Category Archives: Agriculture Farming and Animal Care

Lakshmipriya, Science

Lakshmipriya, Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture student, applied to the Career Mentor Scheme to learn about the opportunities for postgraduate students in the industry, but also find uot about daily working life. Through the scheme, Lakshmipriya was matched with a mentor who holds a BSc, ARCS, PhD and DIC, and was a Group Leader at Syngenta with extensive experience within his field of science.

Lakshmipriya tells us more about the experience below:

What objectives did you achieve?

Lakshmipriya achieved many objectives including:

  • Increased knowledge of effective interview techniques in this sector
  • Received help to improve CV
  • Widened contacts and networking opportunities

Lakshmipriya also found our more about using online platforms, such as LinkedIn, effectively.

What were your highlights of the scheme?

Being able to talk to an experienced person about the workplace environment was really helpful. It also helped knowing what they thought about my experiences, skills and their advice on specific areas of personal development helped.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Insight into my chosen sector as well as advice about achieving entry into that sector.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

The beauty of the scheme is that the more you put in, the more you get out of it.

 

Barnaby, Environment and Natural Resources

Barnaby, Geography student, applied to the Career Mentor Scheme to develop confidence with attending interviews and gain an understanding of working in this sector. Through the scheme, Barnaby was matched with a Biology graduate from the University of Exeter who is now an Associate Director at Atkins Plc.

Barnaby tells us more about his experience below:

What objectives did you achieve?

Barnaby achieved all of his objectives including:

  • Increased knowledge in finding internships and work experience in this sector
  • Improved personal development skills
  • Increased knowledge of sector entry requirements

Barnaby was also able to improve his understanding of key legislation affecting the industry.

What were your highlights of the scheme?

The noticeable increase in my confidence when attending job interviews, largely due to the unique insights into the sector my mentor was able to provide me.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

The opportunity to ask industry specific questions about the application/interview process that would be difficult to ask while networking.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

The scheme provided me with an amazing opportunity to gain unique insights into my desired industry, and helped me to stand out when attending interviews. I’d advise every student to take part in the scheme to gain new contacts and an understanding from professionals who have been there before.

 

Angela, Agriculture, Farming and Animal Care

Angela, who is studying for a MSc in Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture student, was interested in a career in the private sector that involved raising global and local good security issues to attention. She also wanted to learn about the Fertiliser industry. Through the Career Mentor Scheme, Angela was matched with the Director of Ammonia Services for Fertecon Ltd, part of Informa PLC. This mentor has also worked as a Shareholder and Director for the same company which specialises in providing information and analysis around the Fertiliser industry.

I pitched a report to one of the oldest newspapers in England and got a contract as a consultant

Angela achieved all of her objectives including obtaining a paid job or internship with the help of her mentor, improve her personal develop skills and increasing her knowledge of effective interview techniques.

Angela talked about her experience:

What were the highlights of the scheme?

There are so many!

  • I learned about the fertilising publishing industry in great detail.
  • I applied to many internship positions.
  • I pitched a report to one of the oldest newspapers in England and got a contract as a consultant!
  • All this would not have been possible without my wonderful mentor Vivien Bright.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

The industry connections provided by mentor.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

Do it! There is nothing better for your self-esteem and career than personalised advice from someone who has worked many years in the field that you are interested to break into.

Jessica, Agriculture, Farming and Animal Care

Jessica was interested in going into Agriculture, Farming and Animal Care. A Zoology student she successfully applied to the Career Mentor Scheme and was matched with Head of Marine Species Conservation at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

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Jessica shared some details with us on the advantages of the scheme.

What was the highlight of the scheme for you?

The mock interview I had with my mentor in London.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Receiving help with my CV and creating competency based questions and answers.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

Learnt so much from the experience would definitely recommend to anyone.

Sophie, Agriculture, Farming and Animal Care

During her second year Zoology student Sophie undertook a mentoring partnership with a Principal Research Scientist.

After working as a researcher in Venezuela between 1986 and 1998, this mentor returned to the UK where she continued her research on gaseous emissions from agricultural soils. At the time of the mentoring partnership she was working at Rothamsted Research.

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Here are Sophie’s insights from the partnership:

 What did you find most useful?

 The Career Mentor Scheme was a great experience and allowed me to gain insight into the field of work I am interested in and also build up an invaluable list of contacts for future employment. The most useful part of the scheme was learning about the different pathways there are into the sector and how my mentor specifically achieved this.

 What were the highlights?

 As my mentor was in the field of work I hope to pursue in the future, it was invaluable to get an insight into the various pathways there are into the sector. When meeting up in her work place, she introduced me to all the researchers which was a great networking experience and gave me relevant contacts for summer internships etc. I also received extensive help on updating my CV and checking applications I had written for several roles and also interview preparation tips.

 What objectives did you achieve?

 You don’t just gain advice on your CV and interview technique but also on how best to pursue a career in your chosen area, what qualifications and experiences are required and who is best to contact. For me, the most valuable part of the experience was the networking opportunity as your mentor works in the profession you are interested in, so they themselves are a potential key to future employment but they also open doors to getting in contact and meeting others in the field.

 What message would you give students thinking of applying for the career mentor scheme?

 I highly recommend the programme and believe that all students would benefit enormously.