10 year internship scheme anniversary(I): Pay it forward and have fun in the process

This year we are celebrating 10 years since the embassy launched its internship scheme. I have invited alumni to share their stories on my blog, and the first guest post is signed by our Head of Communications, Raluca Bragarea, who helped launch this initiative.

Ten years, about 150 students or young professionals, an idea exported across the Foreign Office. The internship programme we set up in 2005 had its inherent ebbs and flows, with people unsure of benefits, and how to grasp the intricacies of its actual administration. The first ever intern, Laura, for many years now the manager of events organised in the embassy or at the Ambassador’s residence, proved that relentless commitment to learning and development, and also personal charm are valuable assets for an ever-busy Communications section. Many more enthusiasts in the coming years have inspired other teams to adopt the programme, and build a virtual network of Britishness in all corners of professional life in Romania and beyond, in Brussels, London and over the Atlantic in the US.

One of the interns shared a few years ago what it feels like to spend quality time with the British Embassy in Bucharest; I urge you to read one of the funniest accounts on the topic.

The stories that I hear time and again relate to values that the embassy holds, the courage that the internship programme fuels for graduates to pursue even bigger dreams and to uphold standards of professionalism. I don’t think it can get better than this. This was the original intention when we considered the idea. We wanted a chain reaction to facilitate the showcase of British values through Romanian human talent. Stories following this blog entry will take you to a world of otherwise little public exposure. Enjoy the reading!