Category Archives: Administration

Student Case Study: University of Exeter

Administration, Business and Management, Degree subject, Graduate Business Partnership (GBP), Internship Schemes, Modern Languages, Sector, , , , ,

Name of Student:  Miranda Sandy

Degree Subject: German and Spanish/now MSC Marketing (9 months)

Job Title: GBP 5436 Education and Student Support Assistant

Company Name:  University of Exeter

Type of Internship:  Graduate Business Partnership (GBP)

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

– Working in the Quality and Standards Team for the College of Social Sciences and International Studies and the Business School.

– Liaising with academic staff members to process changes to modules and the addition/withdrawal of modules.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?  

Ensuring that module information was correctly input into iPaMS and therefore correct on the university website – My line manager often asked me to undertake investigative work. This involved searching through emails, our tracking spreadsheet and various SharePoint sites to ascertain the progress of a module’s approval. – My line manager asked me to create spreadsheets for him, often related to the above and to undertake audits (i.e. Arabic modules). One day when he was not at work he left me with instructions to create a spreadsheet using documents with Accelerate survey responses. This involved inputting figures from a large number of survey results to calculate percentage satisfaction. I worked hard to finish the spreadsheet that day, and my boss was pleased to be able to use it in a presentation the next day.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

We quite often received requests from departments with missing or incomplete paperwork, which I would often return to them asking for the correct information. On one occasion, an Accreditation Officer had submitted several requests on old template versions of the coversheet, thus some of the information we required was missing. Rather than returning everything to him and asking him to redo it, I decided to copy all the details we did have onto the correct coversheets and highlight the information we still required. This approach meant that I was able to provide a good service to the staff member while obtaining the information we required to process his request.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

The main challenge I faced concerned my poor WiFi at home. On a couple of occasions this meant that spreadsheets I was working on jointly with another member of staff became corrupt and an earlier version had to be restored. I overcame this by contacting my internet service provider and purchasing new WiFi extenders which helped the problem, I improved my use of Windows; closing Excel when I wasn’t using it and shutting down my laptop every night. This meant that such issues occurred far less frequently.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Problem Solving
  • Teamwork and Collaboration
  • IT

Attributes Developed:

  • Confidence
  • Initiative

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

“I am very grateful to the Quality and Standards Team for giving me my first graduate-level role. Although I never met my colleagues in person and my role was for only 3 months, I was very much made to feel part of the team. I would have liked to have stayed longer, but the experience has given me confidence going forward and applying to other graduate-level roles due to the recent and relevant examples I will be able to talk about in applications and interviews.”

Student Case Study: University of Exeter

Administration, Advertising, Marketing and PR, Graduate Business Partnership (GBP), Internship Schemes, Sector, , , , ,

Name of Student:  Lindsay Warner

Job Title: GBP 5310 Programme Assistant

Company Name:  University of Exeter

Type of Internship: Graduate Business Partnership (GBP)

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

Managing the relationship with partner students and overseeing their onboarding process as they participated in Challenges Online. Helped to manage a team of student reps, who helped deliver the Challenges Online programme. Provided administrative, technical and communications support to assist in the overall delivery of Challenges Online. Provided support across the wider Programme and SED team. Support interested students in continuing their projects after Challenges Online week ends.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?  

Outputs: promotional events; Challenges Online; promotional copy, e.g. website, sways; timetables; social media campaign; podcast episodes; feedback and evaluation reports.

