This month, Freya joined us for a week-long, intensive placement. She was able to put the skills she had learnt at the University of Strathclyde into practice, as well as learn lots of new ones. Here’s how things went in her own words:
During my final year at university, I realised that I would soon enter the ‘real world’ and become a ‘proper adult’. Still riding the wave of a whirlwind year abroad in Alicante and readjusting to Scotland, I flung myself into job hunting. I reflected on what it actually was that I wanted to do with my bachelor’s degree in French and Spanish with International Study and what I had enjoyed about my five years of study. I concluded that my favourite tutorials were the translation workshops. I always enjoyed the challenge and found translation really rewarding. With this in mind, I came upon the opportunity to take up a translation and project management placement at Global Connects.
I emailed my CV over to Antonia who kindly offered me an intensive week-long placement over the summer. I was keen to gain experience in the industry as, particularly with a degree in something quite broad, there is no direct career path.
I arrived at the office on my first day, battling my way through a blustery Storm Floris. From the outset, I was very impressed by how well-organised the internship was. There was a very smooth induction process, and I felt welcome instead of in the way. After being set up with my loan laptop and IT accounts, Antonia diligently took me through the relevant processes – I felt very supported. Often, it is the case with internships and new jobs that you feel like a burden, and you are embarrassed because you don’t know what you are meant to be doing, but this was absolutely not the case at Global Connects. I was even asked what parts of my degree I enjoyed the most and if there was anything in particular that I wanted to work on.
I got the chance to work on some real-life projects, not just the ones companies sometimes dig out the back of the cupboard for interns. This was really eye opening for me, as although I have a bit of experience with the public sector and obviously with languages, it surprised me how many documents need translating every day. The projects themselves were also very interesting as they were often of quite a serious nature. When we were discussing this as part of a training, several members of the team commented on the fact that, although it could be quite difficult, it was very rewarding to be able to feel like you had helped someone overcome a difficult situation.
Overall, my time at Global Connects has been an incredibly useful opportunity for me. I have learned so much in such a short time and really feel much more confident in myself as I enter the language services sector and also a graduate in general. The few months after you graduate can be overwhelming; some people can struggle with imposter syndrome or the vastness of what to do with your life. I can’t recommend Global Connects enough. I feel well equipped with lots of new skills and a well-rounded insight into the language services sector. I was also very lucky to meet some lovely new people who are part of the team at Global Connects in the process!
