Global 100 institution. They challenge their talented students to achieve more than they ever thought possible and recruit the very best people from around the world to reach greater heights in research excellence, innovation, and impact. 

Name of Employer: Louise Vennells 

Job Title: Senior Press and Media Manager 

Internship Scheme used:  

The Graduate Business Partnership Scheme (GBP) | Employer Engagement & Student Employment | University of Exeter 

Feedback: 

“Molly was outstandingly organised and efficient. She took on large logistical tasks, including a series of complex student photoshoots, and organising the logistics of a very successful student presence at an event at the Royal Albert Memorial Musuem. Through this work, she contributed to better student engagement and external representation. 

Molly was a highly valued member of the team who calmly orchestrated a number of challenging projects. She was extremely efficient, and routinely delivered beyond expectation, particularly for an intern.” 

“No room for improvement – Molly was fantastic.” 

Student Case Study: Exeter Communities Together

Name of Student: Jian Zhang Poon 

Degree Subject: Bsc Management and Marketing WIE

Job Title:  Project Coordinator Intern 

Company Name: Exeter Communities Together 

Description of Organisation:  

Exeter Communities Together (ECT) represents the coming together of a partnership of seven grassroots organisations, many of which have been run on a voluntary basis by community members, with the overarching aim of enabling Black, Asian and minority ethnic residents in Exeter to have a voice and increased visibility in the wider community.  

ECT will contribute to improving the health and well-being of ethnic minority communities and society as a whole by developing, as a partnership, shared knowledge and understanding, building sympathy and reducing fear between Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and the indigenous population and reducing social isolation. 

A key objective for ECT is to improve health and well-being for the City as a whole and to spread this benefit more widely in Devon. In this we are supported by Exeter City Council and Devon County Council. 

Type of Internship:   

Student Campus Partnership (SCP) | Employer Engagement & Student Employment | University of Exeter  

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship? 

My key duties and responsibilities were designing posters, emailing partners, organising events, and doing minutes in board meetings. 

What was your biggest achievement on your internship? 

My biggest achievement was holding 5 events with over 100 attendees, and increasing social media platforms following. 

Were there any challenges and how did you overcome these?  

The biggest challenge for me was working for a very small company so my role held more responsibility. 

Skills Learnt:  

  • Communication 
  • Teamwork and Collaboration 
  • Organisation 
  • Strategic Planning 
  • IT 
  • Networking 
  • Assessing and Managing Risk 

 

 Attributes Developed: 

  • Confidence 
  • Initiative 
  • Perseverance 
  • Creative Thinking 
  • Cultural Awareness 
  • Personal Awareness 

 

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector? 

“Working for my first internship in the UK was a valuable experience; I learned a lot about how to actually put my marketing knowledge to use while learning how to work in a professional environment and for a non-profit. It was challenging as I was in charge of the whole marketing side of the company as my superior was on maternity leave. However, I got to learn and design marketing materials really quickly after knowing what each partner wanted specifically. I have gained knowledge from fellow interns as well as my boss and have learnt a lot from this experience.” 

Student Case Study: The Nest Southwest CIC

Name of Student: Millie Graves 

Degree Subject: BSc Management with Marketing WIE 

Job Title: Social Media Coordinator and Analyser 

Company Name: The Nest Southwest CIC 

Description of Organisation:  

The Nest Southwest is a not-for-profit, social enterprise, community interest company. It was set up in Devon by local women to support other women and girls through the major life transitions of menstruation, pregnancy, birth and menopause by providing social, emotional and informational support. The organisation is mainly volunteer led with three directors, and a team of volunteers helping run support groups.

Type of Internship:  

 Student Business Partnerships (SBPs)   

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship? 

My key responsibilities included managing The Nest’s social media channels (Facebook and Instagram). Also, I created an online shop to help generate some revenue for The Nest, and creating downloadable products to be sold on that shop 

What was your biggest achievement on your internship? 

My biggest achievement during my internship was creating an online shop from scratch, alongside creating downloadable products to be sold on the shop. 

Skills Learnt: (Change as appropriate) 

  • Communication 
  • Organisation 
  • Time and Work Load Management 

Attributes Developed: 

  • Confidence 
  • Motivation 
  • Independence 

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector? 

“My internship with The Nest Southwest CIC enabled me to greatly develop my social media management skills, requiring me to plan content, create that content using Canva, and then schedule it using Meta Business Suite. Having had this experience, I now feel much more confident in applying to similar roles.

Employer Quote and Link to Case Study:

“It has been great having Yasmeen support our social media. Her eye for detail and research into topics to add to our social media pages has created a lot of useful resources we will continue to refer back to.”

Employer Case Study: The University of Exeter

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Name of Organisation: University of Exeter 

Description of Organisation:  

At the University of Exeter they want to make the exceptional happen and have a real and lasting  impact on the world around them. They are already firmly at the forefront of universities worldwide and  their ambition is to increase that position, particularly as a Global 100 institution. They challenge them  talented students to achieve more than they ever thought possible and recruit the very best people  from around the world to reach greater heights in research excellence, innovation, and impact. 

Name of Employer: Louise Vennells 

Job Title: Senior Press and Media Manager 

Internship Scheme used:  

The Graduate Business Partnership Scheme (GBP) | Employer Engagement & Student Employment | University of Exeter 

Feedback: 

“Molly was a highly valued member of the team who calmly orchestrated a number of challenging projects. She was extremely efficient, and routinely delivered beyond expectation, particularly for an intern.” 

“There was no room for improvement – Molly was fantastic.” 

Student Case Study: Social Media Coordinator and Analyser

Name of Student:  Millie Graves 

Degree Subject: BSc Management with Marketing WIE 

Job Title: Social Media Coordinator and Analyser 

Company Name:  The Nest Southwest CIC 

Description of Organisation:  

The Nest Southwest is a not-for-profit, social enterprise, community interest company. It was set up in Devon by local women to support other women and girls through the major life transitions of menstruation, pregnancy, birth and menopause by providing social, emotional and informational support. 

They hold peer support groups,  run workshops, courses  and hold training sessions. They also hire out birth equipment and books. 

Type of Internship:   

 Student Business Partnerships (SBPs)   

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship? 

I was responsible for managing The Nest’s social media channels (Facebook and Instagram) as well as creating an online shop to help generate some revenue for The Nest, and creating downloadable products to be sold on that shop. 

What was your biggest achievement on your internship? 

My biggest achievement during my internship was creating an online shop from scratch, alongside creating downloadable products to be sold on the shop. 

Skills Learnt:  

  • Time and work load management 
  • Organisation 
  • Communication  

Attributes Developed: 

  • Confidence 
  • Independence 
  • Motivation 

Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector? 

“My internship with The Nest Southwest CIC enabled me to greatly develop my social media management skills, requiring me to plan content, create that content using Canva, and then schedule it using Meta Business Suite. Having had this experience, I now feel much more confident in applying to similar roles. “