Lisa Da Costa is a final year Business and Management Student at Leeds Business School. Here, Lisa shares her experience of her 12-month placement at Disney, working as an Organisation and Talent Solutions Intern.

Course: BA (Hons) Business and Management

Tell us a bit about yourself and why you chose to study your course?

Surprisingly I haven’t always had a clear calling or desire to study business. For a number of years, I was considering going into nursing. However, after studying Business Studies at A Level, I knew that business was an area that I was really interested to pursue further. When attending the undergraduate open day at Leeds Beckett and getting a clear understanding of what the course entailed, I was certain that it was the right course for me. After studying a Human Resources module in the first year, I began to realise that I had a specific interest in HR.

Can you tell us about your placement and the role you’ve been doing?

As the Organisation and Talent Solutions Intern, my key role was to coordinate and project manage the learning and development initiatives for around 6,000 employees across the EMEA region. Other key duties included facilitating large scale training sessions for new starters, building a quarterly learning and development calendar, including the creation and design of the communications on its release. I also gained experience in maintaining their Learning Management System (LMS) on a daily basis. So overall it was a very busy 12 months, but a year that I will never forget.

What are the highlights of your work experience and how has it helped you?

My experience was certainly unique. I started in September 2020 during the pandemic and little did I know that my 12-month placement would be fully remote. Starting a placement during such difficult times and continuing to work online was a highlight in itself, as I learnt so many skills such as greater independence and adaptability. 

Another highlight and huge achievement was when I was asked to present my teams Learning and Development Strategy for the following fiscal year. This was a huge opportunity as I was presenting to the Vice President of Human Resources on behalf of my team, and so it really helped strengthen my presentation and oral communication skills.

As you can imagine at Disney, I did get some online visits from Mickey Mouse and his crew too, so that was another great highlight!

What are your plans for when you complete the course?

I’m planning to take a break over the summer to rewind and relax! I’m also currently in the process of applying for graduate jobs too and I’d love to secure a role in Human Resources by September.

What would you say to someone who is thinking about studying the course or considering a placement? 

For someone who may be thinking about studying this course, I would say to make sure you do your research so that you know what the course entails and are sure it’s the right course for you. I’ve personally loved the course and would definitely recommend it if you have a passion and interest for business, as you get the opportunity to explore a wide range of modules to help gauge which area you may be most interested in. 

If you’re considering applying for a placement, my best piece of advice would be: Go for it! I genuinely never thought I would get an internship at Disney, but you have to apply to be considered. If you see an opportunity that interests you, don’t think about how many applicants there may be – apply anyway, don’t underestimate yourself! My placement has been a pivotal highlight of my degree so far, so I cannot recommend them enough.