Category: Bristol PLUS Award

Fancy making a difference on campus? Nominate yourself for a student leadership role!

Posted on by Careers Service

Each year, the Bristol SU elections are a chance for you to choose a student leader who represents you and the change you want to see on campus.

You can vote to elect the people you trust to represent your community and make a positive impact. Over 900 student leaders are elected, playing vital roles in amplifying student voices.

You can vote from Monday 10 to Thursday 13 March. Make sure you vote and make your time at Bristol the best it can be.

However, you can go one step further…

Are you the person to make a difference?

Are you passionate about improving the wellbeing services or making changes to the food options on campus? If so, do more than just vote, and run for an SU-elected role today. The SU elections are the perfect way for you to make a positive change for you and your fellow students. 

(more…)

My Journey to the IET Future Talent Awards

Posted on by Careers Service

My name is Leonardo, and I’m in my final year of a 4-year course studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

A photo of Leonardo, smiling

Earlier this year, I was honoured to receive the Boost Scholarship from the Institute of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) Future Talent Awards – an engineering scholarship aiming to provide financial support and encouragement to deliver a solid foundation and turn talents into groundbreaking solutions.

(more…)

“The Bristol PLUS Award has been more than an achievement; it’s been a transformative journey that has set me on a confident path towards my career goals.” 

Posted on by Careers Service

We asked two of our Career Service Student Ambassadors, Rose Gunning (Politics and International Relations) and Kreeshi Shavdia (Mathematics and Physics), what they felt like they got out of achieving the Bristol PLUS Award. Here is what they said…  

(more…)

One-Off Volunteering – Give two hours and make a lasting change

Posted on by Careers Service

Hi, I’m Emily, Volunteer Coordinator at Bristol SU. 

Over the past year, the Bristol SU Volunteering Team have been running ‘One-Off Opportunities’.

These are group volunteering opportunities with various organisations across Bristol, that students can take part in on a flexible and ad-hock basis. I love joining in with these sessions, to chat to the fantastic student volunteers and learn why they’ve been some of our most popular opportunities.  

During Student Volunteering Week (Monday 10 to Saturday 15 February), we’ll be providing a range of events, talks and workshops to help you find your perfect volunteering role. This includes a number of One-Off Opportunities.

Be the first to hear about our events by joining our One-Off Opportunities WhatsApp Chat, and sign up to all events on the Student Volunteering Week campaign page.   

(more…)

Hidden benefits of the Bristol PLUS Award: From Internships to preparing you for post-graduate life!

Posted on by Careers Service
The Bristol PLUS Award logo

Hear from 4th year MSc Chemistry student, Zahria, who achieved her Bristol PLUS Award in the 2023-24 Academic Year, whilst also securing a summer internship with telecommunications company BT! 

How has PLUS prepared you for your future once you leave university?

The Bristol PLUS Award has played a great role in preparing me for life beyond university by giving me a clearer understanding of navigating my career journey. It also opened my eyes to many career resources available at the university, that I would otherwise not have known about!

The activities required to achieve the PLUS Award helped me build and showcase key transferable skills that employers value such as teamwork, communication and time management.

Zahria smiling on a beach
(more…)

Postgraduate Researchers: How the Bristol PLUS Award can work for you

Posted on by Careers Service

‘As a Postgraduate Researcher, it can be easy to focus so intently on your research and forget how much university life still has to offer. The Bristol PLUS Award has encouraged me to seek out these experiences, and meet a wider range of students and staff, which I am incredibly grateful for.’

(19 – 20 PGR PLUS Award achiever)

Broaden your Horizons

A photo of volunteers outside in an allotment, standing together and smiling
Volunteers on the City Challenges programme

The Bristol PLUS Award is the university’s employability Award, giving you the opportunity to gain formal recognition for commitments you take on outside of your research.

Getting involved outside of your research is a great way to build connections and community. The PLUS Award recognises a broad range of activities, and for Postgraduate Researchers, lots of these are things you may well already be taking part in.

That could be teaching support, marking, or submitting a paper to a journal. Or experiences outside of the university such as part time work or volunteering. For more ideas, you can check out our list of common PGR options for the Bristol PLUS Award.

(more…)

Violet: Student Leader, drag artist, and PLUS achiever!

Posted on by Careers Service

Bristol PLUS Award achiever and Outstanding PLUS Award nominee Violet Allmark achieved her 70 hours of PLUS activity through working as a freelance drag performer and taking on a student leadership role as chair of Bristol Theatre Department Society InterACT. 

Violet was a freelance performer with drag cabaret ‘The House of Savalon’ during their residency at award-winning Bristol LGBTQ+ venue Queenshilling, proud sponsors of Bristol University LGBTQ+ society. 

A photo of Violet performing in a drag show
Violet performing as Etta Boy, at The House of Savalon

‘My freelance work, as part of the House of Savalon’s three month residency at Queenshilling, gave me the opportunity to develop my artistic costume-making practice, and improve my time management and organisational skills. I spent hours preparing for my acts: sourcing, making and editing my own costumes, props and audio. 

In addition, the regular feedback sessions enhanced my personal reflection skills on my own performances as well as my communication skills through constructive feedback

A crow of people in drag on a stage cheering
The House of Savalon at the Queen Shilling

Kickstarting my drag career this year has led to such amazing performance opportunities, such as performing last week before Divina de Campo at the Creative Youth Network Station and even internationally in Woody’s Bar Toronto, where I was tipped during my performance by a queen recently announced to be on Season 3 of Canada Drag Race and I was even in the presence of the show’s ‘version’ of Ru Paul: Brook Lynn Hytes.’

Violet also developed new skills and experience by chairing the committee of InterAct, the theatre department’s society. 

(more…)

Meet Oscar, the PLUS achiever who helped fundraise £60,000 for charity!

Posted on by Careers Service

The Bristol PLUS Award rewards students for taking part in extra-curricular activity alongside their studies. Every year, we are impressed by the variety of activities students use towards their PLUS, and the impact these activities have – both towards the local community, and towards the students’ personal and professional development.   

Spotlight on Oscar: director, president, PLUS Achiever… and multitasking extraordinaire!  

A picture of Oscar during the Charity Dance Production. He is standing on stage with a money shooting out of a prop gun.
Photo credit: Peter Wormington (Moonshine Photography)

To achieve his 70 hours, Oscar Oglina, a fifth-year medical student, was director of the Medical Student Charity Dance Production, CLIC, which broke fundraising records by raising over £60,000 for charity.  (more…)

James: Bartender, Podcaster, Bristol PLUS Award Achiever!

Posted on by Careers Service

Completing the Bristol PLUS Award is a great way to reflect on the experiences you have whilst you’re a student and get confident in your career planning. 

A photo of James
James Mwendwa, 2nd Year Geology MSci

James Mwendwa, second year Geology student, achieved his PLUS Award this year in recognition of a range of experiences gained during his first and second years, in term time and during the holidays.

‘The steps to achieve my PLUS Award opened up new opportunities and skills in employability and interview techniques.’ 

(more…)