Laila Smith from St Michael’s Catholic College in East London completed her internship at education charity, Literacy Pirates – made possible by the Bupa Foundation. Learn more about her journey here.
Before her internship at Literacy Pirates, Laila didn’t know what she wanted to study at university. But her time on her paid internship gave her a better idea of the work environment and what her options are.
“I’m still unsure about what I want to do next, but this experience has definitely given me a better understanding about an industry I didn’t know much about. I didn’t know what to expect from my internship but I’m so happy with the way it turned out.”
New experiences and new skills
For Laila, her internship was her first experience of work – and she wasn’t sure how she would adapt to the new environment, but she soon found she was capable of more than she initially thought.
“The thing I was most nervous about was not being able to complete the work that I was set, but I was able to do it, and that has been a real confidence boost. Everyone has been so kind and helpful.”
Over the four weeks, she got to work on several skills, including using new technology and programs.
“I’ve learnt so many new skills that I know will be useful in the future. For example, I had the chance to use Microsoft Teams and Excel during my internship – two programs I’d not used before.”
One of Laila’s internship highlights was getting to explore her creative side by working on projects where she could brainstorm and try new things – something her team saw as a key strength of hers.
“I was also given the opportunity to work on more creative tasks like creating a volunteer opportunity board – and everyone gave me really positive feedback, which was really motivating.”
Laila’s internship supervisor, Olivia, reflected on her experience working together over the summer:
“It was lovely having Laila on the team, she’s very hard working and got stuck into everything we set her. It was really interesting to see her different approaches to tasks – especially her work on our volunteer board. Laila is very creative and that has definitely shone through. It’s been really helpful to have an extra pair of hands on board to support on tasks that I just don’t have time to do usually. I’ve also really enjoyed the opportunity to line manage someone, as it’s not something I’ve done in the past.”
An invaluable experience
Laila feels that she’s gained crucial experience in the world of work through the Career Ready programme, something she recognises isn’t accessible to all young people.
“It can be really difficult for young people to find work experience so this kind of opportunity is so helpful – my internship was exciting, interesting and fun. I was confident before my internship, but this experience has boosted me for sure.”
After her internship experience where she discovered her creative skills, Laila is now determined to pursue a career in fashion after she finishes school.
