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Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employer Panels Employer Q&A student success Student success stories

Graduate Success Story: Jenni Walsh, Allstate

Jenni Walsh

I’m Jenni and I work as part of the E Discovery Team here at Allstate Northern Ireland. I recently just finished my Master’s in Software Development at Queen’s University in Belfast.

Tell us about your role.

So my role is basically working in conjunction with Legal Department on evidence request. Most of my team are based in the US, so it’s great chatting to them on a daily basis, even if it is virtually. I love the fact that I’m getting the opportunity to learn something new every single day at Allstate.

How did you get your current role?

So I went into the Master’s Degree with no real technical background at all. The course is brilliant in that it gives you a broad range of new technical skills in a relatively short space of time. The course covers a really wide range of technology and that gives you a really solid basis to work from then and the confidence to learn new technologies when you go into a workplace. Allstate has a really wide number of roles available as IT does in general. So there really is a fit for everybody. I applied for Allstate’s graduate programme because it gives you really fantastic first steps into a new career and it provides a world-class training program for technical and soft skills.

What interview tips do you have for students/ graduates?

So for any interview you want to prove that you not only have the tech skills to be able to work there but also the right attitude. From a tech point of view you want to be able to show that you’ve got a real interest in technology so having some projects and that you’ve done outside of uni work on your CV is always really helpful. From a non-tech point of view you want to make sure that it comes across that you’re really curious, you’re really willing to learn. Also do a wee bit of research on the company before you go into the interview. The interviewer wants to make sure that you really want to work there and also for yourself, you want to make sure that the company is going to be a good fit for yourself. So it’s important for both you and the company that you’re going to fit in.

What soft skills are most important in your role?

So I would say that soft skills are just as important as tech skills in the work place. So good communication and being a team player is key. During our course we did some different group projects and this really increased our experience of working within a team which ultimately improves communication both in-person and in a virtual environment as well which we are also used to these days.

What training did you get when you started the role?

So here at Allstate there’s an amazing graduate training programme which focuses on both technical and soft programme which focuses on both technical and soft training which really helped to cement what we had already learned at Uni. The trainers were really fantastic and you felt like you could ask them anything without feeling silly. Our soft skills sessions were great too and they focus on things like time management, presentation skills and building your confidence. We also then had training within our own individual roles that we were

working in. So here at Allstate there an amazing culture of respect and if you ever have an issue or you’re unsure about anything there’s always somebody about that will help you.

How have the people in your organisation inspired you?

I think what is so special about Allstate is the culture. I really feel like I’m respected, supported and like my opinions matter. Allstate do a lot for their employees from things like employee days out, social events or even things like mental health workshops. Allstate also provides us with a lot of volunteering opportunities which allows us to give back to the communities in which we work and we live. In the office here we also have a collaboration area and we’re really encouraged to go down and use it to have a chat, a coffee or even a game of pool, which is lovely. We also have a peer-to-peer reward system which really makes you feel valued.

Why would you recommend students and graduates apply to your firm?

So I would definitely recommend applying to Allstate. The diversity of roles here is huge and there really is a place for everybody. There is a reason that Allstate Northern Ireland has been named Digital DNA’s Workplace of the Year again this year. It’s got a fantastic benefits package and there’s a great work-life balance here. It’s got flexible and hybrid working options which really help support family life. We also have access to a wide range of world-class learning platforms and we’re really supported and encouraged to take steps to further your career.

Allstate are proud sponsors of our Autumn Fair

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Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employer Q&A Employers student success Student success stories

Workplace insight: Dale Totten: Allstate

Dale Totten

What are the values of your organisation?

Here at Allstate our values are extremely important. It is how we represent and conduct ourselves and not only as colleagues, but also towards our customers. Honesty and integrity is one of our core values. This is where we show honesty towards our customers and our integrity to do the right thing. We also have a core value of inclusive diversity. This is of course bringing in people from multiple cultures as not only as colleagues, but also as customers and this brings forward great ideas, drives innovation and is very important here at Allstate. We also have engagement as one of our core values. This is of course being engaged with each other to help along our shared purpose and to make sure that we are achieving our goals here at Allstate.

How inclusive an environment is your organisation?

Allstate is a very inclusive organisation. We welcome people from all different backgrounds and cultures and we encourage team engagement across these different cultures. This helps bring an inclusive environment for people within Allstate and for new people joining Allstate also. This also helps with our shared ideas and our different perspectives within our teams. It also can help with having a different out look on our goals, both within our team and also within our areas. So it is very important to have a good inclusive environment here within Allstate.

