Graduate Internship Programme

• Intern job title: Graduate Project Coordinator
• School/department: London Noise Records/ London College of Music
• Year of internship: 2022

How did you first find out about the programme?

I first became aware of the graduate internship scheme through a conversation with my lecturer. After completing my undergraduate degree, I continued at UWL completing an MA. When the MA was coming to an end I was chatting with my lecturer about my next steps in my career, he mentioned the graduate internship programme, so that day I went home and did some research. When I scrolled through the roles, the London Noise Records position caught my eye, and I knew this would help elevate my career and CV.

What was the application experience like, and was it straightforward and informative?

The application process was very straightforward, if I remember correctly from submitting the application to getting my job offer was around one week. All staff members who were part of this process were very helpful and able to answer any queries I had.

Why did you decide to undertake the internship?

The main reason I decided to undertake this internship was due to the experience I would gain from the role. From the job description, I was able to see that this role would give me experience within many different areas of the music industry which in the future would make me more attractive to potential employers. Another contributing factor as to why I took this role was the fact I had been a student at UWL for four years and had formed great relationships with the LCM staff, so I knew entering LCM as a staff member myself would be very smooth and enjoyable.

What advice would you offer to someone thinking of applying to the scheme?

I would recommend those thinking about applying to the scheme to do so. It is a place where you can learn on the job, in an environment where the support is there if you need it. However, I would advise those who are successful in their application to throw themselves into the role, you get out of this scheme what you put into it.

What did you do in your role, and what did you enjoy about the internship?

Within my role as project coordinator at London Noise Records (LCM inhouse record label) I oversaw all day-to-day tasks within the record label. This included regularly meeting with the artists discussing any upcoming releases or live events. Another task was organising and running live music events in and around UWL, every Tuesday night LNR put on a live event at a pub across the road from the St Mary’s Road campus. I was tasked with finding the artists, setting up for the show and acting as a stage manager at the shows. Also, I was in charge with running all social media accounts for London Noise Records which was very challenging but very insightful. I think what I enjoyed the most was mentoring the music management students who were involved with the record label. It was a very rewarding experience being able to help those whose position I was once in.

What did you learn during the scheme, and were there any challenging aspects?

I learned so much about putting my music industry knowledge into practice, any problems I faced during this role, while stressful at the time, will make me more prepared if those same problems were to arise in the future.

Did your internship experience meet your expectations, and did they change?

My internship experience met all my expectations and more. My knowledge of the music industry expanded but also, I gained many transferable skills such as communication, problem-solving and organisational skills. My confidence also grew while I was in this role. All things I believe make me a more employable individual.

Has your time on the internship influenced your career goals?

Yes definitely, for example in the internship I did a lot of work with the live music industry, this was never an area of the music industry I thought about entering. However, these experiences were very enjoyable for me and now believe a career in the live music industry could be on the cards in my future career. Is it important for UWL to keep doing initiatives like this? Yes, it is very important for UWL to continue doing initiatives like this as it gives recent graduates a way to gain valuable experience and skills that will help them in their future career. It gives recent graduates their first step into a professional career.

What are you doing now?

I am currently still working at UWL, my internship contract was extended until May 2023. My role within London Noise Records is very much the same but I have been given extra responsibilities that include event assistant for all LCM events and social media management for LCM.

• Intern job title: Graduate Project Coordinator in Aviation and Tourism
• School/department: London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism
• Year of internship: 2022

How did you first find out about the programme?

As a graduate from 2021, I received an email from the university inviting me to apply to one or more Graduate Internships at UWL.

What was the application experience like, and was it straightforward and informative?

I found the application process to be quick and easy. A job description was attached to each internship, and after applying for the ones I was interested in, I was contacted and invited for an interview.

Why did you decide to undertake the internship?

Two reasons led me to undertake the internship. As a recent graduate of London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism, they were now offering an internship at the same school. Being part of the same school where I studied, not as a student, but as a staff member, was very appealing to me. Due to my student experience, I wanted to give back to the college and current students by providing my insight and support. Secondly, I saw it as a chance to gain more knowledge about the college, the university, and boost my marketability for my future career by acquiring transferrable skills.

What advice would you offer to someone thinking of applying to the scheme?

I recommend applying to even those that don’t align with your current competencies. This is an excellent learning experience, and you will gain valuable skills for the future. You will also gain confidence, make new friends, enrich your networking, and perhaps discover a new career you never imagined.

What did you do in your role, and what did you enjoy about the internship?

