Phoebe - Green Space and Heritage

I'm in my penultimate year at the University of St Andrews, where I'm studying Geography and Sustainable Development. I was looking for a summer internship related to environmental sustainability, so when I read about the Green Spaces and Heritage internship, I knew I had to apply.

Over the past 12 weeks, I've thoroughly enjoyed learning how the council manages its green spaces, driven by its biodiversity and net-zero goals. This work allowed me to spend time away from the office, either shadowing the arboriculture officers or helping with biodiversity projects in the parks across West Suffolk. As a non-local, I've really enjoyed getting to know the area better and learning about the local ecology and landscape.

I was fortunate enough to bring some of the skills from my degree to the projects I worked on. One standout project involved mapping tree cover across different wards in the district, which allowed me to apply the GIS (Geographical Information Systems)skills I learned at university. I also calculated the benefits these trees provide to West Suffolk and how they contribute to building a resilient and thriving community. I found this aspect of the project particularly interesting, as it gave me insight into how the theories and concepts, I've learned at university are used in the public sphere to inform the public and guide decision-making.

Throughout my time at the council, I received continuous support and encouragement to further my learning. My team, especially my line manager, created a welcoming and open work environment, which allowed me to step outside my comfort zone. This experience has greatly boosted my confidence and professional skills, both of which I'll carry forward into my future studies and career.

The intern group project offered a great opportunity to work outside our teams and gain valuable insight into the diverse roles within local government. Working together with other interns helped us build an automatic support network at work.

This internship has definitely made me consider local government as a possible career, something I hadn't initially thought about. I've thoroughly enjoyed the last 12 weeks, and I couldn't recommend the internship program highly enough. I would like to say a big thank you to my manager, team, and everyone who made my time at West Suffolk so enjoyable!