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Written by Eleanor King, UCL Student

Over 140 students working across 74 projects completed a UCL Connected Learning Internship during July and August 2020. Student feedback confirmed that these opportunities greatly improved key employability skills, including written and verbal communication, teamwork and collaboration, planning and organising, problem-solving, decision-making and even creativity. 

Don’t just take our word for it. Read below for an exclusive interview from Eleanor King, who completed her Connected Learning Internship at UCL in 2021. 

1.) What made you apply for a Connected Learning Internship, and how did you find out about it? 

I wanted to truly get involved with the UCL community – as a postgraduate new to UCL, during a time of great disconnection (the pandemic), I wanted to feel more like a part of the university. The UCL Careers Instagram page was where I first found out about the internships – I find the page very useful and I use the updates via the Instagram Stories to explore opportunities within UCL while studying. I was motivated to apply because of the skills that internships give you, and their value to employers. This internship in particular – Connected Learning for Accessibility and Inclusivity in Disaster Studies – appealed to me, as I am passionate about outreach, having previously worked as a student mentor as an undergraduate. 

 2.) Did you gain any particular skills or learn anything new during the internship? 

Absolutely – firstly, from a completely technical perspective, I learned how to use Adobe Acrobat in order to make PDF documents more accessible. This is something that will really help me, as I apply for jobs. I also improved my organisational skills, I was able to connect with new professionals, all of them in another department, and learn more about what entailed accessibility and inclusivity, which broadened my knowledge. I learned not only from the academic staff I was working with, but also fellow intern Fransesca Kurlansky, as we discussed our individual tasks together, and conducted a critical appraisal of a lecture created by one of our mentors, Virginie Le Masson. This internship reinforced my interest in outreach, and it further enhanced what must be considered when making content more inclusive, strengthening my grasp of intersectionality – something which will help me in my studies. 

3.) How will you apply this experience to your future career journey? 

The experience and skills I gained from this internship will be invaluable to my future career journey. It strengthened my ability to assess and scrutinise content, and I am more aware of factors to search for when looking at a document’s accessibility score and how inclusive it is, making me able to implement change in the workplace. It has also shown me that I am able to take up multiple roles simultaneously, as I am able to organise my time effectively, as I have displayed by balancing the internship with my university work. It has taught me to always say yes to new opportunities, as they will bring new skills and rewards – something that I will always apply as I embark on my future career journey. 

4.) What is inspiring you right now?  

My new move to London is inspiring me currently. I have just moved to London after studying from home, and the independence, new outlook and opportunities this has given me is inspiring me to work harder on my masters and job applications. Having started my masters under COVID-19 restrictions and not being able to meet new people in a new city was something that, when I applied, I couldn’t ever have imagined, nor wanted to imagine. However, I pushed myself to get involved with the opportunities that UCL offer to feel more connected with the university community. Having been able to write for a university magazine and complete an internship while under restrictions felt like a massive achievement, and it is my ability to now go to campus that is driving me to continue to leave my mark on the UCL community. 

Next steps: 

If Eleanor’s experience has inspired you, then take a look at the current Connected Learning Internship opportunities available to you.  All internships are fully funded and are available remote/online for up to 70 hours per role, to be undertaken between 12 July 2021 and 27 August 2021. 

Remember to submit your application online via myUCLCareers by 21 May 2021.

Internships are key to building experience as a student or recent graduate. Employers are much more likely to hire someone with internships and work experience, rather than someone with a generic resume, lacking experience. Many internship opportunities help set the foundation for your career. The summer is a perfect opportunity to focus on what needs doing and to gain that all important experience.

Here we explain the benefits of undertaking an internship and what you need to consider when building on your own brand, networking and online presence, along with the softer skill benefits it offers.

Undertaking an internship

You can gain a lot from doing an internship. From being able to develop common workplace skills such as team work and commercial awareness, to demonstrating work experience on your CV and making new connections with employers. You will be able to explore a field of work and reflect on your strengths and weaknesses to build your confidence, and understand how theory and research relate to practice in a work context.

Last, and not least, you will have an opportunity to earn money. Find a summer internship in our UCL Careers Summer Internship Scheme where you will be paid London Living Wage. Opportunities are live now until 24th March.  You can also browse other opportunities on myUCLCareers.

Creating a portfolio 

For some roles, especially in media, fashion and design, it’s important to have a portfolio of work to show employers at interviews. This could include photos, drawings, examples of writing or anything that demonstrates your creativity. You could use the summer to build an online portfolio in the form of a website then use the link on your CV or in future applications.

