All posts by Joanna Louise McCreedie

Cognitive Abilities of Grey Squirrels Intern – University of Exeter

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

Coding videos and preparing the different nuts for the experiment and placing the cameras and replenishing the nuts in the apparatus.

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

I learned a lot in terms of analysis of data collected from animals and in particular using a Behaviour Observation software which has made me more confident in my ability to analyse different types of data in different circumstances.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I managed to help with creating a buffer of chopped nuts so that more time could be spent for marking the squirrels and analysing the information, I completed a third of the video analysis of the project which alleviated the workload of the other team members by leaving them to do only two thirds of the analysis.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Teamwork and collaboration, ability to work under pressure, IT

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Confidence, initiative, motivation

Student Engagement and Employability – University of Exeter CLES

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

Completing tasks delegated by my line manager, assisting in activities regarding student engagement and employability within CLES. This included updating displays, compiling a database of placement opportunities and creating a mock-up of a website to showcase success stories of societies and groups associated with CLES.

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

I developed skills in efficient research techniques, as well as contacting an array of different people for informational purposes. I feel more confident in contacting businesses and organisations, alongside using the people around me to gain knowledge from their advice and experiences.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I was able to complete tasks that have been otherwise neglected throughout the year, giving my full time and attention where this may not have otherwise been the case.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Problem solving, organisation, focus on goals and outcomes

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Commercial awareness, creative thinking, independence

Alumni Volunteering Assistant – University of Exeter

I really enjoyed my internship within the University of Exeter. I am a mature student with previous work experience, however this was all gained within the private sector. I really enjoyed the new environment, enthusiasm for the cause shown by the staff, and rewarding work.

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

Responding to alumni volunteering offers, recording their offers and volunteering actions on Raisers Edge database, amending alumni’s details and data consent information on Raisers Edge database, and recording student’s family and friends form details onto an Excel spreadsheet.

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

When I began my internship the online AUF query contained alumni offers dating back to August. These had to be input into Raisers Edge, and if consent was held, a pre-formatted email had to be sent to the alumni. I learnt the system quickly and set up ‘sticky notes’ on my desktop with the text so that I could promptly input the text. I was able to work through these meticulously and effectively so that I had more free time to offer to help others in the office when my workload was quieter.

 What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I produced emails and input data in a systematic yet fast manner. Therefore I was able to help with more tasks such as inputting Alumni Relation Officer’s emails/tasks/actions onto Raisers Edge for them.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Customer service, organisation, focus on goals and outcomes

 What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Perseverance, motivation, work ethic

Teacher Trainee Intern – Ted Wragg Academy Trust

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

I have undertaken a safe-guarding and professional development course; received my DBS certificate; observed, planned and led lessons; created classroom displays as well as taken on extra responsibilities such as a tutor group, lunch time duty roles and assisted in the running of the Primary Maths Challenge. During my time at the school, I have worked closely with each member of the department and have started to develop myself as a teacher with regards to the eight teaching standards.

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

I think my greatest achievement was when I planned a led my first lesson, I gained fantastic feedback and the teacher even asked for a copy of my lesson plan and resources!

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

Having planned and led lessons, colleagues have complimented me on my lesson plans and the resources I have created, even asked for a copy of my resources to replicate the lessons. I have created classroom displays as well as taken on extra responsibilities such as a tutor group where I have led talks about careers and work experience, lunch time duty roles and assisted in the running of the Primary Maths Challenge.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Leadership, strategic planning, assessing and managing risk

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Logical thinking, creative thinking, professionalism

Student Intern – University of Exeter CLES

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

Looking through historical sea fisheries data and extract statistics surrounding Cornwall. These documents included annual reports dating back to 1886. I catalogued these statistics into several spreadsheets according to their category (e.g. fish landings). I was also responsible for taking notes and being involved with a 3 day workshop about historic marine ecosystem services. This workshop was arranged for several academics in interdisciplinary fields of research to brainstorm ideas for starting a paper about the historical and cultural use of marine ecosystem services.

