A Year of Innovation: My DHI Internship Story

Hi, I’m Bobby, and for the past year I’ve been the Graduate Innovation Intern in the Communications and Marketing team at the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI).

When I first stepped into the DHI office on 1 October 2024, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I’d graduated two years earlier and had already worked in other roles, so I wasn’t sure if a graduate internship was the right fit. But I’m so glad I took the leap - because what followed was a year full of learning, creativity, and collaboration.

As part of our small but mighty five-person Comms team, I’ve worked across a wide range of areas - from social media and email marketing to web content and event delivery. I led the production of our monthly newsletter, wrote SEO-optimised blog posts, and helped shape our voice across LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and Bluesky. After we transitioned from X, I developed our launch and engagement strategy for Bluesky. Recently, I have also been researching and crafting an implementation strategy for structured data markup to help ensure the DHI website continues to thrive as search engines and AI platforms evolve.

One of the standout moments of my time at DHI was supporting the planning and delivery of a Scottish Parliamentary reception at Holyrood, celebrating the success of Digital Lifelines Scotland. I had the opportunity to network directly with government officials and senior stakeholders, helping to reinforce key messages and direct them to curated communications materials. It was a proud moment to see the team’s work recognised and to be part of an event that brought together voices from across government, health, and care.

Another highlight was a 10-week placement with NHS Education for Scotland (NES), which was organised through DHI as part of the internship. I spent time embedded across several teams, gaining insight into how marketing and communications operate within a large public sector organisation - especially during a period of change, as NES was starting preparations for their merger with National Services Scotland. My placement ended with a project proposal aimed at boosting engagement for the Innovation and Workforce Diversification team, and I’m excited to see how some of those ideas might be taken forward.

Throughout the year, I’ve also contributed to digital transformation projects, like transitioning our email marketing from Mailchimp to Wix, and refreshing our newsletter format to improve performance. I’ve further developed my skills in adapting messaging for different audiences, refining complex language for accessibility, and building strategies that balance creativity with clarity.

Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for the trust and support I received from the team - especially in those early weeks when I was still finding my feet. The DHI Comms team created a space where I could grow, experiment, and contribute meaningfully, and I’ve come away with a toolkit of skills and experiences that I’ll carry with me into whatever comes next.

Thank you to everyone at DHI for making this such a rewarding chapter. It’s been a pleasure to be part of the journey.