Outcomes: 94% overall student satisfaction rate on Challenges Online, 100% student satisfaction rate from Leiden partner students and received an Above and Beyond Award from my colleague for collaboration with partner students

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

As part of my GBP role, I was involved in the overall delivery of Challenges Online. Challenges Online is an employability programme, in which students work in small teams to create a project across a week-long period, and this project aims to tackle a sustainability problem of their choosing (which is aligned with one of our Challenges that year). A key part of my position was liaising with our strategic partners in order to arrange and onboard partner students onto the Challenges Online programme. This involved collaborating with both internal and external stakeholders, e.g. the Assistant Director for Education Abroad at the University of South Florida, and Clare Crick at the University of Exeter, who in turn managed the relationship with the University of Leiden. I had regular meetings and emails with these stakeholders in order to keep them fully informed about students’ progress with us, and so that we could adapt our approach with any feedback they provided. I also managed all email marketing to partner students, and was involved with setting them up with Exeter IT accounts so that they could participate in the programme. I am pleased to report that Leiden students had a 100% satisfaction rate on the programme, and Clare was kind enough to award me an Above and Beyond Award for my collaboration in this area. These outcomes were a big achievement for me because this experience was crucial to developing my relationship management skills, my IT skills and my marketing skills, and it was great to see the positive impact of my work for students.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Assessing and Managing Risk
  • Organisation
  • Leadership
  • Strategic Planning
  • Networking

Attributes Developed:

  • Logical thinking
  • Cultural Awareness
  • Independence
  • Work Ethic
  • Professionalism

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

“I have had a fantastic experience on my GBP internship! Both Simon and Anka have been nothing but supportive throughout my time with the Programme team, and I have learned a lot whilst working alongside them. The dynamic of the team meant that I had agency and independence in any tasks that I was set, but I could also reach out for support if I needed it. I had weekly catch ups with the team, which was a nice way to catch up with each other as we worked remotely, while also ensuring that we stayed on top of our busy to do lists!”

Student Case Study: University of Exeter

Administration, Advertising, Marketing and PR, Degree subject, History, Internship Schemes, Sector, Student Campus Partnership (SCP), , , , ,

Name of Student:  Stephen Finlayson

Degree Subject: BA History with Study Abroad

Job Title: SCP 5309 Challenges Online Rep

Company Name:  University of Exeter

Type of Internship: Student Campus Partnerships (SCPs)  

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

Helping with the administration and organisation of the Challenges Online programme.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?  

Produced an effective social media campaign, promotional videos, and spreadsheets to help organise students in different groups. Also help to administer the programme in June.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

Biggest achievement was the social media campaign and promotional materials that I produced.

Skills Learnt: 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Organisation
  • Negotiation
  • Problem Solving
  • Leadership

Attributes Developed:

  • Logical thinking
  • Confidence
  • Independence
  • Work Ethic
  • Professionalism

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

“My internship with Challenges Online provided me with a rewarding experience of working with other students to support independent group projects. The experience taught me the values of teamwork and problem-solving.”

Employer Case Study: RAMM

Administration, Charity and Development Work, Degree subject, Education, Teaching and Research, Employer Feedback, Graduate Business Partnership (GBP), History, Internship Schemes, Law, Sector, Social Guidance and Community Work, , , ,

Name of Organisation: RAMM

Description of Organisation: RAMM will enhance people’s quality of life. It’s a place of discovery which encourages everyone to be curious. RAMM uses its local and global collections to connect people to the world and inspires them to shape a better future.

Name of Employer: Sophie Harbour

Job Title: Engagement Officer (Skills Development)

Internship Scheme used: Graduate Business Partnership (GBP) 

Feedback:

“Our intern’s main responsibilities were coordinating the Lost Words Exhibition, ‘What’s on Guides’ and coordinating our school visits programme. He also provided administrative support such as, organising meetings, minute taking, raising purchase orders, providing a central point of contact for the Audience Development Lead.

Our graduate was also a massive help when providing marketing assistance, including researching websites, writing copy, email marketing, implementing marketing campaigns, uploading content to websites. He assisted with the execution of events and activities within the museum and art gallery to include Gerald’s Birthday and the Lates events.

The research skills our GBP gathered from RAMM’s Customer Relationship Management System and booking system as well as from visitor surveys and other sources was completed to a very high standard.

The student was a great member of our team for the 18 months of his internship. He approached his role with enthusiasm and commitment and always had a fantastic ‘can do’ attitude. He also brought a different perspective to our organisation which was really useful when thinking about marketing and social media to our wide range of audiences.”

