Oxford University Internship - USP 2015 Annual Report for... · Oxford University Internship Programme (OUIP) Annual Report 2014‐ 2015 ... the Oxford University Internship Programme

THECAREERSSERVICE

Oxford University

InternshipProgramme2015 ANNUAL REPORT

FOR SPONSORS

Image taken by H

olly Redford-Jones, OU

IP Intern 20

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OxfordUniversityInternshipProgramme(OUIP)AnnualReport2014‐2015

Yangon, Myanmar (photo by Hannah Lovell, Oxford intern) THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME: SUMMARY Now in its seventh year, the Oxford University Internship Programme continues to facilitate exclusive summer internships for Oxford students. In 2015, the programme advertised 518 high-quality professional and academic-related experiences in a wide variety of sectors all over the world. Overseas placements not only provide valuable work experience, but also give students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore a new culture and to develop their personal skills and confidence outside the academic environment; they remained the most popular amongst students, receiving 67% of all applications.

The placements have developed from existing academic and industry partnerships; a quarter of providers are Oxford alumni keen to reconnect with the University. The opportunities provided by our partners are diverse, ranging from work with prominent, established organisations to original start-up companies. It is a unique programme, providing placements which would not otherwise be readily available to students. In addition, a key aim of the programme is to ensure that financial support is provided to make an internship affordable by all students.

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The continued success of the programme rests on three key factors: the support provided by the Careers Service for recruiters and students alike; the calibre of Oxford students and the desire of employers to be associated with them and the University; and the generous endowments received by the University of Oxford to support the internship programme.  THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME: 2015 HIGHLIGHTS 

• 518 Internships facilitated through OUIP • 201 Recruiters offered the internships • 3,367 Student applications (up 20% from 2014) • 1,297 Individual applicants (up 18% from 2014) • 317 Scholarships paid out (up 69% from 2014) • £500,249 Total value of scholarships paid out, of which £193,200 was allocated for undergraduate research 

placements (HEFCE Oxford Undergraduate Research Programme Awards); and £110,100 for PGT professional placements (HEFCE Oxford Postgraduate Internship Awards) 

THE INTERNSHIP SPONSORS (RECRUITERS)   

In 2015, over 200 global organisations participated in the Internship Programme approximately the same number as the previous year. Recruitment of internship providers was undertaken through existing OUIP sponsors and by leveraging existing university relationships including contacts established through Colleges and Departments, International Strategy, and the Alumni Office. At least 26% of internship providers were Oxford Alumni.

Organisations offering internships by sector 

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What does the Internship Office provide to internship sponsors? 

Employer guidance (e.g., minimum wage, duration, conditions, suitable projects) Dedicated web page Support with internship proposals Scholarships to subsidise internship experiences, where possible One-to-one sessions with employers concerning the nature of the programme Online access to applications Advice on the selection process Assistance in setting up interviews and correspondence with applicants A single and defined point of liaison between students and employers Support material for visas and work permits Monitoring and evaluation of the internships Maintenance of accurate records about the internships and their outcomes Publication of feedback on student experiences

2015 Recruiter Feedback 

Organisations offering internships through the programme were asked to complete a feedback form. Sponsors were extremely positive about their interns, the programme, and the administrative support provided by the Internship Office: 100% of the respondents said that they would be happy to participate in the 2016 programme. More detailed comments were provided by sponsors: “Fantastic! The internship programme is such a wonderful opportunity for students and the Library. The students have the opportunity to develop a real understanding of the nature of Special Collections work and what a career in heritage might look like; we enjoy hosting the students, and through them we learn a good deal about the student experience. Last year was our first in the Internship Programme ‐ we offered a single internship, but were so impressed with our intern, and with the support of the Internships Office, that we set about exploring what other internships the Library might provide. Thanks to the funding sources available to non‐profits, we were able to host seven interns this year offering a wide range of curatorial experiences and a group environment. The students have been brilliant, fitting in perfectly and making significant contributions to our work. The Internships Office has been hugely supportive throughout the process again this year; we couldn't manage this without that support.” Susan Thomas, The Bodleian Library 

“The interns we received this year have been a great experience for our team (Centre for Sustainable Technological Innovation – Mamirauá Institute). Despite the sharp differences in culture and environment, they mingled in very well. They have brought valuable contributions to projects such as the Solar Ice Machine and the Water Distribution System for Isolated Riverside Communities in the Amazon, and helping the Mamirauá Institute re‐think its Digital Marketing Strategy; and I believed they will take from here a satisfying and lifetime Amazon experience. Our team is grateful for the OUIP staff in making this experience possible. We hope to remain as a sponsor for the following years.” Jonathan Christopher Bausch Macedo, Mamirauá Institute for Sustainable Development, Brazil

