My journey as Gripfast Consulting’s first advisory intern has been challenging and fulfilling, giving me hands-on experience in research, quality assurance, tendering, and policy work. Balancing a dual degree in Law (Honours) and Communications, I was looking for an internship that would complement my academic knowledge with real-world experience. Gripfast, with its supportive and flexible work culture, has allowed me to take on meaningful responsibilities, all while balancing my studies.
From the outset, I’ve been primarily supporting Dr. Annabel McGuire, my supervisor in the advisory sector. My tasks are diverse, often varying from day to day, and I’ve come to realise that advisory consulting is a dynamic field where “doing it all” is often a reality. My role initially involved a lot of reading—familiarising myself with Gripfast’s past and present advisory projects and reviewing technical language and approaches. I quickly saw how these documents reflected the company’s consulting standards, which prepared me to dive into more hands-on tasks.
One of my earliest responsibilities was assisting with Gripfast’s Quality Assurance (QA) processes, helping to ensure that our systems meet ISO standards in quality, environmental management, occupational health and safety, and risk management. This assignment required auditing and regular updates, a task that initially felt overwhelming as I familiarised myself with Gripfast’s systems. However, I received comprehensive training, and soon, I became adept at handling these audits, ensuring that our standards stayed compliant. This foundational knowledge has been a huge asset in other advisory projects as well; knowing where to find essential information has made my work on tenders, audits, and other projects much more efficient.
One of the highlights of my role has been attending meetings with Annabel. Even when I initially felt out of my depth with certain topics, taking notes and actively listening allowed me to gain insights into advisory discussions, observe different perspectives, and understand the critical points needed for effective consulting. This hands-on experience has been invaluable, strengthening my skills in professional communication, analysis, and attention to detail.
Another major project I was assigned was designing and analysing an employee survey for Gripfast’s Employee Value Proposition (EVP). The EVP is part of Gripfast’s branding, helping to attract and retain top talent by defining what makes the company a unique and desirable workplace. For this project, I worked with a new program called Mentimeter to design the survey, analysed the results, created a report, and finally synthesised the findings into a digital EVP presentation. The project was a valuable experience, showing me how consulting work can contribute to creating and maintaining a strong internal culture and helping to drive employee engagement.
Through all these varied tasks, my understanding of advisory consulting has grown immensely. Whether it’s researching for a new advisory tender, supporting QA audits, or designing employee engagement initiatives, I’ve developed a diverse skill set that I’m grateful for. This internship has been instrumental in helping me balance my studies and my professional growth, and it’s been empowering to work with a team that genuinely supports my development
Natarshya Martin