Student Case Study : International Student Recruitment 

Administration, Advertising, Marketing and PR, Degree subject, Education, Teaching and Research, Geography, Graduate Business Partnership (GBP), Internship Schemes, Sector, , , ,

 

Name of Student:  Beau Garry 

Degree Subject: BSc Geography  

Type of Internship: Graduate Business Partnerships (GBPs)

Company Name: University of Exeter- International Student Recruitment 

Job Title: International Support Officer 

 What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship? 

-Support academic staff in their engagement with UK international feeder schools.

-Represent the University through attendance at education fairs, University open days and visits to feeder organisations.

-Collaborate with colleagues in other departments 

 What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?  

I’ve added to the engagement and recruitment of the UK International market in the international Student Recruitment Team. I’ve also been the lead on International Foundation programmes and have been the person which has dealt with all the incoming referrals from the admissions team. 

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?  

My biggest achievement during my internship was attending a postgraduate fair in Frankfurt and speaking to a student who was interested in studying at the University of Exeter. I spoke about the various different courses which we had on offer and assisted the student during her application via e-mail. As a result the student has successfully been made an offer by the University and will starting her course in September. This student emailed to thank me for all my help. This is just one of example of the many students I have helped at recruitment events and post recruitment events. 

Skills Learnt:  

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure 
  • Organisation 
  • Decision Making 
  • Researching 
  • Time and Work Load Management 

Attributes Developed: 

  • Initiative 
  • Perseverance 
  • Professionalism 
  • Confidence 
  • Motivation 

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

“Very worthwhile indeed.  I had some valuable work experience and gained an understanding of some of the research being undertaken at the University of Exeter and the confidence to get more involved. “

Student Case Study – True Story

Administration, Advertising, Marketing and PR, Degree subject, English, Management and Consultancy, Retail, ,

Name of Student:  Emma Fear

Degree Subject:  BA English

Job Title:  Christmas Account Manager

Company Name:  True Story

Type of Internship:  Santander SME

Description of Company: As an independent creative agency, we’re used to working with brands and retailers across all channels, both in the UK and globally. Our concepts translate into real-world experiences for customers that deliver measurable commercial results. 

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship? 

I was on a team that was the liaison point between a large team of designers and the Boots UK in store marketing Christmas team. I had to ensure briefs were communicated effectively and deadlines were met for delivering completed artwork files to the client.   

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer? 

I produced weekly market research reports for Boots which allowed other account managers more time to manage larger projects and also gave Boots an insight into their competitors. I also ensured that artwork files were delivered in a timely manner so that print deadlines were hit. This meant being aware of the designers workloads and timeframes and doing everything in my power to support them to reach the deadlines we set.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship? 

Boots asked true story to produce prototype artwork of in store marketing materials that were not yet fully completed in the creative stage for use in a mock-up show room. I project managed this whole product, which meant delivering over 200 pieces of prototype artwork to a really tight deadline. To do this, I ensured I provided daily updates to the client, the designers and the rest of my team so we were all aware of how much work was left to do. I also made sure that things went as smoothly as possible by remaining in constant communication with the client so feedback could be delivered and auctioned promptly. We ended up meeting the deadline and all material was in the showroom on time for the senior members of the Boots team to see it.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges? 

There were large issues on a piece of work I was covering for somebody who was on holiday. As I was the only one in the office, I had to ensure that the client knew the limitations of the situation and the problems we had. This was incredibly difficult as it was not a client I had built up previous rapport with and this was my first dealings with them. I overcame these challenges by remaining calm and honest with the client and helping them to understand how the situation had occurred. I also contacted my line manager and alerted her to the problem so that if it escalated further she would know the situation clearly enough to have an input. This move proved invaluable when she was later called up and asked to make an important decision regarding this project.

Skills Learnt:

  • Problem solving
  • Negotiation
  • Persuasion
  • Leadership
  • Customer Service

Attributes Developed:

  • Confidence
  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Motivation

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

“My internship was enormously useful to me both personally and professionally. It has given me the confidence and experience to pursue a graduate position in a large company and taught me so much about having a full-time job.”

