City Challenge: Student volunteers help to launch Hartcliffe City Farm cut flower farm.
Category: Student stories
My SME Internship: Josh – True to Nature
As part of the SME internship scheme, I was lucky enough to be offered a one-month Series Researcher position at True to Nature (TTN), a Bristol-based natural history production company. During my time at TTN I was asked to undertake a variety of research and production tasks for three episodes of an exciting new natural history TV series. (more…)
My IKEEP Experience: Beixi’s thoughts on Intrapreneurial training
The IKEEP programme is designed for current students (on undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research degrees from all disciplines) to expand their skillset through intrapreneurial training and engage with organisations as business advisors on knowledge exchange projects. (more…)
My SME Internship: Fin – TechForge
Hi, I’m Fin, a final year History undergraduate who worked as a writer and media intern for TechForge Media part-time alongside my degree during my final term.
I applied for the SME Internship Scheme after writing for the Epigram student newspaper during my first term of final year. Having thoroughly enjoyed the experience, I decided to take my writing to the next step by self-sourcing a paid role with a Bristol-based company. (more…)
My SME Internship: Iona – Second Campus
My name is Iona and I completed my internship with the SME Internship Scheme just after I finished my third year doing English Literature. I was employed by Second Campus, an organisation that seeks to help students find job in the tech industry. Over the course of the internship, I was involved in content creation, writing, and SEO research.
My SME Internship: Millie – Wildscreen
Hi, I’m Millie, and over the final months of my Zoology BSc I took part in a SME Internship with the Bristol-based charity Wildscreen.
Wildscreen is best known for its internationally–renowned film festival, so as an aspiring natural history filmmaker, I had heard of them and the amazing things they get up to. Natural History filmmaking is a competitive field to get into, so I was beyond excited to land an internship with this organisation. (more…)
My SME Internship: Nada – Deki
Hi, I’m Nada, my internship role was as a Fundraising Research Assistant with the International Development charity, Deki. I contributed to the Fundraising Team primarily by conducting background research into Trusts and Foundations which was the basis for other team members to make grant applications.
What was your day-to-day like?
The internship was part-time and remote. I worked 2-3 days a week. The role offered a lot of flexibility, and I was able to easily balance it with other part-time work commitments. My day generally consisted of research, using Trello and Excel to input information, and once a week a Zoom call to review the week’s progress. Working remotely in a new role can be a challenge, however, the team and my manager for the internship were very willing to help ease this by keeping communication lines open.
What did you find interesting?
As a recent Economics graduate, who particularly enjoyed Development Economics within my degree, it was great to get insight into Deki’s projects in Togo and the impact of their work. I had an understanding of development from economic theory, and it was fascinating to see how projects are designed to promote growth from a more practical perspective.
The fundraising aspect of working in the development/charity sector was something I had not really considered and it was really interesting to see the amount of detail and work that goes into writing grant applications.
Final thoughts?
The internship was a very valuable experience, and I would advise anyone to apply for the scheme. These are unique opportunities and allow you to develop your skills, in my case particularly communication and research. I am very grateful to Deki for the internship, and to the Careers Service for creating opportunities that can otherwise be difficult to access.
Interested in applying?
The SME Internship Scheme is now open.
We are advertising SME Internship opportunities through mycareer and there are many other work experience opportunities listed here.
If you’re struggling with writing applications, you’ll find some useful resources and events here to help.
Need more support? Get in touch via Live Chat on mycareer.
My SME Internship: Anastasiia – Altuity Solutions
As students, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to succeed.
The job market is extremely competitive, and often, recruiters already expect you to have work experience when you graduate. So, many of us spend the holidays searching for vacation schemes and internships, myself included. During this winter vacation, I was looking for opportunities to boost my CV when I stumbled across the SME Internship Scheme. It was truly the perfect opportunity because you are able to gain some experience working remotely whilst also getting paid for it.
My SME Internship: Tom – Beaufort Chancery
Hi, my name is Tom. Just before my graduation, I reached out to Beaufort Chancery in hopes of building my professional experience through the SME Internship Scheme.
Case Study: Find out about Andreea’s journey with IKEEP!
The Intrapreneurial Knowledge Exchange Enterprise Pathway (IKEEP) begins with fully funded training to equip you with the skills to drive innovation and bring fresh thinking to businesses.
Once you’ve completed your intrapreneurial training, you can apply for a project placement and get the opportunity to take your new skills and help a business solve an innovative challenge.
Andreea Patrunjel, a postgraduate student, studying an MSc in Computer Science at the University of Bristol, took part in the IKEEP programme. She completed IKEEP’s online Intrapreneurial training and went on to apply for and take part in the 4-week project placement. She was matched with a Bristol start-up, Groundwaves, a company which have pioneered some of the most powerful haptic technology, and applied it in a footwear product, fusing the worlds of fashion and technology.
We caught up with Andreea to hear more about her experience with IKEEP…