My Internship with SmartKlub – Joanna Davies

Some background

I joined SmartKlub soon after I graduated with a degree in Physical Geography from the University of Bristol. Having always had an interest in the environment, climate change and sustainability SmartKlub offered an exciting opportunity to apply my interests in a 6 month internship.

What did you do with SmartKlub?

My internship was for 3 days a week, which allowed me to continue working a paid part time job in admin throughout. I worked from home communicating with Charles and other interns via weekly hangouts and phone calls.

When I began my internship in October SmartKlub had recently been selected to be part of the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC) Regeneration Task Group. Attending meetings in London has given me a wonderful opportunity to work with people from diverse backgrounds to understand and develop the case for retrofit led regeneration. I have been involved in the writing of research of the business case of this report and have learnt a great deal from experts in this sector.

I have also focussed on SmartKlub’s communication platforms, developing a social media strategy and writing weekly blogs. This allowed me to develop my research and writing skills and I was also free to pick topics that particularly interested me! I learnt a great deal about Smart Cities, energy efficiency and community energy projects.

As well as my work with the UKGBC and SmartKlub’s social media I have attended the Nottingham in Parliament event and spent a day in Milton Keynes learning about Project CAPE. I feel that this internship has given me an amazing opportunity to learn about the energy sector from experts in the field and to be immersed in amazing projects that SmartKlub is a part of.

What did you like about working at SmartKlub?

Overall I loved the diversity of this internship and the opportunities it gave me to be closely involved with the projects. It has been incredibly rewarding to feel that my work is useful to SmartKlub as well as getting so much knowledge and experience in return.

Working closely with SmartKlub founder and CEO Charles Bradshaw-Smith has made my internship incredibly enjoyable and interesting. His broad knowledge of the sector has helped me develop my own passion for community led energy projects. I am sure that the knowledge and experience I have gained will continue to help me as I pursue a career in the environmental sector.

What next?

Having worked with the UKGBC on the Regeneration Task Group with SmartKlub I have now been offered a 6 week paid internship with them in their London offices to continue this work! In September I will be starting an MSc in Climate Change at UCL.

STOP PRESS – I have now been offered a role in PRP’s Sustainability Dept in my remaining time until my Masters starts in September.  Thank you SmartKlub for giving me the opportunity to work with such great organisations as UKGBC and PRP.

Any questions?

Please feel free to get in touch with me, I will be happy to answer any other questions you have in regards to this opportunity.

Email me at joannadavies1@hotmail.co.uk

To read my SmartKlub blog posts visit here.

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