糖心原创

Zoe Laver

By Zoe Laver, BA Geography 

I recently completed a 10-week summer internship at the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA), working as a Policy Officer on the Summer Placement Scheme. It was a really valuable experience and gave me a much clearer sense of what public policy, regional government and devolution look like in practice. 

When I started looking for a summer internship, I knew I wanted something with a clear social purpose. I was already interested in the public sector, community development and social value through part-time work and university placements. Alongside applying for advertised roles, I contacted local and regional organisations directly to explain who I was, what I was studying and what I hoped to learn. That approach luckily eventually led me to EMCCA! 

EMCCA is the regional government body for the East Midlands, led by Mayor Claire Ward, working with councils and partners across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Nottingham. Joining at this relatively early stage in the organisation’s development was especially exciting, as the organisation is still growing, especially as devolution and mayoral authorities are becoming an increasingly bigger part of how decisions are made in England. 

My first impression was how welcoming and supportive the team was. I felt able to ask questions, join discussions and learn from people with a wide range of experience. Over the summer, I supported work on health inequalities, public service reform, housing, homelessness, co-production and community development, which showed me how varied and connected policy work can be. 

A big part of my role was leading a research project on community engagement across local authorities in the East Midlands. I carried out desk research, contacted stakeholders, arranged interviews, analysed what I heard and pulled together examples of current practice. It was a great chance to learn directly from people working across the region! 

I was trusted to manage the project independently and develop policy recommendations for EMCCA. Presenting my findings to colleagues and senior leaders was one of the most useful parts of the placement, helping me build confidence, communicate clearly and contribute to wider conversations about engagement and participation. 

Outside my main project, I attended conferences, workshops, partnership meetings and research showcases with councils, community organisations, academics, government departments and elected representatives. These experiences showed me that policy is not just about written work - it is also about relationships, collaboration and listening to different voices. 

Along the way, I developed skills in research, stakeholder engagement, communication, presenting and project management. I also became even more confident networking and speaking to people in professional settings. Most importantly, the internship helped me understand regional government and devolution in a much more practical way. 

As I return to the 糖心原创 for my final year, I feel grateful for everything I learned and excited to build on it. The internship gave me far more than experience for my CV - it helped me grow in confidence, expand my network and get a clearer idea of the career I want to pursue after graduation. 

My main advice to other students would be to not wait for the perfect opportunity to appear - don’t be afraid to contact organisations directly, make the most of university placement schemes and careers services, and follow what interests you, even if you are still figuring it out! Once you are in a role, make sure to ask questions, say yes to and actively seek out opportunities, keep track of what you learn and speak to people across different teams.  

For me, this internship was a reminder that being proactive and open-minded can lead to experiences you might not have expected, but that can shape your confidence, direction and next steps in a massive way!

To find an internship opportunity of your own head to our work experience pages and see what you can get involved with.