What social events bond you as a team?

Allstate host multiple events within different business areas across the organisation and these events are a great way of not only meeting new people but also getting to know your team better and your business areas better. Some of the events that I have been to have been pizza and barbecue meetups that have been provided for by Allstate. I’ve really enjoyed these events. I thought they were great for getting to know people from my team better and there’s also events that are hosted for across different teams and across the whole organisation. So there’s different events for different communities of practices, such as Dagrad community of practice which I am a part of and there’s also events that are for the whole organisation such as the sports and social events which I’ve also attended. All have been a great way to meet new people and to have some fun.

How easy is it to progress and carve out a career in your organisation?

When you first join Allstate as a graduate, you get introduced into all the different types of roles and areas within Allstate and that you have the potential of joining as a graduate. This is a great way of exploring all the different areas that are available and also finding out what you like and what you would find most interesting in going into as your role within Allstate. Once you’ve decided on your role, you’ll then be put into the two-year graduate programme. This programme is there to help you with your skills and help you with your ability to move up the ranks within Allstate. It offers you different types of promotion opportunities as well as different levels of training such as technical and soft skills training throughout as well.

What personal attributes are you looking for in recruits?

One of the key personal attributes you can have within Allstate is being a team player. You work within your team and you’re there to help share ideas, be collaborative and bring together solutions to problems you may have within your team and achieving goals within your business area. Largely you will work with other teams also within your business area and they’ll all be working towards a shared goal. This is why it’s such a key value within Allstate to be a team player as Allstate is always striving towards a shared purpose and therefore it requires teams and employees to work together to achieve Allstate’s goals.

Allstate are proud sponsors of our Autumn Fair.

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Careers programmes Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employer Panels Employer Q&A Employers student success Student success stories

Workplace Insight: Clodagh Nugent, Allstate

Clodagh Nugent

Hi, my name is Clodagh Nugent and I’m a part of the talent acquisition team at Allstate Northern Ireland. So I started as a placement student, I then worked part-time and returned as a graduate and I’m now a junior consultant in entry-level talent.

Why are you excited to come to the Autumn Fair?

Queen’s University offer fantastic curriculum and careers services to prepare students for the world of work. Allstate Northern Ireland are passionate about investing in the talent of the future and always interested to meet ambitious students ready to kick start their career. Allstate have a strong partnership with Queen’s University and actively recruit students with great success so much so that we’re delighted to be acting as one of the sponsors for this Careers Fair this Autumn.

What opportunities will you be showcasing at the Fair?

Allstate Northern Ireland offer various entry level pathways including 12-month placement opportunities across IT disciplines. We also offer placement opportunities in our corporate functions such as human resources, marketing and graphic design although these will be offered into the new year. We also recruit a high number of IT graduates across a variety of technology roles and we also offer an IT insights programme and potential summer internships to first year IT, Maths and Physics students.

What is the best thing about working at your organisation?

So I’m afraid there probably isn’t enough time to cover all the benefits that Allstate Northern Ireland offers, but my favourite part about working here has to be the the social aspect. So I think joining a large company in an entry-level role, it’s important to have a support network there, such as Allstate graduate community of practise. We also offer a lot of employee resource groups such as Sports and Social, Embrace Awesome, Women in Technology, Allgreen, Allcare; so there really is something for everyone.

Why should students visit your virtual and or online stall?

I’m excited for this Careers Fair to be in a hybrid capacity, so myself and other Allstate representatives will be available in person and virtually throughout the day hoping to offer some careers advice and direct you to potential opportunities with us such as IT placements and graduate roles with start dates across 2023 and they will be advertised around October so looking forward to seeing you there.

Allstate are proud sponsors of our Autumn Fair

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Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employer Panels Employer Q&A student success Student success stories

Graduate Success: Bethan Hughes, Allstate

Bethan Hughes

Hi, my name is Bethan and I’m a Full Stack Developer at Allstate Northern Ireland. Prior to that I studied the Master’s in Software Development part-time.

Describe your current role.

In my current role, I work on a cross-functional global team with teammates across the US, India and Northern Ireland. As a Full Stack Developer, I’m working with technologies such as React, JavaScript, Spring Boot and Java. The area I’m in has been working on a new auto insurance product that is designed to transform the way Allstate does business. It’s been really exciting getting to see the changes that I work on, the stories and features that I’m assigned right through developments and seeing them in action as they’re incrementally rolled out to select customers.