I supported a range of different recruiting and student experience activities at LGCHT. A few of the internship projects included:

• Participation in University Open Days and college field trips
• Development of a Sustainability Travel Plan in collaboration with the Environment and Sustainability Manager at UWL and external bodies such as the Ealing Council
• Collection of data on relevant Access courses for the College
• Redesign of the College brochure for the 2022-23 academic year.
• Conducted qualitative interviews with College Alumni
• Updated the notice boards of the College with pictures and information about the College and all recent activities undertaken.

In addition to the people I worked with, the support and encouragement provided, and the projects I worked on, many of which benefited my self-management, time management skills, and creative thinking skills have been a real pleasure for me.

What did you learn during the scheme, and were there any challenging aspects?

My experience in the scheme taught me that I like roles that are dynamic and give me the chance to communicate with a variety of people. Additionally, the opportunity to express many of my ideas and views motivated me to share more of my ‘think outside the box’ ability. This also helped me gain more confidence in myself as a professional.

Did your internship experience meet your expectations, and did they change?

The experience did meet my expectations and I am happy I decided to take part in the scheme.

Has your time on the internship influenced your career goals?

Yes. I never thought I’d work within the Higher Education sector, but after my internship experience, I decided to apply for a permanent job at UWL.

Is it important for UWL to keep doing initiatives like this?

The importance of offering opportunities like this to recent graduates cannot be overstated as it can help them decide about their future career directions, bolster self-confidence, and boost their marketability.

What are you doing now?

Currently, I work full-time at UWL as one of the Student Recruitment Coordinators. My goal is to promote higher education, at UWL, and to help young people think about their future. The role also provides me with the opportunity to travel a lot and meet and connect with a lot of people, which I absolutely love!!!

• Intern job title: Graduate Research Assistant in Audio Innovation Development
• School/department: London College of Music
• Year of internship: 2022

How did you first find out about the scheme?

I received an email from the University detailing the graduate internship scheme, with a link to the positions on offer.

What was the application experience like, and was it straightforward and informative?

I thought the application experience was extremely simple, there wasn’t a need for a cover letter or lengthy application, it was swift and easy, unlike most job applications.

Why did you decide to undertake the internship?

At the time I was just working the first job I’d managed to secure post-degree, which was in hospitality. I jumped at the chance to enrol on the internship as it was a great way to get real-world experience in a career I wanted to pursue. Plus, any extra time that you get on campus to make use of the facilities and resources is always a huge plus.

What advice would you offer to someone thinking of applying to the scheme?

I would say you need to be proactive, and always try to be one step ahead of what you think your colleagues and superiors are going to need from you, then you can make suggestions and offer to do things that you think will benefit your project before they know they need it themselves. And always be prepared to speak up in meetings, to provide information when it's needed; always have something to say.

What did you do in your role, and what did you enjoy about the internship?

During my role I was responsible for planning and implementing a marketing campaign for a novel music technology product, which included creating a website (including graphics), taking product photos, creating marketing graphics for social media, and running ads on Facebook and Google. I also developed a brand strategy and overall marketing plan for the company and was instrumental in the planning and execution of user testing for the prototype.

What did you learn during the scheme, and were there any challenging aspects?

My main takeaway was a deeper understanding of marketing and a chance to build real-world digital marketing skills. Beyond this I learned a lot about consumer electronics, building prototypes and manufacturing. I also learned a lot about what makes a successful company through extensive competitor research and more generally, how to sell. The most challenging aspect was trying not to overthink certain things where I didn’t have much experience, my line manager gave me some great advice when he told me “It’s not always about getting it right the first time, what’s important is that we move forward.”

Did your internship experience meet your expectations, and did they change?

I think the internship really exceeded my expectations, I felt that my role is somewhat ambiguous as I largely ended up doing mostly marketing with a small amount of research, however, I think this is a positive. It keeps things fresh, and provides new challenges and more opportunities to learn and grow. I’m always eager to learn as much as I can so this works for me.

Has your time on the internship influenced your career goals?

It has opened my eyes to the more opportunities that I can pursue, particularly coming from a Music Technology degree where I think people tend to worry that your degree has lower employment potential. Your skills are transferable, and there are always other things you can do related to music, that aren’t particularly based on being a performer, producer, engineer, or some form of those. Although the real beauty is doing a mixture of these things freelance, by throwing yourself out there and getting involved. Making connections is the way to do that, and I now have a much stronger network after being an intern at UWL.

Is it important for UWL to keep doing initiatives like this?

100%, the internship scheme is a great opportunity for interns to gain real-world skills, build their connections, gain confidence, and grow both personally and professionally. There’s nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain.

What are you doing now?

Following the success of the marketing work I did I was invited back to continue work on the project for another 6 months. We’re moving forward with routes to market and the manufacture of the first run of products.