 “Our overall experience of the Internship Programme has been very positive. The service the Internship Office provides is fantastic. We were very impressed with our interns.” Lucy Jones, Compton Verney

“The quality of the interns has been so impressive. I am so grateful. They have added so much value to our work ‐ as a small charity, they have made a huge difference. We would like to continue as this benefits both the charity and the interns, adding so much value.” Nancy Hunt, Nasio Trust, Kenya

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“The OUIP recruitment process and admin seems very clear and straightforward. So far, our 4 interns over 2 summers have been varied in their interests and approaches but similar in their high levels of enthusiasm, interest, commitment to their research projects and attention to detail. They and OUIP staff have been a pleasure to work with.” Anna Sander, Balliol College, Oxford

“An excellent programme that has enabled our very well‐motivated and capable student to complete a lot of good work for us. Sue and team were very helpful, especially when we needed to change a project at the last minute. I very much hope we will be able to repeat it next year.” Monica Price, Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

Spirulina Training, Nasio Trust, Kenya

THE INTERNSHIPS 

The 2015 Internships were offered in 46 Countries: 

Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Ghana, Herzegovina, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Peru, Portugal, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Uganda, United Kingdom, USA.

Farewell BBQ for Chemists, Perm State University, Russia

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Human Connection, Jordan (photos by Alex Dyzehnaus, Oxford intern)

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APPLICATIONS 

In 2015 The Internship Programme received 3,367 applications from 1,297 individual students. Number of applications increased by 20% from last year (2,796 applications were received in 2014) Number of individual applicants increased by 18% from last year (1,098 students applied in 2014)

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Student Feedback 

All interns are expected to complete a feedback form once they have finished their placement. The first part of the form, which is confidential, is designed to help the interns reflect on their experience in terms of professional, social and cultural development. The second part of the form is used to create an online Yearbook, which can be viewed by potential applicants. The 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Yearbooks are viewable at www.careers.ox.ac.uk/the-student-experience. The 2015 Yearbook will be published online by the end of December 2015. Based on the feedback received from 73% of 2015 OUIP interns:

87% of the interns were provided with appropriate work projects during the internship 86% felt that the internship gave them a good insight into a sector and/or job function 86% agreed that the internship contributed to their career development 83% agreed that the internship met their expectations 96% would recommend the Internship Programme to a friend 12% of the interns were offered further employment beyond the internship period by the organisation with which they interned

Project Rousseau, New York (photo by Katherine Hickson, Oxford Intern)

“Coming here was absolutely the best way to spend my summer. I've learned a lot and confirmed my suspicions that  curating  is  the  best  job  in  the  world!  It's  been  an  incredible  experience  and  I'm  so  thankful  for  the opportunity.” First Year, BA History and Politics, St Hilda’s College. Intern, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Stratford upon Avon. Intern awarded £2,000 Rayhan Davis Scholarship. 

“It was an amazing experience that I would definitely recommend. Not only were the office staff wonderful and the jobs interesting, but the position gave me a chance to enjoy all that London has to offer outside of work too.”  Second Year, BA Literae Humaniores, Corpus Christi College. Intern, Thames Festival Trust, London. Intern awarded £1,500 Oxford Undergraduate Research Award and a Travel card.

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“I  thought  that  the  internship was  incredible.  It  enabled me  to  learn  and  develop my  knowledge  of  climate science, as well as providing a rich cultural experience in a country I had not previously travelled to. I would love to return to visit the people I have met and to practise my Portuguese!  Penultimate, Master of Earth Sciences, St Edmund Hall. Intern, National Institute for Space Research (INPE), São Paulo, Brazil.  Intern awarded £2,000 BP Internship Award.

“My time teaching in China was an informative and enlightening experience ‐ I like to think I learnt as much as the  students  I  taught did!  The  experience greatly broadened my  knowledge  of Chinese  culture,  customs and modern life. Ultimately the experience has piqued my interest both in China and in teaching, providing me with a unique  insight  into both”. First Year, BA History, St Hugh’s College. Intern, Tsinghua University, China. Intern awarded £1,000 Fung Foundation Scholarship and free accommodation.

