#10YearsOfPLUS: Celebrating our Student Leaders

Student leader roles consistently make up around 30% of the intensive skills submissions on the Bristol PLUS Award and the impact this leadership experience has on students can be extremely far-reaching, both personally and professionally. The 2015-16 Outstanding Award projects reflected this benefit, showcasing the significant contributions from students in their SU roles as senior residents, society presidents, volunteers and fundraisers.

Faye Leneghan used her role as 2015-16 Station Manager of Burst Radio to achieve the Award in her final year at the University of Bristol. When asked before graduating ‘what are your career goals?’ she responded:

“I’m looking to gain a career in broadcast journalism, production or PR/Communications. With the help of the Outstanding Award I have upcoming interviews for an internship with Global Radio and the Houses of Parliament!

We recently caught up with Faye after several years in industry to see how the experience and skills gained through taking part in the Outstanding Award have helped her career take off.

Burst Radio banner

 

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2018 graduates: what’s your advice to 2019 graduates?

We asked some University of Bristol graduates from the class of 2018 how their first year of graduate life has been, and what advice they would give to the class of 2019?

Name: Tom Wallis
Degree: History 
Current job: Student Development Coordinator (Sport and Physical Activity)

Leaving university can feel like a monumental change, that can come with my challenges; new environments and uncertainties which make losing the comfort of your course daunting. You can overcome it, here’s the thinking I’ve been developing that has gotten me through my first year: (more…)

Find Yourself a Mentor – Bristol Connects

Photo by Bhagesh Sachania

Are you in love with your subject and wondering how you can find that passion in your future career?

Is your head swimming with ideas about what you think you’d be good at and what would be rewarding work?

Do you find yourself wondering what might give you the edge in application and selection processes?

University alumni can be a great source of support. Not only do they have a natural affinity and familiarity with Bristol they can be a ‘real life voice’ that will provide realistic and impartial advice.

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5 reasons to fill in the Graduate Outcomes survey

If you graduated from your course after August 2017, you will be asked to complete the Graduate Outcomes survey by HESA (the Higher Education Statistics Agency). The Graduate Outcomes survey asks questions about your current situation, so whether you’re in work, studying, travelling or doing something completely different, we want to know!

You can expect to hear from HESA around 15 months after you finish your course. You can find additional information about the survey on the Graduate Outcomes website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Image from HESA)

Why should you be part of the picture?

1. To inspire people like you

Completing the survey and sharing what you’re up to now could help to inspire people like you – people that are currently studying your degree subject or are thinking about applying for it.  I mean, we all looked up the possible jobs where our degree could take us before committing in UCAS, right? (more…)

Why Social Science students should be confident about their career prospects

It was recently announced that the UK’s top employers are planning on increasing their number of graduate jobs by 9.1% in 2019 – that’s over 1800 additional jobs compared to 2018. 

Positive news for graduates? Absolutely. But do you ever find yourself wondering if your degree subject will hold you back against the competition, that you’d have been better off doing Medicine, or Computer Science? 

Well, it’s time to challenge that thought. There’s mounting evidence that your Social Science degree stands you in good stead to make the most of the jobs of the future.

Here are three stand out reasons you should be feeling confident:  

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International students: how to get a job in the UK through Tier 5

This post was accurate at the time of writing, please check online for the latest information.

We know that many of our international students would like to get a job in the UK when they graduate. However, it can be hard to find an employer willing to sponsor you for a Tier 2 visa.

The good news is, there’s an alternative visa route if you’re prepared to be flexible: the Tier 5 (Government Authorised Exchange).  You are eligible if you are from outside of the EEA and Switzerland.

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2017 graduates: what advice would you give 2018 graduates?

We asked University of Bristol graduates from the class of 2017 how their first year of graduate life has been, what’s been the best thing about University, what they’ve learned, what they wish they’d known, and what advice they would give to the class of 2018?

Here’s what recent grads Hugh, James, Jenny, and Alex had to say:

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The PLUS showcases your efforts! Bristol Graduate Alex Yeates on how the award prepares you for interview

Alex secured a role with Selfridges as a Front End Developer after graduating in 2015 with a BSc Politics and the Bristol PLUS Award under his belt.

“The Bristol PLUS Award encouraged me to pursue hours of paid work which helped populate my CV and gave me experience of what to expect in an office. It also helped prepare me with examples that I could talk about in my interview, to help showcase various efforts I made in trying to gain employment.

 

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Things that might surprise you about a career in Investment Banking

Things that might surprise you about a career in Investment Banking

At our Investment Banking and Management Consultancy Evening this month, we held a Q&A with representatives from Macquarie, Barclays, Deutsche Bank and HSBC. We heard what it’s like, and what it takes, to work in this fast-paced and exciting sector.  Read on for a few things that might surprise you about a career in investment banking

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What are Bristol Graduates up to now?

What are Bristol Graduates up to now?

Every year, we get in touch with recent graduates to find out what they’re up to now that they’ve left the University of Bristol. Each year the results reveal some interesting and surprising facts – the most recent survey for 2015/16 graduates was no exception.

In this survey, we heard from 62% of all graduates either online or through our telephone campaign. This included 78% of all full-time, UK undergraduates and 60% of those from the EU.

Here is a snapshot of what we discovered:

 

This includes full and part time work and study. Other activities include travelling,  due to start a job, looking for work or doing something else.

 

Bristol Graduates love Bristol!

17% of graduates are still living and working in the Bristol area and 34% of graduates who have pursued further study, such as a Masters or PhD, have chosen to do so at the University of Bristol. 

 

What jobs are they doing now?

 

University of Bristol Graduates go into all sorts of careers, some of which you may expect while others are a little more unusual.

 

 

Here are some job title highlights from the 15/16 survey:

  • Associate Catastrophe Analyst for Liberty Specialist Markets (Geography graduate)
  • Fraud Investigator for Amazon (French and Italian graduate)
  • Talent Specialist for Vodafone (Geography graduate)
  • Recruitment Strategy Analyst (Biology graduate)
  • Drug Policy Researcher for the Transform Drugs Policy Foundation (Philosophy and Spanish graduate)
  • Agile Mobile and Web Developer for Theodo UK (Mathematics and Computer Science graduate)
  • Specialist Environmental Instructor at a Residential Centre (Zoology graduate)

If you’re graduating in Summer 2017, you will be contacted between November 2017 and March 2018 about completing the survey. Completing it helps us to improve our careers support for current students and recent graduates.