The Talent Foundry charity organised three events with different schools throughout the Bristol area to encourage year 7 and 8 pupils to consider university as an option for their future. Their mission is to increase social mobility by helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds discover what they are amazing at, develop valuable new employment skills and take that first step into the world of work. (more…)
We’re not going to pretend that times aren’t challenging. We all know that COVID has hit the economy and jobs market hard.
Labour Market Information (LMI) is a useful tool to help understand current recruitment trends across different sectors and we think it’s about time you heard some positive news…
Transform Societyis a network of social change programmes (Teach First, Police Now, Unlocked, Think Ahead, NGDP and Frontline) that together, are working to develop the public service leaders of the future. By partnering with Transform Society, the University of Bristol is showing a commitment to helping increase the number and diversity of high-calibre graduates taking up roles on community impact programmes.
Hannah Altendorff studied Sociology and Social Policy at Bristol, graduating in 2008, and then went on to do a master’s degree in Human Rights at the University of Sussex. She is now a Mental Health Social worker with Think Ahead.
We caught up with Hannah to hear about what she has been up to…
It can be tempting to put off thinking about what you want to do when you graduate, especially when you are busy with university work. Chloe Henhaw, (BA English), shares how she started thinking about careers in her first year, and went from having no idea what she wanted to do to securing a place on the Civil Service Fast Stream.(more…)
2021 has undoubtedly been a weird year for job-seeking. It might even feel like looking for work is an almost impossible task. But is this really true?
Contrary to popular belief, there are still plenty of brilliant opportunities out there, and the number is growing rapidly. According to the latest labour market information, UK businesses are currently reporting the fastest growth in activity for more than 20 years!
Vacancies are being added almost every day to the Careers Service website.
Myth 2: Employers won’t take me seriously without in-person work experience
Opportunities to get in-person work experience or internships have been limited this year.
But remember everyone will be in the same position, and that employers will recognize that gaining this type of experience has been largely impossible. Instead, focus on making the most of any experiences you have managed to fit in.
This might mean highlighting any volunteering you’ve done in your community, participation in online careers events, or online work experience you’ve managed to arrange. Opportunities like the Bright Network virtual internship, which is free and open to anyone over the age of 18, could be a great addition to your CV.
Myth 3: Employers won’t value my degree if it’s not closely aligned with their work
You may be worried that employers will only want to hire those who studied specific degree subjects. However, most graduate employers recruit graduates of any subject, and are more interested in what you can bring to the role than exactly what you studied.
Our Career Options page lets you see you the variety of different roles which students studying your degree subject have ended up in.
Myth 4: I won’t get a job in the sector I’m most interested in, because I can’t see any relevant vacancies advertised
If you’re not seeing many jobs or internships advertised that you are interested in, there are two things you should consider:
Firstly, graduate employers may be recruiting directly on their own websites, instead of through more generic job sites. You can bookmark the jobs websites of specific companies you are interested in and follow them on social media to have the best chance of seeing advertised jobs.
Secondly, be proactive. Reach out directly to employers who are not actively advertising. It’s not easy to create your own opportunity, but the Careers Service has useful guides on both speculative applications and sourcing your own internship which can help you with this.
Myth 5: There’s not much I can do over the summer to help make myself more employable
You’ve worked hard this year, and it’s really important to take a break. However, this summer offers a great opportunity to catch up on anything you’ve missed out on over the last year, and help to build your CV ready for any job applications you have planned for the autumn. The Careers Service will continue to organise employer-led events, and offer information, advice, and guidance through appointments and the live chat service throughout the summer.
Although your plans may have changed this year, this means that new types of opportunity are available to you. Keep an open mind and remember that that your next job does not need to be your ‘perfect’ or ‘forever’ job – it’s just the next step in gaining valuable experience in the workplace, and gradually realising your career goals.
Sid Taylor-Jones is an MSc Education student and Career Peer Support Assistant (CPSA).
I remember handing in my dissertation in third year, and feeling amazingly relieved… and then the panic set in. What do I do now??
