Content Science Intern Review

The work I did was really interesting and unlike the work you could do at any other company. I got to try many different aspects of being a content scientist and always had different projects going on. The other people were so friendly and supportive and the events that were run after work were brilliant! I had an amazing time at Sparx.

I was part of a small team working on a block of lessons and was treated equally to the other members of that team so all of my work was valued and will be real content used in schools. I was also valued as an intern with senior staff emphasising that if i had any opinions as a person who was new to the product and systems, I should say them so the business can be improved.

Throughout the summer I had regular meetings with my manager and members of human resources to ensure that I was comfortable with what was being asked of me and that I didn't have any problems. The inductions I had at the start of summer were fantastic and I really began to feel a part of the company so quickly. I was also sat near at least 5 people who would all answer any question I had when I got stuck so I never felt like I didn't know what to do.

Except for the first week, all my days were pretty filled! Not to the extent of needing to stay later than half 5, although I did once or twice because I was enjoying the work. As I usually had at extra projects running alongside my main work with my team I could work on different things when there was a lull in one area. The only time I found the afternoons dragging and I was't sure what I was supposed to be doing was the first week when my project was just getting started and I wasn't sure how long tasks should take, and I couldn't have much independence until I knew a bit more what I was doing.

I was given an equal amount of responsibility to the people in my team to write content, I was given free-range on an investigative data analysis project and I was asked to plan an entire lesson of my own with some reviewing and guidance but entirely my own creation. I'd say I was given the perfect amount of responsibility and enjoyed feeling that I was trusted to do valuable work.

I learnt how to be more concise in general through making questions concise, I also gave two presentations which will definitely help with presentations for my project in my final year at university, I learnt how to use R which could be useful in a future career and also learnt a lot about generally working in a fast paced office and what sort of place I might like to work in. I definitely also think that having multiple projects with different deadlines that I could only work on during office hours improved my time management in a new way to completing university work.

The atmosphere was so lovely. Downstairs there was table tennis, table football, a dart board and a pool table! In the actual offices there was a very relaxed atmosphere and it was easy to ask questions or talk through a problem. There was a really big team spirit feel and that was emphasised by the fact that the building was having its own Olympics for four weeks. Welcome drinks and meals were commonplace, classes such as pilates were run in the evenings and mornings as well as football and other activities organised by people in the offices. It is definitely the most friendly and socially active office I have ever been in.

Brilliantly organised. Accommodation was arranged for all the interns which was lovely and we had pans/plates/cutlery etc. provided for us by business support the were in the kitchen when we arrived. All of the inductions were very smooth, everyone in the office knew we were coming and welcomed us, our projects had been planned in advance, we had desks, laptops and all the tech we needed on the first day with an IT induction and overall everything was brilliantly organised!

I feel like the company have trained me as if I was a new starter who could be working at Sparx for years. I event to experience some aspects of the work there that other employees don't, such as video making and having more free reign with a data project. I have learnt so much from my time with Sparx and they didn't hold back at all with what they gave me the opportunity to learn and experience.

Working for Sparx as a graduate looks like an amazing opportunity. The work force is very young as the company itself is very young and also expanding and evolving rapidly with the product so there is no saying how different it will be in 5 years but as it is expanding I feel there is opportunity for a job. Not much has been said as to whether any interns will be offered a job but two interns from previous years started work while we were there so it seems quite possible.

As all of the interns were living together we became good friends and usually would just all hang out at the flat after work but we did also go to the cinema together and have a few great nights out. The people at Sparx are mostly very young and all very sociable so we were invited to go out with people fairly frequently as well as getting to go to frequent vents organised by the office. I was definitely not left with too many evenings to entertain myself.

Sparx is based in Exeter so the prices are southern. I lived with four other interns in a very nice flat really close to the city centre which was all provided by Sparx which was fantastic. I found it more expensive than what I'm used to socialising in Exeter but it was not excessive in any way. We also had a delicious hot meal at work every day at no cost and even the opportunity to have cereal, porridge or fruit for breakfast there so I feel like I did not spend much money on food at all!

I enjoyed the nightlife although the clubs in Exeter were not amazing they were enough to have a great time after work socials or with the other interns on a weekend. There were also plenty of pubs, some cheaper than others.

I think there were probably on average two extra activities a week, on top of pilates, boxing football, military circuits and other sports and fitness opportunities that were offered each week. I did beach volleyball, netball, long jump and running as part of the Olympics that were run by the building There were also barbecues or events for other companies in the building that Sparx employees (including the interns) were invited to. One of the best evenings was an event put on by the game designer at Sparx to try some of his games that he had created which were amazing and hilarious!