We caught up with Lara Hörler, a second year Politics and Religious Studies student, who is currently undertaking a summer internship with Moonshot CVE.
Why did you choose to undertake an internship?
Internships are a very beneficial way to not only gather some experience but also get an insight into a field of work. Working in international relations and conflict resolution can seem rather obscure at times so I was decided to find an internship in the area.
Please briefly describe your internship role.
I assist my line manager with any projects she needs help on. Often I get to have an input in what I want to do and have had the chance to look into many different projects. Additionally, it has been a great chance to do lots of different types of work including research, data analysis, and even presenting a proposal which will likely lead to a new endeavour within the company.
How would you summarise your internship experience?
It has been a great opportunity to work a full-time position in the field that I am interested in. It showed me that, if I enjoy the work and like the team, the dreaded 7h days fly by. I learned a lot which is going to be useful in future jobs, University, and even private life. Most importantly, I got to further explore my own strengths and weaknesses which is extremely useful in developing myself for a successful future.
What did you like most about your internship?
The team was great and very supportive. The atmosphere was relaxed and it was made clear that all contributions are valuable, no matter from whence they come. That is why it was so easy to be passionate about my work, I felt appreciated and able to make a real difference.
Has this internship helped you decide on the next steps of your career?
The internship has helped me focusing my vision in two ways. Firstly, I got to do many different kinds of work and discern what I enjoy and am good at. Secondly, I have had many conversations with my colleagues about things relating to career, education and even personal life. This has helped me put some things in perspective and it has been good hearing from people who had a similar vision and aspiration as me.
Were you supported by the FASS Placements and Internships team or the Careers team before gaining this internship?
Yes, I was supported by both very well. In my first year of University, I had regular meetings with the careers team and they have helped me with the first steps of tweaking my CV, looking for internships and more. When I applied to the Moonshot internship, FASS Placements have been very sweet, helpful and personable. I really felt that they were rooting for me and that I can go to them for help and advice.
Lara Hörler