I joined the PR course at BU as an international student from Lithuania eager to make the most of the opportunities that a degree in the UK offers.

During my placement year I was lucky enough to work as the Internal Communication and Community Engagement Intern at Airbus in the UK. My role included anything and everything imaginable under the term ‘communications’. I organised events, created poster campaigns, wrote press releases, delivered presentations and briefing workshops, hosted VIP and community visits, assisted with media relations, conducted focus groups, represented the company at events, held workshops and worked with corporate partners to name just some of my responsibilities over the year.

The experience was both a challenging and an extremely rewarding experience. My biggest challenge, and also my greatest highlight of the year, was project leading a nationally-spread event called TeenTech, which promoted science and engineering careers to high school students. As part of organising the event, my role involved coordinating 30 business exhibitors, 200 pupils and 35 Airbus ambassadors in a full-day carousel of interactivities. This responsibility truly tested my ability to manage my time, manage the delivery of a large scale project and interact and liaise with and lead very diverse groups of people.

During my internship, the support from my placement development advisor really gave me direction for making the most of my time at Airbus and gave me inspiration and guidance for my future career. My placement reviews encouraged me to take on more responsibilities at work and also get involved in volunteering outside of work.

After my internship, I spent the rest of the summer in Ecuador, volunteering at a local primary school teaching English for six weeks. It was the perfect way to end a great year at Airbus and an invaluable experience which has taught me many skills that will no doubt boost my employability.

TeenTech Event hosted by Maggie Filbin held at Glyndwr University in Wrexham, sponsored by Airbus

If I could offer one piece of advise to students currently looking for a placement, I would say don’t give up! The application and interview process can be long and tiring but all the hard work in preparing will pay off. Also don’t be afraid to explore jobs that may seem out of your comfort zone – it is always best to keep your options open than regret not applying for enough positions.

By Ieva Severinaite

Originally published on the Corporate & Marketing Communications blog