Have you connected?

If you have made some connections over the year, you can re-visit them. Leverage your network to identify people who are in your desired field or industry and set up an informational interview to learn more about your potential career path. Begin speaking with potential mentors, such as UCL Alumni and build relationships with existing mentors. This will put you in a strong position after you graduate and it will remind important people that you are both interested and interesting!

Building your online brand

Linked to networking your personal network is how the outside world sees you, including prospective employers. Sites like LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook can be powerful tools to let employers know who you are and what you can do.

Learning about you

The first step in making an informed decision about anything relating to your career is understanding yourself. If you don’t really know what you want or what you are good at then this can be really hard.

Use the summer to get to know yourself a bit better. Travelling, making new friends or learning new skills through online courses can be a really good way to bring out your strengths and help you find your passion. Don’t forget, you can always come into UCL Careers for a short guidance appointment with one of our Careers Consultants.

Find yourself an opportunity through the UCL Careers Summer Internships Scheme, or through the myUCLCareers vacancies tab. Deadline for applications for roles in the UCL Careers Summer Internships Scheme is Sunday 24^th March.

As part of UCL’s Charities & NGOs Themed Week we held a panel session titled “Behind the Scenes – Influencing & Policy”.

We were joined by Jens Van den Brande, Economist at the National Foundation for Educational Research, Shilpa Ross, Senior Researcher at The King’s Fund, Annabell Rebello, Job Coach and Skills Trainer at Mencap and Beth Blackmore, Operations Executive at Koreo working with Charityworks.

Here are some key insights from the event, combined with some tips from UCL Careers Consultants.

1. Don’t be too narrow minded, learn from different experiences

A common theme was not to be too focused on one specific ‘dream role’. Gaining experience within the sector can provide valuable experience and insight that could allow you to cross over to another organisation or role. In entry level positions or smaller organisations, you are often asked to get involved with numerous projects, assisting a variety of teams, which enables you to develop a variety of valuable skills. This will help you develop expertise and give you a flavour of the different types of roles found within charities and NGOs which can help you find that ‘dream role’.

2. Get experience that will give you a head start

All panellists highlighted the importance of gaining work experience early in your job search. Work shadowing, internships, volunteering in a charity or even joining certain university societies were all stated as excellent opportunities to gain valuable experience for your CV and may even lead to directly hearing about a paid opportunity within an organisation.

3. You can contribute!

Don’t underestimate what you can contribute now; panellists highlighted that across the sector young people are underrepresented on charity boards of trustees. Investigate becoming a charity trustee – look up “Young Charity Trustees” on Facebook or LinkedIn for inspiration. Check out the Charity Digital Code – charities need digital skills at all levels. As one panellist said – you are the digital natives!

4. Find a cause you’re passionate about

Panellists felt finding a cause that you feel passionate about can be crucial in succeeding with your job search within the charity sector. Employers are often looking for driven staff who want to make a real difference in the area they work. Taking the time to do some research in your areas of interest can lead to finding an organisation with goals that align with your passion and will result in you having the opportunity to work with like-minded people. Guidestar is a great resource for finding UK charities working in a particular field.

5. Understand the sector you want to work in

Looking into specific roles that interest you within the sector can often give you the edge when applying for roles. Do some research into the organisation you want to work for. Get an idea of who their competitors are and find out how certain organisations are unique. Why is it that you want to work for them specifically? Through doing your homework on an organisation before applying you gain an understanding of the roles they have on offer as well as which positions would suit you best.

6. Variety is the spice of life!

Many of the panellists stated that the variety within their role was one of the things they enjoyed the most. Interacting with a variety of stakeholders, hearing their stories and working towards making a difference in the lives of others was something that made their work worthwhile.

7. Find your unique selling points (USPs)

Identifying your USPs was something many of the panellists mentioned as being particularly important and would enable you to stand out from the crowd during an application process. Having these USPs will set you apart from other candidates and focus on the attributes you have that employers can benefit from. Examples of USPs can be some particular work experience, a postgraduate qualification or particular skills you have acquired.

8. Access support from colleagues and networks

One of the key benefits of working within the charity sector according to all panellists was the collaborative, friendly and driven nature of the workforce within the sector. Making the most of colleagues, asking them questions and tapping into their skills and knowledge can be invaluable when gaining knowledge and understanding best practice. Seek out a mentor – someone in the sector prepared to take an interest in your growth and development, who you can share your goals and fears with openly, who will be a source of wisdom and encouragement. Try the UCL Alumni mentoring database or ask around in organisations you have contact with.

