The tale of two interns
Two interns spent their summers at very different organisations. Find out how they got on, what they did during their internships and what they took away from the experience.
A management consulting internship
Name: Varun Laijawalla
Internship employer: Corporate Value Associates
Internship length: 10 weeks
My assessment day included two challenging case studies in which the interviewer probed my ability to think on the spot and structure an argument under pressure, as well as a 20-minute language interview in German.
On my first day I was immediately assigned to a project, working for a global insurance company seeking to raise brand awareness and compete with direct players in the UK. I compared the client’s performance to competitors, and offered evidence as to why direct players are more efficient than traditional players. My second project involved helping a government organisation make its business leaner and move towards trading-fund status. I undertook competitor analysis for various markets, created industry snapshots and offered recommendations at client meetings. One of the best moments was when several of my slides were included in a presentation and the client’s CEO was impressed.
Learning the ropes
I was fortunate to have a fair amount of responsibility: rather than doing odd jobs, I was directly contributing to the project. I now have a true impression of consulting and I’ve decided to pursue it as a career.
An internship at a small-to-medium-sized company
Name: Anne Farrow
Internship employer: United Aluminium (through Shell STEP)
Internship length: 8 weeks
I wanted to do a work placement so that I had experience working in the real business world. I applied online and then had an interview with an agent. At induction I met other students in the area and learned about the programme.
Designing new products
My project was to design a new product range for my company. This involved understanding and learning how to manufacture using the ‘unibox’ system – a range of aluminium profiles and connectors with which you can build almost anything. I carried out market research and began drawing new products. I taught myself 3D modelling software with which I built and rendered two of my designs, to gain a photo realistic image. As my range was a success I got the opportunity to build three products to scale in the workshop.
Lasting benefits
My best moment was a real project: I produced three designs for an exhibition stand, had them checked for manufacture and then passed to the sales team within one working day. My final design was sold for £16,000 and will be in the Trafford Centre this Christmas. This is something not many students have achieved so it will look great in my portfolio.
Profiles of more summer interns and placement students in a range of career sectors
Now find out how to sell your work experience to graduate employers.
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