3KEEL

Sydney Vennin,St Hugh’s College, Final Year Undergraduate, BA Human Sciences, Remote Working

Work Projects

I was hired to help one of the consultancy’s partners with a programme called the Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs) which is growing rapidly. I developed a project tracking sheet for internal purposes as well as external content on the LENs approach for potential clients or stakeholders. I developed this in close collaboration with my manager and other colleagues working on LENs so that it is user friendly and provides logistical support.

On top of this structural work, I helped with individual LENs projects. This involved planning and attending meetings and calls with stakeholders and writing reports. Beyond this, I was also fortunate to be able to work on other consulting projects I am interested in. I contributed to setting them up, as well as to doing research for content, for example on Nature Based solutions or offsetting.

I received a lot of support from my host organisation. This included frequent calls with my manager and colleagues working on the same projects as me. We also had virtual social events (including an online gardening club!) which have given me the opportunity to meet other employees and learn about their work. Everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful and only a message or call away.

Daily Life

I am working from home for this internship. This is not always easy, but I am very fortunate to have very supportive and friendly colleagues and managers who were very present (on Zoom!). In order to have a routine, I go for a quick walk before starting work (emulating a commute!) and then settle down in my sister’s bedroom for the start of the workday. During the day, I regularly take breaks to stretch or walk around. I track how many hours I

am working to make sure I do not work too much and continue to have a work/life balance even though working remotely. I also attend online social events with my colleagues such as virtual tea breaks so as to get to know the company and develop friendly relationships everyone is so knowledgeable and friendly! Outside of work, I enjoy exercising and being outdoors (especially since work involves staring at a screen all day!). I also spend time with friends and family and enjoy listening to podcasts.

Lasting Impressions

I thoroughly enjoyed this internship and learned a lot, as well as meeting very welcoming, knowledgeable, driven and open-minded professionals. The work I have been doing has allowed me to learn a lot, both in terms of concrete skills which I did not develop extensively at Oxford (such as working in a team or collaborating with clients) and in terms of content on fast moving sectors such as sustainability, landscape management and climate change.

The experience has allowed me to confirm my desire to work in the sustainability sector, although I am still thinking about in which capacity. I believe the size of the organisation I am working for, (20-30 people) as well as its values (it is a Bcorporation!) are ideal for me and I aspire to continue working in similar organisations in the future. Overall, I feel very lucky and grateful to have been able to partake in this experience which has allowed me to concretely apply the skills and knowledge I have acquired over my degree.

What advice would you give to future interns?

Don’t hesitate to ask for feedback, Brainstorm skills you would like to develop through the internship before starting and if your internship is remote, try to organize remote chats or coffee breaks with colleagues who are not working on the same projects as you. This will allow you to know the company better and to get a feel for the different roles in it.