Category: Social Science and Law
Want a career that makes a difference?
Earlier this year we hosted an alumni panel event with Niranjali Amerasinghe, Jenny Cook and Nyika Suttie, whose jobs all focus on making a tangible difference.
Their role titles are:
- Niranjali Amerasinghe – Executive Director (Action Aid USA).
- Jenny Cook – Technical Advisor for Strategic Partnerships and Gender Inclusion and Diversity (PIARC World Road Association).
- Nyika Suttie – Student Culture and Inclusion Training Officer (University of Bath).
Challenges of tomorrow – festivals and events
Events are a major element of the UK economy, with an estimated £3.3 billion revenue in 2023.
We ran the “Challenges of tomorrow – festivals & events” panel to give students an insight into how to get into this exciting sector, with expert input from Pauline Bourdon, Stevie Lee-Bennett and Charlie Wall.
Here is a quick introduction to our panellists, their backgrounds, and current roles:
Pauline Bourdon is a Director at Soliphilia (a green touring & sustainability consultancy), a lecturer in event sustainability at BIMM Bristol, a sustainability consultant with UNSW Cardiff, and the Head of Sustainability & Social Cohesion at Team Love – an event production company producing 6 festivals a year including Love Saves the Day in Bristol, Silver Hayes at Glastonbury Festival and Waterworks, London.
How to get into… working for regulatory bodies
In February, the Careers Service hosted a panel of University of Bristol alumni who now work for regulatory bodies in the UK.
But what is a regulatory body?
Regulatory bodies are organisations established by governments or other authorities to oversee and regulate specific industries or sectors. Their primary role is to create and enforce rules, standards, and guidelines aimed at ensuring safety, fairness, transparency, and efficiency within their respective sectors. This is an interesting line of work, and one which students might not know a huge amount about.
The panel that kindly spoke for us all work for regulatory bodies and shared what it is like to work in this area, along with the journey they took to get to where they are now in their careers.
The panel were:
- James Brassington (MSc Economics 2015): Economist at The Payment Systems Regulator.
- Maddy Cooper (BSc Psychology 2023): Leadership development grad scheme at Office for Students.
- Alex Hunt (BSc Politics and International Relations 2023): Fintech Analyst at The Bank of England.
- Samilah Naira (MSc Economics 2023): Economics Advisor at The Competition and Markets Authority
Reflecting on the Universities Business Challenge
On 1 March this year, two teams consisting of members from the University of Bristol Business School and School of Economics, were delighted to attend the semi-finals of the Universities Business Challenge held in London.
One team of five students, and one of four, made the journey to London after their work in the first round of the competition was recognised as being worthy of a semi-final place.
Top tips for making the most of the University of Bristol Law Fair
It was great to see so many of you at our recent Employer Showcase, and hope you enjoyed the opportunity to network with potential employers. Our next big careers event will be the University of Bristol Law Fair.
Join us at the Wills Memorial Building on Thursday 2 November from 12:30 pm until 3 pm to engage with 41 law firms seeking Bristol graduates. The event even includes employer-led talks from leading firms, so come along to find out exactly what top law firms are looking for.
This is the perfect opportunity for those of you interested in law to explore a career in the legal sector.
If you’re studying law, considering a conversion Masters, or simply wish to explore your options, make sure you don’t miss out.
Attending the fair is only the first step…
It’s essential to keep things moving after the fair and stay in touch with your contacts. Take a look at these quick tips in order to maximise your pre-fair and post-fair experience:
(more…)How to get into: Start-ups and SMEs
Are you innovative, self-driven and interested in working in a close-knit work environment? Then working in a start-up or SME might be the right career move for you!
On 28 February, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Law invited University of Bristol alumni to talk about their experiences in start-ups and SMEs, as part of the ‘How to get into…’ event series.
Read on for our speakers’ top tips for those interested in pursuing a career in the sector, as well as an overview of the sector and some useful links.
How to get into corporate governance and risk management.
In November 2022, the Faculty of Social Sciences & Law hosted the ”How to get into Corporate Governance and Risk Management” panel event with three University of Bristol alumni.
