The University Of Sunderland In London, based on the Isle Of Dogs near Canary Wharf has developed the initiative to help people get the jobs they want
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Hermione Penny is relishing her latest role.
Born in Archway and growing up in Watford, she’s always had a love for busy, urban environments and now really enjoys living and working in London, indulging her passion for playing football locally, having grown up watching the Hornets at Vicarage Road with her dad.
But she’s not only a team player on the pitch, it’s a trait she’s carried into her career, most recently as the University Of Sunderland In London’s placement and internship programme manager.
“After graduating, I had that period of trying to work out who I was, what I cared about and what I was interested in,” she said.
“Initially I worked in clothing retail, but I realised that helping people was where I wanted to be.
“I stayed in the sector and found a role at the Fashion Retail Academy, having realised that I’m 100% a people person.
“The opportunity was in education and I was working to find placements for students across our courses.
“I couldn’t do a job where I’m not communicating with other individuals every day – it was during lockdown that I found a group of women to kick a ball around with because it was all we were allowed to do with social distancing.”
supporting those seeking careers
Next came a spell at Blueprint For All in Deptford, formerly the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, a charity with an ambition to create a fairer and more inclusive society.
“My role there was to develop programmes and I worked across lots of different projects, which reinforced my love of supporting people,” said Hermione.
“Following on from the Black Lives Matter movement we saw a lot of partnerships come through the door and we had a lot of success getting funding, so it was a really exciting busy time.
“I spent some time in fundraising, but I realised what I needed to do was programme management, so I moved to Future Of London, a not-for-profit organisation that helps people who want to start a career in the built environment, planning, regeneration and community engagement.
“Working in the world of diversity and inclusion we’d find people internships, support them and see them shine.”
delivering Elevate
All of these facets of her story are important because Hermione’s own career is one where broad experience over many years has equipped her for the role she’s now undertaking at the university from its base at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs.
The programme she’s running – Elevate – is specifically designed to provide those who have finished courses with skills and opportunities to help boost their careers.
“This is something new for our campus,” said Hermione.
“We know some of our graduates struggle to gain graduate-level employment, especially those who don’t necessarily have the background of a traditional university student.
“In some cases, graduates may still be working in the same part-time roles they were doing while studying and we want to support them to secure graduate-level work.
“Our employability and enterprise hub already offers ongoing support for up to three years after students graduate.
“But we’ve developed Elevate specifically for graduates who are not in further education or jobs at the level they should be.
“It’s designed to provide them with some practical work experience via paid internships, as well as training and support to develop their abilities.
“It lasts three months and we’re working with businesses across the area to deliver these opportunities to thrive, learn new skills and gain a better understanding of working environments they might not be used to so they have leverage to make job applications and secure graduate-level employment.”
paid internships to boost job prospects
The first five students are about to complete the pilot programme at the university and Hermione said flexibility had allowed participants to access opportunities they might have otherwise struggled to find.
“It’s about helping people get to where they want to be,” she said.
“The internship is flexible, which means those with caring responsibilities or who are unable to work full-time can still take part.
“Often, the reason people aren’t in graduate-level jobs is that there are so many barriers in the way – it’s all so competitive.
“Perhaps a person’s digital skills aren’t very broad in a professional setting, so we help with that and things like writing CVs, job applications and research skills, as well as AI competency.
“Elevate gives people the practical skills to have the right experience in a working environment and to feel confident while they’re there.
“Most employers expect people to arrive prepared to operate at a high level, which may not be realistic for all graduates.
“We offer one-to-one advice and guidance while they’re in the programme and regularly check in with them so they get that wrap-around support.”
why the University Of Sunderland in London is seeking partners
The university is looking to expand the number and variety of businesses it works with through its Elevate programme.
“The internships need to be at a graduate level, but we’re open to a range of different employers,” said Hermione.
“The university offers courses in business, finance, healthcare, technology, hospitality and tourism.
“As part of the programme, we cover the salaries of the interns on the scheme so there’s minimal risk to employers.
“It’s about offering experience, time and resource to support people when they come into work and we make every effort to minimise the challenges.
“We work with businesses to understand their expectations – what’s included in the job description – and we weave that into the application.
“Before we send interns out to an employer, they attend a boot camp with us to ensure they have all the skills they need.
“It’s about giving people a safe space to figure things out – it’s OK not to get things right first time.
“We’re keen to connect with employers who need extra pairs of hands over a three-month period to help people go on and be successful in their careers.”
key details: Elevate at the University Of Sunderland In London
You can find out more about studying at the University Of Sunderland In London on its website or via its open day on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
Employers interested in participating in the Elevate programme can email Hermione with enquiries via hermione.penny@sunderland.ac.uk
Read more: Find out more about Common Threads, coming to Cody Dock in September
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