Last week’s theme on our @exeterunilife Instagram account was WORKING FOR THE UNI. I asked students who work for the University or the Guild to talk about their experiences and shared their stories on Instagram. In case you missed it, here are the highlights of the week along with some general information about working on campus.
If you’d like to commit to a part-time job while studying, working on campus may be the easiest way for you to earn some extra money. Student Campus Partnerships (SCPs) are offered by the University, which means that you wouldn’t be required to work more than 15 hours per week during term time. These internships are based on campus and are very flexible as the University understands that your studies are of the utmost priority. Typical positions include administrative work and research support. Payment is normally £9.81 per hour, which is higher than what most employers offer in the city.
If you’re more interested in retail and catering, you may want to check out what Guild outlets have to offer. Cafes and shops run by the Guild (The Ram, Comida, Pieminister, Guild Shop, etc.) employ students and are also flexible. Vacancies for these positions usually open at the end of the academic year as the Guild wants employees to start working in early September. You can expect a payment of £8.78 per hour.
If you lived in a University accommodation in your first year, you’re probably familiar with the Residence Life Team. They recruit mentors at the end of term one for the following academic year, so if you’re enthusiastic to get involved, don’t forget to check when applications open. Perks of being a Residence Life Mentor include getting to live in a University accommodation and meeting plenty of new people from all around the world whilst also getting paid.
The best place to look for vacancies is My Career Zone but if you don’t find anything suitable, you may also want to try and ask your College whether they have something to offer. In case you’re still not convinced that working on campus is the best way to earn money alongside your studies, read what some students had to say about their experiences.
“In my first year, I worked as Catering Assistant in Birks. It was super-flexible, I got to work as many or few hours as I wanted and shifts were only 3 or 3 and a half hour long. Dinner shifts really suited me as I could finish all my uni work before I went to work.” (Niki, BA Sustainability with French, Hungary)
“Residence Life Team enriched my university life. I get to know a minimum of 80 mentees from all around the world as I conduct my rounds in the university accommodation flat. As a residence life mentor, I am well taken care by my team leader and managers. They even give us free ice-cream during summer (as you can see in the photo)” (Joshua, PhD Environmental Psychology, Malaysia)
“I really enjoy working as a Student Ambassador for the University as I get to have the opportunity of talking to so many different people and share my own experiences of being a student at Exeter! It’s a very rewarding job and also flexible so it works around your other commitments, and on top of that you get paid as well.” (Kinari, BA Geography, Japan)
“I’ve been recently working with Global employability team at Career zone. We organised Q&A sessions, developed country information sheets and now making a little movie too. Everything, to make life of those who are interested in going abroad easier!” (Katya, BA International Relations and Business Management, Ukraine)
“Alongside my studies, I’m an intern at the Digital Humanities Lab. I supervise tech set-up, assist with digitisation projects and make sure that room bookings and emails are all up-to-date. I’m one of six interns at the DH Lab, everyone is super friendly and the shifts are really easy to slot around lectures. Our manager encourages us to pursue our own interests in the Digital Humanities, so we’re given two hours a week to get involved in exciting ongoing projects!” (Hannah, BA English, UK)
Read more about Hannah’s role on the Digital Humanities blog.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working as a Student Ambassador and Business School Mentor for over a year, and this has been rewarding in terms of being able to work with driven and friendly people, and having a sense of ‘giving back’ to the University. Being a Student Ambassador was possibly the best and most flexible work experience I’ve gained in my time as a student.” (Vinayak, BA Business Management, India)