Intern Stories

We’re dedicated to supporting career development through our huge range of Entry to Work pathways, which we’ve been awarded on several occasions for our initiatives.

You’ll hear stories from some of our interns below, who have each undertaken an internship as part of our 10,000 Black Interns Programme:

Click on the portraits below to find out more about our interns and their journeys with us:

Ella Nwanonyiri

10,000 Black Intern – Technology Services

Click on each question below to hear what Ella has to say:

• What attracted you to the 10,000 Black Interns Programme?

  I was attracted to the 10,000 Black Interns programme because of its commitment to providing opportunities for black people in competitive fields that often feel too far to achieve for some. The programmes focus on fostering diversity, inclusion and professional development really struck out to me. Along with this the range of different industries and roles that were available made easier to out roles that I would never have thought to apply for. The chance to also work in the public sector was something I had considered and through the intern programme I was matched to ECC, which seemed like the perfect environment to learn and grow professionally.

• What did your average day look like on the internship?

  As I work from home four days a week and in office once a week, my average day on the internship is simple. On the days that I am at home, my day typically starts with a morning meeting with my project supervisor to discuss the tasks for the week/day and to ask any questions that I might have about any upcoming meetings happening that day. Following this I will typically work on prepping for the meetings, carrying out the work for that week. I would then have another catch up with the other interns to discuss our other project. Once that’s done, I would then attend the project meetings that happen before lunch. To ensure that I get away from the screen as much as possible I make sure to have lunch away from my desk and office. The rest of the day would involve meeting recaps and working on work that has come up from the meetings that I would have had.

• What’s been your biggest achievement during your internship?

  I think the greatest achievement during the duration of my internship is my growth in confidence in myself and my skills. This internship has strengthened my verbal and written communication skills, as I oversaw emailing stakeholders, setting up meeting agendas and also chairing those meetings. I have also gained confidence in my own work skills and on the level of work that I have produced within these six weeks. From knowing almost nothing about the work of a business analyst to creating well thought out AS-IS and TO-BE process maps, and both functional and non-functional requirements catalogues. Also being recognised for the work that I have done by stakeholders and other Business Analysts that have been in this profession for years has been a very meaningful experience for me.

• Where has, or where do you hope your internship will take you?

  This internship has opened my eyes to several career options as it has given me the opportunity to talk with people in different roles here at ECC. I think I will continue to look for roles similar to business analysis as it was a role that I thoroughly enjoyed. I will also start looking at roles in my local council, as working in the public sector has been a very lovely experience in both the people I have met throughout my six weeks, the level of work I completed and all that I have learned. I also plan to learn about the other career options I have been introduced to such as project and product management as possible roles that I would like work in.

• What advice would you give to someone considering an Autism Internship within ECC?

  I would probably say that they should give it a go. Essex County Council is probably one of the best places to do an internship or be a new starter. I have found the council to be a place that is accommodating and very patient. The people I have met have been nothing short of amazing and nice – always keen to help if you ask for it. It is also a place that fosters a calm atmosphere where there isn’t that pressure to make sure you get things as soon as you’ve started. They are keen to help as much as they can but also allow you the independence to have a go at it. Along with this they place an emphasis on your personal development and making this internship work for you. I see it as an amazing place to intern at. I urge people to consider Essex County Council as it is a lovely place to be.

Aliyah Rutherford

10,000 Black Intern – Technology Services

Click on each question below to get a glimpse into Aliyah’s experience:

• What attracted you to the 10,000 Black Interns Programme?

  I wanted to do an internship at a company that was addressing the lack of students from certain backgrounds. The 10,000 Black Interns Programme provided the opportunity to apply to such companies in sectors that interest me. I’m interested in the technology sector as I am completing a degree in Computer Science. I’d never considered working in the public sector before so when I received the offer to apply to ECC, I was interested to learn more about what working at a council is like, and what roles relating to technology are available at a council.
  The pre-internship training from the 10,000 Black Interns Programme was really beneficial for preparing me to start my internship. It allowed me to ensure I could make the most of my internship and that I would feel less nervous when starting.

