Summer Internship Scheme: Jack McDaid
Jack McDaid shares his experiences of participating in the Summer Internship Scheme.
My story: Jack McDaid
- Course: MA Management and Psychology
- Year of study when you completed this internship: 2nd year
- Internship: University of St Andrews – Saints Sports
Why did you sign up to the Summer Internship Scheme? What were you hoping to gain?
I signed up around April/ May with the hope that I would be accepted and gain experience mainly in digital marketing. I had been looking to develop my skills in this area for some time and the opportunity seemed a perfect fit as it not only offered this but also to do so in a sports and fitness environment – another area in which I have a lot of passion.
How did you find the 6 week internship?
I really enjoyed my time as an intern working with Saints Sport. At all times I felt included, respected and trusted to deliver on my work and was given the opportunity to exercise creative reign – something I was particularly excited about as it allowed me to really see if marketing was somewhere I could excel in a future position.
Having that ability to try new things also allowed me to put into practice the bank of theoretical knowledge I had been accumulating while searching for a digital marketing position as well, which I valued and appreciated – it’s not every day I can go out with top of the range equipment and film/ photograph elite athletes doing what they do best!
As far as managing my tasks, I kept a checklist of all the projects I had discussed with the rest of the marketing team and worked through them based on priority. I felt this was an effective method for me and believe that I coped well with the workload.
This internship has very much given me the tools and confidence to go further in the digital marketing sector.
Tell us about your internship, where was it, what did you do during the week?
My internship was at Saints Sport, where I helped with marketing the many sports and fitness classes and facilities within the organisation. From photo and video, to graphic and web design, across the 6 weeks I covered all bases really. A few of the larger projects I worked on were:
- Updating the club pages on the website with a new layout
- Coverage of the Boyd Quaich tournament
- Photos/ edited videos for sports classes and camps
Along with a collection of other graphic design projects for social media and the Tandem Africa display.
What skills did you learn and how did you put them into practice during the internship?
Many of the skills I learned were interpersonal – working as part of a team effectively and efficiently through good communication and planning – but also made strides in my practical skills mentioned above as well.
What’s next for you in your career journey?
This position and the work I produced for it has actually given me the confidence to start my entrepreneurial journey in the digital marketing space. I have partnered with 2 friends – who are accomplished videographers/ photographers, with experience in marketing agencies themselves – to start a digital marketing agency of our own. Since the completion of my internship we have been working on getting the foundations in place and have recently just signed our first client. I give a lot of credit for this to my time with Saints Sport for giving me the confidence in my work and opportunity to refine the necessary skills to find success in this business venture.
What would you say to someone considering signing up for the Summer Internship Scheme?
Give it a go! I gained a lot from my six weeks and it’s always worth a shot applying to the scheme, especially with how difficult it is to get a foot in the door in a lot of industries these days.