Category Archives: Administration

Employer Case Study: The University of Exeter

Free Photo Of People Leaning On Wooden Table Stock Photo

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: Digital Humanities UofE

Name of Student:  Isabel Moon

Degree Subject:  BA History

Job Title: Digital Humanities Intern

Company Name: University of Exeter

Type of Internship: Student Campus Partnerships (SCPs)  

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

Lab work, Front desk, Project work

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

The website I made for the Namibia For All disability in Namibia awareness project

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Time and Workload Management
  • Problem Solving

Attributes Developed:

  • Commercial Awareness
  • Confidence
  • Professionalism

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

I have greatly appreciated my internship experience this year. I have learnt more about the world of work within the humanities sector here than I have anywhere else. It has been a great opportunity to work on projects that interest me and to work with like-minded people. I’ve loved being able to work hands-on with historical items and working on meaningful projects. I have always been passionate about preserving history and spreading awareness of it and this internship has been a brilliant opportunity to do so and to gain the skills and experience I would need to do so again in the future. I am happy to have been offered a part time role within the team.

Student Case Study: NHST

Name of Student:  Nathan Boyle

Degree Subject:  Business and Management

Job Title: Sales intern

Company Name:  NHST

Type of Internship: Student Business Partnerships (SBPs) | Career Zone | University of Exeter

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

My 10 weeks mostly involved client outreach with the goal of generating subscription leads. Alongside this, I was able to work with the editorial department and carry out multiple research tasks.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

Hitting £25,000 worth of lead generation

Were there any challenges and how did you overcome these?

Initially, making calls felt uncomfortable and hearing no was unpleasant but over time, you adapt to the business setting. Hearing people tell you no is vitally important in career growth.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Networking

Attributes Developed:

  • Independence
  • Work Ethic
  • Professionalism

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

Over my short tenure with NHST, I felt I have gained confidence in client based scenarios and I am now certain I am able to carry myself properly in a business environment. I would urge any student to undertake an internship even if it isn’t in the field you ultimately wish to go into.

Employer Case Study: University of Exeter, Student Comms (Law)

Name of Organisation: University of Exeter, Student Comms (Law)Name of Employer: Student Communications Manager

Job Title: Jo Cole

Internship Scheme used: : Student Business Partnerships (SBPs) | Career Zone | University of Exeter

Feedback:

“Our intern made a real impact in terms of rising engagement rates, particularly through social media and newsletters. I think he navigated quite a complex organisation, really took time to meet people and understand their needs and was focused on improvements

Our intern was a dream. He was passionate about his role, worked hard, got on well with everyone and was always happy to learn new skills and share his own experiences with us. It was a pleasure to work with him.”

Student Case Study: Communications Assistant – UofE

Name of Student:  Ayooluwatomi Adesina

Degree Subject:  MA Creative Writing

Job Title: GBP 5836 Communications Assistant

Company Name:  University of Exeter

Type of Internship:  Graduate Business Partnership (GBP)

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

During my internship, I worked within the University’s Press Office, with a specific focus on celebrating student achievement within the medical school.

In this time, I created a range of visual content for social media channels and campus screens to communicate with the students.

I was also responsible for writing newsletters and reviewing press-releases. I also monitored social media channels and worked with the team to develop strategies to increase brand awareness.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

I think my biggest achievement was moving from an intern to a full time staff within two-three months of being in the role. Thanks to a supportive team, I had learned the ropes pretty quickly and made a decent impression within the team. I was also trained on preparing for interviews which I used in my day-to-day role conversing with students to share their achievements, and academics in publicising research. This built tremendous confidence and articulation which was useful when I interviewed for my new role and I was given the job.

Were there any challenges and how did you overcome these?

My first challenge was learning how to write “corporately”. As a creative writer, I had a lot of flexibility in my writing style, but corporate writing has a different structure to it. I later learnt how to adapt my creativity to this structure so I could churn out news stories with more panache. My line manager was very patient with me and ensured that I got the hang of it, whilst not losing my flair. I’m pleased to have grown in that task as I’ve added an extra layer of skill in my current role.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Leadership
  • Strategic Planning

Attributes Developed:

  • Logical thinking
  • Creative thinking
  • Independence
  • Work Ethic
  • Professionalism

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

I’d say summarise my experience as “From Intern to Full staff”. This is my second time an intern with the University. The first was an SCP role when I was a Masters’ student in 2020 and I’m grateful for opportunities like this to grow and expand my skills.

