Internship at Leiden International Centre: Lea's Experience
The internship at Leiden International Centre matched my own experience as an international. Over the course of four months, I handled social media, developed newsletters, wrote articles, and organized social events, such as the Meet&Mingles. The role strengthened my multitasking and social media skills thanks to constructive feedback. Assisting with onboarding a new intern increased my confidence, and I developed essential prioritization skills. This internship offered a great mix of independence and support, making it an excellent transition to my upcoming traineeship in Brussels.
Living in Leiden, this internship was a perfect fit, allowing me to experience Leiden from a different but also very well-known perspective while supporting fellow internationals in arriving and settling into the city – a process I personally relate to after living in New Z
ealand and the Netherlands for five years.
Prior to my internship, my main goal was to gain experience in an office setting, but now reflecting on the past four months, I can say that I’ve learned a lot and grown personally and professionally. My tasks included managing social media, developing newsletters, writing articles, and organizing the Meet&Mingles. One of my main tasks was scheduling social media posts, which taught me valuable multitasking skills. Detailed feedback I received from my supervisor and LIC's manager helped me improve my social media skills and introduced me to concepts such as the AIDA (attention, interest, desire, action) model and how to target the right audience when creating a post.
Organizing and participating in social events like 
the Meet&Mingles further allowed me to meet other internationals and to strengthen my networking skills. Over the summer months, some of our colleagues shared helpful insights during a “summer school”, which enhanced my skills in using tools like PowerPoint and Canva.
One of the highlights of my internship was assisting with the onboarding of a new intern since this gave me confidence in what I’ve learned and been working on. Throughout the internship, I generally gained confidence in my assigned tasks and learned valuable skills in task prioritization.
Overall, the internship provided a great balance of autonomy and guidance from my supervisor, making it an ideal bridge between my studies, hospitality work, and my upcoming traineeship in Brussels. The small international team provided a friendly, supportive environment where I always felt comfortable. While this internship is a great opportunity for internationals, it’s equally valuable for Dutch students or anyone looking to gain cross-cultural and office experience as they transition from their studies to the professional world.
If you would like to learn more about my internship experience, feel free to contact me!