My experience taking part in Not Impossible microplacements

Hello! My name is Archie and I have been participating in the University’s partnership with the work experience platform Not Impossible.

My experience with Not Impossible started with an email entering my inbox, with the promise of microplacements due to the fact I was from a widening participation background.

Their system creates short-term, 1:1, one-hour to one-day, work placements with Bristol and Bath employees smart-matched to you – within your sector, using an online skills and interests tool and psychometric tests that identify shared motivations, reasoning skills and personalities.

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Start-up stories: FixMyTek

FixMyTek, formerly known as FixMyCrack, is one of the exciting student start-ups the Basecamp Team had the pleasure of working with during their early days at the University of Bristol.

Since then, they’ve grown into a thriving tech repair business, and we’re excited to catch up with them in the blog below as they share their journey, their mission, and what’s next for FixMyTek.

Some of the FixMyTek team inspecting a device.
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My SME Internship: Aarya – Drinks Kitchen

This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to intern with Drinks Kitchen, a pioneering company in the non-alcoholic beverage industry.  

Located in Bristol, Drinks Kitchen is on a mission to redefine social drinking norms by offering high-quality, environmentally mindful non-alcoholic drinks. The internship was part of the SME Internship Scheme, which aims to provide students and recent graduates with quality, paid work experience.   

Drinks Kitchen logo
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Celebrating Black History Month at the University of Bristol: A Student Perspective

Hi, my name is Nicole a third year studying Marketing BSc. I am also a Careers Ambassador and a Communications Intern at the Careers Service. 

As a Black student at the University of Bristol, Black History Month holds a special significance for me. It’s a time to reflect on the rich cultural heritage, achievements, and contributions of Black communities in our academic family, not only in the UK but around the world.

More than that, it’s an opportunity to have our voices heard, our experiences valued, and to celebrate the diversity that makes our university such a vibrant place.

The Careers Service’s approach to this celebration is embedded in a genuine desire to empower Black students with resources being available for students all year round, not just during the month of October.

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My SME Internship: Jack – Ocki Sustainability

Hi, my name is Jack and during my third year studying Biology Bsc I got the opportunity to work as an intern at Ocki Sustainability. 

Ocki is a website that provides free information on broad sustainability issues for the general public. It includes a member service to help sustainability professionals engage with colleagues to drive impact forwards.  

My role

I created news desk content including short articles and longer features. The topics I covered ranged from sustainability education to circular economy policies. I also discussed my ideas for content with colleagues. If they were suitable for Ocki’s audience, I could write about them.

Jack smiling in a check shirt.

My experience broadened my awareness of current sustainability issues. It also gave me a better understanding of routine research work done by journalists.  

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Meet our 2024 New Enterprise Competition winners!

The New Enterprise Competition (NEC) drew to a thrilling conclusion at the Engine Shed last night. The award ceremony brought out the best and brightest of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The NEC is the Careers Service’s flagship start-up competition. Run by the Basecamp Enterprise Team, students, graduates, and staff, with support from mentors and experts, transform their business ideas into business realities. The final stage of the competition, the GROWTH stage, sees participants battle it out in pitches to a panel of experts for a chance to win a share of £25,000 of funding!

(Pictured from left to right are: Shabaj Ahmed (Progressable), Rachel Keys (Heartly), Ajeet Bhambra (Foundercentre), Artemis Fragkopoulos (SLANT), Deeshen Shah (Lettus Digest), Louisa Billington (Accomodeep), Weronika Stelmach (Weaving Change), Isobel Turner (Attic Catalogues), and Vasudev Menon (Invaai)). 
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My SME Internship: Christa – Extracellular 

Hi, my name is Christa and towards the end of my third year studying for MSci Biology I took part in an SME Internship with Extracellular.

Throughout the internship, I undertook a variety of roles in and out of the laboratory working to support my colleagues and complete my own projects independently.

A photo of Christa smiling in the sunshine.

About Extracellular

Extracellular's logo.

Extracellular is a start-up company focusing on supporting cultivated meat companies to get their products to market. Cultivated meat is produced by cultivating animal cells, removing the need to raise and farm animals for food

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My IKEEP project with Albotherm

Through the IKEEP programme, students undertake an intrapreneurial training programme, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to work in industry through subsequent paid project placements with SMEs. 

Afrida, who is currently studying for a Master’s degree in Project Management, recently completed one of our IKEEP project placements with Albotherm and told us about her experience. 


Can you tell us about your IKEEP project?  

A photo of Afrida, smiling in the sunshine and leaning against a stone wall.

I secured a project placement with Albotherm; a start-up specializing in advanced material technology who have developed a groundbreaking solution that adjusts its opacity based on temperature, utilizing sunlight to cool buildings passively during hot weather conditions.  

The focus of my project was to facilitate the commercial market launch of this material and to provide insights into potential market integration for Albotherm’s technology. My responsibilities included exploring three key market segments: skylights for industrial warehouses, office windows, and glass facades for commercial buildings.

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