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Name: Nicholas Loke Sai Kit
Email address: lokenicholas1@gmail.com
Course and year of study: 3rd Year International Relations & Politics
University/ College: The University of Sheffield
LinkedIn profile/URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-loke/
Company name and location of internship: Organisation: United Nations Development Programme, Location: Putrajaya
Which year did you do your internship? 2020
At what point in your academic journey did you do your internship? Summer after my 2nd year
Which field was your internship in? Sustainable Development
How long was your internship? 3 months
Was your internship a location-based or virtual? Location-based
What was the application process like?
The application process included writing a personal statement of intent showcasing previous experiences, attaching my latest CV, and a self-rating of my language capabilities in English, Malay, etc.
What were you looking to gain from the internship experience?
I was looking to gain an insider's perspective of how a United Nations resident agency truly operates within their assigned mandate..
What attracted you to the company for internship?
Having participated in Model United Nations conferences since 2017 in various capacities (delegate, chair, conference organiser), I felt that I needed to take my understanding beyond international policies and into the actual operational sphere of governance.
What did you enjoy the most about your internship?
I really enjoyed gaining day-to-day insights on how the organisation operates, its working culture, and bonding with the other interns outside my department.
What is the typical working day like?
I experienced both virtual work-from-home and location based scenarios due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A typical working day starts in the morning by continuing assigned short-term projects (infographics, data analysis, etc), attending meetings for any updates from collaborations with other departments, and at times receiving one-off tasks to be completed end of day (EOD).
What tasks were assigned to you during your internship?
• Data Analysis & Infographics • Research on COVID-19 behavioural insights • Documenting the indigenous COVID-19 Response • Identifying societal trends for future implications • Highlighting grassroots and policy innovation • Connecting with youth organisations and increasing communications reach
What was the most challenging part of your internship?
The most challenging part of my internship was upholding the amount of trust and responsibility given to me. Despite only being an Intern, colleagues valued my contributions and allowed me to embark on tasks which were important to the working contributions of the organisation.
How did the experience benefit your career in the future?
This internship has greatly increased my knowledge and first-hand insight on how IGOs operate, which is extremely valuable in my field of study.
Any advice you would like to give to the others who are looking for internship?
If there is an internship which truly interests you, there is no harm in applying even if you do not completely fit in with the requirements or for fear of rejection due to the organisation stature.
Rate your overall internship experience: 5/5
How much did you learn during the internship? 5/5
How was the general atmosphere during your internship? 4/5
How difficult is the internship application process? 3/5
How valuable is your internship opportunities in deciding your future career path? 5/5
Are you satisfied with the salary you got from the internship? 4/5
How were the networking/social event opportunities? 5/5
To what extent did you feel being valued during the internship? 5/5
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