Daniella Serwanja is a first-year student, currently studying BSc International Social and Public Policy with Politics at the London School of Economics. Born and raised in East London, Daniella is passionate about public sector issues, having previously engaged in public speaking and written against social issues such as knife crime in her local area. She joined the 31ten team between July and August in 2024 and supported a range of projects across both our Social Care and Housing & Development teams. Before Daniella headed off to enjoy the rest of her summer break and diving into her second year at uni, we sat down to discuss her internship experience with 31ten.

How did you come across the opportunity to intern with 31ten?

I found this opportunity through the Mitchell Family Programme offered by my university. The programme advertised many internships across various fields, but 31ten stood out because the company closely aligns with my ambitions as a social policy student. As a public sector consultancy firm, projects typically involve councils and other government organisations, with social value and community-focused outcomes as priorities. I anticipated being able to combine knowledge from my academic endeavours and my principles.

What were your expectations going into the internship?

My mind was open going into this internship because consultancy was very new to me. I had heard about it from peers at university and through research into potential careers, however, I did not have any firsthand experience. The main thought I had before joining 31ten was that I would help with projects surrounding children’s and adults social care, as well as housing. This was exceeded as I spent much of my internship contributing to projects in both areas, allowing me to expand my insights.

Was anything different to how you expected it to be?

I was impressed by the flexibility encouraged in 31ten. The team live all over the UK and can work remotely or in the vibrant London office. I also had the opportunity to travel to client site on multiple occasions to conduct primary research, which was fascinating. Based on my understanding of consulting or traditional office jobs, I believed that most of my time at 31ten would be spent behind a desk, but this was not the case; I enjoyed the immersive and varied experience.

What have you learnt whilst interning with 31ten?

I am privileged to have gained hard and soft skills over the four weeks I spent with 31ten. Through conducting interviews and recording the responses, I have improved at data collection, rapport-building and thematic analysis. Presenting a report on the uses of AI in public sector consulting, creating tables for qualitative data, and observing a demonstration on financial modelling improved my Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel proficiency.

My soft skills, such as communication, adaptability, time-management, and critical thinking were cultivated in my role because I interacted with other 31tenners daily, helped with several types of tasks and had to allocate my time effectively.

What did you enjoy most from your time with 31ten?

I most enjoyed speaking to 31ten staff about their roles in the company and their previous experiences. The internship was quite open and adaptable, so the projects I was involved in developed as time progressed based on what teams may have needed help on. Not only did this allow me to learn about each portfolio, but it also allowed me to have informative and engaging conversations with the  . Through this, I gained insights on their current projects, and their journeys into consultancy. Many had backgrounds in central/local government as well as marketing, economics, and finance. It was intriguing to discover how a group of people with diverse occupational backgrounds have come together to form this brilliant firm.

Is there anything from your experience here that you will take forward into your studies / future career ambitions?

Firstly, the hard and soft skills I honed over the internship will be invaluable in my future. I also appreciate the depth of understanding I have about consultancy- I am now aware of how expansive the career is. Graduates from all fields can pursue this career because it utilises the strength of each consultant and allows teams to be interdependent. Most importantly, being in the driven and inspiring environment of the team at 31ten has led me to advance my work ethic both in my studies and beyond.

What advice would you give to anyone else about to embark on a consulting internship?

There are three key tips that an incoming consulting intern should keep in mind:

1. Stay open-minded: A consulting firm often has many ongoing projects, so it is good to be ready to dive into anything. This is a great chance to learn from experienced consultants and gain an additional interest.
2. Be proactive: If you need guidance on a task or require more time to produce high-quality work, communicate openly. It is impressive to complete tasks quickly, but even better to do so to the best of your ability!
3. Ask questions: Being inquisitive builds a rapport between colleagues and can lead to genuinely insightful discussions about a career in consultancy and the diverse ways this can take shape.

You can connect with Daniella to continue to follow her career journey here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniella-serwanja-b0a79a20b/