Category: Career profile

Career profile: NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme

Posted on by Careers Service

A University of Bristol graduate talks about her experience of the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme:

ImageImage: Alex Proimos [flickr.com/photos/proimos/]

When I started as a Geography student at the University of Bristol in 2009 I had little idea of what career I wanted. I knew I wanted to be in a job where I really felt like I was making a difference to people’s  lives and I had always had an affinity for the NHS but not being a clinician,  I struggled to see where I might fit in.

After attending various careers events, courses and undertaking work experience, I learnt more about management in the NHS and was completely sold on this being the career I wanted. Somewhat putting all of my eggs in one basket,  the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme was the only job I applied for and, fortunately, I was accepted on to the General Management stream of the scheme,  which I started in September 2012. Eighteen months on, I can wholeheartedly say this was the best decision I could have made and I am enjoying a challenging but hugely rewarding start to my career.

The scheme is comprised of 3 placements over two years: one in a hospital (a more ‘operational’ role concerned with the running of services); a more strategic role involving project management; and a shorter two-month placement where there is more choice of where to go, inside or outside of the NHS, in order to develop knowledge or skills that will be useful to the NHS. At the start of the scheme there is also a month-long ‘orientation’, where I spent time in a variety of departments and organisations to get a better understanding of the different components that are part of the health and social care system: spending a day on an ambulance was definitely a personal highlight!

One of the elements of the scheme I have been most impressed with is the amount of responsibility I have been given from the very start. Despite having no previous experience in the NHS, I have now managed a department in a hospital, line-managed staff and led service-improvement projects, and worked collaboratively with patients and staff from a wide variety of disciplines. Being afforded this amount of responsibility, whilst at the same time being well supported, has allowed me to develop a huge amount of new skills and knowledge in a really short space of time and I have relished being able to make an impact from day one.

In addition to the work placements, I am currently studying for a Masters in Leadership and Service Improvement as part of the scheme. I have enjoyed being able to put some of the theory I have learnt from this, as well as skills learnt during leadership development courses provided by the scheme,  into practice during my placements.

The fast-track nature of the Scheme has given me a mass of opportunities I would never have otherwise had and I would highly recommend it to anyone passionate about improving patient care and ready to offer the commitment and dedication needed to become a leader in the NHS.

                                                                                                Siobhan Heeley, University of Bristol Graduate

The Careers Service says:

You can read more about what options there are with a Geography degree on the Careers Service website.  We also provide a helpful overview of careers in healthcare, which links to the really useful ‘What can I do with my degree’ website from NHS Careers.

Career profile: costumier

Posted on by Careers Service

Jo Sims has provided the following profile with lots of hints and tips about how to get into the exciting industry of freelance costume making.

Job titles: costumier / costume maker, costume assistant, costume trainee, costume supervisor

Employer: freelance, but have worked for Hackney Music Development Trust, Red Production (Scott & Bailey Series 2), Scottish Opera and Sheffield Theatres.

Education:

  • Theatrical costume making – a non-accredited 15 week intensive practical course (Northern College of Costume, York, 2011)
  • MA Design Innovation Strategy (SheffieldHallamUniversity, 2001)
  • BA (Hons) Surface Pattern Design (University of Huddersfield, 1998)
  • HND Graphic Design (Nene College, 1993)

1880s bustle gown by Jo Sims
1880s bustle gown by Jo Sims [Image from www.miss-sims.com]
 What does your role involve?

My work as a costume maker involves making up costumes under the guidance of the pattern cutter, assisting on costume fittings, and making alterations in time for the dress rehearsals. I’m also experienced in pattern drafting, draping on the stand, and some costume design (done on the course). As a freelancer I also have to be able to manage my time and be constantly looking ahead for the next project.

How did you get your job?

I did a two week work placement at Scottish opera in Glasgow straight after finishing a 15 week intensive costume making course. While there the ladies cutter/workshop manager gave my details on to a friend (a costume designer) who was working on an ITV drama in Manchester. I got in touch and met the Designer (Rhona Russell) after my placement and was offered a 16 week contract as costume trainee on the drama starting the next day! I think it was very much about having a direct contact and being in the right place at the right time. Following on from this I was recommended as a costume supervisor for Shadowball, a touring jazz opera, working with children aged 7-9 (by the Head of Wardrobe in Sheffield, where I’d volunteered one day a week for two months in 2010). I was then contacted by Scottish Opera who wanted me to work for them for 12 weeks, after being happy with me on my work placement. I also secured more work with Sheffield Theatres in November 2012 for pantomime and with Scottish Opera in 2013. So my few contacts have gone a very long way.