Before going to university, I had dreams of becoming a video editor. But after three years of developing that skillset and getting practical experience, I wasn’t sure if it was what I wanted anymore. I didn’t know what to do. (more…)
I am Sammi and I am the Student Marketing and Comms Assistant at the Careers Service alongside doing my master’s in International Security. Working at Careers has opened my eyes to the amazing support on offer to students, so I thought I would share with you the five Careers resources, that I wish I had known about sooner, to help you get ahead of the game.
The scheme provides school leavers, current university students, and recent graduates with a valuable insight into one of 8 key sectors of the UK job market, giving participants the opportunity to connect with and learn from a range of leading employers.
Handily, there are an unlimited number of online places available on each of the 8 different internship paths available, and since every experience is fully online, they can be completed from anywhere in the world.
Whichever pathway you choose, your experience can be completed either as a three-day ‘live’ course, or in an ‘on demand’ format, which you can complete at your own pace. This means it’s really easy to fit the experience around your other commitments over the summer.
We are excited to announce that this year, six University of Bristol students have been chosen as finalists for the TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards!
The TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards is an annual competitionto celebrate the best undergraduates in the UK. Each award is partnered with a graduate recruiter who offers an amazing prize for the winner, including a paid internship, trips abroad, and other exclusive opportunities.
To become finalists, students first had to complete an application, including essay-style questions and online tests. Once passing that stage, students were either invited to a telephone interview or to take part in an assessment centre.
We caught up with our six nominees to hear more about their journeys to becoming finalists.
Catherine Davies for The Management Undergraduate of the Year Award 2021
Management (BSc) Year 2 – PLUS Award achiever and SME Internship Scheme intern
Catherine Davies
“My time in the University has aided my success in the award as throughout my degree I have been able to gain multiple skills and experiences. I have been able to develop my leadership and communication skills, through group work projects, wider learning through completing a sustainable future course as part of the Bristol PLUS Award,and also my employability skills by completing an internship last summer as part of the SME Internship Scheme.”
Jessica Slater for The Undergraduate of the Year Award for Sustainable Thinking 2021
“I’m currently working with Sustainabubbles CIC on a paid internship which I found through the Careers Service. I have some invaluable experience working here and learnt so much about sustainability and how a Community Interest Company operates, and this has definitely helped me receive this nomination.”
Jude D’Alesio for The First Generation Undergraduate of the Year 2021
Honours Law (LLB) Year 2 and PLUS Award achiever
Jude D’Alesio
“The PLUS Award, and the wider Careers Service, have been enormously helpful in allowing me to reach the finals of the award. It has never been in doubt that Bristol University breeds employable graduates, and with the myriad of opportunities on offer ranging from webinars to mock interviews, I now know why.”
Megan Jenkins for The First Generation Undergraduate of the Year 2021
Geography (BSc) Year 2 and PLUS Award achiever
Megan Jenkins
“I applied to the First Generation Award as it is something myself and my family are very proud of and the application process seemed most interesting to me. The skills I’ve gained through partaking in the Careers Service talks and workshops helped me immensely throughout the application process. In particular, I did a workshop on online interview skills that was very useful.”
Simran Bassi, for The Management Undergraduate of the Year Award 2021
International Business Management and German (BA) Year 2
Simran Bassi
“As a management student, I felt that this award would help me take the first steps into my career, whilst also having the chance to network and meet other students. Overall, the whole experience has given me great insight into the management field and I can’t wait to use my new skills throughout my degree and further develop them in the industry after graduating.”
Zachary Levenson for The First Generation Undergraduate of the Year 2021
“I saw the award as a great opportunity to be able to share my experience as a first-generation university student. Coming from a family where my parents didn’t have the same opportunities as I did, I aim to encourage prospective students from a similar background to reap the benefits of higher education.”
The final is usually held in person in London, with only the student finalists and employer partners invited to attend. This year, the final will be held virtually with Rachel Riley as the host. So, if you want to watch our students in action, you can register here and join in the ceremony on Friday 30th April at 1 pm.
We want to congratulate these amazing students for their great achievement of becoming a finalist and wish them immense luck at the finals on Friday 30 April.
