Tag: Equality and diversity

Bring your whole self to work: LGBTQIA+ careers support and advice

Posted on by Careers Service

At the Careers Service, we understand that your identity is an integral part of your career journey and want to help you navigate any challenge you may face.  

We actively promote diversity and inclusion and aim to provide a safe space for LGBTQIA+ students to seek guidance. We can help you find inclusive employers, with applications and support you with bringing your whole self to work.

Our Support for LGBTQIA+ students page, includes further information about support available both within and outside of the University.

We offer support on how to develop high-quality CVs, cover letters and applications, prepare for interviews, apply for further study and more.     

An Adviser and student in the Careers Service reviewing a CV together.

You can contact us on Live Chat, check out our events, book an appointment, or drop in from Monday to Friday, 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm during vacation periods, and 10 am to 4.30 pm during term time.

Researching LGBTQIA+ inclusive employers 

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Mentoring matters – why apply for Bristol Mentors?

Posted on by Careers Service

The Bristol Mentors scheme matches successful applicants with an alumni mentor who will help you explore ideas, share advice and give you an edge to break into the job sector that interests you.

To celebrate Bristol Mentors now being open for applications for the class of 2023/24, we caught up with Lucy (BA English Literature, 2019) and Grace (MA Law, 2019) to hear about their experiences as student mentees on the programme.

Both former mentees have since taken the role of mentor for two current students. From mentee to mentor, and student to graduate, they are full of valuable experiences worth sharing!

Lucy smiling in her graduation gown
Lucy, EDI Lead for Communities at the National Literacy Trust
Grace, Trainee Solicitor at CMS UK
Grace, Trainee Solicitor at CMS UK
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Meet the Bristol PLUS achievers who are taking steps towards gender equity!

Posted on by Careers Service

International Women’s Day is all about embracing equity by celebrating women’s achievements, raising awareness about discrimination, and taking action to drive gender parity. 

Happy International Women's Day! #EmbraceEquity #IWD2023

We caught up with two PLUS Award achievers, Ellie Haines and Isabella Cupido, to learn about the work they have done to help forge a gender-equal world, and their motivations for getting involved.

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Get supported as a female founder with the Growth Support Programme

Posted on by Careers Service

Back in March 2019, HM Treasury and Alison Rose published the ‘Rose Review’. The goal of the Rose Review was to tap the huge unrealised economic potential of women entrepreneurs by making the UK one of the best countries in the world for women to start and grow a new business. 

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Five reasons why I would recommend the Change 100 internship scheme: Helena

Posted on by Careers Service

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.

A picture of the author, Helena, smiling with a cup of coffee

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:

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Three ways EmployAbility can support disabled and neurodivergent students with their career

Posted on by Careers Service

The University of Bristol is proud to be a Next Generation Inclusive University in partnership with disability organisation EmployAbility – together we strive to put disability inclusion at the heart of what we do. 

A logo that says "Employability Next generation Inclusive University"

EmployAbility supports disabled and neurodivergent students looking for employment or internships, both during their studies and after they graduate. They support them to get reasonable adjustments in place, to enable them to perform at their best at all stages of the recruitment process, and in the workplace. 

We’re here to tell you a little bit more about the services EmployAbility offers and how they can support you. 

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My Motability Operations internship: Anna

Posted on by Careers Service

“I am incredibly grateful that I took this chance.”

Anna smiling with cameras, microphone, and general filming set props in the background

This summer, I’ve been working at Motability Operations (MO) as part of my place on their scholarship programme. I’ve been placed on the Connected Vehicles team, which is centred around data science. Day-to-day, my role has involved researching model inputs and preparing and analysing data stored on the cloud.

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Violet: Student Leader, drag artist, and PLUS achiever!

Posted on by Careers Service

Bristol PLUS Award achiever and Outstanding PLUS Award nominee Violet Allmark achieved her 70 hours of PLUS activity through working as a freelance drag performer and taking on a student leadership role as chair of Bristol Theatre Department Society InterACT. 

Violet was a freelance performer with drag cabaret ‘The House of Savalon’ during their residency at award-winning Bristol LGBTQ+ venue Queenshilling, proud sponsors of Bristol University LGBTQ+ society. 

A photo of Violet performing in a drag show
Violet performing as Etta Boy, at The House of Savalon

‘My freelance work, as part of the House of Savalon’s three month residency at Queenshilling, gave me the opportunity to develop my artistic costume-making practice, and improve my time management and organisational skills. I spent hours preparing for my acts: sourcing, making and editing my own costumes, props and audio. 

In addition, the regular feedback sessions enhanced my personal reflection skills on my own performances as well as my communication skills through constructive feedback

A crow of people in drag on a stage cheering
The House of Savalon at the Queen Shilling

Kickstarting my drag career this year has led to such amazing performance opportunities, such as performing last week before Divina de Campo at the Creative Youth Network Station and even internationally in Woody’s Bar Toronto, where I was tipped during my performance by a queen recently announced to be on Season 3 of Canada Drag Race and I was even in the presence of the show’s ‘version’ of Ru Paul: Brook Lynn Hytes.’

Violet also developed new skills and experience by chairing the committee of InterAct, the theatre department’s society. 

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My SME Internship: Tom, Educational Action Challenging Homophobia (EACH)

Posted on by Careers Service

Educational Action Challenging Homophobia (EACH) is a multi-award-winning charity which works to affirm the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and reduce discrimination experienced because of sexual orientation or gender identity.  

EACH work with us through our SME Internship Scheme to host interns to support their charity work, in roles such as Administration & Fundraising Officer, Helpline & Creative Development Assistant, and Research & Administration Officer.   

Since 2013, EACH has hosted 14 SME interns through the SME Internship Scheme.   

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My SME Internship: Yanan – Bristol Braille Technology

Posted on by Careers Service

A photo of YananHi, my name is Yanan. 

It was my great honour to undertake a two-month internship at Bristol Braille Technology (BBT) under the SME Internship Scheme. My position at BBT was Braille and Employment Researcher Intern. My main duty was to conduct research on how braille promotes employment and improves the lives of the visually impaired. My work was mostly done remotely. 

Working for BBT, I learned workplace etiquette and gained lots of new skills, including working to a high standard. As a non-native English speaker, my English has improved tremendously during this internship. My colleagues and supervisors are all native English speakers, and, frankly, it was a little difficult for me to keep up with them when I first started my internship. I quickly got over this problem with a lot of English practice.

Bristol Braille Technology logo.
Bristol Braille Technology logo.

At the same time, the research skills I learned at university came in handy and my time management skills have also been enhanced. This valuable experience has laid a solid foundation for my future career. 

All in all, as a visually impaired person, I have benefited a lot from this internship, it really boosts my CV and I have become more confident. At work, I didn’t feel any discrimination and I wasn’t treated differently from anyone else. I sincerely hope that more of my peers will benefit from this scheme in the future.  (more…)