My SME Internship: Ollie – Rebellious Co

Posted on December 16, 2024March 31, 2025 by Careers Service

Hi, I’m Ollie and during my second year studying Politics and International Relations BSc I completed an internship with Rebellious Co in Bristol.

Rebellious Co. operate informal “Rebel Meetup” events for entrepreneurs working all over the world who were born in Bristol. Their aim is to use entrepreneurship as a vehicle to disrupt the status quo. I met the founder Ash at the Bristol chapter, where I suggested the SME Internship idea.

Ollie, smiling outside in the sunshine, wearing a white shirt, with a backdrop of lush green trees and blue sky.

My role was to research, develop, and add a syndicate investment model to the existing community system. This work aligned with my interests in start ups and venture capital and helped me hone my skills.

I also supported Rebel Meetups globally. This included finding event sponsors, editing slides, and joining town hall events with global meetup hosts.

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Tips to make the most of your winter break!

Posted on December 13, 2024January 29, 2025 by Careers Service

With your winter vacation coming up, have you considered how you might spend the break from University?

The Winter vacation, and the addition of Preparation Week this year between Monday 6 and Friday 10 January, present a valuable opportunity to invest in your future career before your studies restart.

Preparation Week is your chance, reflect on your skills, come to an event, or start making future career plans.

To kick things off, why not sign up for one our intro talks:

Make the most of the careers service during our opening hours which change slightly as we approach the Winter break. Live Chat and opening times for walks-ins are:

9 to 13 December: 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm (Monday to Friday)
21 December to 5 January: Closed
From 6 January: 10 am to 4.30 pm (Monday to Friday) – Back to normal!

Read on for our top tips on how to maximise your time during the break and preparation week.

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City Challenge: Streams Learning Hub

Posted on November 20, 2024November 20, 2024 by Careers Service

City Challenges are a programme of events providing students with the opportunity to engage with charities and social enterprises.  

Students can support worthwhile organisations whilst developing skills to improve employability. By taking part in a City Challenge, students gain experience in problem solving, presentation skills, innovative thinking, and community engagement. 

Streams Learning Hub

The Streams Learning Hub is a co-working space for teenagers in central Bristol. It provides a flexible space for young people to gather, learn and connect with online providers and in-person workshops and events. 

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Davitt Jones Bould Law: Undergraduate placements and virtual interview advice

Posted on November 18, 2024March 31, 2025 by Careers Service

Davitt Jones Bould, the largest specialist real estate law firm in the UK, have opened their Undergraduate Placement applications. They have written for us about their placement opportunities and provided some application advice too.

The placement is truly like no other as we deliberately don’t put you through a structured programme. Instead, you will be working in line with the real-time demands of the business, giving you experience of what running a business is really like.

You will work directly with a talented team of Davitt Jones Bould people, including colleagues in the Business Services Centre, lawyers based all over the UK and Davitt Jones Bould’s leadership team. You will be given responsibility straightaway for a wide range of tasks – some will play to your strengths, and some will challenge you to learn new skills.

You will be provided with dedicated on the job mentoring and training, as well as access to Davitt Jones Bould’s wider training programmes and courses.

To find out more information about undergraduate placements and apply today, click here.

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My SME Internship: Emilia – Action on Poverty

Posted on November 15, 2024February 5, 2025 by Careers Service

Hello, my name is Emilia, and in my final year of studying French and Spanish I completed an internship as a fundraising assistant with the charity Action on Poverty.

The charity supports vulnerable communities in East and West Africa. It works to tackle poverty, injustice and inequality. I completed this internship working for around 10 hours a week from January to May.

Emilia sitting on a rock, smiling, with a city in the background.

I found that this worked well and allowed me to balance working and studying. The internship was entirely remote and was a great introduction to working remotely.

I learnt that a lot of charities are now entirely or partly remote, so that they can cut down on office costs.

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The SME Internship Scheme: what you have to offer an SME.

Posted on November 13, 2024May 30, 2025 by Careers Service

If you’re looking for a paid internship, sourcing your own can be a great way to find an opportunity in a sector that you’re really interested in.

The SME Internship Scheme  offers funding to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to help them take you on for a paid internship for at least 140 hours.

You can participate in the scheme by applying to our advertised opportunities on mycareer.

You can also approach organisations yourself to see if they would like to employ you by applying for the scheme.

When you’re approaching SMEs to ask for an internship opportunity, it might feel like you’re asking for something only you benefit from. However, it’s important to remember that an internship can be mutually beneficial, and SMEs in particular can reap big rewards from taking on a University of Bristol Intern! 

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City Challenge: Changes Bristol

Posted on October 30, 2024March 31, 2025 by Careers Service

City Challenges are a programme of events providing students with the opportunity to engage with charities and social enterprises.  

Changes Bristol

This month we invited Changes Bristol to host our latest City Challenge.

Changes is a user-led organisation and a unique recovery service for those in mental distress.

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My SME Internship: Aarya – Drinks Kitchen

Posted on October 18, 2024February 5, 2025 by Careers Service

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.

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

Posted on October 16, 2024February 5, 2025 by Careers Service

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

Posted on October 11, 2024April 30, 2025 by Careers Service

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.

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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