I will be joining the Group Project Management Office (PMO) Team as a Project Management Office Intern, contributing to a multitude of new and exciting projects throughout different departments of the company.
During my time here, my personal responsibilities will include: contributing to the construction of an entirely new aseptic facility, implementation of a project management software tool and frequent communication with both the PMO team and all other departments. To ensure project progress is sufficient, a weekly summary report will be produced by each member of the team to be presented to the wider board. I will also have the opportunity to travel between the various different Target and Quantum manufacturing sites, including Belfast, Newcastle and Luton. In addition, I have recently completed a training course in Microsoft Project for implementation into the creation of project plans, specifically for Luton Phase 2, which is the expansion of an already functioning aseptic facility. I need guidance and advice from the rest of the team, which they have been more than willing to help with, as most aspects I’m unfamiliar with.
Target Healthcare has welcomed us interns with open arms and we have all settled in so well after 2 very fun induction days! Everyone is so patient and willing to help, recognizing that most of us have never worked in a professional environment before. Office life is a refreshing change after 3 years of university and hospitality work – I’m thoroughly enjoying the new responsibilities. It has been lovely to start alongside 5 other interns - all in different departments with different responsibilities, so I feel like I’m also learning a lot about other aspects of the company, such as IT and finance.
The PMO team were also kind enough to set up some meetings with the pharmacy department, which has provided useful insights into future opportunities and potential career paths after my Human Biology degree.
I can’t believe how quickly the summer is flying by and how much more comfortable I feel in this role in such a short space of time. Reflecting back to the first couple weeks of the internship, I was immersed into a completely new environment and found myself second guessing my abilities to carry out certain tasks since I had such little experience in project management. However, with the support and guidance of the project team and many others at Target, my confidence has been significantly increased and I feel much more self-assured. I’m finding it much easier to communicate efficiently with people and am taking every opportunity to ask as many questions and learn as much as I can. The team have been so welcoming and patient, assigning independent tasks gradually to build my confidence and make me feel more comfortable as the weeks go on.
I have collaborated with personnel from all departments, providing insights into multiple aspects of the company, in particular those with a more academic link to my Human Biology degree. It’s been great to explore the different career paths of employees, and to hear of transitions between departments after discovering a different interest while in the company. My perspective has definitely shifted to a broader mindset surrounding career opportunities, finding that companies have a much more diverse plethora of roles to offer than originally expected. This internship has been great for exploring different avenues of interest, particularly those non-degree related which you wouldn’t normally have the chance to, which has expanded my options of opportunities after I graduate.
I feel I’m settling well into the routine of office life, while also thoroughly enjoying the travelling associated with the job. A highlight so far has definitely been getting a tour of the fully functioning aseptic facility down in Luton, with the opportunity to experience the production of chemotherapy drugs! Knowing that the work of each individual employee contributes to a patient-centred medical supply chain is inspiring to witness, and I feel lucky to be a part of it! I’ve found it extremely rewarding seeing projects physically hit milestones and progress through their lifecycles, and look forward to kicking off my own project which I have been assigned.
This internship has been invaluable for expanding not only my employment capabilities but also my personal skills - including initiative, organisation, independence and creativity.
