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Fran Moore is a Finance and Business BSc student who recently completed a one-month team-based internship with TIMEdotCom(TIME) Berhad in Malaysia. In this interview, she discusses the opportunities the Business School has provided her and the knowledge she has gained about sustainable business practices through the programme.  

Tell me a bit about yourself and your journey at the Business School? 

I have just completed my second year as an undergraduate student studying Finance and Business BSc. I chose to study at Sussex because the modules enabled me to explore a variety of career options, which I found helpful since I wasn't certain which career path I wanted to pursue during my A-levels.  

What was your role and what is it like to be an intern at TIMEdotCom? 

As a TIME intern, I had the amazing opportunity to work with multiple departments like marketing, sales, product, technology, and more. It was eye-opening for me to see behind-the-scenes and how various departments work together. Understanding the theory behind a lot of their work and then experiencing it in practice was interesting. I also enjoyed learning about the career backgrounds of staff and how they entered the telecommunications industry.     

Has the internship influenced your career aspirations? 

Before the internship, I was focused on pursuing a career in auditing or risk analysis. During my A-levels, I did not enjoy learning the theoretical aspects of careers like marketing. This eventually turned out to be my favourite department to work in because I enjoyed the practical aspects. After completing the programme, I am now more open to exploring careers in marketing and human resources.  

In what ways has studying at the Business School prepared you for an intercultural working environment? 

The Business School has done more than enough to prepare its students for an intercultural working environment. One way they continue to do this is by providing opportunities that allow students to have first-hand experience in an actual working environment through placements and internships. The Business School also had students from different departments on this specific internship, from Economics to Business Management, and this allowed us to network and learn a lot about each other's courses.  

What insights into innovation in business has the internship provided you?  

Consumer demand for innovation is constant, which can be very tough for smaller companies since they have fewer resources in comparison to well-established brands. I learnt how smaller brands can compete by targeting niche market groups, leading with factors like cost, or by partnering with larger organisations. Brands must continually innovate to remain relevant and not fall behind the rapidly changing market environment and consumer demands. There is more complexity to telecommunications companies than it appears externally.  

What challenges have you encountered through this experience? How have these shaped you going forward? 

One of the challenges a lot of us encountered was understanding the theoretical parts of the technology department. As interesting as it was, the information was heavy, and felt more tailored to engineering students. However, this knowledge has opened my eyes to other career options and I have gained a deeper understanding of other fields in this industry.  

How can the telecommunications industry help drive the UN Sustainable Development Goals? 

It is expected that the telecommunications industry will have an impact on achieving sustainable development goals like ‘sustainable cities and communities’ or ‘industry, innovation, and infrastructure’. By providing more people with access to telecommunication services like broadband, they can achieve the goal of reducing inequality. Innovation is becoming more prevalent now, as modern technology aids new ideas that can help industries provide better services and serve more people.  

What have you learned about sustainable business practices through the Time.com internship?  

TIME’s commitment to 'moving forward sustainably’ taught me the importance of acting in a sustainable and ethical manner. I learnt the importance of ensuring these practices are regular throughout the business, from employees to customers and then partners.  

What excites you about the latest innovations and developments in the telecoms markets? 

Interning at TIME has allowed me to see just how much innovation is happening in the telecommunications industry. It will be interesting to see how they continue to expand their network overseas. I am excited to seehow telecommunication companies will adapt to meet the change in consumer demands in a busy market as the 5G network becomes more widespread.