All posts by pac217

Eva, Employability and Work Placement Assistant

Degree: MA in Human Rights and International Politics 2017

Job Role: An Employability and Work Placement Assistant works within the Student Employability and Acadmic Success team to provide administrative support covering all aspects of emplyability and in particular, work placements across all colleges.

Eva’s Experience: I am originally from Athens, Greece and started applying for jobs, in various NGOs in the UK, Belgium and France. I decided to apply for a GBP position as I am aware of how placement schemes work in some European countries. I would encourage students to apply for the GBP scheme as it gives recent graduates the opportunity to explore their options, before they have a finalised career path. After the end of my internship I will apply for field work in Argentina, promoting equal access to education, for all children.

Rosie, Waste Management Support Officer DCC

Degree: BSc Biological Sciences 2017

Job Role: A Waste Management Support Officer works for Devon County Council on various projects, including promoting schools waste education work, supporting the Waste@Work scheme and changing behaviour.

Rosie’s Experience: Completing a GBP is a perfect opportunity to try out a field of interest without committing the rest of your life to it. I have really enjoyed my internship but have realised that I prefer to be outside of the office. I now want to peruse a career in global wildlife health and conservation. My internship has given me confidence in all my soft skills, given me more to talk about at interviews and, I have also learnt that waste is a dynamic, interesting sector to work in and I might be interested in a more hands-on role here in the future.

Simon, Higher Education Project Officer

Degree: BA History and Politics 2017

Job Role: A Higher Education Project Officer provides support for projects in the Exeter Education Incubator, supporting academics who are working on projects to reimagine how university education can be delivered.

Simon’s Experience: I applied for this GBP because it was an exciting chance for me to learn a variety of useful employment skills in quite a short time, whilst also earning money. The fact that the GBP is only 6 months is actually convenient for me, as I am planning on doing a Masters in September. I graduated summer 2017 in history and politics, and I would absolutely encourage any other graduate to take up a GBP, particularly those who don’t know exactly what they want to do career-wise, but still want to do something that will significantly improve their employability. Beyond doing a Masters my own long-term plans are still quite vague, but what I do know is that whatever I end up doing, the skills and experiences I have picked up here will definitely prove relevant.

Sam, Higher Education Project Officer

Degree: Biological Sciences at University of Exeter 2017

Job Role: A Higher Education Project Officer provides support for projects in the Exeter Education Incubator, supporting academics who are working on projects to reimagine how university education can be delivered.

Sam’s Experience: Applying to be a GBP arose at a difficult time post-uni, when my original master’s program was cancelled by the University and all other arrangements fell through. When I became aware of the job, I was interested immediately by the title, but when reading through the description it seemed like an area of employment I had little experience in. However, I saw this as the perfect opportunity to develop skills I have not yet used in a professional environment, as previous experience had been restricted to lab and kitchen work. The main skills I am learning so far are teamwork, meeting skills, project organisation and website design. I would encourage any graduate to apply for a GBP as they are the perfect opportunity to develop important career skills. The project and IT skills I learn should help me massively when choosing to undertake another masters next year.

Catherine, Higher Education Project Officer

Degree: BA Geography with European Study 2017

Job Role: A Higher Education Project Officer provides support for projects in the Exeter Education Incubator, supporting academics who are working on projects to reimagine how university education can be delivered.

Catherine’s Experience: I decided to apply for a GBP internship to help me further my skills. I have really enjoyed my placement and it has helped me to increase my self-awareness of the type of career I would like to pursue. I learnt I would enjoy working in a community, people facing role in both an in/outdoor setting. Although I am still not entirely sure what I would like to do, completing a GBP has been a fantastic stepping stone into the working environment.

 

Marie, Survey Project Officer

Degree: BA Philosophy and Sociology 2017

Job Role: A Survey Project Officer undertakes data collection, inputting and profiling. Working with academics, graduates and postgrads they support survey completion and promote the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey.

Marie’s Experience: I am very interested in pursuing a teaching career, and the GBP is giving me good experience in preparation for this. It is helping me become used to managing a workload full time in a professional environment. I would definitely recommend GBPs to other graduates. They provide a great chance to try out different kinds of work on a temporary basis and in a supportive environment, or to develop the skills necessary for your desired career.

Eleanor, Careers Information and Student Engagement Assistant

Degree: Literary Studies MA 2017

Job Role: A Careers Information and Student Engagement Assistant provides careers information and advice to students and recent graduates, and supporting the student engagement agenda.

Eleanor’s Experience: My role within the Careers Team includes manning the Career Zone desk at St Luke’s, providing careers support for students on an ad-hoc basis and running CV review appointments. I also work alongside colleagues in the Guild to facilitate academic representation in the Medical School. The GBP role is very varied and busy and has provided me with lots of opportunities to develop my skills and decide what I want out of my next job opportunity.