9. Funding limitations leads to lack of job security within sector

One of the major challenges mentioned facing the charity sector is a lack of funding and financial security. This can lead to a lack of resources, lower salaries, limited staff benefits and an uncertainty surrounding job security when compared with corporate organisations. Although this seemed to be a challenge across the sector, one of the panellist had a very positive way of looking at this, stating that a lack of job security leads to a varied career and therefore gaining a wealth of skills and experience.

10. Basic competencies are key to most positions

Panellists highlighted the importance of needing to meet key competencies when applying for roles. Organisations will often outline key qualities they’re looking for in candidates, which will equip them with the attributes needed to carry out the advertised role. It is important to show an understanding of these competencies and have strong examples of times when you have demonstrated these skills. Quite often these competencies are based on softer skills such as communication, problem solving and team work.

In summary:

An organisation’s workforce will often come from a range of different backgrounds, this is why focusing on your passion for the cause, drawing from your USPs and previous experiences, along with being able to demonstrate key competencies will put you in good stead to succeed in the application process.

Which can I apply for? Are graduate schemes right for me?

If you haven’t applied to a graduate scheme already, you might be asking yourself some of these questions. There’s no need to worry. If you want to find a programme, there are still plenty currently taking applications. You might even decide that graduate schemes aren’t worth it. After all, one in six graduates leave their first employer within the first two years.

Which graduate schemes are still open?

Many of these programmes are still taking applicants. Others take on graduates on a rolling basis. So who’s recruiting students? Prospects have put together a handy online tool where you can search open graduate schemes. Use their filter options to reveal graduate programmes which you can sort by industry and location.

So which employers are still looking for current students and recent graduates? Here’s a little taste of the ones that are still open, from a range of sectors.

• Charity: British Heart Foundation
• Publishing/business: Cambridge University Press
• NGO/communications: Nuclear Graduates
• Software/technology: Balfour Beatty

Find out who’s still taking applications on the Prospects search tool.

Clearly employers are still searching for students to recruit, so do some research across the web and try and meet as many graduate recruiters as you can at our events.

Are graduate schemes right for me?

It is easy to feel pressured into applying for a graduate scheme – but these schemes are not your only choice. Most employers (including those who run graduate schemes), hire graduates on a continuous basis.

You only need to check the current vacancies on myUCLCareers to see this for yourself. You can search other major jobs boards, such as LinkedIn or Indeed, including the term “Graduate” and you will see plenty of graduate roles that aren’t part of a particular scheme.

This is particularly true for organisations who are not large enough to warrant a graduate scheme. This is why international organisations which hundreds of staff are much more likely to have schemes on offer. Working for a company like this might not suit your goals, so don’t be afraid to look elsewhere for graduate jobs. Read more about the difference between a graduate job and a graduate scheme on Gradtouch.

Further study is another popular choice, with 30% of UCL graduates in 2016 securing further study courses after six months.

How can I improve my applications? (for all graduate jobs)

All graduate jobs, whether part of a graduate scheme or not, want you to demonstrate your motivation, desirable qualities, skills and experience.
One of the best ways to do this is through volunteering and work experience. By finding an internship or other work experience you will show your motivation to employers, gain useful real-world experience, and learn more about that particular role or sector.

You might realise that you don’t enjoy a particular sector as much as you expect. This means you can look for something different when you graduate. If you love the job, you’ll be able to demonstrate your awareness of the sector to future employers. It’s very common for people who do internships while they study to secure a job with the same employer when they graduate.

Have work or volunteering experience? Let graduate recruiters know what you learned using examples. Be sure to tell them how you can apply those lessons when working for them. It’s what you’re aiming to do after all!

In your final year or recently graduated?

It might be time to start looking at what’s available and applying.

Our careers consultants can help you review your CVs and applications in one-to-one advice sessions and mock interviews. These will give you the confidence you need to evidence your best qualities when applying.

Graduate schemes often use recruitment tools such as assessment centres and psychometric testing to filter applications. Although these can seem intimidating, the more you know about them, the less scary they become.

UCL Careers run a range of workshops, talks and employer-led events through the year. These include mock assessment centres, employer networking and application sessions. Any of these could help with your graduate job applications, so see the full events calendar and book your place.

Remember, UCL Careers is here to support you, no matter what stage your at in your career planning; whether you’re applying to graduate schemes or any other kind of work or further study. Find out more about what UCL Careers can offer you.

