‘My work experience week at Hertford’

28 July 2026

‘Hi, I just wanted to thank Hertford for having me at the college for my work experience week. I really appreciate the time taken by the IP team to help me out.’ [Armand, International Programmes] 

‘Good afternoon, Emilie. I just wanted to say that I’ve had a lovely experience. Thank you very much for this opportunity.’ [Saidur, Catering]

Saidur loved the kitchen so much that he is becoming a casual kitchen porter over the summer!

We were delighted to be able to offer a record number of work experience placements this year. Nine Year 10 and Year 12 students joined us for a week from local schools, gaining hands-on experience across our Catering, Communications, International Programmes, Library & Archives and Maintenance teams.

We wanted to share some of their encouraging feedback…

Which task did you enjoy most, and why?

[Lila, Library & Archives] A task which I enjoyed most has been in the Archives, where I had to scan fragile documents and other interesting paper details to be uploaded digitally, and then afterwards, I was able to clean the documents carefully so they looked neat and pristine; it was a very satisfying process.

[Anushka, International Programmes] A massive highlight for me was definitely being a Dragon for the international students’ Dragon’s Den activity. It was so cool to see how everyone worked so hard on their business plan.

[Joanna, International Programmes] I enjoyed putting together the welcome packs, as it helped me gain skills in teamwork and learn how having a calm and communicating team can help everyone in the work environment to be productive.

[Ali, Maintenance] I loved the work experience at Hertford, and the tasks I enjoyed most were when I was shadowing the Clerk of Works and the maintenance team. This work experience has given me a practical insight into how colleges are run.

What’s something you’ve learned that you didn’t know before?

[Selwynma, Comms] I learned how photography can shape a college’s identity. Before coming to Hertford, I didn’t realise how much thought goes into capturing the right moment – choosing the lighting, framing the shot, and making sure each image reflects the atmosphere of the college. I also discovered how comms meetings work behind the scenes. Seeing how ideas are shared, how decisions are made, and how different teams coordinate gave me a new understanding of how communication actually functions in a professional environment. It showed me that every photo, message and update is carefully planned to create a clear and consistent story.

Was there anything that surprised you about working at an Oxford college?

[Ali, Maintenance] I have been surprised by the amount of effort that goes into every project. The attention to detail was sublime.

[Lila, Library & Archives] What surprised me most is that you definitely need a good sense of direction since the corridors and staircases seem to lead to nowhere, and then you’ll either find yourself in an office, or a very nice quad!

What’s one thing you’ll take away from this experience?

[Hafsah, International Programmes] I appreciated how welcoming and how supportive everyone was. The experience helped me develop new skills, build my confidence, and gain a better understanding of what working in this role is like. You gave me a valuable insight into my future.

 

Photographs taken by Selwynma as part of her work experience in the Comms department