• What does your average day/did your average day look like on the internship?

  At ECC, no 2 days were the same. I was a Business Analyst Intern so my average day involved a daily stand-up meeting for one of the projects I worked on, and then I would normally have a couple of meetings throughout the day which included interviewing someone, receiving help with software, giving presentations, and contributing to discussions. I had a mixture of working from home and in County Hall. I went to the office twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday.
  I had an individual project to work on which I can split into 2 parts. The first part involved interviewing people from different areas of the council and learning what applications or software they use as part of their role. From this, I created a report which detailed which apps people were commonly using for different tasks, any overlaps in software and any issues they identified.
  I then moved onto contributing to a larger project that is currently being worked on at the council. For this, I needed to review existing process maps and possibly create new ones which documented the business process for activities surrounding new starters at the council.
  It was easier to get screen breaks when at County Hall. I would sometimes have meetings with people face to face instead of online on those days and go and grab a coffee which was nice. At home, it was a lot more difficult, but I made sure to take frequent screen breaks to give my eyes a rest from the screen.

• What’s been your biggest achievement during your Internship?

  I can’t really say one thing is my biggest achievement! There’s a lot that I’ve done during my internship that I’m proud of including being given responsibility to work on my own projects and being an active contributor. I’m proud that the work I’ve done can be continued or used in the future to make an impact/improvement on how things are currently done. I’ve developed a lot of skills during my time here, and I have had a lot of positive feedback from people I’ve met about how well I’ve done which has improved my confidence in myself and my abilities.
  I was also invited along to the TechUK Local Public Services Innovation Summit. This was an excellent opportunity to represent the council and learn about what kind of things are discussed at these events. Overall, I’m really pleased that I’ve been given the chance to be fully involved at the council and treated as a real employee instead of someone that is just visiting.

• Where has, or where do you hope your Internship will take you?

  I have one more year of university left, so I’m starting to look into graduate roles. After the experience I’ve had during my internship, I do see myself working within ECC. A big career goal of mine is to gain a Master’s degree and ECC provides level 7 apprenticeships which will allow me to work towards this. My internship has also exposed me to other roles available at the council, not just business analysis so there’s a lot of areas I’m interested in exploring further. I hope I can take everything I’ve learned during my internship and use it wherever I end up for my career, within ECC or elsewhere. All the connections I’ve made while at ECC are also really beneficial and I plan to keep in contact with them.

• What advice would you give to someone considering an Internship/graduate pathway within ECC?

  ECC is a great place to complete an internship! The people are very supportive and take an active interest in you and your career goals. You get to work on real projects so you know what you’re doing will have an impact.
  You’ll cover a lot over your internship to really get a flavour of what working for the council is like and there’s plenty of different areas you can work for depending on what you’re interested in.

Bridget Aryee-Brown

10,000 Black Intern – Active Essex

Click on each question below to hear from Bridget:

• What attracted you to the 10,000 Black Interns Programme?

  I was looking for an internship to do over the summer to get more experience for my own personal and professional development. The 10,000 Black Interns Programme was recommended to me by a friend, and I had not heard about it before. I applied because I usually apply to as many opportunities as I can. Before starting my internship, I did not know what sector I wanted to go into for my career, and I had not deeply considered public sector before. I saw the category when I was applying and decided to go into it with an open mind. I was very grateful for the opportunity as people from black heritage can often face disadvantages and discrimination in their career. Programmes like this are so important to close the gap and help our CVs to stand out.

• What does your average day/did your average day look like on the internship?

  Everyday looked different in my internship, which I loved. A typical day would be from 9AM to 5PM, but it wasn’t always like that. When working from home, I would have a few online meetings and work independently on the tasks I had been assigned. On office days this would be similar, but I would attend in person meetings, and help with any tasks needed in the office, for instance moving boxes. Some days I would go out, for example helping at a PE teachers conference, careers fair, school games competition and a 2-day leadership course. Whenever I wasn’t in meetings, I was working on my tasks. I had regular check-ins with my managers who ensured I was comfortable with my workload, reminded me to take breaks, and ensured I had all the support I needed.