How did you get your current role?

Before I started the Masters in Software Development at Queen’s I had no previous computer science or technology experience at all. So the conversion course was instrumental in giving me those fundamental skills in programming and software development that enabled me to get the job with Allstate. I was also able to go to the EEECS Careers team to get to tailor-made advice on how to change roles into the Tech sector, on how to prepare for assessment centres and interviews which was really valuable and made me feel really prepared when I went up for my interview with Allstate.

What interview tips do you have for students/ graduates?

One of the things that came across really clearly to me in my interview process with Allstate was that they were looking for candidates from a range of backgrounds who would work well with others. It wasn’t so much about how technically knowledgeable you were but about how you would approach challenges. The assessment centre and interview were designed to let you show your skills in problem-solving, working as a team and communicating with others. One tip I have for students and graduates would be to practise using the STAR technique where you describe a situation, task action and result as this is a really good method for highlighting your skills.

What soft skills are most important in your role?

I would say some of the most important skills in my role are teamwork and how you communicate with others, the ability to give and receive constructive feedback, problem-solving and approaching challenges flexibly. These were all skills that I was able to practise and develop throughout my course at Queen’s. For example, working on programming assignments or on my group project in software development.

What training did you get when you started the role?

When I was offered the job with Allstate I was invited to join a specialist 12-week Full Stack Development training programme. This was a training programme that was part-time instructor lead or online group training and part-time working embedded with your team at Allstate. My colleagues were all really supportive of the time I spent in training and of also training me up within the team. It was also really nice to have a whole group on the same training programme where we could practise skills such as mob programming and group presentations and really learn how to work as a team of software developers, so the training was really excellent in preparing me to join my team full-time.

How have the people in your organisation inspired you?

One of the things that I really like about Allstate is that we have a graduate community of practice. This allows everybody who are early on in their careers to come together through virtual or in person events and get to know people working in other areas. We also get information sessions to help us decide what direction we might want to go with our career. It’s really good to have these opportunities to network with other people in other areas and to find out how your peers are getting on in the company.

Why would you recommend students and graduates apply to your firm?

I would encourage students and graduates to apply to Allstate as it’s a great company to start your career and learn and develop throughout. I’ve been with the company just over one year and in that time, they’ve introduced a 3-year graduate development scheme that helps graduates in their early stages of their careers to continue to learn and develop. Having been here one year I’ve now been able to gain a promotion and I have a clear direction for my career for the next two years at least.

Allstate are proud sponsors of our Autumn Fair.

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Employer Engagement Employer events Employer feedback Employer Insight Employers international students student success Student success stories

What impresses employers about Queen’s students?

 This blog celebrates some of the encouraging employer feedback we have received about Queen’s students during our employer events and activities over the last year. 

“Fantastic students”

Beth MacDougall, Student Recruitment Associate at EY welcomed a group of Queen’s students for our recent #QUBWorkShadowingWeek. She told us:
“What a brilliant day meeting these fantastic Queen’s students! We couldn’t have been more delighted with our first event back in person! The students developed an understanding of the different roles we offer, and were keen to know what it’s actually like working here day to day. Biggest thank you to all those in the group for signing up and being fantastic participants – we can’t wait to see what all your futures hold!”

“Delighted to see classroom learning translated into a professional environment”

Louise Dooley, In-House Recruitment Specialist at Andor Technology welcomed a group of Queen’s students for our recent #QUBWorkShadowingWeek. She told us:
“Andor Technology were delighted to be one of the partner organisations participating in #QUBWorkShadowingWeek. We welcomed students from Mechanical and Electronic Engineering and Physics disciplines. Thank you for helping us provide opportunities for students to gain valuable insights into the world of work and how classroom learning translates into a professional environment.”

“Eyes opened to the future potential”

The Interior Fit-Out Team at Graham welcomed a group of Queen’s students for our recent #QUBWorkShadowingWeek. They told us:
“We opened the doors to 7 students from Queens University Belfast to see and learn about the works being carried out, whilst giving them an understanding of how a live project runs.

Project Manager, Eóin King MCIOB along with Contracts Director Neill Gillespie MCIOB took the students on a tour of the project and shared their own experiences of working and studying whilst building their career within GRAHAM. We were pleased to hear from student participants that their eyes had been opened to a potential future in the construction industry as a result of the visit.”

