Meet the student interns gaining skills and making a difference at SOAS
Since 2021, undergraduate students at SOAS have had the chance to join the Education Co-creator Internship scheme. This allows students to get paid to work on projects across departments, gain career experience and have an impact on SOAS work. Meet Agustina and Peiqing, two student interns and find out about their experience working while studying.
Meet Agustina - Careers Services Intern
What did you enjoy most about the internship?
I enjoyed the chance to experience the SOAS services I had previously used as a student from the other side. Seeing the day-to-day working of the careers service was useful as I noticed resources I hadn't known about before and that I will now make use of in the future, like the alumni network. I liked that it gave my co-interns and me the opportunity to improve these services through our internship work and to make a positive impact on the SOAS community. I also really appreciated the flexibility and independence I was given to carry out the project in the way I thought best.
What did you find challenging?
The most challenging part was the initial stage, where the project was just an idea, and we had to think about how to approach it. The amount of relevant information available online seemed a bit overwhelming at first, and I wondered how I’d be able to complete the project in the number of hours allocated for the internship. However, once I started researching and organising the information into categories, the project became a lot less challenging. The first step is always the hardest, but it gets so much easier from there!
It gave my co-interns and me the opportunity to improve these services through our internship work and to make a positive impact on the SOAS community.
What have you learnt from the experience?
I developed project management, communication and research skills through this experience. I learned how to take a project from the idea stage to its completion, and it was really satisfying to see the final result. I also developed my communication skills by trying to make the results of the project easy for others to understand. Through searching for content, I deepened my research skills, which will be useful for my degree. I also learned more about job-seeking and what career paths are available to me with my anthropology degree.
Any tips for future interns?
Make the most of the experience! Talk to your co-interns to collaborate and share ideas for the project, or talk to your supervisors if you need guidance, as they will be happy to point you in the right direction. If it's a project-based internship, it helps to break it down into smaller tasks and to set yourself deadlines to keep the project on track. At the end of the scheme, I'd suggest reflecting on the experience to consider if it's the kind of work that appeals to you to guide your future job search.
Meet Peiqing - Student Engagement and Peer Support Intern
What did you enjoy most about the internship?
I enjoyed working as a facilitator in general, which allowed me to improve students’ experiences. I also enjoyed working alongside my colleague, and it was satisfying to see you and your colleague grow. For example, my colleague helped me understand how to simplify my language so that the general audience could understand. I really appreciate the support that my supervisors gave me. For example, my supervisors always discussed with us and gave advice before we did independent research.
What did you find challenging?
Managing my time between internship tasks and academic tasks was the most challenging moment I encountered. However, I managed this issue by maintaining good communication in my team and learning excellent time management skills. Another difficult moment during the internship was taking short videos for Instagram takeover, which was something I had never done in the past. However, I have overcome my fear through encouragement from my supervisors and cooperation from my colleague. What is most is that I have built my confidence by preserving it despite the unfamiliar situations and new tasks I was presented with.
One of the biggest advantages of working in an internship program at SOAS is that you can work in a professional setting in a familiar space.
What have you learnt from the experience?
I have further improved my interpersonal skills, which also helped me to understand interacting in a professional manner. We have developed organisational skills and teamwork skills, balancing between the internship shifts and academic assignments by arranging meetings and communicating as a team. By helping to promote the CSL scheme to the students better, we have also developed our creativity when developing marketing strategies.
Any tips for future interns?
Canva helped me greatly in collaborating with my colleague to create posters, leaflets, and posters. Keeping in touch with your colleagues and supervisors is also important and helps to improve the organisation. Finally, do not be afraid to ask questions and speak up about your opinions. One of the biggest advantages of working in an internship program at SOAS is that you can work in a professional setting in a familiar space. Therefore, it would be beneficial to ask questions or speak your opinion and get professional advice from your supervisors or colleague.