The internship experience at CIVITTA — an interview with a Mathematical Economics student at University of Pennsylvania

Our success lies in the talented and passionate team of professionals who make CIVITTA a unique place to work. We are always looking for young talents who want to develop professionally by doing meaningful projects in their home country or internationally. This week, we’re featuring an interview with Roberts Kustavus, a BSc Mathematical Economics student at the University of Pennsylvania (U.S.) who just completed an internship in our Latvian office.

Hi, Roberts! How was your experience with CIVITTA and what projects did you work on?

I joined CIVITTA Latvia for a 6-week private stream internship at the start of June. I really enjoyed my time and gained valuable experience. I primarily worked on two projects — a new business line strategy development project for a leading logistics company and a commercial due diligence project. Experiencing two substantially different projects gave me ample opportunity to learn and experience various aspects of the consulting work.

What do you feel you learned during this time?

I learned a lot — from structured ways how to approach tough business questions to more technical things like how to make presentations that tell an impactful story. What I loved about the experience is that everyone in the office was welcoming and open for any questions and giving help and advice. Through the feedback I received I was also able to identify the areas I would need to work on to improve my skills and abilities. 

How would you describe the office atmosphere and the culture of the organization?

While working in CIVITTA I felt a spirit more frequently seen in start-ups — that of people learning new skills and directly applying them to areas that they might not have encountered before. I found it very motivating to work in a team, where every member gets to contribute to various kinds of problems, not just a one set kind. Also, through setting of goals and reviewing their progress, I saw people trying to challenge themselves and become better at solving the problems that the company is set to solve for clients.

What’s next for you — what are your plans?

I applied for the internship with the goal to experience whether the consulting career, that I have been interested in for a while now, was the right fit for myself and the time I spent in CIVITTA has given me the assurance that it is. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to work and learn!