“It’s hard not to be overenthusiastic in describing how incredible an experience this has been thus far, and how sad I will be for it to end.  I spent a lot of my childhood living in Zimbabwe, and coming to Uganda has been like coming home but with the added satisfaction of being able to use skills that are hopefully making a difference.  My desire to apply my legal education in a development related context is certainly confirmed, as is my desire to apply for postgraduate study that looks into human rights law so that I can hopefully one day do more along the lines  that APP aspire  (maybe even with  them  if  they'll have me!)”.   Second year, BA Jurisprudence, Hertford College. Intern, African Prisons Project, Kampala, Uganda. Intern awarded £2,000 Oxford Undergraduate Research Award. 

“It  was  an  unforgettable  experience  to  work  at  the  museum.  I  couldn't  think  of  a  better  place  to  work, surrounded  by  friendly  colleagues,  stimulating  exhibits  and  collections,  the  interested  public,  and  inspiring architecture.  It has given me an excellent  insight  into working  in a natural history museum.” Penultimate, BA Biological Sciences, St John’s College. Intern, Natural History Museum, Oxford. Intern awarded £1,500 Oxford Undergraduate Research Award. 

“I had an amazing time on my  internship and was very sorry to  leave.  I  loved China,  it’s a spectacular country with  so much  to  see  and  do.  I'll  always  remember  Nanjian  county's  breath‐taking  natural  beauty  and  the friendliness of its inhabitants. I would love to go and work in China again.”  Second Year, Master of Chemistry, St Hilda’s College. Intern, Nanjian County, China. Intern awarded £1,000 Fung Foundation Scholarship and free accommodation.

“I was very positively surprised by Canada and Vancouver. I would definitely like to return to Vancouver for work or study. I would recommend this city to anyone, both for travel or long‐term stay. The internship at Tradewind Books has helped me understand  the publishing  industry and gave me necessary experience  to be confident  I could get a job in publishing in the future. I liked working in the field and am seriously considering it as my career path.  I cannot stress enough how  important  it  is  to be exposed to an  industry before one decides  to pursue a career in it, and how much it helps to clear one's mind about such a decision”.  Penultimate, BA Philosophy and Modern Languages (Italian), St Hugh’s College. Intern, Tradewind Books, Vancouver, Canada. Intern awarded £1,900 Alumni Association Award. 

“This  internship has been an  incredible experience.  It has  taught me much about  the working world,  such as what  it  is  like  to have a Monday  to  Friday  job and  the  importance of building  rapport with  fellow  staff and interns  alike  who  you  see  and work  with  every  day.  Additionally,  it  has  also  been  exceptionally  useful  for teaching me the skills that I will need to conduct the research for my impending third‐year History Thesis, such as 

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experience with archival processes and documents. Furthermore,  it has offered me the brilliant opportunity to get a taste of what it might be like to live and work abroad; I loved it! Most significantly then, this internship has confirmed  to me  that  I would  like  to  live  and work  abroad  in  the  future.  This  internship was  still  incredibly worthwhile to experience living and working abroad for an elongated period of time, and to acquire immensely helpful  skills  for my  third  year  of  undergraduate  study.  I would  therefore  strongly  recommend  seizing  this wonderful opportunity; this internship offered me experiences and memories that I will cherish forever.” Second Year, BA History and Politics, Trinity College. Intern, Naval History and Heritage Command Center, Washington. Intern awarded £2,000 Oxford Undergraduate Research Award.  

