Engaging in an internship can help you develop your problem-solving and interpersonal abilities as well as provide insight into the type of work you will be doing in the future. I want to talk about how one of my internships turned into a worthwhile learning opportunity that improved my readiness for college and future employment. I gained valuable skills and abilities from this internship, where I worked in the learning and development team at the Futian Shangri-La Hotel in China from 2021 – 2022.

For my further studies

I studied at The University of Glasgow’s Adam Smith Business School after my internship, and I’m now pursuing a second degree at

Staff corridor wall renovation outcome

The University of Manchester. University assessments frequently involve new activities that are focused on both individual and group work, which calls for the ability to face and conquer new problems as well as strong collaboration and leadership abilities—skills I was able to acquire from my internship. For example, I was entrusted to supervise the staff corridor wall renovation project. It was a new thing for me; therefore, I had no idea where to start and hotel managers had high expectations. But I didn’t panic, I responded by making plans and breaking down the task into several sub-tasks to direct me. I also communicated with my colleagues and line manager to collect ideas and draft the design paper. Then, I coordinated with different departments to ensure all the resources and the time were confirmed. Finally, this project was successful.

These days, when it comes to group assignments at both universities, I feel more comfortable taking on various obstacles by organising the work into smaller chunks and assigning it to group members. I’ve also become more knowledgeable about communication and managing diversity. Additionally, the abilities you have gained come in handy for extracurricular activities. One opportunity that has come up recently involved me organising a sustainability event with my team at The University of Manchester as a sustainability champion. It was my idea to organise a fundraising event for a non-profit environmental organisation. After everyone has reached an agreement, I assigned responsibilities to everyone according to their strengths. To guarantee that each step can be tracked and finished on time, I also recommended that we divide the preparation process into several smaller, more manageable portions. We encouraged one another, held many meetings, exchanged ideas, and spoke often during this time. As a result, the event raised 100 GBP in less than a day, proving its success.

For future employment

Certificate of Fundraising

My career preparation has also improved because of this internship. My acquired IT and administrative support abilities are a crucial point. One of my responsibilities, for instance, was to help with the department head’s everyday office tasks (including document classification, printer maintenance, and cross-departmental coordination) and support the administrative procedures. I also used Microsoft products to accomplish these tasks. For instance, I had to examine data on training course completion rates for different departments using Excel tools. Future occupations will require these skills because nearly all organisations will demand them of a candidate.

In addition, I want to work in groups to deliver various solutions to various clients as an environmental consultant, which will require collaboration. The capacity for teamwork is essential in this situation. My future career is aligned with the experience I had throughout my internship. From this angle, the wall renovation project tested my capacity to take on new problems. Since my future work would require me to handle a variety of situations from various clients, this capacity will be extremely beneficial to my professional growth. However, I anticipate that my future co-workers will have diverse thought processes, so my ability to listen, deal with divergent viewpoints, and coordinate will also come in very handy.

Written by Mingyu, current MSc Environmental Impact Assessment and Management student at The University of Manchester

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