Tag Archives: research

Katherine, Education, Training and Research

Education Teaching and Research, Geography, , ,

Katherine, a Geography student, applied to the scheme to gain an understanding of what she needed to achieve in the Education sector and improve employability. Through the Career Mentor Scheme, Katherine was matched with a Geography Teacher and Head of Department at Rookwood School. This mentor is also a Chartered Geographer, a fellow of the Royal Geography Society and qualified in PGCE Secondary Geography. Her main responsibilities include organising and implementing field trips, teaching key stage 3 and 4, and looking after her tutor group.

“Insight into job prospects that you wouldn’t consider.”

Katherine achieved all of her objectives including increased awareness of other job prospects after university, evaluating the benefits of travelling after graduation and received academic support.

Katherine discussed her experience:

What were the highlights of the scheme?

It was really useful to see what other graduates had done in the years after university

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

I found help on my CV the most useful aspect.

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

It is a great opportunity to gain an insight into job prospects that you wouldn’t consider.

Asri, Education, Training and Research

Education Teaching and Research, , ,

Asri, a M.Ed TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) student, applied to the Career Mentor Scheme to learning more about teaching and training strategies, experiences and methods. Through the Career Mentor Scheme, Asri was matched with a self-employed Education Consultant and Freelance Musician. His previous job roles include National Coordinator of Applied Learning and Vocational Education Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, Head of Applied Learning Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and Teacher Trainer for the Open University.

“I can share my dreams as well as learning from my mentor.”

Asri achieved all of her objectives including learning from the mentor’s experience about the field interest in, received work experience and job shadowing thereby increasing her knowledge of sector entry requirements.

What were the highlights of the scheme?

I could network in Exeter related to my job field. I had contact with teachers and some schools as well.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

I got an idea of how the job that I want is implemented in UK, and I can share my dreams as well as learning from my mentor.

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

Students have to really sure that they have enough time to manage their mentoring program with their assignments, so that the program will work well.

Asri intends to stay in contact with her mentor beyond the scheme and would recommend the scheme to a friend.

Kathryn, Science

Psychology, Science, ,

Kathryn, a final year Psychology student, was interested in going into the Scientific Research and Development sector and applied for a mentor in this industry. She was matched with a UX Research Consulant at cxpartners. This mentor has recently moved from academic research into user experience research in the private sector.  Her main role is to carry out research on technological problems and to suggest solutions and designs to improve the experience for users by making the interaction simpler, effortless and enjoyable.  11139355_10155516572190181_484725343416135809_n

Kathryn gave us an insight of the benefits of the scheme to her career development:

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

Getting reassurance throughout the year when I didn’t get a graduate scheme or bouncing ideas off them about what I really want to do.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Insight into the different roles Emma had had and whether I was suited to them; guidance with career paths and graduate schemes.

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

Do it – you will gain so much from just a few emails, whether it is reassurance, advice, networking opportunities. It will all help you even if you don’t realise it at the time.

Stephanie, Education, Teaching, Research

Education Teaching and Research, Philosophy, , , , ,

Stephania, a Philosophy and Theology student was interested in going into teaching and was mentored by a Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University.

After graduating with a Politics degree from Exeter and completing a PhD in History, this mentor became a Lecturer and then a Senior Lecturer at the Department of History.

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Stephanie shared insights about her experience. She achieved many objectives, such as improving her confidence to seek graduate level employment and getting academic support. She also got information about the good and bad aspects of the profession and made a future professional contact in her mentor.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

Being coached on how to make a good LinkedIn page and join academia.edu

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Being able to learn about the requirements in the sector.

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

If you have any questions about what the future holds for you and your chosen career then the career mentor scheme is worth doing. I am now so much more aware of the path I have to go down in order to achieve what I am aiming for.

 

Maartje, Education, Teaching and Research

Education Teaching and Research, History, , ,

Coming from a History degree, Maartje applied for the Career Mentor Scheme in his second year. Interested in the Education, Teaching and Research sector he was matched with a Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter for a period of six months.

This mentor’s main area of research is in the history of the body, with particular interests in gender, sex and reproduction, sexuality, ageing, body size, shape and management, health and medicine in early modern England. Her responsibilities at the time were to supervise doctoral theses on the following topics: facial disfigurement in early modern England; the material culture of health in Victorian England; birth, death and illegitimacy in eighteenth-century Wales; and appearance and the interpretation of character in early modern England.

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Maartje shared some insights about the ways in which the scheme was beneficial to her:

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

The highlights were the face to face meetings as I felt such a personal approach, which really motivated me to improve my work: my mentor’s advice and encouragement thus ensured I put in every effort in achieving my goals.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

The gained insight into my chosen profession is very useful indeed. I had a vague plan of becoming a lecturer but had no idea how to get there and how to ‘prepare’ for such a career. I now understand the path in front of me more, what I need to work on to achieve this and what to prioritise.

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

Absolutely apply. Having a mentor is tremendously helpful as his/her guidance will allow you a more focused and goal-orientated university experience. Essays and presentations thus become opportunities to achieving that ultimate career goal instead of ‘homework’ .

Wing, Education, Teaching, Research

Education Teaching and Research, Psychology, , ,

Wing, completing a Psychology degree was looking to go into Education, Teaching, Research. During her second year she was accepted to participate in the Career Mentor Scheme and matched with an Associate Research Fellow at the University.

An experienced professional, this mentor’s previous experience includes being a Research Assistant in Psychology at the University of Manchester, Transcriber at Max Planck Institute and Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Manchester.

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Wing had some really positive feedback to share about the scheme!

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

When I went to the memory clinic to do a job shadowing and chatted with an assistant psychologist.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

I found the insight into my chosen sector and the advice in job hunting most helpful.

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

It is an opportunity to learn more about of a sector that you couldn’t learn about in lectures. A mentor would give you a lot of advice from job hunting to CV proof reading.

Sophie, Agriculture, Farming and Animal Care

Agriculture Farming and Animal Care, Biosciences,

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.