Fresh brains vs. smart machines: Investing in interns
Even in an AI-driven world, nurturing young talent through internships is essential—bringing fresh perspectives, energy, and irreplaceable human creativity to the workplace. At Fifth Ring, the experience of mentoring intern Eleanore Massey reaffirmed that investing in people not only shapes future careers but also strengthens the industry and the team itself.
When the opportunity was put to me to have an intern supporting us at Fifth Ring, primarily within the PR team and therefore under my mentorship, my initial reaction was mixed… my mind instantly thought of the time constraints we face in a fast-paced global agency, the pressure of live client work, and the challenge of ensuring I could provide meaningful learning opportunities in between deadlines.
I found myself reflecting on how valuable my own university placement had been, and the idea of playing even a small part in someone else's career journey felt like an opportunity worth taking.
Thankfully the curiosity, and the nudge from my conscience, won out.
We welcomed Eleanore Massey into the Fifth Ring HQ in Aberdeen at the start of 2025 for a 12-week placement as part of her third year RGU Journalism course.
She was met with a warm welcome, a packed campaign calendar, constant reminders to ask lots of questions, and the encouragement to learn as much as possible from our highly talented team.
Eleanore was everything we needed in our team – she was very personable and had an eagerness to learn, and the slightly panicked energy of someone about to step into the real world of PR for the first time.
12 weeks of campaigns, character growth, and agency (organised?) chaos
During her time with us, our intern got involved with everything: helping draft press releases, compiling media lists, monitoring coverage, joining brainstorms, and even writing her own website article. She was thrown into the heart of agency life and not only survived but thrived.
Eleanore Massey, PR Intern said: “The time I spent as an intern at Fifth Ring was fascinating for me. I learnt from professionals, with first-hand knowledge of the industry. Listening to the advice I was given, learning from experienced individuals, and feeling like I was part of the team was a great experience, and I will be forever grateful to those who looked after me and encouraged me.”
When someone new walks into the room, it can challenge us to explain, simplify, and rethink. The enthusiasm and curiosity brought a spark to the team.
Are interns needed in the AI world?
Yes – without a doubt. The world is changing. AI is reshaping everything, but it certainly doesn’t replace human creativity, personality, and potential.
Nurturing new talent is not just nice - it’s necessary to enable us to adapt for future opportunities, shape our teams, and create a stronger industry.
Interns bring ideas, instinct, fresh perspectives, and an energy that 100% can't be automated. Most importantly, they remind us that PR and marketing are still (and always will be) people-powered industries. AI can assist, but it can't empathise, imagine, or build relationships.
There’s no doubt in my mind that Eleanore was more tech savvy than me, and her ability to pick up our systems and software was impressive - it put my technophobe ways to shame, and she enjoyed flipping the tables and teaching me IT hacks, and basics! It was another reminder that mentoring an intern is a two-way beneficial experience.
For an internship to be successful, it takes commitment from both sides. From the company:
- Patience and time
- Clear structure and expectations
- Real opportunities to contribute
- Supportive, confidence-building feedback
And from the intern:
- Curiosity and enthusiasm
- Bravery to ask questions (even the ones they think sound silly)
- Hands-on mindset and willingness to react to whatever the agency day brings
Mentoring takes effort, but when it’s done well, the benefits are shared by both the individual and the organisation.
Getting into PR isn’t easy (But it shouldn’t be this difficult)
It was maybe many years ago, but I remember my first journalism job only too well – I naively thought that having a First Class Honors degree in Journalism meant I could step into a real newsroom and actually know what I was meant to be doing. How wrong I was.
From speaking with many graduates, it appears that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get that first foot in the workplace door. Concerningly, great candidates appear to be overlooked as AI increasingly takes over the recruitment process.
The gap between education and industry is one of the key barriers to graduate readiness in the modern workforce. While university courses can teach structure and theory, nothing beats real-world, real-client, real-deadline experience. Yet, many graduates will struggle to get started in PR because the industry often asks for experience without being willing to offer it.
That’s why meaningful placements matter. Agencies like Fifth Ring are proud to help bridge this gap for tomorrow’s talent.
By the end of the 12 weeks, we had a fully embedded junior team member. And while she gained new skills, we gained new energy, insight, and a reminder about the importance of sharing the learning.
At Fifth Ring, we believe in people, and we embrace their individuality. We believe in nurturing talent, investing in learning, and opening doors to the next generation of communicators.
So, the key takeaway - in a world increasingly shaped by smart machines, fresh human brains still matter, a lot.
