Hi! I’m Tim Mickleburgh. I’m from Greater Manchester, England. I’m a final year BSc Accounting student at The University of Manchester. After I graduate in summer 2023, I aspire to pursue a career in finance and complete the CIMA Professional Qualification.

I recently completed a four-week summer internship in the audit and risk team of Co-op, based at their headquarters at One Angel Square in Manchester city centre. I really enjoyed my summer internship at Co-op. I worked at an amazing workplace with an incredible team of people and I developed so many of my personal skills. The internship really helped me in deciding what I want to do after I graduate from university.

Tim at internship

Thanks to the University of Manchester’s partnership with Co-op, this summer internship was offered exclusively to the university’s BSc Accounting students, alongside the opportunity to be mentored by a member of Co-op’s audit team during the application process, providing me with one-to-one support to improve my CV and prepare for my interview, which proved valuable in securing my place on Co-op’s summer internship given that it was my first time completing an application process.

I aspire to join the finance department of a major food retailer after I graduate. Given that Co-op is the sixth largest food retailer in the UK, the internship provided me with the opportunity to pursue my passion for the food retail industry, develop my commercial awareness of this industry, and attain relevant, practical experience at a major food retailer, which was valuable in enhancing my employability when applying for graduate roles in this industry given that I attained no relevant work experience prior to my internship.

During my internship, I gained practical experience of the office environment of Co-op’s headquarters, while adapting to the hybrid working environment by occasionally working from home. I loved working at Co-op’s headquarters because the building was huge and the view of Manchester city centre from the upper floors was amazing.

Tim’s workspace

The internship provided me with the valuable opportunity to develop my teamworking and communication skills by working collaboratively with my colleagues as part of Co-op’s audit and risk team and some of Co-op’s most senior leaders. I regularly attended team meetings, scheduled my own meetings with colleagues and stakeholders, and maintained a network of contacts for drawing on support. I also attended an off-site day trip with my colleagues to Co-op’s office in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

As part of my work for Co-op, I was assigned a project that involved analysing Co-op’s proposal to automate its in-store crime reporting system and writing a report to collate my findings. At the end of my internship, I presented my findings in front of Co-op’s 60-person audit and risk team and some of Co-op’s most senior leaders, which provided me with a valuable opportunity to develop my public speaking skills.

After completing my summer internship at Co-op, I came up with the idea of becoming a “Co-op Partnership Ambassador” to promote Co-op’s summer internship and mentoring scheme to other students at the University of Manchester. The role has allowed me to maintain a long-term relationship with Co-op beyond my internship and provided me with an additional position of responsibility during my final year at university to enhance my employability even further.

Written By Tim Mickleburgh

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