The UCL Jobs Market 2016 is coming up on 8^th June: a chance to meet employers with jobs, internships and training opportunities available with a Summer/Autumn start!

From big prestigious graduate schemes to smaller organisations and recruitment agencies offering a diverse variety of graduate jobs within finance, consulting, engineering, technology, media, sales & marketing and charities & non-profits.

When: Wednesday 8th June, 2:00-4:00pm

Where: Mahatma Gandhi Hall, Indian YMCA – 41 Fitzroy Square (near Warren Street Tube)

Employer confirmed so far include:

AlphaSights

Costello Medical Consulting

Deloitte

DWP

EG.1

EY

Frontier

Gorkana

Sapient Nitro

TeachFirst

We Think Ahead

…plus many more.

 To stay up to date with new employers as they are added, check our website at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/events/jobsmarket

No registration is required! If you wish to attend, simply turn up at any time while the event is running but be prepared to queue to get in as the event will be popular.
 As this event is only open to current UCL students and recent graduates, please remember to bring valid UCL ID with you as you won’t get in without it. For information about valid UCL ID, please visit www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/eligibility.

We hope you enjoyed attending our events during Life and Health Sciences Careers Themed Week (7^th – 11^th March 2016).

As a follow up, we’d like to highlight the following employment, learning, and networking opportunities posted on UCL JobOnline, related to the sector, in which you might be interested:

Internships

Scientific Internship at Costello Medical
This position is ideal for current students and recent graduates in the sciences seeking to gain an insight into life at a fast-growing consultancy serving pharmaceutical industry clients. You will be presented with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience of a variety of medical communications projects involving the assimilation, interpretation and creative presentation of data from clinical trials. http://bit.ly/1Q35CDf

Health Economist Internship at Costello Medical
The Health Economist Internship typically lasts for 6 months, but we are also able to consider applications for 3 month internships. The stipend for interns is £1,200 per calendar month, and you will be entitled to statutory holiday. http://bit.ly/1R3vxZ6

Science Policy & Impact Summer Placement at the National Physical Laboratory. This placement will provide you with an excellent opportunity to gain first-hand experience of evaluation and impact analysis in support of policy development. Apply by:  29^th March 2016. http://bit.ly/1UfVZVP

Trainee Ecologist at MLM. We have a great opportunity for a Trainee Ecologist to join our ecology team in Chelmsford for your summer break. Apply by: 24/03/2016. http://bit.ly/1RkYjuo

Business Strategy & Marketing Intern at Health/ Biotech start-up:  iamYiam. http://bit.ly/1ROiyel

Permanent Positions

Associate/Senior Epidemiologist at Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd UK.
Provide robust relevant real world data and epidemiological reasoning to drive innovative strategies and aid evidence based decision making across the Prescription Medicine portfolio. Apply by: 25^th March 2016. http://bit.ly/1U7Ov80

Pharmaceutical Market Analyst at Visiongain. Opportunity in healthcare research:
Are you the analytical type?
Do you want to make sense of data, collecting and interpreting it to benefit medical companies? Are you fascinated by how technologies there affect our world?
So, if researching, handling those numbers and drafting reports suit your talents, visiongain’s pharma analyst role could fit you. No deadline specified. http://bit.ly/1VcufAQ

Learning and Behaviour Specialist at Ambitious about Autism. We’re looking for trainee and experienced learning support staff – Learning and Behaviour Specialists – to deliver high-quality learning support to young adults with autism. Apply by: 1^st April 2016. http://bit.ly/1U7Q6dZ

Nutrition Consultant Vacancies at Oxford Policy Management. Exciting opportunities for Nutrition Financing/Health Economist; consultant in Monitoring & Evaluation of Nutrition and Food Security Programmes and Public Health Nutritionist! Apply by 14^th April 2016. http://bit.ly/1pLzn39

Commissioning Editor at the Future Science Group. We are now seeking a self-starter with a strong work ethic to play an important role in the running of our journal portfolio. Apply by: 1^st April 2016. http://bit.ly/1RObIpg

Marie Curie Trainee’s (EU Early Stage Researchers) in Biomedical Optics for Brain Injury Monitoring (x 2 positions) at UCL. Development, test and clinical application of the state-of-the-art optical instrument for multi-wavelength, multi-channel and multi-modal brain tissue spectroscopy/imaging. Apply by 31^st March 2016. http://bit.ly/21vehBP

And a range of Research Assistant positions in this sector at institutions across the country are available on UCL JobOnline.

