Summer internships 2024
Applications for the summer internships 2024 have now opened. You can apply here.
We are passionate about developing our local workforce and are excited to introduce our summer internship scheme. The scheme is designed to give students with a disability or long-term health condition an opportunity to explore career options with the council.
Our summer internships give you the opportunity to get involved in real work, helping to make a difference to the people of Nottinghamshire. Your placement will be with one of the 400 services we provide to over 800,000 people in Nottinghamshire.
Join us as a summer intern
The three-month internship offers you the chance to gain valuable experience in the workplace and to develop some of the skills, knowledge and experiences that can help you in your future career aspirations. You will be involved in meaningful work that helps deliver on some of our key ambitions as outlined in the Nottinghamshire Plan.
As an intern you will:
- Be paid the National Living Wage for the 12 week duration of the internship
- Have the ability to work to your own initiative and support the placement manager
- Gain knowledge and experience within a working environment
- Gain experience within the council for your future goals and career
Successful interns will be chosen via a selection process and matched to a placement which relates specifically to their area of study or interest. You will get the opportunity to work in a supportive environment which is committed to your individual needs and development.
To be eligible you need to meet the following criteria:
- a penultimate or final year student
- on track to achieve a 2:1
- ideally be available for the whole duration of the internship period (Mid-June to mid-September 2024)
- either be studying for a degree at either of the Nottingham universities or be a resident of Nottingham/Nottinghamshire while studying at a university elsewhere
- identify as having a disability including neurodivergent conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, ADHD, mobility impairments, sensory impairments. Long-term conditions such as IBS, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, chronic fatigue. Mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar, OCD, anorexia
- able to adhere to our hybrid working model which offers a blend of both home and office working
- be eligible to work in the UK for the duration of a summer work placement
Find out more about what our interns have got to say about their experiences on the scheme.
I wanted to apply for an internship in order to gain real, office experience; as a student, this is quite difficult to get without a year in industry. The variety of projects on offer from NCC appealed to me, as I recognised that they gave me the capacity to make a small difference to the service the Council provides.
My internship was within the Integrated Children's Disability Service (ICDS), specialising in services for young people with SEND. I was initially tasked with projects like creating databases, designing draft leaflets, and beginning to organise an event for young people and their families; but eventually, I was also undertaking work to support the usual running of the team's tasks, using the Council's systems to help draft Education, Health and Care Plans for young service users. I also wrote a summary of pupil feedback on Nottinghamshire's alternative education provision, which was to be used in the appendix of an official Council report.
During the internship, I was assigned a line manager who stayed with me and directed my work throughout the experience. My manager always encouraged me to ask questions, firstly to ensure I understood my assigned projects, but also to enhance my understanding of the Council as an organisation. I had regular feedback and appraisal, which improved my confidence hugely, and was able to choose how much I worked from home as opposed to traveling to the office. The whole team, as well as members of other teams, encouraged me to request help whenever I needed it, and flexible working hours allowed me to occasionally attend personal commitments.
The internship provided me with my first longer-term experience in a professional occupation, which now helps to set me apart from others who may have experience of casual jobs. I learned to use complicated databases, communicate professionally in multiple ways with a large team who I had not met before, and to organise project progress so as to meet deadlines.
The experience also taught me exactly what to expect when starting a graduate job in the future, which makes me feel so less anxious about beginning my career!
I first heard about the Summer Internship Programme with Nottinghamshire County Council on Nottingham Trent University’s’ ‘Employability’ website where Internships and Graduate programmes are advertised.
What attracted me most about the role was the opportunity to be involved in meaningful, impactful work that directly effects residents of Nottinghamshire, as well as the high level of responsibility and a supportive environment.
The placement I was allocated was in the Integrated Strategic Commissioning Team based at County Hall.
My role was delivering a regional project, hosted by Nottinghamshire County Council, to support the development of a model policy and associated equipment & technology list to support people with sight or hearing-related needs.
Alongside this main project, I was involved in the Co-production Team where I collated a data spreadsheet on Accessible Venues throughout Nottinghamshire, and the Day Services, formatting the Day Services Brochure.
From the beginning, I was given a lot of responsibility to manage my own time and resources to complete the project. Therefore, the experience developed my proficiencies in independent working, decision making and initiative. Additionally, I successfully liaised with numerous Local Authorities and their service providers which enhanced my collaboration, teamwork and networking skills. These strengths will support my future career path and employability, particularly for leadership and management roles where these are key.
My team was extremely welcoming and supportive throughout my internship, always happy to share advice and guidance when asked, and it was a very positive working environment.
The development days, that the Skills Development and Employment Opportunities Team facilitated, were really insightful, giving perspective on Nottinghamshire County Council’s Vision and Ambitions within the Nottinghamshire Plan and the career opportunities available.
I heard about the summer internship through my University’s Employability e-newsletter.
I applied because it was a great opportunity to gain work experience in my new career field and in the UK as an international student. As someone who has deep interests in policy and development, it seemed like a wonderful exposure into local government goals, values and processes.
When I got the internship offer, I was pleasantly surprised to learn I would be working as a business analyst on an important project that aligned perfectly with my passion and past work within the development sector. It has been such a privilege working within the Strategic Insights Unit on an East Midlands Council Strategic Migration partnership project. It was truly rewarding to be involved in a project that has such a potential to improve the quality of life of vulnerable children in communities.
It was also a fantastic opportunity to learn, and I gained vital experiences around stakeholder engagement, process mapping, business cases, root cause analysis, risk management and enhanced my Excel skills. I was given great responsibility immediately while provided all the support I needed to perform excellently.
The Skills Development & Employment Opportunities Team provided great support in many ways. Firstly, the placement with my team was seamless and a highly suited arrangement that aligned with my career goals and interests. In addition, they organised development days that helped me gain insights into the council’s vision, processes, and provisions. They also ensured I had the most accessible/comfortable working arrangement for optimal performance.
Laurie was and has continued to be a great manager and support. He was always sending learning resources, organising meetings, and responding immediately to all my questions whilst doing all he could to ensure I was comfortable. My programme manager, Stuart, was equally brilliant and kind and has been such an amazing person to work with.
Blessing is now a Data Analyst within the Transformation and Change Team.
Please contact graduates@nottscc.gov.uk for further information
