Newcastle University interns, Chloe, Umairatul and Maria share their experiences of undertaking an NCL Internship and how it’s helped them.
Embarking on an internship is a great way of developing skills, gaining work experience and networking with those in different industries. We couldn’t be prouder of our amazing Interns at Newcastle University always wanting to go to the extra mile and want to share some of the experiences with you.
Chloe Roberts
''Romans on the Tyne!' Internship, Newcastle University
How did you benefit from the internship?
This opportunity has been one of the most enriching experiences of my university life and has provided me with skills not only regarding communication, outreach and creative organisation, but also in skills specialised to the classics career field. This role has given me amazing experience in my dream career relating to classics and heritage, which has massively contributed to my successful application to study an MsT at the University of Oxford starting this October.
Was the internship beneficial to your school?
I’m so pleased that my internship has been beneficial to the School of History, Classics and Archaeology through my marketing and advertising work, particularly my lead role in creating content for the classicsncl Instagram which has reached over 4000 people. My communication with prospective students has been so rewarding, especially when many said that they were going to apply for Classics/Ancient History at Newcastle University as a result of my support and content on social media. Our outreach work with local primary schools, through delivering workshops on the classical world, has also been a highlight of this internship.
“Overall, I would definitely recommend NCL Internships to every student!”
Umairatul Syaziah Roeslan
Laboratory Technician for Moorgate Resources Limited
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What were your role responsibilities?
As lab technician, I was assigned to prepare cell cultures and stocks of chemical compounds for later testing. I mainly worked with human skin cells and testing them with different chemical compounds that has potential as a new skincare ingredient. I had to make sure that the stock chemical compounds are prepared sufficiently for the number of testing and repeats planned, which includes some calculations. These are also depending on the results obtained from the previous experiment so, every stage requires analysing data and planning for the next step as well as preparing the materials required. At the same time, I am responsible for noting down the concentrations and volumes used to update the lab book by the end of the day. It was a lot of work but, most importantly I enjoyed it!
Were there any differences when applying for work in the UK compared to your home country?
Personally, I never had any experience in applying for work in Malaysia. When comparing to a friend’s experience in Malaysia, we both agreed that looking and applying for entry level/graduate jobs in the UK is much easier and with more choices. Here in the UK, a lot of employers advertise job openings online, easy for graduates to find by searching up keywords and with clear job scopes. However, back home, STEM related career demands a certain level of industrial experience but this deems difficult for students or fresh graduates because research internships are rare to come by and hardly advertised. Therefore, with the resources and platforms made available to apply jobs in the UK have made it a much smoother experience.
Do you have any advice for international students considering work experience?
“I know it might appear a little intimidating, especially if you apply in between your first and second year, but worry not, the Careers Service is always there to guide you in preparing your CV or interviews.”
After getting the applications part sorted, I would highly recommend getting to know more about the company you’re applying to and what projects have they worked on previously. It can be great talking points during the interview to show your interest and enthusiasm. Also, it helps you come up with questions for your employer. I personally think this would help you stand out during the interview process!
Maria Kyriazi
Laboratory Technician, Moorgate Resources
What made you decide to look for an internship?
I decided to start looking into the option of undertaking an internship because of my strong desire to advance my practical experience throughout my academic years and expand my time at the lab.
I began searching for internships focusing more on the practical aspect of my degree with the help of the Careers Service, and I found out about this particular NCL Internship through MyCareer.
What skills and experience did you gain from NCL Internship?
My NCL Internship enabled me to advance my independence and problem-solving skills. For instance, I learned how to schedule my own time and plan my week to achieve my weekly goals and always be a step up. I developed relationship skills and built a relationship of honesty and trust with my supervisors, as well as excellent collaboration skills.
Were there any resources you found particularly useful?
I found particularly useful the CV check that the Career Service experts provided and I really believe that it was a massive boost for my internship application.