After completing the internship at history and outdoor learning centre Ufton Court, followed by additional volunteering, Joanna was offered a full-time role before she graduated.
She said: “I enjoyed the role with Ufton Court’s education team so much that I did an extra few weeks of volunteering over the summer. This meant I was able to keep in touch, and as a vacancy arose in the education team, I was offered the role."
Building confidence through hands-on experience
During the internship, Joanna worked with groups of primary school pupils, helping to deliver interactive history workshops covering topics such as Ancient Rome, the Vikings, the Tudors and the Second World War.
As her confidence grew, she progressed from co-teaching sessions to leading activities independently. She also designed and delivered her own workshop on the Roman festival of Saturnalia, culminating in an interactive banquet experience for 60 children.
She said: “I gained so much experience in teaching, but also in the trauma-informed approach to learning. I really enjoyed working in such an environment which cared for both the students and staff."
The placement confirmed her ambition to pursue a people-focused career in public history and education. By staying involved as a volunteer after the placement ended, she was able to maintain professional connections and gain further experience, which ultimately led to a job offer.
Making the most of every opportunity
Joanna came to Southampton because she was excited about the range of modules available on the history programme and she loved the campus when she came to visit on an open day.
Avenue Campus, where history programmes are based, is smaller than the main campus and Joanna says it has a strong sense of community. She praises the academic staff for their enthusiasm and encouragement and says they were absolutely wonderful at providing support and feedback.
Alongside her studies, Joanna actively sought out opportunities to broaden her skills and experience. As well as the Ufton Court internship she also completed an internship at the Mary Rose Museum and two summer schools in Crete and Rome.
She says these experiences allowed her to engage with archaeological sites, museums and academics, while also developing her confidence, resilience and critical thinking skills.
“These opportunities helped me explore both written and material evidence in greater depth, and encouraged me to think about my future academic and career pathways,” she recalled.
The internship at the Mary Rose Museum saw Joanna working across conservation, archives, curation and exhibition design. She contributed to projects including object conservation, digital archiving, historical research and exhibition development.
She says the opportunity introduced her to aspects of museum work she had not previously considered and helped her understand the range of careers available within the heritage industry.
"It gave me insight into the workings of the heritage industry behind the scenes. While I enjoyed learning about conservation and curation, I realised I was more interested in public engagement and education,” she explained.
From internship to employment
Looking back, Joanna believes the opportunities she embraced at Southampton helped her identify her career goals while developing valuable transferable skills.
"The internships were very helpful when thinking about my future career and what I wanted to do. And now I am lucky enough to be working in a job that I really enjoy,” she said.
She credits her time at University with helping her grow in confidence in her interpersonal skills and communication, as well as in research and essay writing.
She said: “I have massively grown my knowledge in ancient history, medieval history and areas like Rome, Greece, the Vikings and Anglo-Saxon England and I feel I have also grown in understanding how I work best and how to manage my own time.
“I now know what career path I would like to follow and the opportunities outside of university that I intend to utilise.”