Transition St Andrews internship: Kirsten Clarke
Kirsten Clarke shares her experiences of her internship at Transition St Andrews.
My story: Kirsten Clarke
- Course: MSc Sustainable Development
- Year of study when you completed this internship: 1st year of 1 year Masters course
- Internship: Transition St Andrews
Why did you apply for the internship? What were you hoping to gain?
I applied to the internship because I wanted to gain some work experience in the sustainability field. I wanted to see what it was like to work in this field and also to increase my connections with others who work in the area.
Tell us about your internship, where was it and what did you do (what kind of roles/tasks etc)?
My internship started as a one-week placement with Transition St Andrews, where I had to decide upon and map locations for a shared car scheme. This involved researching car clubs, conducting physical site assessments and writing a report.
My internship was then extended and I conducted a business assessment for the University to include their cars in the shared car club. This involved creating spreadsheets and working out whether different options would be financially feasible. I then wrote 2 more reports. One of these was to Fife Council, requesting several car spaces for the shared cars and bikes. Another was to the University. Throughout the creation of these reports, I used GIS and DigiMaps to create visualisations.
What transferable skills did you develop and how did you put them into practice during the internship?
I had to liaise a lot with other stakeholders who were involved in the shared car and bike schemes. I therefore developed my written and oral communication skills. I also developed my skills in data processing using Excel.
What were the best bits, what did you enjoy most and and what are the key memorable experiences you will take from the internship?
I really enjoyed the freedom which the internship offered my. My boss and I developed a work plan at the beginning of the internship, but after this I was pretty much free to take the reports in whichever direction I wanted. This gave me the freedom to respond to new information as it came up. I also enjoyed the opportunity of talking with different industry professionals as it gave me an insight into the variety of opportunities available in the transport sustainability field.
What is next for you in your career journey?
I am currently working as a Freelance editor while I do some travelling abroad. After this, I am going to look for jobs as a Research Assistant in the sustainability field.
What would you say to someone considering signing up for an internship at the University of St Andrews?
I would say they should definitely go for it as it was an invaluable experience which expanded my horizons, gave me an interesting and productive distraction from my studies and allowed me to earn some extra money!