October 19, 2018, by The Ingenuity Lab
Tales of a Witty Scholar- Junelle @ Accra, Ghana 2018
Meet Junelle, 2nd Year Philosophy student and one of our Witty Scholar’s here at the University of Nottingham. Junelle has recently returned from an 8 week internship at a law firm in Ghana and we’re lucky enough to have inside access to the diary of her time there…
Friday 29th June 2018
Today is officially the first day of my eight-week internship here in Accra. I’m excited to see what opportunities will come my way whilst being a trainee solicitor. Today I visited the Jubilee House, home of the current
President. It was honestly so inspiring to see people in government so concerned and eager to get Ghanaian diaspora back into Ghana to work or even start a business. For me, it automatically clicked that using my Witty Scholarship to improve Ghana was something I would definitely consider.
Wednesday 11th July 2018
Today’s 8am start was very different to any I have had previously. My supervisor and I went to the Police Headquarters, an experience which provided me with an understanding of the full legal process when bringing a case to trial and how the police are integrated in this. In particular, I went to the domestic violence unit to ask how the officers manage to be as sensitive as they can when handling cases like this.
Monday 16th July
A new week a new case! This morning I was assigned a commercial case between a Ghanaian citizen and a development company. At times getting the work done for all the strict deadlines was a bit of a challenge but I definitely had all the support I needed to get everything done. This in turn taught me what it would be like to work in a city firm in London, which is extremely vital as I will be applying for vacation schemes once I get back to Uni.
Thursday 19th July 2018
After my lunch break today I had an inspiring and informative chat with Mrs. Ghartey, the co-owner of the firm, who came to speak to me about my intentions of wanting to study law. It really got me thinking about how I could still be connected to law in Africa once I get home. Alongside this, it also clicked in my head that even though I was born and raised in London whilst being in Accra I have unearthed my Ghanaian side. Discovering this, it has made me certain on using the opportunities as a Witty Scholar to improve Ghana. Whether it be a social enterprise or business.
Wednesday 8th August 2018
Today I went to the British High Commission. The emphasis was on UK-Ghana relations in terms of business and support in different sectors such as government. At the British High Commission, I learnt more about the civil service and what it was actually like to have an international job under the UK government. This was very insightful as it broadened my career options as working internationally is now a vital aspect in my future career.
Thursday 23rd August 2018
So today is my last day! I’m really proud to say that I have completed my eight-week internship here in Ghana. I never thought I would be able to adapt as well as I did. This experience has taught me a lot about myself and my capabilities. Not only this, it has truly confirmed my dreams of wanting to work in a corporate law firm and more specifically working on international contracts. I have definitely learnt more about Accra as a city and developed an understanding of the law and political system of Ghana. I feel so grateful to have had such an experience like this. I value everything that I have learnt here and its definitely an experience I will never forget. From my own experience I would strongly encourage everyone to do an internship abroad if the opportunity is there. It opens so many doors and it gives you a chance to network!
The Witty Scholarship offers financial support and entrepreneurial skills development for undergraduate students. Discovering innovative ideas, finding new ways of working, setting up a business, creating a distinctive career path or supporting social enterprises, all are ways Witty Scholars can get ahead of the pack.
For more information about the Witty Scholarship programme and how to apply, click here: http://bit.ly/WittyScholarship
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