Helping you get to where you want to be when you graduate
The University’s employability award
The OPA celebrates Bristol PLUS Award students who have made a significant change or impact in their PLUS Award activity. There are eight award categories, with just one winner per category.
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This year, MHA week is themed around anxiety. We caught up with three Bristol PLUS Award achievers to learn how their work has improved the wellbeing of others in their community.
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Whilst there can only be one winner for each of the eight categories, the judges awarded a number of honourable mentions to those shortlisted in each category.
With 114 nominations overall, the judging was tougher than ever, so a huge congratulations to everyone who received an honourable mention! Let’s meet them…
(more…)The OPA celebrates Bristol PLUS Award students who have made a significant change or impact in their PLUS Award activity.
There are eight award categories, with just one winner per category. This year, we received 114 applications across the eight categories (the highest number of applications yet!).
(more…)It can be about pushing outside your comfort zone or proving to yourself that you can do something. You may want to make a difference in a community or make your mark. Or you may want to dedicate time to an interest or a cause that intrigues or inspires you.
Many find these fulfilling experiences through Bristol Students’ Union (SU), by:
Employers frequently state the value they place on extracurricular experiences.
The SU celebrates students’ achievements each year in the SU Awards.
Being nominated and achieving one of these coveted awards can help you stand out to employers.
We caught up with Hannah (BA Politics and International Relations) and Apoorva (MA Economics and Finance) who attended the most recent City Challenge, along with Will Westgarth of Bristol Hub, to hear all about the programme and why they recommend you take part in a future one. Here are their five top reasons :
During a City Challenge, you help a Bristol non-profit tackle an issue they are facing. You learn about a local cause, help improve them and have a positive impact on the local community. Our most recent challenge was with Bristol Hub. Hannah, who’s in her second year, said, “I aspire to work in the non-profit sector so insight into a small charity and the way it works was really helpful for me.”
The charity gets a lot too.
Will of Bristol Hub said, “The Challenge helped Bristol Hub further understand students’ desires when it comes to opportunities and how we can best reach out and connect with students. They came up with incredibly detailed and well thought-out presentations, with suggestions which we will take on board for the next academic year.”
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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Hello! I’m Toby Ferris, chair of the Volunteering and Fundraising Network.
Having used lots of volunteering hours towards my Bristol PLUS Award last year, I’m here to give you five great reasons to consider volunteering, especially during Student Volunteering Week.
(more…)‘As a Postgraduate Researcher, it can be easy to focus so intently on your research and forget how much university life still has to offer. The Bristol PLUS Award has encouraged me to seek out these experiences, and meet a wider range of students and staff, which I am incredibly grateful for.’
(19 – 20 PGR PLUS Award achiever)
The Bristol PLUS Award is the university’s employability Award, giving you the opportunity to gain formal recognition for commitments you take on outside of your research.
Getting involved outside of your research is a great way to build connections and community. The PLUS Award recognises a broad range of activities, and for Postgraduate Researchers, lots of these are things you may well already be taking part in.
That could be teaching support, marking, or submitting a paper to a journal. Or experiences outside of the university such as part time work or volunteering. For more ideas, you can check out our list of common PGR options for the Bristol PLUS Award.
(more…)Hello prospective PLUS Award achievers! I’m Avellina, a final year Biology student and 2021/22 PLUS Award achiever.
Many students understand that the Bristol PLUS Award is an employability award that rewards you for going above and beyond your degree. We know that it boosts our CV and makes us stand out to future employers… but there are also secret, unknown benefits that you’ll only uncover upon starting the Award process!
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