Hannah’s work experience

by Hannah Isaac  

I have spent a week at WCIA for work experience and it has been an engaging and eye-opening experience that I am grateful I had the opportunity to be involved with.

This week I have done various tasks – some working in communications. For example, on the first day I was tasked with writing a Facebook post about one of the WCIA’s recent achievements on projects. It had been a very busy week as the WCIA had two big events taking place on the last two days of the week, and I was involved with preparing for them.

I edited lots of different documents for the mock COP (which is a Model United Nations Conference that lot of different schools attend – this year based on climate change). I made sheets and placards and other things needed for these events, which helped me to practice and develop my ICT skills.

For some tasks I worked with Ellie, who was also doing work experience here, and I was interacting with different members of the WCIA team throughout the week as I did different jobs, which helped me develop my teamwork skills. I was asked to write a blog about a global issue, for the website so I had to do lots of research – which really helped me learn about lots of different issues there are in the world currently.

My favourite part of the week was the mock COP event that I attended and helped with in Cardiff. It helped me develop my communication skills through different tasks I did, for example assigning seats to students and instructed the press on what they should do. Also through hearing all the propositions from all the delegates of each country, talking about climate change it helped me to increase my knowledge and understanding of the current global crisis.

One of the things I found more challenging this week the freedom, as it was a contrast from school – having more control about when you work and when you take breaks. I enjoyed being given individual tasks to get on with as well tasks involving group work.

This week I really learnt more about the different organisations that WCIA is in partnership with, as well as WCIA itself. I have learned and become more aware and interested in recent international issues, and I think that is something that is important to be aware of. I have developed lots of skills and it has been a useful experience, and I would like to thank all the staff at WCIA for allowing me to do work experience here.