Noah Wilmot - Looking back on my 5-week internship at Cardew

Prior to beginning my internship at Cardew, I had a strong interest in financial services and was drawn to the idea of strategic communications and financial PR. That said, I’ll admit, I didn’t fully understand what that work entailed. Over the past five weeks, I’ve come to appreciate just how many moving parts are involved in supporting clients’ needs in financial and strategic communications.

What stood out most to me was Cardew’s key strength: the seamless integration of its communications advice across Digital, Public Affairs, and Media teams. Each group brings its own expertise, and together they collaborate to deliver outcomes tailored to each client’s specific challenges. Seeing this synergy in action gave me a much clearer picture of what makes Cardew different.

Another highlight was the sheer breadth of sectors the firm serves, healthcare, consumer goods, technology, and financial services, to name a few. No two days were alike. One day I might be analysing financial metrics for ahead of a client’s earnings report, while the next I’d be drafting a press release for a healthcare client, or preparing briefs for a summit or award ceremony. This constant variety kept me engaged and gave me exposure to a wide range of industries and communication styles.

One project I particularly enjoyed was developing a model to streamline the process of client briefings in financial services. The result: what would've taken several days could now be significantly reduced, while offering performance benchmarks, cross-sector insights, and more. Presenting the model with the team and seeing their enthusiasm to implement it was incredibly rewarding.

This internship not only gave me invaluable insight into strategic communications but also helped me refine my skills and broaden my professional outlook as I prepare for my next work placement at the University of Bath and the next stage of my career.