2023 internship program

The UWA Public Policy Institute team are looking for up to four creative and committed interns to work closely with us in 2023.

This is a unique opportunity to feed your interest in policy issues within the public service, business or non-profit sector, and the chance to develop the on-the-job communication, planning and organisation skills that employers value.

About the internship

This internship will require a commitment of up to eight hours per month, on average, and has both generalist and specialist elements:

• You'll be giving us a hand as generalist support for a range of public, private and online events we hold across the year, from setting up venues, to welcoming guests, live-tweeting for online audiences, and more. You'll also design, organise and moderate a policy event yourself, working closely with your intern colleagues.
• You'll also choose to specialise in either executive support (working with the Executive Officer) or communications and engagement (working with the Communications and Engagement Coordinator), depending on your interests, your experience, and your professional development goals.

How to apply

1. Read the role description to see if this program is right for you. Consider what experience you might gain, but also what knowledge, networks or skills you could bring to the team.
2. Submit an Expression of Interest form and email us a copy of your CV by Friday 9 December, 5pm. Your application will not be considered without these two elements.

Timeline

Wednesday 16 November - Applications open
Friday 9 December, 5pm - Applications close
Friday 23 December, 5pm - You'll receive an outcome to your application by this time
Early-mid January 2023 - Shortlist interviews
February 2023 - Internship begins
November 2023 (end of Semester 2) - Internship ends

Questions you might have

Do I need to be a UWA student?
Yes, only currently enrolled UWA students can apply.

Do I need to be studying (or have studied) public policy or politics?
No; an interest in public policy is preferred but prior study or experience is not required.

Is this open to undergrads or postgrads?
We're open to receiving applications from all undergraduate, honours or postgraduate research or coursework students.

How will I balance this with my other commitments?
Since many of our events are in evenings, we'll negotiate what works for you well in advance, depending on your other commitments and time of semester.

Is this internship paid?
This is a voluntary internship without remuneration. In place of payment, your volunteer hours will be listed on your supplementary academic transcript and you'll have access to career advice and experiences you may not have had otherwise.

Advice from 2022 intern Chris Crellin

How did you find the internship?

The internship at the UWA PPI exceeded my expectations greatly. I was given the opportunity and freedom to explore and pursue my policy and methodological interests through various projects, including hosting a successful online policy event with world-renowned experts. This not only allowed me to develop concrete skills, like project management and communication skills, but has allowed me to broaden my understanding of the inner workings and deliberation of public policy. The best part of the internship, however, were the people I met and conversations I had along the way.

Who should consider it? 

I would recommend this internship to anyone who wants to be involved in the public policy space and conversation, in Western Australia, Australia or the Indo-Pacific, who is interested in applying policy knowledge and interests to a real-world policy context, and gaining tangible skills used in many policy organizations.

Feel free to get in touch with any other queries before you apply: [email protected]

Apply now