“Important real-life insights”

The Bloc team welcomed a group of Queen’s students for our recent #QUBWorkShadowingWeek. They told us:
“Recently we had the pleasure of welcoming students from Queen’s University Belfast onsite. The main objective of the day was for students to gain very important real life organisation insights. The students got an insight into Bloc, the sector and got the opportunity to observe professionals in practice.”

“Learning from graduate engineers”

The team at Dawson-Wam welcomed a group of Queen’s students for our recent #QUBWorkShadowingWeek. They told us:
“DAWSON-WAM were pleased to support #QUBWorkShadowingWeek offering students work shadowing opportunities with NI employers. Our students Kieran and Alice got the opportunity to visit our Shimna Flood Alleviation Scheme in Newcastle, Co. Down. Their site experience included a mini survey camp hosted by our Graduate Engineers, James Carinduff and Conor Magorrian.”

“Great to meet students interested in grad opportunities”

Leah Tohill, Recruiting Graduate Talent, First Derivative took part in the #QUBStockMarketChallenge. She told us:
“It was great to meet so many students that were interested in the graduate opportunities First Derivative have to offer.
Congratulations to Charles and Toby who won the Stock Market Challenge. We’re delighted that you picked First Derivative as your first choice for an Insights Day.”

“Quickly grasped the flavour of the work we do”

Niall Elliott, Legal Professional at Baker McKenzie welcomed a group of #QUBStudents for our #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme. He told us:
“It was great to meet some of the #QUBStudents in the Baker McKenzie Belfast Centre as part of the Careers in Law Insight Programme 2022.

The group quickly became familiar with the various teams that operate from within the Belfast Centre. This was followed by a negotiation task to give the students a flavour of the kind of work we do.”

“First-hand experience of legal expertise”

The team at Carson McDowell welcomed a group of #QUBStudents for our #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme. They told us:
“Senior Partner Neasa Quigley and Partner Gerard Armstrong hosted students from Queen’s University Belfast as part of their #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme 2022. Having enjoyed some ice cream on arrival, a team from Carson McDowell took participants around the legal world, giving them first-hand experience of a range of legal expertise.”

“Will welcome students back as colleagues”

The team at Herbert Smith Freehills welcomed a group of #QUBStudents for our #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme. They told us:
“We were delighted to host a number of Law students from Queen’s University Belfast as part of the #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme 2022.

The students met some of the Belfast team and gained an insight into our Alternative Legal Services practice group.  

Belfast colleagues and Queen’s University alumni Linet Kurian and Luke Osborne shared their experiences since joining HSF and how their careers have progressed from starting as a Legal Analyst.

The Belfast team really enjoyed meeting with the students and hope to be able to welcome some of them back as colleagues in the near future.”

“Delighted to network informally”

The team at MKB Law welcomed a group of #QUBStudents for our #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme. They told us:
“Lynsey Henderson and Ruairi Maguire were delighted to speak at the final session of the #QUBCareersinLaw Insight Programme 2022, giving students an overview of their legal career, answering questions in a panel discussion, plus chatting informally with attendees afterwards at the networking buffet.

Thank you for a fantastic event.”

“Incredible ideas and presentations”

Beth MacDougall, Student Recruitment Associate at EY met a group of #QUBStudents on our #QUBInsightIntoManagement Programme. She told us:
“EY were absolutely delighted to participate in #QUBInsightIntoManagement Programme with Ruby Hopkins and John McMorrow acting as group facilitators over the course of the programme.

A truly fantastic event. We completely in awe of the incredible ideas and presentations all of the students gave and were thrilled to attend as judges.”

“Amazing applications”

Francesca Morelli, Co-Founder of VAVA Influence took on #QUBStudents as part of #QUBImpactProject. She told us:
“We are delighted to be taking part in the #QUBImpactProject for the second year in a row as employers. In partnership with #QUBImpactProject, we’re hiring two Part-Time Marketing & Events Interns to work with us at VAVA Influence | Influencer Marketing this summer. We had some amazing applications; looking forward to welcoming the talent from QUB!”

“Hugely impressive”

Peter McCleery, CEO at Get Sociable took on #QUBStudents as part of #QUBImpactProject. He told us:

“We’re very grateful at GetSociable for all the help from @QUBCareers. The calibre of students has been hugely impressive, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Queen’s University Belfast as we grow.”

