Placement Host: UK Parliament

“The internship […] has helped build up my confidence, recognise in my own expertise, and be reassured that my ideas are respected and valued others. Overall, this experience has provided invaluable knowledge and skills that will directly influence both my PhD and future career trajectory. I am very grateful that I was given the opportunity to do it.”

“The practical experience gained is invaluable, especially in today’s competitive job market. It provides an opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings, which is essential for developing critical skills that go beyond academic research. For example, working on a project that has practical implications and produces something tangible gave me hands-on experience that is hard to replicate in a traditional academic setting. This kind of experience not only enhances employability but also builds confidence, making it a highly beneficial opportunity for students preparing for future careers.”

Placement Host: Royal British Legion

“At RBL, I was afforded the opportunity to speak directly to policy advisors, who helped me practice writing research outputs in layperson’s terms. I honed my skills translating research into digestible content for non-academic audiences, which I have struggled with thus far in my PhD.

I am grateful that I had the opportunity to practice this style of writing under the tutelage of RBL’s policy team and feel much more confident in writing for non-academic audiences following my time with RBL. In the spirit of bidirectional learning, I taught the same policy advisors how to read statistical analyses, understand odds ratios and rates, and how to conduct proper systematic reviews.

My internship afforded them research knowledge that they had previously lacked, and I am certain that their team was appreciative of my knowledgebase.”

Internship Host: The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute

“The internship was a brilliant opportunity for one-to-one discussions about qualitative research methods, my findings and theoretical frameworks with experts, who were also able to provide me with advice on my PhD and wider career goals.

As a result of working within the THIS Institute team, I feel better able to navigate the process of turning raw findings into readily digestible, high-impact evidence for policy and practice in my own research.

The internship has been enriching for my PhD thesis in so many ways. Gaining research experience in an independent research institute and understanding how this context differs from a university has also been very informative for my career direction.”

Internship Host: The Home Office

“The internship allowed me network with key stakeholders for my research topic and enhanced my ability to communicate complex findings in a way that has impact and is accessible to a diverse audience – a transferrable skill that will benefit me in my career post-PhD.”

“I also believe that being able to say that I worked as a government social researcher on my CV will help me stand apart from others when applying for future jobs.”

“As an experience, it was also wonderful to feel part of a team.”

Internship Host: The League for the Protection of Birds (LPO)

“Working with the LPO during this internship has helped me grow as a marine scientist and has introduced me to various people in the marine environment with whom I could collaborate on future projects someday.

The internship has definitely made an impact on both my PhD research and my future career. For my PhD research, it has provided me with an alternative approach to MPA management from the UK and Irish approaches. It was also an important learning experience to work on a project outside of academia to have an idea of what options are available after graduation.”

Internship Host: Development, Concepts and Doctrines Centre (DCDC)

“I found the internship to be extremely valuable, gaining useful experience of policy-focused research and an insight into how such research is used by government. The report I completed will be shared with government representatives and used towards DCDC publications, so I feel that my research will have some impact. I also received training in red teaming and scenario planning which I hope will benefit my academic work going forwards. I now have access to a professional network through DCDC which can only help in my next career steps.

I enjoyed the break from my PhD research and feel that I returned to it with more perspective on my project.”