• What’s been your biggest achievement during your Internship?

  My biggest achievement is the storybook that I worked on for the Active Essex foundation. It was a series of case study reports from young people who used sporting provisions to help with youth crime prevention or mental health. I was given complete creative freedom to design how I saw fit and was happy to be trusted with a task like this.
  The stories were really impactful, and I was able to put them together, designing the book on Canva and making a unique interactive flipbook using heyzine.com. The feedback that I got was overwhelmingly positive and was only given a few minor edits to make. The team are already thinking of the many ways it will be used in the future. It was so great to hear that my work would make an impact.
  This was a huge achievement for me as it is a finished product that I can take away from this internship. I worked really hard on it, and it turned out wonderfully. Apart from this, I have had amazing feedback from my colleagues, who were impressed with the quality of work I did for them on a range of tasks. I am proud of the work that I produced, and really enjoyed doing it.

• Where has, or where do you hope your Internship will take you?

  Before starting this internship, I was undecided on a career path. Now, I have had insights into working in public health and in a town council. I would love to further explore this, and perhaps look at a post-graduate scheme in the public sector for after I graduate next year.

• What advice would you give to someone considering an internship/graduate pathway within ECC?

  Go for it! The ECC has such a positive working environment, and I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to work here. The work is flexible, you get treated with a lot of respect, and are very well supported. I would absolutely recommend ECC to anyone considering an internship or graduate pathway!

Deborah Omolegan-Obe

10,000 Black Intern – Policy and Strategy

Click on each question below to hear what Deborah has to say:

• What attracted you to the 10,000 Black Interns Programme?

  Last year I completed a 1-week internship with the Civil Service, and it was a great introduction to public sector work, so when the ECC opportunity came up I was excited to gain a deeper understanding of policy. The length of the internship was really attractive because it gave me enough time to get involved in meaningful work and present my findings. As a law student I know that law is not the only way to bring about change, this motivated me to explore how policy is used to change societies for the better. I had heard that the 10,000 Black Interns Programme had a range of opportunities that people tended to enjoy, so this year I decided to apply.

• What does your average day/did your average day look like on the internship?

  My average day starts with a check-in meeting with my manager/project supervisor, then I attend various meetings relating to the different projects I am working on. I tend to end the day with a team check in or final project meeting. I work mostly from home since I live over 2 hours away on train, I come into the office around once a week for key in person meetings which have always been fun! I have been involved in an Equality and Diversity project where I have been researching how ECC can improve in this area. I was able to present to the Equality and Partnerships Team this week and will be presenting to two other teams over the next 2 weeks. I have also been working on a graduate programme which involves me interviewing Heads of Professions and drafting a report and presentation for the Senior Management Team. The weather has been lovely these past weeks, so to take a break a go for a brief stroll in my garden whilst I grab a snack. Summer is the best time to intern!

• What’s been your biggest achievement during your Internship?

  My biggest achievement is working on my 2 projects. My Equalities Project was received well by the Equalities and Partnerships Team who said my work had been helpful to their team. It is great to know that even as an intern I can assist professionals in their field. I love knowing that the work I have done has made an impact. I am also proud of the Graduate Programme project, which if successful, could help many graduates gain valuable career experience and potentially jobs within ECC. This internship has allowed me to make a lot of impact and change in a short period of time.

• Where has, or where do you hope your Internship will take you?

  This internship has given me valuable experience of what working in government is like. I have also learned people skills and teamwork skills. During my time here I have improved my organisation skills and learned how to prioritise work. I have also become a lot more independent as my time at ECC has given me so much space to grow. Whatever career path I take, I know such skills will be important.

• What advice would you give to someone considering an Internship/graduate pathway within ECC?

  Take up every opportunity you can! Never be afraid to ask someone what their work involves or whether you can shadow one of their meetings, with your projects feel free to think outside of the box.

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Interested? Applications for Summer 2025 Internships are now open, apply online via the 10,000 Interns Foundation.

Want to find out about our other Entry to Work pathways? Return to the dedicated page.