Read what else employers say about Queen’s students here

Categories
Alumni Development Insight into Management Leadership Skills Student experience student success Student success stories

Eimer’s Story: My Experience with Insight into Management

Portrait of Eimer Henderson, Queen's alumna and Insight Participant.
Eimer Henderson

Working as a team

Insight into Management is a program that allows you to experience and understand what it’s like to work in industry. You’re given a case study and told to come up with a product that will solve a problem. It’s a great opportunity to work with people from a diverse range of University degree backgrounds on a common goal, in order to solve a complex problem that interests you and your team! 

Getting creative

It’s a chance to be creative, express your ideas and learn from other people’s ideas that, you don’t usually work with on University group projects from within your own degree area so, you really get an insight on how other people think and approach problems.

Perfecting your sales pitch

The highlight of the program for me was the sales pitch at the end of the program. Sales pitch sounds like a scary word, but it was more like an exhibition where you got to see what all other teams had been working on for the past few days. It’s also an opportunity for you and your team to come together one last time to create your stand to show off what you had been working on too!

Solving problems

The programme was challenging, but in a good way that will definitely help you to grow as an individual. You learn so much, from being able to quickly establish a common ground with people you’ve never met before to solving a problem within a quick timeframe.

Learning to manage

I developed lots of skills during the programme. The title ‘Insight into Management’ is very well fitted as I feel you 100% develop the skills required to manage a team and a project as well as skills that leaders have; active listening, creativity, team building, communication, patience, empathy, flexibility, product development, innovation, persuasion, time management, presentation skills to name a few.

Using the skills after Uni

I’ve used the skills I developed on Insight into Management many times since I finished the programme. Firstly, it helped me with my final year project as my final year project required me to work as part of a team and develop a solution to a problem. In my job now too, I work with other companies on projects, and this requires me to be able to understand other people’s points of view and not be shy when meeting new people. I regularly present in my job now too, so having to do the final sales pitch in the programme helped me develop presentation skills in front of people who I may not know. I think all the experiences and skills you learn through this programme will help you in one way or another in your future career.

Advice for students

Give it your all for the 3 days! Be immersed in the programme and try develop the skills that you may not be so confident in because it’s the best place to do it. Be open minded and learn from people who you might not usually interact with (people with different degree backgrounds to yours).

Find out more about Insight into Management and other development programmes offered at Queen’s Careers Service.

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Baker McKenzie Employer Engagement Employer events Employer Insight Employer Panels Employer Q&A Employers Spring Careers Festival Spring Recruitment Fair student success Student success stories

Jump-Starting My Career With Baker McKenzie

Sophie Martin, Baker McKenzie

My name is Sophie Martin and I am a Legal Project Coordinator in the Legal Project Management team.  I joined Baker McKenzie, Belfast, as a Legal Professional in September 2019, where I worked in the Contentious Support Group. This was a fantastic opportunity after university, which provided me exposure to a breadth of document review and due diligence projects, and in-turn, the opportunity to develop an array of skills, from analytical to communication skills. 

One of the best aspects about working for Baker McKenzie is the endless career opportunities. During my time as a Legal Professional, I had the opportunity to apply for two secondments. The first secondment provided me with the opportunity to work with one of our key clients in their London offices. This was a great experience, providing me with the opportunity to work directly with our clients, providing insights into their working culture and develop relationships with our London colleagues. 

A pivotal moment in my career, was the second secondment, where I joined the Legal Project Management team, initially for a 6 month period. Like many of my peers, prior to joining Baker McKenzie, I was unfamiliar with Legal Project Management and what a career in Legal Project Management entailed. The opportunity to combine legal and management, two of my career interests, and my curiosity to explore this niche career opportunity further encouraged me to apply for the secondment. When I joined the team in January 2020, I was instantly exposed to a variety of work and endless skill development opportunities. The variety of projects, global exposure, client-facing role and autonomy to shape my projects, provided me with the platform to catapult my professional career. This, combined with an extremely supportive and welcoming team, confirmed that this was a career that I wanted to pursue. This is where my career in Legal Project Management commenced, as shortly after starting my secondment, I successfully applied for a permanent role in the Legal Project Management team.

