Interns eager to channel their flair for creative writing, social media, public relations, or content creation can make a real impact through a Marketing & Communications internship.
Driven by her passion for travel and a desire to deepen her understanding of global markets and consumer behaviour, University of Newcastle student, Bree, ventured from Australia to Spain, to complete a four-week Marketing & Communications internship in Spain. Immersed in a vibrant international environment, she gained hands-on experience, sharpened her creative skills, and discovered new perspectives on how brands connect with audiences across cultures.
Read on to learn what Bree worked on, what surprised her about Spanish culture, and how the experience supported her career goals.
Hi Bree, what did you enjoy discovering about Spanish culture during your time in Madrid?
One aspect of Spanish culture that pleased me most was the kindness and willingness of local people to help. Even though I was in a new country with a different language, the strong sense of community and readiness to assist others made me feel comfortable and supported. This experience showed me that kindness is truly universal.
The people I worked with at my marketing internship placement were friendly, supportive, and patient, creating an environment that felt collaborative rather than hierarchical. Although the language and some customs were different, the overall atmosphere of respect and teamwork felt familiar.
Being in Spain confirmed that the people are welcoming, generous, and open-minded. Qualities I may not have fully appreciated before, but have now experienced firsthand.
What kind of tasks did you work on, and what impact did they have?
As a Marketing and Communications intern, I focused on content creation and digital marketing. I was involved in developing and executing marketing campaigns, creating content for social media and other digital channels, and ensuring campaigns aligned with strategy and brand guidelines. I also assisted with editing visuals, drafting captions, and monitoring engagement metrics to optimize performance.
My contributions supported the growth of the brand’s digital presence, increased audience engagement, and helped ensure marketing initiatives were executed effectively. By assisting with campaign development and implementation, I provided practical support that allowed the team to focus on strategic objectives while maintaining smooth and consistent daily marketing operations.
How did your view of the experience change over time?
When I first arrived and began my placement, I expected to make changes immediately and assumed my ideas would translate smoothly into tasks. I soon realised that making an impact in a new cultural and professional environment requires time, patience, and an understanding of context.
The language barrier, different workplace routines, and unfamiliar systems initially made me uncertain of how useful I could be. However, as I became more familiar with my role, the organisation’s way of working, and the cultural expectations, I came to understand that contributing is not only about implementing ideas, but also about listening, learning, and adapting.
I learned that even when progress feels slow, I am still growing and supporting the team. Sometimes the most valuable contribution is showing a willingness to engage, being open to new methods, and respecting how tasks are traditionally carried out within the local context.
How did your internship contribute to your long-term career goals?
This international internship helped me work toward my long-term goal of building a career in Formula 1, ideally in law or marketing.
Being exposed to new cultural environments and workplace practices strengthened my cultural competency, an essential skill in motorsport, where teams and sponsors collaborate across languages and cultures.
Navigating language barriers and working with colleagues from different backgrounds improved my ability to communicate clearly and respectfully, while tasks such as makeshift photoshoots developed my adaptability and creative problem-solving under limited resources.
Working with Spanish-language files, creating captions, editing visuals, and observing the use of generative AI tools to refine content provided practical marketing experience, and pushing myself to speak Spanish helped build confidence and resilience.
Overall, the internship prepared me for an international, high-pressure industry by strengthening my communication, adaptability, and attention to detail.
In what ways has your internship made you feel more empowered?
As a result of this internship experience, I felt more empowered to succeed in my field, particularly in my ability to connect with others across different cultures. The internship in Spain strengthened my cultural awareness and adaptability, qualities I recognise as valuable and desirable to hiring managers.
Experiencing a professional environment in Spain increased my confidence in communicating with people from diverse backgrounds and reinforced the importance of cultural understanding, collaboration, and adaptability in achieving my career goals.
The experience was also empowering in confirming that I have multiple viable pathways and transferable skills that can support success in whatever field I choose to pursue.
FAQs
Spanish language proficiency is not a requirement to join. However, interns should expect that a language barrier can still be encountered to a certain extent. Interns should be prepared for the very natural and normal frustration of not always understanding what is being said around them.
Interns in Madrid are accommodated in clean and comfortable, fully furnished apartments. In most cases, between four to six guests can be accommodated per apartment, however, every guest has a private bedroom within the accommodation, with either a single or double bed.
Yes! As long as you are planning to intern in the same destination, for the same start date, you can select differing internship fields, and even durations.
The typical internship schedule will be Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm or up to 8 hours per day.
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