Student Case Study: Ask An Alum (UofE)

 

Name of Student:  Emily Im

Degree Subject:  English

Job Title: SCP 5520 Ask An Alum Administrator

Company Name:  University of Exeter

Type of Internship:  Student Campus Partnerships (SCPs)  

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

My main responsibility was to manage and record Ask An Alum applications and then connect students and graduates with alumni who could give them careers advice. I also searched and inputted data from Raiser’s Edge onto Microsoft Excel, produced and scheduled social media marketing material to promote Ask An Alum, and wrote copy advertising Ask An Alum for the careers newsletter.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

I helped connect over 60 alumni with students and graduates who applied for Ask An Alum.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Customer Service

Attributes Developed:

  • Logical thinking
  • Confidence
  • Independence

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

I had a brilliant time as Ask An Alum Administrator for the University’s Employability team. My three lovely managers gave me support and guidance when needed but also welcomed my own ideas. There was a lot of data inputting involved but I had the opportunity to be creative too when working on the marketing side of things. The internship as a whole has helped me develop the skills I need for the future and boosted my confidence. Therefore, it was a worthwhile experience.

Employer Case Study:  White Willow Partners Limited

Name of Organisation: White Willow Partners Limited

Description of Organisation: A bespoke HR consultancy focusing on the individual needs of every customer. White Willow provide a service which is designed around you and your business requirements. There is no “one fit” when it comes to HR so our services are tailored exclusively to you. They help recruit, develop and retain the right people for business’

Name of Employer: Carrie White

Job Title: Company Director

Internship Scheme used: Student Business Partnerships (SBPs) | Career Zone | University of Exeter

Feedback:

“We’re operating in a hybrid world where we don’t always need to go into the office, our intern worked well in that he was completely remote, we connected through technology, and he was able to get up to speed quickly with the work we set him. We were keen for him to support us on a new product we had recently launched, creating the infrastructure sitting behind the Leadership Development Programme to enable us to deliver a fully accredited programme which leads to a professional qualification. He developed new processes which support our route to accreditation, and which will now be used to support our quality assurance reviews annually.

We also asked our intern to support us with development of new training materials that would be used to develop summer interns for one of our clients. He successfully designed/delivered three modules complete with facilitation materials and resources for us to share with our client’s interns. We also got him involved in developing our organisational presence in the Southwest working with our marketing manager, he was able to identify new contacts and supported on business development through the creation of new marketing materials which will be used in new business pitches.

I would recommend this scheme and have already signed up to use it again.”

Employer Case Study: University of Exeter

Name of Organisation: University of Exeter

Name of Employer: Lucie

Job Title: Head of Communications and Marketing

Internship Scheme used: Graduate Business Partnership (GBP) , 

Feedback:

“Our intern managed our Humanities social media accounts and did a great job of improving the quality frequency and reach of our content. Creating a ‘Global Toolkit’ resource for use during international trips

Would definitely recommend the internship scheme through the university. I’ve used in several times now and have ended up with some brilliant candidates who hit the ground running and were able to bring a fresh perspective to tasks and projects.”

Employer Case Study: University of Exeter, College Operations

Name of Organisation: University of Exeter, College Operations

Name of Employer: Sarah Miller

Job Title: Project Resource coordinator, Response Team

Internship Scheme used: Graduate Business Partnership (GBP) , 

Feedback:

“Initially our intern was going to assigned basic administration duties (such as contacting students to chase for information and forms, internet research on entry requirements etc. However, it became apparent that the student could be trusted with a greater level of responsibility and was assigned his own Field Trips to organise. This involves liaising with the academics on trip requirements and keeping them updated on progress, consulting with providers, collating student data, using University procurement procedures and finance systems to secure travel arrangements, liaising with DCO’s for large purchases, arranging insurance, preparing data packs and circulating to key stakeholders. Trip support whilst the groups are out in the field.

He has been brilliant and we couldn’t have asked for better. He has made a huge difference to what the team has been able to achieve and our stress levels. He is also highly regarded by the academics and Sam Hughes, who he has been working on a couple of trips for, has said how brilliant he has been to work with.

Our intern is going to be very much missed not just by those of use working on field trips but also the wider SEAS team and all those he has been interacting with. I have said this many times – he has exceeded our expectations and been critical to the trips he has been working on going ahead.”

 

Employer Case Study – Quality and Standards Team

Name of Organisation: University of Exeter, Quality and Standards Team

Name of Employer: Simeon Paskell

Job Title: Senior Quality and Standards Advisor (CEMPS/CMH)

Internship Scheme used: Graduate Business Partnership (GBP) https://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/employment-services/recruit/internships/gbp/ 

Feedback:

“Our intern made a huge contribution to the team, helping to not only maintain business as usual, but enable the team to complete additional tasks (such as a module amendment audit) and complete work well in advance of the academic year (such as helping to set up all Accelerate survey’s for 20/21).We were impressed at how quickly he gained confidence in the use of a wide number of systems and also in how the Quality and Standards team work.

I would say my experience of managing/working with an intern has been hugely positive. They were conscientious, professional, enthusiastic, capable and a considerate individual who fulfilled the duties of  their role extremely well. I would have no hesitation in recommending  my intern for other roles within the University. “