The Micro-Internship Experience

Oxford student Andrew Jackson completed a Historical Source Analysis  micro-internship with the Faculty of English Language and Literature in Trinity term 2024

What project did you work on during your micro-internship? 

For my micro-internship I spent a week reading and writing about the play Kynge Johan, especially regarding its portrayal of excommunication, as part of the long-term and international ‘Recovering Europe's Parliamentary Culture, 1500-1700’ project. This is a project aiming to uncover the culture of early modern political assemblies, lead in part by the University of Oxford. I spent a few days taking notes on the play before producing an essay which will hopefully help the leading historians in their wider research, by outlining how the work conveyed Bale’s views on Henry VIII’s excommunication as a threat to England, kingship, and Christianity.

What are the lasting impressions of your micro-internship?

It was a challenging but intellectually fulfilling piece of work, and one that gave me great satisfaction as a history student. I came out of it feeling more confident about my abilities as a student, and it gave me a good snapshot of what proper academic research and work is like. Moreover, my supervisor was friendly and happy to offer help whenever I needed it, while also giving me sufficient independent space. I would happily do this micro-internship again.

What advice would you give to future micro-interns?

For any future micro-interns, I would simply advise to stay organised, to not be afraid to ask questions or to ask for help, and to enjoy it. If you put a good amount of effort into your project, it’s more likely that you’ll find it a fulfilling experience.

Oxford Masters student Francesco Cipriani undertook his internship with Right For Education Africa in Trinity term 2024

What project did you work on during your micro-internship? 

At Right for Education, the specific position I took on was Literary Support Assistant. My role was to prepare and deliver daily workshops on different technical aspects of article writing to a group of aspiring authors. The workshops, which were all online and lasted 90 minutes, were very well attended and the group of participants ranged from 35 to 40 members who were logging on from many different countries (South Sudan, South Africa and Nigeria being some of the most represented).

The internship lasted one week, and the topics I covered ranged from how to be objective in writing, to how to craft good introductions and conclusions. The final workshop of the week was dedicated to providing feedback on the drafts of several articles written by the workshop’s attendees.

What are the lasting impressions of your micro-internship?

Being a Literary Support Assistant at Right for Education was a fantastic experience. On the one hand, it was challenging and stimulating to create daily content which would be informative and understandable to an audience whose expertise varied greatly. A large part of the role was understanding what the expectations of the different participants were and adapting the presentation accordingly.

However, what I treasure most from the experience was the enthusiasm shown by the attendees and the impact that the workshops made on their writing. Everyone was very eager to participate and share their views, creating a very supportive and friendly environment. The feedback I received at the end of the week from the audience was very positive, with the authors telling me how much they had enjoyed the programme and how much they had learnt.

What advice would you give to future micro-interns? 

First of all, I would encourage every student to apply for a micro-internship. Whether you know exactly in what sector you will want to pursue a career, or if you are still uncertain, a micro-internship experience can help you both clarify your ideas and also demonstrate interest in a specific area of work. It will also hone your CV and cover letter writing skills, which is always a bonus.

Finally, I would also advise to future micro-interns to give their 100% during their experience. The internship is very short, but this does not mean that it is impossible for that brief time to be impactful, both for yourself and for others. One week is perfect to chase your interests but also to try something completely different to see whether it appeals to you.

Oxford student Gracie Allen completed a Research Internship with University of Oxford's Innovation and Engagement team Hilary term 2024

What project did you work on during your micro-internship? 

In March 2024, I was accepted onto a micro-internship with the University of Oxford's Innovation and Engagement team to research how the university would perform in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings if it were to enter. The Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings assess and rank universities based on their performance according to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There are 17 of these goals aimed at driving sustainable development and reducing the effects of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Alongside two other interns, I researched Oxford based on the mark scheme for three of these goals and presented my findings to members of the Innovation and Engagement team and Environmental Sustainability team.

Life on Land, Life Below Land, and Clean Water and Sanitation were the three SDGs that I worked on. Through scouring publicly available documents I got to get a real sense of what goes into a university's work in being sustainable, and got a real sense of Oxford's strengths and weaknesses. I also got to engage more with ideas of biodiversity, which is something I've had a long time interest in but not been able to encounter before in my studies, and think that it is something I will pursue in the future.

What are the lasting impressions of your micro-internship?

The micro-internship was a very interesting experience. Although only short, I was able to get a real taste of something completely new to me that could be very important in my future career. Before this, I'd never had experience working in an office or researching something outside of just academic interest. I realised that office work, the thought of which always used to fill me with dread, actually can be quite vibrant and interesting and that researching is something I really enjoy. I felt extremely productive and that I had really helped the university make improvements.

What advice would you give to future micro-interns? 

My advice to future micro-interns is to get as invested in your micro-internship as possible! The time is short, but it has potential to be a really insightful and useful experience. I know that I wish I had applied to more in previous rounds, as I've found it to be a much more helpful thing to do than I had ever expected. In just one week you can do some real, useful work that could not only help you explore career interests and build up your CV, but also could help others in a grander scheme of things. Apply to internships even if you're not sure it's what you'll want to do in the future, because you just never know.

Oxford student Katie Banks completed a Brand Conscience Sustainability Research Assistant: Materials Swaps for Consumer Goods Industries micro-internship with Brand Conscience 

What project did you work on during your micro-internship? 