I do hope to gain work in New York though, so that’s where I’ll really have to push marketing myself.

How did your degree help?

Having a degree has helped me gain all my organisational skills (as well as the 10 years that I worked for e-learning companies after my Masters). It has helped time management, project planning, developed specific technology skills (Adobe PhotoShop, Illustrator, Flash, Dreamweaver).

The intensive costume making course taught me historical costume construction, pattern drafting, draping on the stand, sewing techniques, tailoring. The course covers a lot in 15 weeks because by the end of it I’d made an 1820 gents eveningwear costume – consisting of pantaloons, shirt, waistcoat and tailcoat; 1880s bustle gown – consisting of underwear (combinations, corset bustle cage, petticoat), foundation skirt, bustle apron, bodice and additional gloves and bag; 1940s ladies eveningwear. Because the course was practical we only had one day per project to research and come up with the designs. It was much more focused on practical skills rather than design and development skills.

What advice would you give anyone else wanting to get into costume design?

Placements are so valuable. At the time it seems really difficult working for nothing, but it has paid off so much with how much work I’ve got from 8 days volunteering (over 2 months) at Sheffield Theatres in 2010 and 2 week work placement (unpaid) at Scottish opera in Glasgow. Costume making in particular is such a small industry in that everyone knows everyone, so it’s really important to make the best possible impression rather than taint your career with a lack of enthusiasm.

Due to the nature of the work, unless you live in or near London, you’ll have to do a fair bit of travelling to get work, but once you’ve made your few initial contacts they do call you back for more work.

For more information see Jo’s website.

Career profile: Educational Psychologist

Posted on by Careers Service

child photo

 

A 2010 DEdPsy graduate Cardiff University, currently working as an Educational Psychologist for a local authority provided the case study below about her current role and how she got there.

How did you get your job?

The initial step was to get my first degree in Psychology- I graduated from Aston University in 2001. During that degree I worked as a clinical psychology assistant for the NHS for 12 months. After graduation I worked as a mental health support worker for a year, and decided that I wanted to pursue the Educational Psychology route and taught in a primary school for 2 years following a PGCE.

At the time, 2 years of teaching was a prerequisite to be accepted onto the DEdPsy course, and whilst it no longer is, the classroom experience gave me a firm foundation to then apply for an Assistant Educational Psychology post which then led to successful acceptance onto the Doctorate course.

The course consisted of placements working as a Trainee Educational Psychologist in three different local authorities, a number of research projects and a thesis. I graduated and have been working ever since for a local authority.

What does your role involve?

I work with children and young people between the ages of 0-19 and the systems around them (school, family, community) using a consultation approach in order to facilitate change. There is a lot of multi-agency and liaison work, which involves working collaboratively with school staff, parents, and a range of other professionals (e.g. Social Services, Speech and Language Therapists, Youth Offending Service, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) to identify and support any wellbeing or additional learning needs.

Adaptability and the ability to communicate with others is key. I work with 15 schools including primary, secondary and pupil referral units and work one-to-one with a child using psychological assessments, individual therapeutic work and observations. I also undertake more proactive group interventions to help the children and young people develop social skills, self-esteem and self-regulation. I also work at a systemic level, supporting schools to develop policies and interventions, and provide training to teachers, LSAs and ALNCOs on topics such as self-regulation, anxiety management, psychological approaches and attachment. There is a lot of administration too- I have to research and analyse the effectiveness of interventions, write reports and ensure that I keep up to date with the latest research in order to provide evidenced based practice.

How did your degree help?

If you want to become an Educational Psychologist having the Doctorate in Educational Psychology is an essential requirement by the British Psychological Society (BPS). My DEdPsy involved 3 placements which were invaluable in finding out the variety of approaches which are used in different local authorities. My 50,000 word thesis explored the impact of teachers using Solution Focused approaches in schools.

What advice would you give anyone else wanting to get into educational psychology?