Henrietta Skareng, 3rd year BSc Politics and International Relations student and Career Peer Support Assistant, attended the event and here are her top takeaways:
What is corporate governance and risk management?
Corporate governance refers to the way that firms are directed and controlled. Working with corporate governance means ensuring that practices and procedures are efficient in achieving company objectives and that the interests of all stakeholders are balanced. You can read more about corporate governance on the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland website.
Risk management within the financial sector, much as it sounds, is all about assessing risks within the industry and constructing strategies to avoid or minimise the impact of them. In the context of multiple global challenges, companies are increasingly exposed to risk. In the financial sector in particular there are opportunities available across a range of employers, such as banks, insurance and property firms, as well as in the public sector. You can read more about risk management and control in our myCareer guide.
The diversity of experiences among the event panellists highlights the spectrum of opportunities within corporate governance and risk management. Read on for further details and their top suggestions for entering the field of corporate governance and risk management.
Who were the panelists?
- Celine Okoroma – Head of Governance and Compliance at Paraclete Legal Consulting
- Sam Haynes – Head of Risk Analytics at Verisk Maplecroft
- Helen Hodge – Enterprise Risk Management Specialist at Deloitte
Click their names to explore their profiles on LinkedIn!
Top tips from the panel:
- Do a self-assessment – Assess your strengths and capabilities to figure out what your skills and passions are. A self-assessment could help you discover whether you are suited for a career in the industry and what skills you might need to build on. Try the mycareer strengths assessment.
- Build your skills over time – If you know what role or company you want to work for, research their requirements and find opportunities and experiences that will build skills that align with what the employer is looking for. Often, employers are looking for candidates with strong analytical and quantitative analysis skills, so consider finding experience that could help strengthen your skill-base in those areas. You may find this Competency Framework from CGI
- Utilise LinkedIn – LinkedIn is a great source of inspiration and allows you to connect with other students, alumni, potential employers and professionals working in this area. A simple search for the role or area you are looking to pursue lets you explore what qualifications, experiences, and professional certifications other people working in the sector have.
- Stay up to date on the industry – Visit the websites of professional regulatory organisations, and subscribe to their newsletters to stay up to date with the industry. For example, the Chartered Governance Institute, the Global Risk Report from the World Economic Forum, and the annual risk reports of specific companies you might be interested in. This is a good idea to do before the interview stage to demonstrate your interest in the company and industry overall!
- Get a certificate in corporate governance from the Chartered Governance Institute of the UK and Ireland. If you wish to pursue a role in corporate governance, the speakers recommended that you consider getting a certificate in corporate governance to increase your competency.
Find out more:
- Sector guides – The Career Service provides a range of sector guides with tailored information relating to job prospects and finding work experience for sectors such as administration, consulting and business management, banking and finance, and many more.
- Attend more events like this one – Explore more Career Service events.
- Explore work opportunities and internships on mycareer
- CGI article: Looking to start a career in governance
- Corporate Secretaries International Association industry magazine
- CGI jobs listing – also look on websites like Indeed, LinkedIn and TargetJobs to browse opportunities
- Watch the whole event recording here.
Blog written by Henrietta Skareng, a 3rd year BSc Politics and International Relations student, Student Engagement Team Worker and Career Peer Support Assistant
How to get a career in media and journalism
Journalism and the media play a crucial role within society – observing and reporting on current events, facts, and ideas to inform people about the world and how it operates.
On 1 November 2022, three professional alumni speakers, Aasmah Mir, Mel Rodrigues and David Afikuyomi, shared their experiences at our ‘How to get into Media and Journalism Event’ for Social Science and Law students.
With varied backgrounds in TV production, presenting, and academic article distribution, they offered valuable insights on how to utilise your passions and be successful in this competitive and evolving industry.
Here are 8 of our top takeaways from the event:
(more…)Want a radical career that makes a difference?
In November 2022 we invited five Bristol alumni from what we considered to be ‘radical career paths that make a difference’ to share their career journeys and advice with us.