Name of Student: Balsam Gharib
Job Title: Data Visualisation Research intern
Company Name: University of Exeter HASS
Description of Organisation:
The University of Exeter is a public research university located in Exeter, Devon, South West England. It is one of the top 150 universities in the world and ranked among the top 15 universities in the United Kingdom. The university offers exciting courses in beautiful and historic surroundings. It is a member of the UK’s prestigious Russell Group of leading research universities.
What was your biggest achievement on your internship?
One of the aspects I enjoyed most about my internship was how practical and hands-on the experience was. I had the opportunity to work with a large, real-world dataset, which was both challenging and rewarding. It taught me how to approach complex data methodically, from cleaning and structuring it to drawing meaningful insights. More importantly, I gained a clearer sense of how data-driven tasks are handled in a professional environment, including the importance of documentation, collaboration and time management. I also had the chance to produce an infographic based on my findings, which will potentially feed into a future publication.
What were your reasons for undertaking this internship?
- To gain experience and knowledge within a specific occupation or field.
- To assis tme in my dissertation research
- To start my career after graduating
As a result of my internship…
- I have improved my communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
- My job prospects have improved by expanding my CV and what I can draw upon in
Interviews.
- I have learned more about the skills I need and the options available to me in the future.
- I have developed specific skills that could help me in the future.
- My overall confidence has increased.
During the internship…
- I received learning and development opportunities which could be helpful for my career (e.g., online courses, research development or mentoring).
- I was able to complete the tasks assigned to me.
- I received regular feedback from my manager/supervisor.
- I received sufficient training to undertake the role.
- Overall, this internship has been a positive experience.
Would you recommend this internship scheme to other students?
Yes, I would highly recommend this internship scheme to others because it offers a rare combination of practical experience, meaningful responsibility and supportive mentorship. It is a very good opportunity to develop both technical and professional skills –such as data analysis, visualisation and communicating findings to different audiences– which are all extremely essential skills for the job market.