Joe‘s Internship Experience with Public Policy|Southampton (PPS)

16 August 2025

The last week, which I have spent as an intern at Public Policy Southampton (PPS), has been highly beneficial. I will look back on this opportunity as pivotal in shaping both my individual interests and career ambitions. I am currently an undergraduate student studying Politics and International Relations, but with aspirations to work in policy and research this internship has been a perfect opportunity to become immersed in a relevant working environment.

My time at PPS has been spent drafting a policy synthesis document, focusing on the struggle for democracy in post-Soviet states and the role of the international community in this ongoing process. Being given the freedom to choose my own topic allowed me to focus on an area of personal interest whilst also engaging with a hugely relevant issue in global politics. To complete this task I was required to build on and expand my research skills and academic writing abilities. These are skills that I have practiced at university, but this internship offered a chance to see them applied to real world use.

Although I have some idea about my future aspirations, I am still in the process of refining and defining my desired career path. My week at PPS has been an extremely useful step in this journey. I have been able to engage with a number of the PPS team whose insight and advice has been really valuable. I have learnt a significant amount over this week; the role of research in policymaking, the link between academics and parliament and the options that could exist for me in the future. I believe this internship will be a springboard to more exciting opportunities, and I want to thank everyone at PPS for facilitating this. 

Joe Wilkinson

Intern at Public Policy Southampton

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