This Themed Week event programme will be repeated next year, with fresh lineups and panels. For more information on Life & Health Sciences Week 2016, including audio recordings of events and other resources, please visit http://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/events/getinto/lifehealthsciences.

Considering a career in Engineering?

The UCL Careers Engineering Fair features some of the top employers from the fields of Chemical, Civil and Environmental, Electronic and Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering, as well as Construction and the Built Environment.

Employers will be hiring for permanent graduate positions as well as internships and placements so this fair is mainly aimed at final year and penultimate year Engineering, Bartlett or related students. All students are welcome to attend
in order to research companies, but there may not be suitable structured programmes on offer.

When: Monday 26th October 2015 | 5:30pm – 8pm

Where: North and South Cloisters, Wilkins Building

Some employers attending include:

> Balfour Beatty
> Fluor
> GSK
> Jaguar Land Rover
> Mott Macdonald
> TargetJobs Engineering
> Transport for London- TFL

Plus many more!

You do not need to book to attend our Careers Fairs, but you must bring valid UCL ID to gain entry.

For more information on about the fair and the employers attending, visit: www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/fairs | #UCLCareersFair | @UCLCareers

The Engineering Fair 2015 is kindly sponsored by TargetJobs Engineering.

Want to find our more about careers within IT and Technology?

The UCL Careers IT and Technology Fair features some of the top employers in Consultancy, Big Data, Software, Cloud Computing, Telecommunications, Financial Technology and many more.

Employers will be hiring for permanent graduate positions, internships and, in some cases, 1st year spring programmes. The fair is open to all year groups but there may not be structured programmes on offer for all students. Some roles will be open to students studying computer science or a related technical discipline, but others will be open to all with an in interest in technology.

When: Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd October | 5:30pm – 8pm

Where: North and South Cloisters, Wilkins Building

Some employers attending include:

Day 1
> EE
> Fidessa
> IBM
> KPMG
> Microsoft Corporation

Day 2
> Cisco
> Expedia.com
> Fujitsu
> Morgan Stanley
> SKY

Plus many more!

You do not need to book to attend our Careers Fairs, but you must bring valid UCL ID to gain entry.

For more information on about the fair and the employers attending, visit: www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/fairs | #UCLCareersFair | @UCLCareers

The IT and Technology Fair 2015 is kindly sponsored by EE and Cisco.

Interested in a career working with Banking or Finance?

The UCL Careers Banking and Finance Fair features some of the top employers from a wide variety of sectors including Investment Banking, Professional Services, Retail and Corporate Banking, Economics, Consulting, Investment Management Actuarial, Insurance and many more.

Employers will be hiring for permanent graduate positions, internships and, in some cases, 1st year spring programmes. The fair is open to all year groups but there may not be structured programmes on offer for all students.

When: Tuesday 13th and Wednesday 14th October | 5:30pm – 8pm

Where: North and South Cloisters, Wilkins Building

Some employers attending include:

DAY 1
Amazon
Bloomberg
Barclays
FTI Consulting
Goldman Sachs
JP Morgan
M and G Investments

DAY 2
Deloitte
Deutsche Bank
Financial Conduct Authority
Lloyd’s of London
PwC
Santander
UBS

Plus many more!

You do not need to book to attend our Careers Fairs, but you must bring valid UCL ID to gain entry.
For more information on about the fair and the employers attending, visit: www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/fairs | #UCLCareersFair | @UCLCareers

The Banking and Finance Fair 2015 is kindly sponsored by PwC.

Considering a career in Management Consultancy?

The UCL Careers Management Consultancy Fair features some of the top employers from a wide variety of Consultancy sectors including Strategy, Financial, Brand, Technology and HR.

Employers will be hiring for permanent graduate positions and in some cases internships and placements.

The fair is mainly aimed at final year and penultimate year students. Other years are welcome to attend in order to research employers, but there may not be suitable structured programmes available.

When: Wednesday 7th October 2015 | 5:30pm – 8pm
Where: North and South Cloisters, Wilkins Building

Some employers attending include:
Accenture
The Boston Consulting Group
EY
IMS Consulting Group
Oliver Wyman

Plus many more!

You do not need to book to attend our Careers Fairs, but you must bring valid UCL ID to gain entry.

We will be holding Fair Prep sessions – keep an eye for an Alert about these!

For more information on about the fair and the employers attending, visit: www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/fairs | #UCLCareersFair | @UCLCareers

The Management Consultancy Fair 2015 is kindly sponsored by Accenture.