On-campus Internships Report Findings

In our last blog, we introduced a report conducted by student Adil Sawal during his On-Campus Internship with the Learning and Teaching Academy. In this blog, we share some of his findings.

Supporting the Early Career Researchers 

The On-Campus Internships scheme welcomes applications from Early Career Researchers to support their development and gain skills in supervision.

Our report highlighted how the internships supported early career researchers career trajectory. Findings within the report had shown that supervisors of projects have been provided with opportunities for professional development and skill enhancement.

A member of staff discussed the advantages of carrying out an internship with us: “The primary advantage I’ve gained from the program thus far has been supervisory/line manager experience rather than research contribution”.

It was also emphasised that the experience fostered the development of a range of skills. These include effective communication, time management, and project coordination, ultimately enhancing their abilities as mentors and educators.

Supporting student’s futures 

Students reported a variety of skills gained during their OCI experiences which were considered valuable when tackling their future endeavours. This included enhancing students’ confidence and work ethic, stemming from their experiences in presenting their work and meeting multiple deadlines. These experiences helped them feel more prepared and capable in both academic and professional settings.

Additionally, students acknowledged that the scheme enhanced their CV and provided them with a competitive edge when entering the job market. Numerous students mentioned securing job opportunities related to research or academia, directly crediting their success to their On-campus Internship experience. On-campus Internships were widely regarded as a pivotal steppingstone in the career progression of these students. A former participant remarked “I am now the founder and Chief Technology Officer of a start-up of the Year”.

Networking Opportunities 

Students emphasised the importance of networking during their internship. They highlighted that the program allowed them to build professional connections, both within their research groups and internationally. One student highlighted this aspect stating they “Gained international contacts who still support me to this day” and added “I was able to take my research to conferences, which enabled me to start building my professional network”. The opportunity to present research at conferences was seen as a significant advantage, enabling students to expand their professional networks and gain exposure to diverse research areas. Significant number of students highly recommended the On-Campus Internship program to other students.

Find out more

Discover more of our blogs on our On-Campus Scheme or find further details on the staff intranet.