• Intern job title: Research Intern
• School/department: Young Ealing Foundation
• Year of internship: 2021

How did you first find out about the scheme?

From UWL careers newsletter.

What was the application experience like, and was it straightforward and informative?

The application process was extremely easy, all I had to do was submit my CV and choose programs that I was interested in. The job descriptions did not contain all the relevant information, however, there was an opportunity to ask questions during interviews.

Why did you decide to undertake the internship?

At the time, I didn’t like my role and I was looking for a new job for almost one year, nevertheless, I was constantly rejected due to the lack of relevant experience. I saw the internship program as a great opportunity to get experience whilst also getting paid.

What advice would you offer to someone thinking of applying to the scheme?

If you’re unsure what you want to do and you don’t have much work experience it is worth trying.

What did you do in your role, and what did you enjoy about the internship?

My role was Research Intern at an external organisation, however, there was a bare minimum of research and not the kind of research I’ve been doing during my course. The responsibilities included a little bit of everything. Event organisation, presentations, liaising with trustees and member organisations, leading training sessions, grants administration, I’ve done it all. What I enjoyed the most, is the opportunity to take on any responsibilities, I also wanted an amazing atmosphere in the organisation.

What did you learn during the scheme, and were there any challenging aspects?

Since I didn’t have any experience or knowledge of the charity sector, every day was something new for me. I’ve learned about charity and politics surrounding it. Also, I’ve gained knowledge about diverse communities in Ealing and the challenges they encounter from day to day.

Did your internship experience meet your expectations, and did they change?

I’d say the experience exceeded expectations since there was no right or wrong in the way I could approach different tasks. The complete trust from my line manager was something I was not used to. Also, the fact that every day was a little different was a pleasant surprise for me. Worth to add, there were a lot of learning opportunities, and I was able to focus on skills that I think were most important for me.

Has your time on the internship influenced your career goals?

To be honest, I did not have a lot of career goals then, and neither do I right now. Nonetheless, the skills and experience I gained during this program opened a great avenue of new opportunities and a chance to succeed in the charity sector or explore other career opportunities.

Is it important for UWL to keep doing initiatives like this?

Absolutely! In the current job market, it is extremely difficult to land a job if you don’t have any relevant working experience, whilst this program presents recent graduates with an opportunity to gain experience as well as gain skills and make new friends. Additionally, it presents a chance to try something and see if that’s what you want to do in future.

What are you doing now?

I was offered a permanent contract in the organisation and am planning to stay here in the near future since I really like what I’m doing and wish to help the community I live in.

• Intern job title: Graduate Research Assistant
• School/department: London School of Film, Media and Design
• Year of internship: 2020

Why did you decide to undertake the internship?

I decided to undertake the internship because I knew the position offered to me would help me gain employability skills and experience of working in a professional environment. I was still unsure what I wanted in my work life after I had completed my degree and my time working in the Graduate Research Assistant role gave me a focus and opened my eyes to a different type of role I hadn’t previously considered.

What did you do in your role, and what did you enjoy about the internship?

In my internship, I provided support for a research project with a senior lecturer at the London School of Film, Media and Design, from start to finish. I assisted with planning and coordinating the project and was heavily involved in data collection and analysis. After the analysis, I assisted in writing up our findings, preparing and writing articles and journal entries that were eventually published. The internship was particularly enjoyable as I was given as much responsibility as any other member of staff would have been, even though I was an intern and my contribution to the project allowed me to have several co-authored research outputs that I can now show on my CV. I also really enjoyed working with colleagues at the University of West London and I am still in contact with them today.

What did you learn during the scheme, and were there any challenging aspects?

During my time in the role, I built on the skills I had learnt during my time studying for my degree at the University of West London. In addition to the skills I already had, there was no shortage of tasks I undertook that I had no experience in before my Graduate Research Assistant role. This included data management, analysis of data using SPSS, co-authoring articles and preparing material for publication. These new skills are now presented on my CV and some of them are used daily in my new role. The internship scheme had a programme of development and evaluation running throughout the months I was working in my position. All interns on the scheme were provided with training from essential skills to professional development. All these skills I learned during the internship scheme were transferable skills and have benefited my work life since then. Many aspects of the scheme were new to me, so this was often daunting, but the support received from my colleagues ensured my time in the role was a success.

Did your internship experience meet your expectations, and did they change?

The internship scheme surpassed my expectations. I went into the position happy to have secured a role, particularly during the pandemic, to absolutely loving my time as a Graduate Research Assistant and not wanting to leave.

Has the internship impacted your professional and personal development?

