My Turing Scheme Traineeship with Linx Camps

When I first heard about the Turing Scheme, I knew I wanted to do something a bit different to just another summer job. I’ve always liked the idea of mixing travel with learning, so when the opportunity to spend the summer in Boston with Linx Camps came up, it felt perfect. I’m currently studying Biomedical Science at BU, and although that can feel very lab-based at times, I wanted to see how my science knowledge could be used in a completely new setting.

I ended up working as a science camp counsellor, teaching 8–10 year olds about everything from photosynthesis and respiration to iodine reactions and electromagnets. At first, it was a bit of a shock compared to tutoring back home — the kids were culturally really different to what I’m used to, and I quickly realised that the strict teacher voice wasn’t going to cut it. Instead, I had to adapt to more of a soft, almost parenting style of teaching, which was a challenge but also something I think made me grow a lot.

The highlights were honestly the little moments: when a camper who’d been messing around suddenly clicked with what I was teaching, or when they could answer my questions days later and prove that they’d actually taken something in. It was even better when they showed real excitement about what we were doing — you could see their curiosity spark, and it reminded me exactly why I want to go into science and education.

Living-wise, I stayed in dorms at Lasell University and shared a room with another counsellor. It was a very different setup to being at home, but it added to the experience — I had people around me all the time, and it made the whole summer feel like a mini student community. Outside of teaching, I joined in with camp culture too, from making friendship bracelets to learning how to do gimp (something I had literally never heard of before but quickly got the hang of!).

Work-wise, the experience gave me so much. It was directly linked to my degree — I was using real science knowledge every day but explaining it in a way that 8-year-olds could understand. That’s honestly a harder skill than it sounds! It gave me experience teaching a younger age group, which I hadn’t done much before, and it’s definitely built my confidence. On top of that, I met and worked with loads of people who had similar interests to me, which was great for networking and future opportunities.

On a bigger level, the traineeship made me more aware of how different cultures approach learning and discipline. It challenged me to rethink how I communicate, not just with kids but with people in general. I also think it boosted my employability skills — I can now prove I can adapt, problem solve on the spot, and work with people from completely different backgrounds.

If I could go back and give myself advice at the start, I’d say: don’t stress too much about being “the perfect teacher” from day one. You’ll figure it out, and the kids will surprise you more than you expect. For anyone else considering volunteering or working abroad, I’d honestly recommend it. It’s not always easy — it’s long hours and there are definitely challenges — but the personal growth and memories are so worth it.

My biggest achievement was seeing the campers actually learn science in a fun way and being part of that moment where things made sense to them. Personally, I feel more confident, more adaptable, and more excited about where I can take my skills next. And professionally, I’ve developed teaching experience that will feed into both my degree and my tutoring business back home.

Would I recommend the Turing Scheme to others? 100% yes. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, gave me the best summer memories, and genuinely shaped how I see my future.