My internship experience by Megan Ellis

Published: 06 September 2024

During summer 2024, HEIW took on 14 students for an 8-week internship. They each spent time in a specific department within HEIW to gain an insight into what it’s like to work for the NHS in Wales.

Here you can read about Megan’s internship experience at HEIW.

I was lucky to stumble onto HEIW’s internships as part of Cardiff University’s work experience posts on LinkedIn. The digital marketing internship appealed to me most based on my interest in web page design, content writing, and social media. I had learned these skills in my degree but had yet to apply them in a workplace setting.

The internship has allowed me to join a welcoming environment where my professional development was valued. I developed technical and soft skills in a professional setting, including stakeholder management and active participation in meetings and presentations, which I had not been familiar with previously. After my experience here, I feel fully ready to enter the workforce without any anxiety about the switch from an academic setting.

Project summary

During my time at HEIW, I was lucky to work on several projects as part of the AHP team. The Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) in Wales are a diverse group of healthcare professionals who provide a wide range of diagnostic, therapeutic, and support services. They are crucial in delivering healthcare across various settings, including hospitals, community services, and private practices.

AHP webpage content

My main project was revamping the content of HEIW’s AHP web pages to improve AHP visibility. As an external web page, I liaised with different teams and learned much about web page navigation, presentations, and stakeholder management. I was involved in all process stages, including planning, creating personas, and sending out surveys for feedback. I then developed the web page content and navigation with user experience in mind. I was surprised by how impactful I felt during this process with my knowledge - I really enjoyed providing suggestions and getting feedback on my plans.

Events

In my first week, I was lucky to attend the Allied Health Professional and Healthcare Science Conference 2024: This is Us, This is Me. I was very excited since this was my first time attending any conference. I joined the AHP team to set up a stall at the event and welcome any attendees.

After my first week, we moved on to planning the AHP conference in November 2024. This conference focused heavily on technological change, championing digital communications and sustainability. Based on my degree experience, I felt like a big help to the team in planning this event.

I contributed to several projects, including proposing ideas for the event launch pad and promoting sustainability by reducing paper waste. As part of this initiative, I created a digital booklet on PageTiger for the conference, showcasing the agenda and providing essential information. This digital resource streamlined communication and aligned with our eco-friendly goals.

I also created the Eventbrite page, which involved producing descriptions and the agenda, creating digital materials and FAQs, and going through the Comms and translation team to approve these.

Outside of work and university

I like a bit of variety in life! My main hobbies are creating video game mods, playing Dungeons and Dragons with my friends, going to the gym, and trying new things. I also enjoy going to different restaurants and trying things I haven’t before for fun.