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.
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My SME Internship: Ozten – Taught by Humans
Hi, I’m Ozten, I study Philosophy and Economics, and I started my internship at Taught by Humans in February, where I worked as a ‘Research and Partnerships Intern’.
As this was a remote internship, my first day started in my room, at my desk, on a video call with Laura (founder of Taught by Humans), where I got to know about all my tasks and projects for the upcoming weeks. Laura is a fun and reassuring person, who always made me feel welcomed in the workplace. She valued my opinions and listened to what I wanted to get out of the experience.
Five reasons why I would recommend the Change 100 internship scheme: Helena
Hi, I’m Helena, I am a third-year Psychology student and I also work at the Careers Service as your Bristol Mentors Student Associate Intern.
This summer I took part in Change 100, a programme run by disability charity Leonard Cheshire. It supports students and recent graduates with disabilities to complete an internship. Students apply to the programme and, if successful, are paired with a partner organisation to complete a three-month summer internship.
I was paired with IHG Hotels & Resorts in their Corporate Responsibility team.
I was new to the world of Corporate Responsibility and learnt a lot. However, I learnt just as much from taking part in the Change 100 process itself.
My experience of applying to the scheme, and being supported by the team there, was the most accessible I am yet to see in the workplace. They demonstrated how disability inclusivity can – and should – be done:
Laura Izquierdo: from Bristol graduate to Watson Farley & Williams Trainee Solicitor.
Laura Izquierdo is a 2014 Bristol graduate who studied Law at Bristol, she is now a trainee solicitor at Watson Farley & Williams.
We caught up with her to hear about her career journey so far and top tips she has for students considering a career in law.
Toby Ferris: My PLUS Award journey
Hi prospective PLUS achievers! I’m Toby, and last year I completed the Bristol PLUS Award alongside my studies as a first-year law student.
How to get into Government and Politics
Considering a career in Government and Politics?
In October 2022 the Faculty of Social Science and Law employability team hosted a ‘How to get into Government and Politics’ panel event. Professional speakers, all University of Bristol Social Science and Law alumni, joined to talk about their careers in this area and give advice on how you can get there.
Speakers we heard from:
- Tabitha Tossel, Senior COVID-19 Inquiry Governance Officer at the Department for Health and Social Care.
- Kim Slim, Policy Team Leader at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
- Anwen Jones, Area Lead for Gloucestershire and Dorset in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
- James Allan, Economics and Strategy at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
- Vasiliki Sogia, Social Research Officer at the Office for National Statistics.
Check out their profiles on LinkedIn by clicking their names! (more…)
Teach First case study
Tim, graduated in 2020
I applied to Teach First in my second year at Bristol. I applied because I am passionate about creating an education system which works for everyone. This encouraged me to teach science, because science teachers are in such short supply.
Graduating during a lockdown was a strange experience. Training to teach during that lockdown was even more surreal.
Lizzie: My Bristol PLUS Award experience
Wondering how to reach your 70 hours of experience for your Bristol PLUS Award? There is a huge range of activities you could get involved in to develop your skills and build those hours!
We caught up with Lizzie McGechie (Applied Anatomy BSc) who achieved her Bristol PLUS Award in December 2021. Lizzie also took part in the Outstanding PLUS Awards, receiving an Honourable Mention last year for her nomination in the Everyday Hero category.
For her PLUS experience, Lizzie used her role as a netball coach for UoB squads. Sports leadership roles can be a great way to achieve your 70 hours PLUS experience, and there are many roles that can count, including coaching, refereeing, kit management, or organising intramural teams.
6 tips for getting a job in an SME
An SME is a small or medium sized enterprise. Over 99% of businesses in the UK are SMEs employing between 0 and 249 people (House of Commons Business Statistics, December 2021).
There are many benefits to working for a small organisation. You can often develop a broad range of skills and knowledge as being part of a small team often involves taking on a variety of tasks, adding interest to your role. Small organisations can grow quickly and you may be given greater responsibility sooner than working at a large organisation. SMEs are often based in shared office spaces which allows you to network with employees from other organisations and grow your professional network quickly.
Here are our tips for securing an opportunity with an SME: (more…)
Indea: My BristolGrad Internship experience
My internship with the Careers Service as the BristolGrad Careers Support Intern was a great opportunity to gain loads of skills with a super-supportive team behind me.
Let me set the scene: I was a wide-eyed Arts graduate, leaving university to enter the world of work in 2020 – in the middle of a pandemic. After months of rejections (or just being ghosted by employers), and a job I didn’t love, I spotted the chance to apply for the BristolGrad internship.
My role consisted of supporting the delivery of the BristolGrad project. You can find out more about how the Careers Service supports graduates on our website. Because we were focusing on supporting a varied cohort, my role was also varied. (more…)