Summer Projects – an opportunity outside the classroom
Taking part in Summer Projects gave me valuable skills that I now use in my teaching.
I am currently in my third year of teaching history at a secondary school in South London. I decided to stay at this school on finishing the Training Programme as its ethos really aligns with my values and I felt like I was really starting to make a difference to my students.
Why do a summer project?
I had heard about Summer Projects before starting the Training Programme as a way to upskill over the summer holidays. I had also spoken to a few Teach First friends who had undertaken such projects and had really enjoyed them, so I decided to apply.
Having joined Teach First wanting to impact the futures of young people, I thought this was a good fit.
My project was with Deloitte in the Human Capital Consulting team. I chose this project as I really liked its human-centred focus. Having joined Teach First wanting to impact the futures of young people, I thought this was a good fit. I also thought it would be a great opportunity to develop key skills including both teamwork and communication.
It’s about getting stuck in
From the very start of the project, I was given responsibility for leading regular team meetings to update on key tasks that we needed to carry out for our client.
I worked in a project team supporting business change within the transport sector. I really enjoyed how much ownership I was given over key deliverables as part of the project. For example, I used comms software to create content for external stakeholders, including a newsletter, a shared webpage, and various slide decks and key documents to be used by the project team.
How life has changed since the project
Participating in the project has certainly developed me professionally, as I developed so many transferable skills. During the project, I had to consider how to solve the problems faced by clients, using the assets they already have, to make a positive, lasting change. This is something that I have transferred directly to my teaching role, as I am constantly thinking about how to tailor my work to suit the needs of those students in front of me.
I use the PowerPoint and Excel skills I learnt on the project every day.
It also really helped me to learn to become more comfortable with change as I had to quickly adapt to using new technology in a completely foreign environment. In fact, I use the PowerPoint and Excel skills I learnt on the project every day.
During the project, I was surprised by just how many other Teach First ambassadors I met. Everyone I spoke to was really interested to hear about my experiences within the education sector, and I especially enjoyed finding out more about the different career opportunities available, which I was able to share with my students when returning to my school.
To anyone considering Summer Projects
I would absolutely recommend Summer Projects. It is a great opportunity to learn new skills, meet new and interesting people and really push yourself out of your comfort zone. I made so many friends on my internship and developed myself so much, both personally and professionally.
Interested in taking part in Summer Projects?
Applications close on 31 March.