If you’re currently at university or have recently graduated, getting an internship is a great way to build your skills and gain valuable experience.
Getting an internship can give you the skills that employers are looking for, including;
-Communication skills
-Business Acumen
-Prioritising skills.
So how can you boost your chances of landing an internship?
➡️Editor’s comments: Gemma Melhuish, The Director of Human Resources at Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity has collaborated with Graduate Coach, the UK’s No.1 Graduate Coaching Company, to share top tips including;
-how to get an internship
-how to maximise your chances of converting your internship into a graduate position.
Without further ado, let’s get started. 🤗
So Why Choose Rainbow Trust? 🌈
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity supports over 2,500 families with a seriously ill child.
With eight care teams across England and a Head Office in Surrey, the charity is proud of its varied and successful internship programme.
It offers unpaid work placement opportunities to students and recent graduates, which offer an introduction to a particular field of work, supports learning and enhances employability.
Opportunities at Rainbow Trust
Interns are as important to Rainbow Trust as a member of staff or regular volunteers.
We provide work placements in all areas of work both front line in our care teams, working with our Family Support Workers, who support families with a seriously ill child and in our Head Office in all support functions.
These range from opportunities in:
-PR
-HR
-Fundraising
-Engagement
-Finance
The internships typically last three months with interns working at least three days a week.
We are open to supporting interns in all aspects of what we do. 😃
Converting your internship at Rainbow Trust into a graduate role
If you’re looking to get into a graduate programme at Rainbow Trust my advice would be to:
-Work hard
-Be open to try new things 💯
-Don’t be afraid- Everyone at Rainbow Trust is always willing to help where they can.
-When applying, show passion in your area of expertise and Rainbow Trust as an organisation.
➡️Key Employer Insight: You will have a varied skill set from University or College, identify how these are transferable to the role you are applying for and what you can offer and how you stand out.We will be looking for professionals who show versatility and capacity for growth. Rainbow Trust will work with you and will support you to be the best you can be.
➡️Graduate Coach’s comments: For even more tips and advice on how to thrive in the workplace, check out The Graduate Book, written by head Graduate Coach, Chris Davies. 😎
Benefits of interning with Rainbow Trust
It can sometimes be difficult to see the immediate benefit of working in an unpaid role. However, the long-term gain can be the difference between gaining paid employment in your “perfect” role, pipping your competitor to the post! 💪
Your internship will give you a competitive advantage in terms of; gaining experience, developing skills, making connections, strengthening your CV’s and learning about a particular field or the Charity sector more widely.
Case studies
One of our previous interns Max joined Rainbow Trust as part of the digital team after his second year of university.
His experience with us clearly outlines some of the tangible benefits you can get interning at Rainbow Trust.
“Working an unpaid internship as a twenty year old was always going to be a challenge, and sometimes it was tough. However, when you hear the feedback from families saying “your work is invaluable” and “we wouldn’t have been able to cope without you” it feels very worthwhile and gives you an immense sense of pride to know that you are making the lives of families with a seriously ill child, easier. I know that Rainbow Trust will continue to grow and help more families across the country who need their support, as their work is truly remarkable. The experience I have gained from working at Rainbow Trust has given me invaluable experience, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. I can now go into interviews knowing that I have the transferable skills employers are looking for.”
Sophia was an intern working with our PR Team:
“As my internship was in the PR department, I wanted to develop my writing skills and begin a portfolio of work that I could showcase to potential employers. This worked a treat! My supportive team helped and encouraged me the whole way and I was delighted when I received coverage from lots of different publications.”
How do you apply?
If you’re interested in developing your skills with us at Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity and interning at a fantastic Charity, please see our current internships here.
➡️Editor’s comments: That’s all folks! Thanks for reading this blog post. Do let us know if you decide to apply for an internship at Rainbow Trust, and we’ll be more than happy to review your CV!
featured photo by picjumbo.com from Pexels
;)