As a Legal Project Coordinator, no two days are ever the same, meaning the learning and development opportunities are endless. The core roles and responsibilities entail managing client matters, including liaising with the client and Firm’s matter team; supporting the legal team to track and manage projects by integrating matter management, fee management, technology and process improvement techniques; analysing complex reports, flagging key issues and designing bespoke reporting; budget monitoring; and providing support for client team collaboration sites.  To ensure that the Legal Project Management team ensure our overarching objective that all projects are managed on time, in scope and within budget, this requires multijurisdictional collaboration with our Legal Project Management colleagues and legal teams across the globe to ensure that we provide the highest quality service to our clients. 

In addition to the development opportunities I have received through my role, Baker McKenzie are committed to each individual’s career progression and provide various opportunities to facilitate an individual’s career progression, such as internal and external secondments, promotions and development programmes, such as the Baker Excellence Programme. 

I would highly encourage any student wanting to join a global, high performing firm, to join Baker McKenzie, where you can commence and develop your career, surrounded by friendly and supportive colleagues.

Interested in working at Baker McKenzie? You can chat to the team about upcoming opportunities at our Spring Recruitment Fair.

Register here: https://virtualcareersfairs.qub.ac.uk/event/5725

Date: 9 Feb, 2-6pm

Baker McKenzie are proud sponsors of the Spring Careers Festival 

Categories
international careers international experience internship Marketing student success Student success stories Virtual internships Working globally from NI Working Globally in NI

Inside My Marketing Internship with Mourne Dew Distillery

Businesses Management student Rosie Alexander completed a virtual internship with Mourne Dew Distillery as part of our Working Globally from NI programme. Here is how she got on. 

In June, I started a marketing internship with the local spirits company Mourne Dew. I was excited to get started as I knew the experience was going to be insightful and beneficial. As a first-year student, this opportunity has afforded me the ability to discover where my passions lie and gain experience in an area in which I have an interest.

Researching the company

Before beginning my internship, I was impressed to learn about the story of Mourne Dew and the multi-award winning gins, whiskeys, vodkas and poitíns they produce. Based in Warrenpoint, Mourne Dew is inspired by the essence of the Mournes, infusing their drinks with botanical flavours to create a unique taste. I was really interested in this company due to their values of tradition and pride for the island of Ireland, as well as their commitment to quality. Working for an up-and-coming local company interested me greatly and I was excited to be gaining some insight into the marketing side of things.

My first campaign

The majority of my internship has been remote as I live quite far from the distillery. In my first week, I was introduced to the team and learnt about the different projects Mourne Dew have been working on. I got stuck in with tasks such as finding new accounts, working on current campaigns, such as the Fathers’ Day competition and communicating with partners to help promote Mourne Dew’s products. I was especially interested in social media marketing and took charge of the LinkedIn account. This responsibility allowed me to be creative and I really enjoyed thinking up different campaigns and posts. Another task that interested me was looking into the distillery’s international presence, as they are beginning to expand into Europe, the USA and Asia. It was exciting to progress on international plans as I could see the business’ growth.

On the road

A few times I got to go on the road with Neil Fleming, the Sales and Marketing Executive. This allowed me to see how sales and distribution works and I enjoyed meeting Mourne Dew’s contacts. It was great to see the products physically and I learned so much about how a small but growing business is run. I especially enjoyed our sales pitch at the Northern Lights Bar, as I was able to find out a lot about the different types of drinks that Mourne Dew produces and what makes them so unique.

Visiting the distillery

In addition, I was able to visit the distillery itself in Warrenpoint. It was fascinating to watch the distillation process of the gins, vodkas, whiskeys and poitíns, and I loved smelling all the botanical ingredients that infuse the drinks. It was interesting to see that each batch is made by a recipe by hand, and each part of the process, from distilling to bottling and packaging, happens in the one place. It was also lovely to meet all the team, including Donal and Noel (the owners), Lydia (who does social media and photography) and Donal and Tag (who work in the production process). I also met the other intern Claire, who I had been working with remotely for 3 weeks of my internship.

An amazing insight

Working with Neil these past 4 weeks has been invaluable, and I have learned so much about both marketing and how a local distillery is run. I have thoroughly enjoyed every second of this internship and would encourage anyone considering a programme like this to go for it! It has truly solidified my future vision of working in marketing and I have made some friends and connections along the way. I have gained amazing experience and insight and will miss my time at Mourne Dew greatly.

Apply for Working Globally from NI. Find more internship and work experience opportunities, visit MyFuture.

