Katherine Pullman - Internship Reflection

A competitive leadership contest, an evolving multi-party system, and a crumbling status quo was the backdrop to my time at Cardew Group. By day three of the internship, Wes Streeting had resigned as Health Secretary, solidifying the impression that Britain could soon have a new PM in the eyes of the public (despite Starmer’s insistence that he’ll be sticking around). As something of a political nerd, this was a dream scenario to be dropped into.

Stepping into this role as an MA Public Policy student whose academic and professional experiences have revolved around the public sector, I knew little of the private sector. However, my time here has exponentially expanded my working understanding of both the intersection between politics, policy, and media, and the methods used to shape the policy landscape.

From day dot of my time at Cardew I was thrown into the midst of the action, asked to compile media wraps, conduct background research on political figures for briefs, and create stakeholder maps for new business pitches. I could feel that there was a buzz in the air here that I hadn’t felt in any other professional environment before.

There’s no question that the main source of this buzz is the people here. The wealth of experience and level of enthusiasm of the people at Cardew has created a fast-paced environment that encourages vocality and creative thinking. Both in and out of meetings I felt able to ask questions and get involved in team thinking. Everyone in the public affairs team, and beyond, took time out of their exceptionally busy days to settle me in and show me the ropes, supporting me as I figured out their company, painstakingly carrying out tasks they could do in a second (as is the intern rite of passage) until I could manage alone.

And so, while the political outlook isn’t looking any clearer for Starmer or the Labour Party, my outlook on careers has most definitely sharpened, with the experience I’ve gained at Cardew, solidifying my decision to begin a career in public affairs.