With fewer assistant educational psychology posts available due to funding cuts, you will have to work harder to evidence your motivation for the DEdPsy course.

Tips:

  • Experience of working with young people and children is essential. Get into a school and classroom setting to get a better understanding of the educational and school systems. Experience beyond the classroom is also invaluable e.g. in youth clubs, sports clubs, playgroups, voluntary agencies. This will give you a holistic insight into what children deal with on a daily basis and some of the challenges they face. It is vital that you gain experience of working with children from all backgrounds with a variety of needs and will be key in being able to demonstrate your communication skills and your empathetic nature.
  • Always consider the link to psychology in what you have done e.g. if you work as a learning support assistant or volunteer with a play scheme, think how you have used psychological principles to deal with challenges successfully.
  • Demonstrate your enthusiasm and initiative by asking to shadow professionals that work with children and young people- social workers, clinical psychologists, therapeutic workers. If they can’t spare the time for you to come out for the day, ask if you can at least speak to them – try to gain insights wherever and whenever you can. Ask questions and demonstrate that you’ve gone the extra mile with additional research- contacts can be key to professional development in this field.
  • Get research experience during the summer- seek out psychology research projects and get involved.
  • Consider choosing a dissertation topic related to children or young people. This will not only help demonstrate your interest and increase your knowledge but could also bring you into contact with a range of other professionals who also work with children.
  • Keep up to date with the latest research- journals such as Educational Psychology in Practice, Educational & Child Psychology, developments in the profession through the BPS and if possible attend any appropriate training courses.

Final note from the Careers Service:

For further advice and information about psychology careers see our ‘I want to work in healthcare’ pages. If you miss our ‘Careers in Psychology’ event, don’t forget you can find content on our Careers Downloads page.

Image from: http://www.morguefile.com

Career profile: assistant clinical psychologist

Posted on by Careers Service

Image of child's brain
Are you interested in a clinical psychology career?
A 2007 psychology graduate from the University of Manchester, currently working as an assistant clinical psychologist for the NHS, provided the case study below about her current role and how she got there.

How did you get your job?

Since leaving university I have held several jobs. My first was working as a sales advisor for an insurance company – completely unrelated to the career that I wanted. In the meantime I joined an assistants group at the university, got involved in writing articles, and worked as a locum support worker for women that had suffered domestic abuse.

Eventually I plucked up the courage and contacted several clinical psychologists and got an honorary research assistant post at the University of Manchester.

I then started a part time Research Psychologist post for UCL which gave me great experience of conducting research. I also started volunteering as a research assistant one day a week on a project looking at obesity and managed to get paid work on an ad hoc basis at the University of Nottingham which eventually resulted in some publications.

What does your role involve?

My current role as an assistant clinical psychologist consists of conducting neuro-psychological assessments on children with queried autism/learning disabilities or a social communication disorder. I score up and interpret performance and write reports. I also visit children within their school environment and carry out direct/video observations. My post has enabled me to sit in on and assist in formulations and intervention/treatment plans. Spending time around clinical psychologists has allowed me to gain a sense and clear understanding of the work that they conduct.

How did your degree help?

If you want to become a clinical psychologist having a degree is essential. My degree gave me a great foundation of knowledge, improved my writing and research skills, and confidence to pursue a career in clinical psychology.

What advice would you give anyone else wanting to get into clinical psychology?

Gaining a place on the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training is not an easy process. It is important to fully research and understand what Clinical Psychology is.

Tips:

  • Contact clinical psychologists and ask to talk to them – they tend to have a lot of knowledge that can be helpful for you. Whilst at University this should be easier as you may have clinical psychologists that lecture you.
  • Try and get involved in support work / Nightline / Samaritans / mentoring etc. whilst at university.
  • Join an assistants group (it is not always restricted to assistants).
  • Get any experience you can which you can show is relevant. I was involved in Nightline, worked as an ambassador for the university engaging those from disadvantaged backgrounds, worked in India and Romania with people that had disabilities etc.
  • Offering to work on an honorary basis on a research project during holidays is a good way of getting experience.
  • Opt for a research project (normally in your final year) that is as clinically relevant as you can get.
  • Be willing to seek out experience and to deal with rejection.
  • Do not allow it to consume you – it is only a job at the end of the day.