 

Student Case Study- Planet Earth Games

Access to Internships (A2I), Administration, Advertising, Marketing and PR, Business and Management, Hospitality and Event Management, Internship Schemes, Politics and International Relations, Student Business Partnership (SBP), , , , , ,

Name of Student:  Dominic Hughes

Degree Subject: BA Politics with Study Abroad

Job Title:  Marketing and Communications Officer

Company Name:  Planet Earth Games

Type of Internship:  Access to Internships (A2I), Student Business Partnerships (SBPs)

Description of Company: Young people and adults are more concerned over climate change and its effects on the natural environment than at any other time. At the same time, inactivity and obesity are at record levels. We are a not-for-profit organisation who passionately believe in the symbiotic relationship between the environment and human activity.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

My key duties were the management of digital platforms and to develop content for digital platforms. I was also responsible for website management, including regular updates as well as, PR and Communications, including media relations and generating media coverage.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

The outputs and outcomes I delivered for my employer was strong digital engagement on all platforms and I drove event sales towards minimum of 60% occupancy.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

Being involved in the launch of the first ever Planet Earth Games, our team sought press coverage in the lead up to the event and also media coverage on the day. The task was to contact media organisations with press releases and invites to the event. We were delighted as a BBC representative attended on the day.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

It proved really difficult to convert digital engagement to event sign ups, particularly filling boys football teams and tennis teams. As a result, we were forced to drop boys football and tennis from the schedule.

Skills Learnt 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Communication
  • Enterprise
  • Problem Solving
  • Decision Making

Attributes Developed 

  • Confidence
  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Motivation
  • Personal Awareness

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

“I cannot recommend the Access to Internship scheme enough. Chris Broadbent, the CEO of Planet Earth Games, has worked in media and marketing for many years and was fantastic to work with. We worked to deliver a meaningful project – the world’s first environment themed multi-sport event.”

Employer Quote:

“Working with the University internship scheme was transformational for our growing organisation and allowed us to deliver a highly ambitious event with very little resources.” – Chris Broadbent

Student Case Study – Roly’s Fudge

Access to Internships (A2I), Administration, Advertising, Marketing and PR, Business and Management, Hospitality and Event Management, Information Technology, Internship Schemes, Student Business Partnership (SBP), , , , , ,

Name of Student:  Annabel Ilic

Degree Subject: BSC Management with Marketing

Job Title:  Communications Assistant Intern

Company Name:  Roly’s Fudge

Type of Internship:   Access to Internships (A2I), Student Business Partnerships (SBPs)

Description of Company: Originating from Devon in the West Country over 30 years ago, we now have independently-run family fudge pantries across the UK. Each shop uses traditional recipes to make fresh fudge every day, handmade in full view for you to see.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

During my internship I created blog posts and social media posts. I also produced newsletters and general marketing (with a focus on re-branding and the environment and sustainability).

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

The key outputs and outcomes I delivered for my employer was producing blog posts and social media posts to gain more exposure. I created two newsletters which were a huge success. The first being opened by 1352 people and the second by 1445 people.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

I was asked to help with the re-branding of the business, focusing on the ‘faces of Roly’s Fudge’ (the families who own different franchises). I had to create profiles for each owner, using Canva and help to create the webpage for it on WordPress. Whilst this is still a work-in-progress, my manager is very happy with what I have done and it has been a very intrinsically motivating task as well. It has provided me an outlet to show what I have learnt during my internship and hope in the future it will help change people’s perceptions of the business.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

Nothing notable. Sometimes time-management was difficult and I found myself running out of tasks, but by communicating my thoughts and giving feedback to my manager, everything was resolved.

