Careers Service launches first-ever Expansive Futures series for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences students
The past teaching term saw a Careers Service first – a month-long multi-disciplinary career development series, Expansive Futures: Careers in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. When we sat down to design the series, we knew it’s going to be a good one, but the end result exceeded even our most optimistic expectations!
14 different panels were arranged, covering topics from film and TV to marketing, from public sector to heritage, from charity to law.
48 panellists, including alumni and representatives from local businesses, volunteered their time to share their insights.
Over 650 of you engaged with the events, many joining us for more than one event.
We were delighted to get some really positive feedback, so read on to find out what some of our lovely students had to say:
Meet Rose, a current finalist and Career Ambassador at the Careers Service, studying Politics and International Relations.
Your university years fly by faster than you think – but the best part? You have those years to cultivate the career you want. Your first year is the prime opportunity to start exploring those options. Here are the tips I wish I had, to begin building those foundations in my first year.
Explore!
It can be easy to get overwhelmed at the start of your university journey. Some have lots of exciting ideas about career prospects, other are not sure at all!
I found that a great place to start was mycareer’s guide on ‘Exploring Career Options’. This guide can help you gain more information on your interests. It is also a great option in first year, to ensure you keep all doors open. Now is the time to explore all the possibilities that come your way and make the most of them!
Dr Beverley Samways has more than 20 years of professional and research experience in the care sector supporting young people with severe learning disabilities, sensory loss and autism. She is the founder-director of the social enterprise Unique Connections, which exists to improve the lives of individuals with learning disabilities who self-injure or are distressed.
Bev recently completed a Churchill Fellowship, spending five weeks in the US exploring trauma-informed approaches to supporting people with learning disabilities. Her report, focusing on how trauma-informed practice can help build resilience back into the UK care sector, can be found here.
The Outstanding PLUS Awards recognise the broad range of outstanding contributions Bristol PLUS Award achievers make to their extracurricular activity each year.
Each year, students completing their Bristol PLUS Award have the chance to take their achievement further, and win a prestigious Outstanding PLUS Award in one of 6 categories.
Thinking about careers can easily slip to the bottom of the list when you’ve got other things on. The uncertainty of “what next” can be de-motivating and sometimes it can be simpler to just not think about it.
It’s completely normal to feel anxious about career planning or future job prospects. We’re here to help!
We understand the importance of seeking support and know that everyone’s needs are different. We’re here to help you navigate a sometimes daunting path, and help you build confidence in your own decision-making.
Sometimes just talking through your worries can be useful but we can also recommend some practical tips and suggest some next steps, which can make all the difference.
First things first – feeling anxious at times is perfectly normal! For many students and graduates, there can be a feeling of being lost. If you are finding things hard at university, whether it’s with your studies, personal circumstances or anything else, you can book an appointment with a Wellbeing Adviser to work out a way forward. This is free and open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Below are some common concerns we encounter that can create career anxiety and helpful strategies to overcome them.
Get Hired, our spring careers fair, is happening onWednesday 19 March from 12:30 pm to 4 pm atBristol Beacon.Third Bridge who are sponsoring this year’s fair have kindly provided a blog that is written by a Bristol alumni.
Hi I’m Amelia, when I graduated from the University of Bristol in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, I put my travel plans on hold and started looking for a graduate job in London with no real idea of what I wanted to do. I had studied Russian at Bristol, and loved the exposure to different cultures through the department and my year abroad in Tomsk, so all I knew was I wanted to work in a multicultural environment where I could meet people from different backgrounds.
Bristol Mentors is now open for applications for home UK students returning for study in 2025/26.
We caught up with Elena (Politics and Sociology BSc), one of two Bristol Mentors Student Associates, about her experiences as a mentee on the programme.
“I was delighted to gain a place on Bristol Mentors last year. As the programme got closer, I knew I didn’t have a clear vision for how I wanted my future to look, and in truth I hoped someone would tell me exactly what I was supposed to pursue. The beauty of having a mentor is that whilst they can’t make those decisions for you, they can do a great deal to help you figure it out.
As I got to know my mentor, we discussed interests and avenues I was considering, allowing her to help me consider relevant opportunities and ideas. Throughout the year, I attended networking events and applied for summer programmes. If ever I felt I was out of my depth or imposter syndrome kicked in, I knew I had my mentor to guide me and cheer me on.
After my year as a student mentee, I had the chance to join the project team and help the running of the programme as a Student Associate. This gave me an even greater appreciation of mentoring as I was able to see so many other students benefitting and the work that goes on behind the scenes.
From where I am now, I see mentorship as a journey like a trail of falling dominos; one connection, one opportunity, one piece of guidance, can set off a chain reaction that keeps you moving towards your potential. To any fellow student reading about this opportunity I would highly recommend you make the time to apply.”
Bristol Mentors provides successful student applicants with an alumni mentor working in the professional sector they are aiming to break into.
Visit the Bristol Mentors webpage to check if you are eligible for a place on the programme and to get your application started.
If you have any questions or queries, contact the team on alumni-mentoring@bristol.ac.uk
