Member Article

An Internship with Atlas Cloud

At the later end of January this year I received an e-mail from Michelle Cooper, an investment manager at North Star Ventures, about a marketing internship opportunity which I ultimately took up, here I’ll describe what that internship looks like and why I think others in my position should look to find similar opportunities.

Atlas Cloud, a provider of cloud IT services and hosted desktops located in Newcastle upon Tyne is a developing cloud computing company, situated in an industry that globally is estimated to be worth ‘$181 billion by 2015’, according to State Tech Magazine. They were looking for an enthusiastic intern to assist in the Sales and Marketing department, and with the additional benefits of the internship being in close proximity to my university and offering flexible working hours, I took full advantage of the opportunity.

My background

I am currently a first year student studying a Business with Marketing Management degree at Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University. The business school itself has a reputation for producing very employable graduates and is ranked in the Top 10 for Graduate Level Employability in The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2011 and 2012. Although receiving this particular opportunity through contacts, the business school has been very encouraging and supports students in finding work experience and placements, in particular during the final years of study.

The internship

Being an intern so far has been excellent, the working atmosphere is relaxed and focused and the Atlas Cloud team have been very welcoming. After speaking to CEO Pete Watson on the phone it was great to be shown around the office and be introduced to the team. I and fellow intern, Alex Cutts (also a student at Newcastle Business School), have been working together with the marketing department, helping Atlas Cloud raise its profile through blogs, social media and events. We are given work to do independently, and are offered a lot of support from the Atlas team.

The internship itself has taught me a lot, including developing my writing style, the stages of marketing use through social media, use of Microsoft Office and CRM databases and researching the internet effectively. Additionally, extras such as phone manner, professionalism and people skills through observing other colleagues are intangible skills that are priceless in the business world.

From starting university, I have been looking for opportunities such as this to gain practical experience in the area that I’m studying. Applying what you have been taught during university means a lot more when doing it in a real life business. I would say it’s relatively unusual for someone in their first year of study to gain practical experience so early in their degree, however it is a perfect time as work load isn’t too heavy and the opportunity can provide a clearer perspective of where you want to be in the future.

My time working for Atlas has been invaluable and I couldn’t thank the team enough. The university can always do more to encourage opportunities such as this, and provide a lot more professional benefit to its students as an alternative to working in a café or bar. As someone aspiring to set up a business in the future, this experience has been fantastic, and I have additionally built up skills and experience that will look outstanding on my CV.

Atlas Cloud note: Cara has just returned from a three week trip to Nepal where she volunteered as a community worker. We are very impressed!

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Cara Feingold .