  Skills Learnt 

  • Ability to Work Under Pressure
  • Leadership
  • Time and Work Load Management
  • Organisation

  Attributes Developed 

  • Confidence
  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Motivation

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

“I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from my internship, but I have absolutely loved it. This experience has provided me with many useful skills that I will no doubt use in the future. After opting out of my industrial placement, it has given me a real boost of confidence and reassured me that I have the ability to be effective in the workplace. Better still, I was given the flexibility of working from home so it complimented my university studies well. I would recommend this scheme to anyone who is looking for meaningful experience and an insight into what ‘real life’ work is all about.”

Employer Quote:

“I was really pleased with the service from the internships team, who guided us through every step, advertising for the role and even helping with funding.  We took on two interns who were keen to learn and were so pleased with them that we offered them further work with us.” – Dannee McGuire (Director)

Student Case Study: Mayes Creative    

Access to Internships (A2I), Administration, Advertising, Marketing and PR, Business and Management, English, Internship Schemes, , , , ,

Name of Student:  Evangelia Kappos

Degree Subject: BA English 

Job Title: Marketing Intern

Company Name: Mayes Creative

Type of Internship: Access to Internships (A2I)

Description of Company: Mayes Creative engages the communities of Cornwall, Isles of Scilly and beyond in creative experiences to explore their world through heritage, science, technology and the environment. We want to discover new ways of thinking and doing that are fun and surprising, encouraging inspiration and broadening horizons.

What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

My key duties and responsibilities during my internship were the social media management of the company as well as, marketing and press releases.

What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

The key output I delivered to my employer was a social media campaign.

What was your biggest achievement on your internship?

I successfully marketed a project from the initial campaign idea to completion of a website page, content, and hashtag, which then resulted in the aimed for participation. This included schools in Cornwall getting involved and completing the challenge by sending the project origami suns to care homes, to spread community and joy.

What did not go so well on your internship? How did you overcome any challenges?

My hashtag definitely could have taken off more with other people within the community and I believe this could have been helped by creating press releases for radio and local press, and encouraging relatives and family to take part. I began to do this but unfortunately ran out of time!

Skills Learnt 

  • Communication
  • Teamwork and Collaboration
  • Negotiation
  • Leadership
  • Persuasion

Attributes Developed 

  • Confidence
  • Initiative
  • Perseverance
  • Motivation

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

“This internship empowered me to consider myself an asset to a workplace, and to enter the job market after university with confidence and self-assurance. It also underlined to me in helpful ways where I can grow and develop as a result of the mentorship I received and through working with my fellow students.”

 

Graduate Case Study: Widening Participation and Direct Recruitment Graduate Ambassador

Administration, Advertising, Marketing and PR, Education, Teaching and Research, Graduate Business Partnership (GBP), Internship Schemes, Philosophy, Theology, , , ,

Name of Student:  Imogen Wade-Palmer

Degree Subject: BA CH Philosophy and Theology 

Job Title: Graduate Ambassador (Widening Participation and Direct Recruitment)

Company Name: University of Exeter

Type of Internship:  Graduate Business Partnerships (GBPs) 

  1. What were your key duties and responsibilities during your internship?

As a Graduate Ambassador, I worked in both widening participation and direct recruitment. This involved delivering presentations for schools and colleges to inform students about their Higher Education options. I represented the University of Exeter at Information Fairs and UCAS Exhibitions, as well as helping with events on campus such as Open Days and Offer-Holder visit days.

  1. What outputs and outcomes did you deliver for your employer?

I represented the University of Exeter at Information Fairs and UCAS Exhibitions, as well as helping with events on campus such as Open Days and Offer-Holder visit days.           

  1. Skills Learnt 
  • Decision making
  • Networking
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Focus on goals and outcomes
  • Time and work load management
  1. Attributes Developed 
  • Increased my knowledge of the sector
  • Improvement of skills for the workplace
  • Creative thinking
  • Perseverance
  • Confidence
  1. Your message to other students considering a similar job role, organisation or sector? 

“The internship was invaluable in helping me to develop the skills required to secure a training contract to be a solicitor. I am now back in full time education completing an MA in Law and look forward to starting with the firm in 2020.”