I was tasked with researching the most sustainable materials for kitchenware, including chopping boards and kitchen utensils. This also involved researching different brands who used sustainable materials, and analysing which brand did this the best, and which ones didn't do so well, and may have an aspect of greenwashing. To draw together my research, I then had to come to a conclusion as to which materials and brands to recommend to a consumer. 

What are the lasting impressions of your micro-internship? 

I thoroughly enjoyed this micro-internship. It gave me an in-depth insight into the sustainability of the retail sector, and I learnt a lot about what companies may do to greenwash consumers. This really opened my eyes to the nature of the industry and is something that I will be cautious of going forward when making my own consumer choices. As an increasing number of companies have sustainability at the top of their agenda, it has definitely made me consider this sector for my future career. 

What advice would you give to future micro-interns? 

Be open-minded and willing to learn and adapt to any situation. In this micro-internship, I was given a lot of freedom as to what to research, so let your own interests and passions guide you. 

Oxford student Lucia Henwood completed a Digital Reading Project Assistant micro-internship with LitHits 

What projects did you work on during your micro-internship? 

I worked on two sides of LitHits' activities. The first half of the week was spent doing research into different newsletters and how they work - I created a presentation evaluating some of the newsletters I read and did some research into a poetry newsletter. The second half of the week was spent looking into how LitHits could be used to aid learning in schools - I created a presentation on possible links between LitHits and the English curriculum, as well as sample newsletters to show the kinds of resources which could be sent to teachers. 

What are the lasting impressions of your micro-internship? 

I had a wonderful time on the micro-internship! It was a very enjoyable week and the rest of the team were so kind, helpful and supportive! I was given interesting, stimulating things to work on and a good level of responsibility which meant I gained a lot from the week! I didn't choose the micro-internship because I was planning to go into the sector but because I thought the project sounded interesting. Although I'm still not considering the sector for my future career, the internship still taught me new skills, helping me to look at things I read in a new light and improving my written communication for different audiences. 

What advice would you give to future micro-interns? 

Try something new! The micro-internship programme is a great way of exploring new sectors and learning about industries you haven't considered before! There's such a wide range of opportunities out there, many of them unique to the programme, so it's good to try something unusual or different. I would also recommend looking into the industry as much as possible ahead of the micro-internship and coming to the start of the week with some questions or ideas. Also take up any opportunity to try a range of tasks and prioritise that over getting a comprehensive sense of one area of the company - you're only there for a week so your employers aren't expecting you to finish a massive project, so take it as a learning experience and be willing to share ideas. I'd also suggest applying for micro-internships at small organisations - there you can get the best sense of their activities and contribute the most. 

Oxford student Olivia Downes completed a Publishing Assistant micro-internship with Gibson Square 

What project did you work on during your micro-internship? 

The publisher was in the process of fast-tracking a book about Ukraine, so it was very hands on. I gained both editorial and publicity experience -- I helped edit the manuscript, and discussed potential selling points of the book. Martin was incredibly helpful and encouraging -- he gave me extensive feedback on each task I completed, and lots of great career advice. 

What are the lasting impressions of your micro-internship? 

Completing the micro-internship has confirmed to me I'd definitely like to pursue a career in publishing. It also gave me a much clearer idea of some of the different aspects of publishing -- previously I'd been interested in going into publicity, but I found the editorial tasks much more enjoyable, so I think that's what I'm going to go for now. 

What advice would you give to future micro-interns? 

The internship was much more hands on than I expected -- I was given responsibilities very quickly. Martin said this wouldn't normally be quite so much the case (the particular project we were working on required the company to work at speed) but even still, it was a good lesson in trusting my own judgement and building confidence! 

Oxford student Poppy Little-Jones completed a content and web accessibility micro-internship with TORCH 

What project did you work on during your micro-internship? 

I cannot thank TORCH enough for such an informative and enjoyable week! Completing Silktide training, learning more about WCAG 2.1 standards and then applying this knowledge to the Oxford Mosaic website was invaluable experience. Amending the subtitles of TORCH's interdisciplinary talks/events was a real joy - meeting access requirements while immersing myself in convos surrounding '60s rock albums ('It Sings Therefore We Are: Philosophy and Music in Conversation') was a win-win! Alongside this, fixing broken links/editing hyperlinked text, amending/updating People Pages, correcting grammar & adding Alt text to images was all important work that I found very fulfilling. 

What are the lasting impressions of your micro-internship? 

It was a perfect week in terms of providing knowledge and experience, and I certainly feel that pursuing a career in comms/web design/ web accessibility could be a way forward for me. I feel incredibly grateful to have been welcomed in so warmly by the team. 

What advice would you give to future micro-interns? 

Be kind to yourself - the micro-internships take place at the end of Oxfords incredibly busy terms (in weeks 9 or 10), make sure you take care of yourself to ensure you don’t burnout! 

Kledion Shahini; Anna Todsen; Hope Steadman; Christine Waddell, Ines Momodu-Herrero; and Alexander Mohar Csaky 

GCHU Interns

Student blogs and became the basis for the annual Building a Legacy conference hosted by the Prince’s Foundation. Read their Planning with Nature report.

Hope Steadman

GCHU Intern and MSc Nature, Society and Environmental Governance student, University of Oxford.

Read the article on The economic impacts of green and blue infrastructure: a long-term view