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Global Opportunities international experience internship student success Student success stories Virtual internships Working globally from NI Working Globally in NI

My Internship With Queen’s International Office

Olivia Anderson, an International Business with German graduate completed a four-week internship with Queen’s International Office as part of our Working Globally from NI Internship Programme. Here is how she got on. 

This summer I had the great opportunity of completing a 4-week internship with the International Office at QUB. I applied for this at the end of my final year as I wanted to gain some experience in this area over the summer before moving on from university. When I saw the opportunities available in this internship programme I wanted to apply as I thought it would be interesting to be able to work on projects with a global perspective right here from Northern Ireland.

The application process involved an application form and then a video call interview which already enabled me to develop my skills in these areas. 

Although 4 weeks sounds like a very short time, and I was wondering how I would be able to get involved in projects within this timeframe, there was no need to worry. The internship was very much tailored to my interests and skills and the projects that I was involved in were genuinely interesting. I got to work on some research projects and do some competitor analysis as well as write blogs and think about how QUB is being marketed to students internationally and how this can be improved. It was so valuable to gain these skills and insights into how to carry these out and how the university attracts students from all over the world. 

Working in a virtual team

I also got the opportunity to connect with two other interns who were international students from China and India, and we worked on reviewing some of the university’s marketing material together. This was great to understand each other’s perspectives on how Queen’s is perceived. 

Before beginning my internship, I was unsure how it would be structured as I was working from home, however there were multiple calls per week with my supervisor with clear guidance on the projects and what they would like to be achieved by the end of the internship. This helped to clear up any questions and give some interaction where it could have been quite isolated.

What I really enjoyed about this internship programme was that the projects that were given to us were challenging enough that I was being pushed and developing new skills while also being given guidance and help and being able to change the scope of the projects along the way to suit my interests and skills. 

I am so glad I got accepted to this internship programme and would encourage anyone to apply and gain some great experience over summer which you will be able to carry forward with you into your future studies and career.  

Keep an eye on our events website for details of upcoming internship opportunities and funded programmes. 

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Inside my Virtual Internship with the British Council

Daniel Tunstall, a Liberal Arts Master’s student completed a four-week summer internship with the British Council, analysing feedback and data from the International Schools Exchange Programme. Here is how he got on.

Did you know that the transferable skills gained on an Arts degree can lend themselves to a career in data analytics? Just ask Daniel Tunstall, an MA Liberal Arts student from Queen’s who recently completed a four-week summer internship with the British Council, analysing feedback and data from the International Schools Exchange Programme. His communication skills and eye for insight helped him visualise the data to uncover the story. Read his blog to find out how he got on:

What did the internship involve?

Over the course of four weeks, I have completed an internship with the British Council where I developed skills in analysing and displaying qualitative data so that it can be effectively used in the future to understand the successes and weaknesses of the programme. 

What soft skills did you develop?

This internship introduced me to the processes of working within a team of a global organisation where people are focusing on different tasks and how these teams work together to ensure that all tasks are done efficiently to the required standard. This opportunity provided me with an insight into the specific skills needed to work well in a team and allowed me to develop my understanding of adaptability and resilience in collecting feedback of my work and using it to improve it and fulfil the expectations. 

What practical skills did you develop?

This internship has also developed my ability to analyse data due to the requirements for me to look at the feedback for the programme and identify gaps in the data which need to be further explored in the future. Within this process, I conducted thematic analyses of the data and identified the possible improvements that could be made within the programme to ensure success in the future. Through creating two further questionnaires to collect more data, I had to use the knowledge from my analysis to isolate these improvements and allow participants the opportunity to offer recommendations. 

How did the experience develop your understanding of workplace culture? 

The British Council invited me to attend global events that they were holding such as Windrush Day, a celebration of immigration to Britain. By being invited to these events, I was able to understand how they host global events and the extent to which the organisation runs on an international basis. 

How has the experienced influenced your future career plan?

I have thoroughly enjoyed working within this organisation as an intern because I have developed valuable skills in data collection and handling which are specific and difficult skills to develop. Furthermore, this opportunity has provided me with a unique experience into understanding how international organisations operate which will influence and impact my future decisions when it comes to employability considerations. 

If you are wondering what you could do with your degree, and where your transferable skills could take you, catch up on our Industry Insight series and explore what industry are growing and how you can ride job market trends. 

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