Background
As my second year of university came to an end, I began to think more about how I might apply my psychology degree to the world of business.
I had always wanted to work with people, yet as I made my way through my degree, I realised I wanted my career to be corporate rather than clinical.
Despite receiving an A* in business at A-level, I knew the only way for me to learn about the world of business, was to immerse myself in one.
As university finished and summer drew closer, Orion Building Engineering Services had given me the opportunity to complete an internship with them.
My Role at Orion
As my first day at Orion at Orion approached, I grew excited about making the transition from my retail job to the office. I was met with a warm welcome from the Orion team, who explained to me each of their individual roles.
One of the first tasks I was given at Orion was to write various case studies for the company website. Using the research skills I have learned at university, I was able to write each piece, whilst simultaneously expanding my industry knowledge. Communicating with an outside marketing team meant that my work could be presented on the website exactly how I had desired; especially in regards to my work on carbon offsetting for ‘Orion energy’.
As well as writing informational pieces, I was able to interview key members of the Orion team such as Lucy Walsh (Health and Safety Manager) and Prashanthi Sriramulu (Water Hygiene Compliance Coordinator). By doing so, I was able to gain an insight into Prashanthi’s experience of working abroad and Lucy’s role in ensuring staff safety, with the hopes of also enlightening readers.
I soon completed some health and safety training of my own, ending the summer as a certified fire warden and health and safety marshal.
As the weeks passed, I soon began completing administrative duties for both the Water Hygiene (WH) Department and company directors. With some training and teams calls, I was soon completing a data migration for the WH department, as well as learning Orion’s job software. I began to write down each new phrase I had learnt when attending meetings, meaning my new notepad soon became full.
I was soon entrusted with making presentations for meetings with clients, using my own ideas and visual aids to communicate what Orion’s directors had specified. With every new challenge I began to learn more.
As well as such administrative duties, I thoroughly enjoyed organising events that emphasised the importance of a positive company culture. I had introduced the ‘Orion Calendar of Awareness’ in an attempt to bring staff together and recognise periods such as; Black History Month, International Day of Charity, International Women’s Day etc.
As well as my days in the office, I also had the opportunity to help with Orion’s promotional video. As someone who had always taken an interest in videography, being able to shoot drone footage and observe interviews of those in the industry was extremely valuable. I was able to meet industry professionals, whilst visiting the construction sites I had been learning about in previous weeks first hand. Once the project was complete, I soon got to work on creating Orion’s YouTube channel; giving the company an additional platform to promote their services.
I have truly been immersed in all areas of the business whilst at Orion, which will be extremely helpful post-graduation when deciding my specific career path.
The future
As the summer break came to an end, I thought this would mark the end of my internship at Orion Building Engineering Services Ltd. However, I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to carry on working for Orion remotely, alongside my third year studies. This will allow me to maintain flexibility between my studies and job, as well as gaining experience before I enter the world of full-time work . My time so far at Orion has been invaluable.
