Patrick Morgan

After learning about the Internship on LinkedIn, I immediately applied, wanting to contribute to the development of my local area. 

Throughout university, I wanted to test my skills away from the classroom and gain valuable work experience which was relevant to my degree. The fact that the internship was paid and over the summer, with flexible hours, pushed me to apply. Having never previously worked in a professional, full-time manner, this was a perfect place for me to start. 

On my first day I was immediately made to feel welcome and after only a few days I already felt a part of the team. Everyone was very friendly, which greatly contributed to my positive experience. 

Over two months, I attended meetings, site visits and engagement events whilst completing various pieces of work. In particular, the public engagement events I attended across the region allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of what the transport team is trying to achieve when consulting the public. 

I assisted with a wide range of tasks, including the completion of various risk registers, action trackers, Geographic Information System maps and the general gathering of public information relevant to various pieces of work. 

Site visits were another highlight of my time, as I went to Darlington Station, Middlesbrough Station, and Teesworks, among other places. They were a great way to see TVCA’s work in action and I felt that, even on a small scale, I had contributed to it. 

The internship allowed me to hone my communication skills, due to the widespread use of collaboration in the TVCA office which, in turn, allowed me to meet many new people and increase my network. Throughout my internship, I always felt as if my work was valued to the team, and that I was actively contributing to the wider goals of the combined authority.  

Before my internship at TVCA I was unsure of what type of job I wanted to do. The internship allowed me to broaden my horizons and see many different career paths in growing industries which I hadn’t previously considered or been aware of.  

I found the whole internship very valuable, gaining relevant work experience to my degree while being pushed out of my comfort zone, learning the details of day-to-day office life.