Ananya Padmanabhan

After learning of the internship scheme on LinkedIn, I was keen to apply to the TVCA summer internship programme as it was a unique paid career opportunity in our local area. I had some knowledge of what the Combined Authority did because of the 2016 devolution deal, but I was interested in learning more about the work of TVCA from first-hand experience.  

I was thrilled to get a placement in the Business and Skills department, and I feel that what I learnt in both areas has been very insightful and invaluable to my career’s interests as of now.  

Over the three weeks, I was given two departmental projects to work through alongside the other business intern, Daniel Costello, as well as a collaborative project with all the other summer interns. My departmental projects concerned good key account management and the promotion of the Teesworks Skills Academy. 

I was initially daunted by the prospect of working on such technical projects, having had minimal business experience previously, but I felt that the Business and Skills department was very accommodating and gave us lots of support and advice as to how to tackle these projects meaningfully.  

This was the first professional workplace experience, so it was very insightful as I had to liaise with colleagues at all levels. I feel that I have really improved my communication skills. With the two projects we were given, the final product took the form of a presentation alongside a written report, thus my research and development skills also really improved. 

I was grateful to be placed with the Business and Skills department through my internship as it allowed me to explore areas that extended far beyond my interests at that time. As such I learnt how to get out of my comfort zone and throw myself into the deep end, into something I had never considered before.  

Before starting my internship at TVCA, I was unsure as to what I wanted to do in the future. This opportunity opened my eyes into considering all types of career streams that I hadn’t previously thought about. I would be open to doing some work in the business solutions realm like consultancy.  

I am grateful to the TVCA for this unique opportunity – it simulated a professional working environment and I felt really supported and looked after by the department. I would recommend applying to this internship to anyone with varied interests. 

It was a very meaningful experience, and the opportunities to visit different sites in our local area, like Teesworks and Redcar Clean Energy hub, was insightful as well.