 Final note from the Careers Service:

For further advice and information about psychology careers see our ‘I want to work in healthcare’ pages. If you missed our ‘Careers in Psychology’ event, don’t forget you can find content on our Careers Downloads page.

[Image: by IsaacMao via creative commons on flickr.com]

Career profile: freelance foreign correspondent

Posted on by Careers Service

Pile of newspapers

Sara, a 2005 English graduate from UCL, has spent the past year working as a freelance foreign correspondent in Cairo, Egypt. Below she tells us more about this and answers questions to help Bristol students and graduates considering a similar career.

After leaving university, I first completed a six month internship at the press office at UNICEF, the United Nation’s Children’s Fund, where I helped to organise events and campaigns and worked to boost media coverage of the organisation’s work. After gaining work experience at The Sunday Times, I became a trainee at the paper and later gained a job on the world news desk where I worked as a reporter and researcher for four years.

In my current job, I am based in Cairo where I write news and feature articles for several UK newspapers and magazines. It has been an amazing experience to live abroad, learn more about Egyptian culture and follow the aftermath of the Arab Spring here, particularly witnessing the country’s first democratic elections and all the changes that has brought with it. Being a freelancer has given me the chance to work for many different organisations and develop new skills, such as getting into radio broadcasting. It also allows me more freedom to work on stories that I am interested in.

How did you get your job?

I realised that in order to progress within my chosen career I was going to have to take a risky move and quit a stable desk job in London to brave going it alone. I arrived in Cairo with very few Egyptian contacts or resources, it was a scary but invigorating experience and within a matter of weeks  (to my relief!) I gained a fairly substantial amount of work.

How did your degree help?

Having a degree helped improve my writing style and my ability to analyse and use information I gained to form a coherent argument – both essential skills for my current job.  I also feel I benefited from having read widely during the course of my literature degree both in terms of the greater overall cultural and historical awareness this has given me as well as learning about different styles of writing. I think that no one can really become a good writer without reading widely.

Did your time working for a newspaper help you to set yourself up as a freelance correspondent?

I think having worked at The Sunday Times before coming to Egypt helped me a great deal by ensuring I had a deep understanding of what news stories would be likely to interest the British press. I also built up relationships with journalists and foreign correspondents at the paper as well as freelancers that we used living abroad and I was lucky enough to be able to ask their advice about starting out and for tips on who to contact about freelance work  opportunities at different publications.

Are language skills essential for foreign correspondents?

People often assume that language skills are a must if you want to be a foreign correspondent, but that’s far from true. Many people become successful overseas reporters without ever speaking much of the local language – the key is to find a proficient translator. I do speak Arabic as well as some intermediate Spanish and French and there’s no doubt this has helped immensely, particularly during my time in Cairo, if only in terms of cutting down on the cost of a translator but that means often working alone and often being accompanied by a local who is familiar with the area and regional customs can be a great advantage.

What advice would you give anyone else wanting to get into foreign journalism?

As getting into journalism is so competitive you need to make sure you get lots of work experience to prove your dedication to the profession.  During a work placement pay close attention to the types of topics that interest that particular media outlet so that you can pitch ideas that will impress them. If you are thinking of going abroad, choose somewhere newsworthy, where there is likely to be a lot going on, investigate where most papers have staff correspondents and where they might be able to use a freelancer. It also helps to choose somewhere where the cost of living is low. Before choosing to go freelance, I set up meetings with editors at several newspapers and magazines to discuss what kind of stories they would be interested in taking from me. It also helps if they can put a face to a name when you call in from thousands of miles away!

Any work experience tips?

Many journalism work experience opportunities are advertised on websites such as journalism.co.uk  and GorkanaJobs.com. It is also worth contacting newspapers and magazines directly by writing to the managing editor or editor of a particular section including details of why you’d be interested in working for that section.  If you do not hear back, do follow up with a phone call, newspaper offices can often be somewhat erratic. While daily newspapers are often oversubscribed, Sunday newspapers and regional publications are sometimes less busy.

Final note from the Careers Service:

The Guardian Careers Blog has a number of useful posts with tips for aspiring journalists. See, for example, ‘Working in journalism: what I wish I’d learned at university’ and ‘Finding journalism work experience and opportunities on Twitter’.