The experience I took from my internship was demonstrated on my CV and then in interviews. This resulted in me securing a new position in a similar subject area. I sincerely believe I would not be in the role I am in now without the experience I took from the internship scheme. The skills I learnt during my time in my role at UWL are skills I will take with me to future positions too. Not only did I learn new skills that have benefited my future career, but I developed as a person and in turn have grown in confidence.

Is it important for UWL to keep doing initiatives like this?

It is important for UWL to keep pushing initiatives like the Graduate Internship Scheme as it shows they still believe in the former students, and the skills we learnt during our time studying at UWL, are skills we can bring to professional working environments. Initiatives like the internship scheme assist recent graduates in getting jobs and in turn, show that UWL aims for the success of their students, even after they graduate.

What advice would you offer to someone thinking of applying to the scheme?

To the person considering applying for the Graduate Internship Scheme, I urge them to go for it. The scheme gave me invaluable experience that led to me securing a successful position just several weeks after my position with UWL came to an end and even more importantly, helped me realise my own potential.

What are you doing now?

After completing my role as Graduate Research Assistant, I secured a role at The British Academy, supporting early-career researchers. In my role as ECR Network Assistant, I have helped to establish a new Early-Career Researcher (ECR) Network which upskills and enhances ECRs future careers. I am really grateful that I have the opportunity to work for such a reputable company and I have the Graduate Internship Scheme to thank for that.

• Intern job title: Graduate Research Assistant in Media and PR
• School/department: London School of Film, Media and Design
• Year of internship: 2021

How did you first find out about the scheme?

I found out about the scheme by email and my old lecturer reaching out to me and mentioning the scheme! I had just left my previous job and thought that this would be a great experience to add to my CV.

What was the application experience like, and was it straightforward and informative?

The application experience was very straightforward. I simply applied, was shortlisted, and undertook the interview. The university was so swift in their process which was a nice change from companies that have a painfully slow recruitment process. I knew if I had any questions, I could easily reach out and get a response rather than do it with another company and it would be a gamble for a response.

Why did you decide to undertake the internship?

I undertook the internship to try something that I enjoyed doing during my degree. I loved conducting research in the advertising field and knew that this role would let me continue to do so and create work which would represent the university.

What advice would you offer to someone thinking of applying to the scheme?

Just do it! I hesitated to take my position at first as I had a few offers however I took a chance and it paid off. Having the security and backing of the university under your belt is respectable to employers looking at your CV. The job I landed after the scheme was my dream role and I remember my to-be boss saying that she had worked for a university, and we had a great bonding conversation about it!

What did you do in your role, and what did you enjoy about the internship?

In my role, I conducted research for a paper that would be published with the support of UWL, and I also was executing a live campaign for a client. During my internship, I brought a collection of students’ campaign ideas to life for a client and hosted workshops with students nationally; created a blog and website for students to access. The idea was to create a platform for students who were about to enter the advertising/creative industries and needed guidance as final-year students and graduates! I enjoyed this experience particularly as I got to explore topics I wish I had known the answer to myself when I was graduating. I’m incredibly proud of that work!

What did you learn during the scheme, and were there any challenging aspects?

Having worked in teams before, I enjoyed having a very strong one-to-one relationship with my manager where there was an implicit sense of trust. I learnt that I could experiment and bring new ideas to the table that could be listened to! I learnt so much from having monthly meetings with a careers advisor within the scheme which really boosted my CV. It’s sweet for me to think about my careers advisor Maggie, she supported me as a student during my studies and to see her as a graduate and after a few months tell her I’d secured my dream job was so touching. In terms of challenging aspects, I think mine were mainly due to the fact that I worked with one other person so I had to rely on my workings the most at times which although I don’t mind, can get tiring at times.

Did your internship experience meet your expectations, and did they change?

This experience excelled my expectations – I didn’t know what I was going to enter to be honest! My expectations changed incredibly once I had started working with UWL. I have never worked with an organisation that is so determined to help upskill you and give you that stepping stone to move onto the next stage of your career. I saw this experience originally as a stepping stone – and in a way, it did exactly that. Working in a familiar environment whilst doing amazing work and upskilling left me feeling confident to find my next role. I secured my dream job as a media planner at a global media agency!

Has your time on the internship influenced your career goals?

I found parts of the work I polished up skills I needed for the role I am now doing today. So as mentioned, this internship was a great stepping stone on the way to where I wanted to go!

Is it important for UWL to keep doing initiatives like this?

I wished I’d known about this initiative a lot sooner! I wouldn’t have felt as stressed if I’d known that this initiative existed – I think students, especially final-year students should be told about this during their last year. It’s an incentive to maybe push for some more first-class degrees!

What are you doing now?

I now work as a media planner at MediaCom in London whilst working on some freelance business!