“Everything was perfectly organised and we had our schedule for the entire month before we even arrived in Fukuoka.  ... The work projects were really varied and enjoyable. I had already visited Japan once, spending two weeks in Tokyo, but during this internship I felt I had a real insight into the country. It was a far more eye‐opening experience than just visiting Japan as a tourist. Fukuoka is very different to the capital. I was struck by the welcoming and relaxed atmosphere and I really didn’t want to leave at the end of the internship. Our hosts could not have looked after us better, and I intermittently felt almost guilty that I could be enjoying myself this much and calling it ‘work’. ….Although in the long term I think it would be difficult to integrate into such a homogenous society as Japan’s, and wouldn’t move there permanently, it is the ideal place, in terms of excellent food and hospitality, to undertake an internship. I am extremely grateful to Aso Group and can’t thank them enough for their kindness, nor recommend this internship highly enough to next year’s applicants!”  Finalist, BA Modern Languages (French and German), Pembroke College. Intern, Aso Group, Fukuoka, Japan. Intern received YEN25,000 per week from recruiter.  The internship has confirmed for me that I definitely want to move to London and work there after University. I also really enjoyed the work and so definitely won't be discounting it in the future ‐ I want to experience other areas first. It's also made me actually quite excited about the opportunities that are out there in the world of work and I don't feel quite so lost when thinking about the future anymore.  Second Year, BA English Language and Literature, Exeter College. Intern, Sick Children’s Trust, London. Intern awarded £1,500 Rayhan Davis Scholarship, travel expenses, £5 per diem lunch allowance and assistance finding accommodation.  I had a great experience, and I'm glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to try living and working in another country. It was also a great research experience, confirming my desire to do a PhD. While I would prefer to study in England, I would definitely love to go back and stay in Marseille without any work commitments! Finalist BA Cell and Systems Biology, Lincoln College. Intern, Aix Marseilles University, Marseilles, France. Intern received 200 Euros per week from the recruiter.  “Overall this internship has been exactly what I hoped for. The experience in the lab showed me what to expect should I go into research and will be invaluable when I make that decision next year. Not to mention I learned a hell of a lot of neurobiology, which is a topic we don't get to do much of in the Biochem course. I remember a number of moments looking down a microscope thinking just how stunning and complex brains are. More than that, though, the internship was challenging. It was a challenge to improve and socialise in French, getting to know another new town and new customs. It also really pushed my boundaries… I think it was a really formative experience for me doing things I wasn't entirely comfortable with. Finally being by the Med in such an idyllic location meant that although I spent over two months of my precious summer holiday working, it still managed to feel like a holiday, for which I feel incredibly lucky. I've learned a lot, grown a lot, and hopefully a little way down the line helped a lot of people when our research comes full circle.” Penultimate, Master of Biochemistry in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Corpus Christi College. Intern, Aix Marseilles University, Marseilles, France. Intern received 200 Euros per week from the recruiter.  “I will be working in a Part II group which also specialises in oligonucleotide synthesis and modification next year, so this internship has given me a lot of valuable practical experience for working in this field. Working in a professional research lab has also improved my confidence in my independent lab skills, and the friendly and supportive atmosphere has definitely given me a desire to work in a similar environment in the future. I 

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thoroughly enjoyed my time there and I would highly recommend it for future applicants!”  Helen Owen, Peunltimate, Masters Chemistry, Trinity College. Intern, ATDBio, Oxford. Intern received £290 per week from the recruiter.  “My time at Muktangan has been incredible: I couldn’t have asked for a better internship. I was able to carry out projects  that mattered  to me, whilst making a contribution  to  the organisation, and  I was supported on each and every step of the way whilst doing it. Before I went to Muktangan, I thought that I would like to work within the  education  sector,  with  a  particular  focus  on  international  education.  My  time  in  Mumbai  has  further strengthened my resolve to realise this ambition, as well as making me think that I might like to return to India for work  in  the  future.” Second Year, BA History, Magdalen College. Intern, Muktangan (Paragon Charitable Trust), Mumbai India. Intern awarded £2,000 Oxford Undergraduate Research Award 

ECOM, Gambia (photo by Jacob Studholme, Oxford intern)

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LOOKING FORWARD  

In 2015, 518 internships were offered by 201 different recruiters in 46 countries. 1,297 students made 3,367 applications. 317 scholarships provided £500,249 of funding to students undertaking internships. Funding was attached to 61% of the internships advertised through the programme. The average scholarship was £1,578 and the range varied between £126 and £3200.

In 2016, with the cessation of the HEFCE funding, it is anticipated that internship funding will be reduced by approximately 65%. The result is likely to be a reduction in the number of internships in the not-for-profit sectors (to which most of the funding was attached). There will be a greater emphasis on internships in the for-profit sector in which the students will be provided with adequate remuneration for the work they undertake. However, the Internship Office also anticipates maintaining the current internship provision during the funding downturn by rolling out a new programme of micro-internships (already piloted) that offers 2-5 day internships in local organisations in Oxfordshire and London and which are undertaken in 9th week of each term. The micro-internships are voluntary work experiences that include a defined project and some general work shadowing. 

For further information, please contact: Dr Fiona Whitehouse Internship Office Manager Careers Service 56 Banbury Rd Oxford OX2 6PA T: +44 (0)1865 274643 E: [email protected] www.careers.ox.ac.uk/internship

Aso Group, Japan (Photo by Katy Burgess, Oxford Intern)