2025 Summer Placement Programme – Architecture – Central Government – Consult Review

My overall day to day basis included of catching up with colleagues at the coffee stand which was an integrated way to start the morning and get up to date, a friendly way to start the day which was highly encouraged by current employees working at the time.
However, overall in my role at Mace was supporting the Department for Education (DfE) programmes, I gained understanding of the process that happens between bidding and tendering for contracts and how the government intent to develop school especially in London.
As part of the 10,000 Black Interns (10kBI) cohort, my work involves developing core professional skills, supporting project teams, and gaining experience in project management, data handling, stakeholder engagement, and programme delivery.
Lastly, the site visits were amazing a key way of integrating individuals into previous projects mace have delivered on a grand scale.

From the start of my placement, I made a point of being intentional and curious, actively requesting work and seeking opportunities to get involved. By showing enthusiasm and a willingness to learn, I was gradually given more responsibility within the team. My managers recognised that I was keen to contribute, so they trusted me with increasingly meaningful tasks, which helped me build confidence and understand the workflow more deeply.
One of the major responsibilities I took on was the cohort briefing project, assigned at the beginning of the placement. As part of this project, I helped design the briefing content and structure, ensuring it met the objectives set for the group. My responsibility grew as I became more involved in organising the work, setting timelines, and collaborating with my colleagues.
To make sure we stayed on track, my group and I held weekly meetings, where we reviewed progress, delegated tasks, and checked that everyone was clear on their responsibilities. This strengthened my teamwork skills and taught me how to manage a small project from start to finish.
Throughout the internship, Mace provided exceptional support, giving us access to people across different departments who were willing to share their expertise. Colleagues were generous with their time, explaining their roles, how different teams operate, and offering advice on career development. I appreciated being part of such a collaborative culture, where I always felt comfortable asking questions and learning from others.
I also made a conscious effort to stay engaged and productive. As a group, we made sure to keep busy, volunteering for tasks and asking for work whenever we had downtime so that we could make the most of our experience.
At the end of each day, I kept a Mace intern tracker, documenting everything I worked on. This helped me stay organised, reflect on what I achieved, and ensure I never forgot any key learning moments.
The placement concluded with a presentation to the team, where I shared my reflections, the outcomes of my project involvement, and the skills I had developed. It was a rewarding way to bring the experience together and demonstrate how much I had grown throughout the internship.

The art of being confident and networking
Being proud of biodiversity
Adobe InDesign skills
Presentation schools
Communication skills
Time management

I received consistent support throughout my placement. My line manager checked in regularly, offered clear guidance on tasks, and created a safe space for questions. The wider team was also approachable and willing to help, which made it easier to learn and build confidence

Happy, willing, open, and driven

I really enjoyed my placement. The work was engaging, the team was welcoming, and I felt like I was constantly learning. The variety of tasks kept things interesting and helped me build confidence in a real workplace environment, especially the site visits. Getting to see real projects in action made the experience feel more meaningful and helped me understand how the work fits into the bigger picture

Yes