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

I made new professional relationships while at the workshop. The workshop also gave me an insight into how to brainstorm relevant ideas for your research topic.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I managed to catalogue data between the years 1886 and 1946, which hopefully will relieve some of the workload from other interns and my line manager.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Time and workload management, IT, marine biology – conservation management

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Commercial awareness, confidence, logical thinking

Finance Assistant – Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society

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

As part of the finance team, I took on any extra work required. This included work such as composing a review on specific products, which comprised of an overview of the product and analysis of particular cash flows in order to determine the most profitable as well as providing insight to the performance of the product. Another responsibility I undertook as part of the internship was compiling account balances then data mapping these in order to create trial balances of various subsidiary accounts. I also verified bank reconciliations.

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

Over the course of the internship, I taught myself how to efficiently data map and use Excel in a more exceeding manner, which will be beneficial in any finance position.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

Any part of the finance department would give me work that they were unsure how to do (usually on excel) or if they needed any support doing tasks. This would have helped provide the company work more efficiently than otherwise.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Communication, problem solving, networking

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Confidence, motivation, logical thinking

Student Researcher – University of Exeter Education Incubator

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

  • Offering administrative support to three Chinese fellows on MOOC course on contemporary Chinese culture
  • Planning and drafting a social media campaign
  • Proofreading and editing of English texts written by non-native speakers, and adapting these to an online context
  • Recruiting student and non-student volunteers for the trial version of the course

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

The independent nature of the role meant that I was able to really strengthen my skills in taking the initiative and working autonomously and independently.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

Administrative support, lightening my colleagues’ workload, and ensuring that all course content and materials were adapting and appropriate for an English-language audience.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Communication, leadership, decision making

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Initiative, perseverance, independence

Volunteering Assistant – Hospiscare

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

My main task for the week was to develop a brief and recruitment plan for a new volunteer role to support the HR team. I had a meeting with the HR team members and identified some of their tasks that could be fulfilled by a volunteer. In addition, I identified a new volunteer role that would improve the recruitment process at Hospiscare; I decided that there is room for work in equality and diversity in Hospiscare, and that they needed stronger links between the HR and communications teams. Therefore, I created a volunteer role that would overlap between both areas. I created a recruiting strategy and produced some marketing materials for this, including posters and social media posts. I also did some patient-facing work, including helping out in day care and on the ward.

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

I was initially very nervous about working in this environment, with people nearing the end of their lives and with bereaved families. However, I overcame this fear during my internship through patient-facing work.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I took some of the workload off the volunteering manager who deals with Hospiscare’s 1000 volunteers. Also, I have created a plan which will lighten the workload of the HR team who told me that they are very busy and would love me to create a new volunteer role which would allow them to focus on more difficult tasks.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Customer service, organisation, focus on goals and outcomes

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Motivation, cultural awareness, creative thinking

Research Assistant – University of Exeter CEMPS

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

I assisted my professor in putting together a presentation for a research consortium. This involved researching the area of injury biomechanics for the built environment and age friendly cities, an exciting area that I wish to pursue further. I made visual diagrams to help non-experts understand the subject, reviewed literature and identified possible research areas for grants. I then attended the research consortium where I met academics involved in the subject from a range of universities and made some good contacts. I was also involved in the design and manufacture of a headform drop tester. I made models and drawings on Solidworks and then used the mechanical workshop to make my design.

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

I learnt the process of putting together research proposals for grants, and how to create a presentation for a research consortium.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I helped my professor structure research ideas into a presentation to apply for grants. I started work on an ongoing project for the design of a headform drop tester, providing an initial prototype and engineering drawings to be developed further. I also identified relevant literature for the project.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Teamwork and collaboration, research, networking

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Cultural awareness, logical thinking, creative thinking

 

Research Assistant – University of Exeter

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

My main role was to process and analyse research data using statistical software with the aim of developing research questions relating to dementia and hearing loss. I worked with research team members to develop a study proposal which I will develop into a paper over the summer. In order to complete the tasks that my supervisor and I set, I was required to learn the basics of SPSS, and the statistical methods that are required as part of the analytical approach.

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

I have not yet had the opportunity to develop a research project of my own, and have no experience in using statistical software to analyse large sets of data. During the course of my internship, I learned how challenging this process can be and with the help of the team discovered solutions to the many issues that were found. As a result of this internship, I have been able to set the foundation for my career in medical research.

What benefits did your internship bring to your employer?

I hope that I have been able to reveal some additional insight into their data so far. Over the next few months, I will also submit a paper to research journals for consideration.

What skills were you able to develop through the internship?

Statistics, problem solving, enterprise

What attributes were you able to develop through the internship?

Initiative, motivation, creative thinking