Why did I approach LearnSci for an internship?
It was really tough finding a placement or an internship during my degree as it was hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many laboratories were shut and many internships /placements offered online were either very competitive or had strict requirements. In addition to this, being dyslexic meant that it was difficult to get work experience during my studies as I would need more time than most of the students studying for exams. It almost felt like a loop of needing experience to gain experience. I realised very quickly that getting experience of any kind was harder than I anticipated.
During my final year of university, my dissertation project was working with LearnSci to design an inclusive smart worksheet. For me, it was my first time working with an external company outside of academia and I didn’t really know what to expect. At first, I was really nervous to approach the LearnSci team. I remember talking to Ashleigh and Aidan for the first time, being really reserved in what I say. However, as the project progressed, my confidence increased!
I approached LearnSci because I had a fantastic experience working with them. Before even asking for an internship, I was sure that if I did get it, I would be working in an environment where I would never feel embarrassed to ask for help and I would gain precious experience.
What did I achieve during my internship?
The short answer is, a lot of valuable skills in a very short amount of time!
Throughout this internship, I had tasks from the various specialists teams within LearnSci which taught me different things
Within the business development team, I researched different universities from across the globe. From just that one task, I developed my research skills, decision making and even learnt a few tricks on spreadsheets!
I also did some product testing with the product development team. I learnt how important end user feedback is throughout the development of a new product. In parallel, I also gained an insight on how crucial proofreading is - sometimes even needing multiple proofreaders to spot the errors!
During my time with the partner support team, I helped with some support articles and I had a glimpse at how the world of analytics works.
One unique task I was assigned was learning about the application of Biomedical Science. It was something that I wasn’t really emphasised to explore in university. This task alone was really valuable to me because I learnt that there’s so many jobs out there for Biomedical Science graduates, some fields even I was not aware of. If you are a student or educator reading this, try researching the current applications of Biomedical Science and the different fields a bioscience graduate can venture into!
The experience that I got from this internship was the perfect internship for me. It is going to help me in any future career path that I take.
What was it like working alongside the LearnSci team?
Simply amazing! I learnt so many things from the team and I know my confidence increased even more. I feel really comfortable talking to people which will definitely benefit me in any career path that I take.
My LearnSci buddies, Siomon and Antony, were amazing to talk to and they always made me smile.
I had a chance to meet many of the LearnSci team through the internship and all of them are fantastic. They have all gone above and beyond by helping me and I never felt shy to approach any of them.
Whenever I presented internally, I felt really comfortable talking to the team even if I made any mistakes.
A big thank you to LearnSci
I found out about LearnSci through using the LabSims during university which helped me visualise concepts and interact with them. For my first year chemistry unit, I got the practical prize winner award from the Royal Society of Chemistry and I would not have received it if I didn’t solidify my knowledge through the LearnSci LabSims. Even during the national lockdown, the LabSims helped tremendously. Not having access to physical practicals, LabSims were a vital resource to get the same practical knowledge.
As mentioned, during the final year, because LabSims helped me, I really wanted to work with LearnSci and the project was a fantastic opportunity. I never dreamt of winning a Teaching Innovation Award and presenting our findings at various conferences across the UK.
And even after university, LearnSci gave me yet another opportunity by kickstarting my career with this internship!
Whenever I think back to my time in university, I always think of LearnSci. Every year of university, LearnSci has directly or indirectly helped me. I’m so thankful for all the opportunities given.
Thank you again to everyone in this team! The King’s Award is just the start to the many awards to come!
If anyone wants to ask me about my experiences with LearnSci, you are more than welcome to message me on Linkedin.
