Entering the big wide world of work can be daunting for any person, regardless of age, experience, how nice your employees are and especially when you’re used to the laid back student lifestyle. But for me it has been the best and rewarding experience ever! I am very lucky to have been offered this placement, the opportunity to work alongside the careers and alumni team has been great. Let’s say I have learnt a lot!
So I’m the careers and placement administrator within the careers and alumni department, the main focus of my role is to provide support for activities within the Careers & Alumni office, specifically careers and work placements. This includes services to all clients – students, staff, alumni and employers and covers data management, administration, marketing, business development and customer service, sounds daunting right?! But it’s not actually that bad. My friends and family would constantly ask me what do you like about your placement? and do you not miss your student life? etc.. Of course I miss my student life! ..I D.E.F.I.N.E.T.L.Y miss my sleep. I used to sleep for 12 hours, I sleep a lot, but now I am only having 8 or 6 hours of sleep.
But my placement year means:
- No revision – I don’t miss revision at all and I don’t need to do any of that so I guess placement life is not that bad after all.
- Money! – The money side to it is very good I can now buy the things that I want to that I couldn’t last year or the year before that.
There’s also the employability side to it such as:
- Good/excellent reference from my manager
- Good work experience – this will look good on my CV
- Better understanding of the job market
- Further enhanced skills, commercial awareness and more
Overall, I 100% recommend every student should undertake a placement year so take advantage of the careers department they are there to help you.