Nicky Havelaar, MD at Crown, has recruited a number of Placement students from Bournemouth University and gives her view on the value of internships.

With internships and apprenticeships high on the business agenda, the events industry has been at the forefront of welcoming graduates and championing placement schemes that give aspiring eventprofs real life exposure to our industry. Nicky Havelaar, MD at Crown, explains why companies need to be responsible to interns to nurture future talent.

Internships have a long tradition of being a shoe-in to a job or industry. However, it comes with the stigma that interns will be stuck with grunt work and performing the mundane tasks no one else in the office wants to do.

Whilst this remains true at some organisations and time is needed to shift these perceptions, the reality is, internships are just as beneficial to companies as it is to the intern themselves.

Companies that have a structured programme that facilitates learning with practical applications benefit from nurturing the talent of future employees, potential rising stars in their industry, and who knows, quite possibly the next Angela Ahrendts , Es Devlin or Zaha Hadid.

The training I had in my first role gave me confidence and a solid grounding in the industry. It was an unparalleled opportunity to bond with the team and inspired a deep loyalty to the organisation. This is a culture we have sought to instil at Crown. Some of our longest serving members of staff have been in their roles for over 15 years, having worked their way up to the top of the organisation from entry-level positions. We strive to give individuals the confidence to exploit their talent and make a good impression, with us and elsewhere.

Crown not only commits to Growing Brand Belief for their clients, we instil an equally greater belief in our staff. With this mentoring philosophy, we conceived “Green Shoots”, our internship programme that employs undergraduates on an industrial placement for a year, and throws them on a steep learning curve into the events industry with real, frontline exposure on projects. Recruitment for Green Shoots is unique. Interns are determined by their level of potential, coupled with business acumen and emotional intelligence. This approach to recruitment is key to staff success at Crown and allows an individual to shine and excel on their own merits.

After their time with us, interns go on to complete their university studies. After graduation, one intern will be offered a full-time role at Crown. This cycle will then repeat itself year-on-year, and within four years, promotion to a specialist role is anticipated.

Along with the structure of their programmes, it is essential that companies take a considered approach to recruiting candidates. Internships are a two-way street. Interns with the determination and the aptitude to want to learn and succeed will be the ones to benefit from their time at a company. Companies that offer an educational programme with exposure on real live projects, coupled with access to the expertise of their existing team are the innovators at the forefront of their industries.

Programmes such as Green Shoots sends a strong message to interns and staff alike, that the company they work for truly values their people, instilling trust and respect into the culture that inherently supports their own internal engagement. Replenishing roles and bringing up the next generation of talent is a responsibility all organisations need to be involved in.