Work Experience for Postgraduate
and International students
Presentation by Michelle May and Harj Kundra
Internship Officers, Careers Network
Objectives
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Introduction to Careers Network and the Internship
Officers
Types and benefits of work experience
Considerations for postgraduate and international
students
Finding work experience; existing resources and
speculative applications
Careers Network bursaries
Careers Network services and your
Internship Officers
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Careers guidance
Help with CV/applications
Events
Resources
Appointments
Bespoke support for
International and
Postgraduate students
• Work experience advice
Internship Officer Team
Icebreaker exercise
You have two minutes to
introduce yourselves, identifying:
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Name
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Course / School / College / Year
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Career goal
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What experience you’d like
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What you want to gain from this
workshop
Types of work experience
Work Experience
PAID
UNPAID
PAID
Internships
Voluntary Work
Graduate Vacancies
Summer, 3/6/12 month
Shadowing
Part Time Work
Placements
Insight Programmes
Importance and benefits of work experience
A pathway into employment
Gain real-life experience
Develop employability skills
Gain confidence & assertiveness
‘Earn while you learn’
Network with professionals
Apply practise to theory
Build your reputation
‘Try before you buy’ for both parties
Gain skills alongside your degree
Experience the recruitment process
Develop your CV
When to apply for opportunities for
postgraduate students
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Often, masters degrees run from Sept to Sept which can make it
difficult to secure a summer internship as you may be considered to
be in ‘term’ time’ until your dissertation has been handed in
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However, some internships are just geared at postgraduates and
some masters course include placements
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It may be possible to include part-time work experience whilst
studying and consider graduate internships
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Many internships are focused at undergraduates over summer but
there are organisations that do consider and recruit postgraduate
students
Which organisations recruit postgraduate
students
Business, Finance and Consultancy
Accenture ; Barclays ; Bloomberg ; BT ; EY ; ION Trading ; Lloyds Banking;
M&G Investments ; Mercer ; Royal Mail ; UBS
Science, Engineering and Technology
AECOM ; BAE Systems ; DSTL ; IBM ; Jaguar Land Rover ; Microsoft ;
Network Rail ; PwC ; Tata Steel ; Tessella ; Transport for London
Other
Ark Teacher Training ; Boots ; Next ; Marks and Spencer ; Unilever
International students:
Eligibility to work during and after your degree
During
• There are different rules, depending on different visas/tiers
• Careers Network cannot provide visa advice
• ISAS CAN give you visa advice
• Volunteering may count as ‘work hours’
• Refer to the UK Visas and Immigration (previously UKBA) website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-andimmigration
After
• Once you have completed your degree, you may be eligible to work in
the UK full-time until the following January – check with ISAS.
• This means you may be eligible to undertake (e.g. a three month
internship) from the beginning of October until the end of December.
How to find work
experience/internships
Careers Network website
Careers Network web page – intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/careers
Careers Connect
Guidance documents
Dedicated pages for your
college
Wide variety of resources
on job areas
Contact details for
Careers Network
Careers Connect
https://bham.targetconnect.net/student/jobSearch.html
Click on
‘Opportunities >
Find Opportunity’
Refine your
search by
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Business
Sector
Opportunity
type
Salary
Country
Location
Academic
area
Find out
more
information
and apply
Internships website
www.birmingham.ac.uk/internships
Internships website
www.birmingham.ac.uk/internships
Graduate internships
www.birmingham.ac.uk/internships
UoB Guild: Job Zone, Worklink &
Volunteering
http://www.guildofstudents.com/jobzone
www.worklink.bham.ac.uk
http://www.guildofstudents.com/volunteering/
External websites
www.prospects.ac.uk
www.anyworkanywhere.com
www.projects-abroad.net
www.targetjobs.co.uk
www.workandvolunteer.com
www.aiesec.co.uk
www.studentladder.co.uk
www.careersinternational.com
www.milkround.com
www.globalcareercompany.com
International information providers
www.prospects.ac.uk/studying_abroad
www.fco.gov.uk (Foreign & Comm Off)
www.embassyworld.com
Voluntary positions
Benefits of volunteering
Develop employability skills
Prove your capabilities
Develop confidence & assertiveness
Gain valuable experience
Widen your network
Develop your CV
Where can you find voluntary opportunities?
BVSC: Centre for Voluntary Action
www.do-it.org.uk
National Council for Voluntary Org
VSO: Voluntary Services Overseas
Tips for PGs to find work
experience
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Doing your Masters dissertation/project in collaboration
with an employer or company (please discuss with your
supervisor)
Consider part time research/consultancy opportunities
Get involved with student societies and committees;
within UoB and beyond
Join memberships, royal societies and professional
bodies to make you aware of networking events and
work experience opportunities
Consider short term experiences (e.g. Insight/Taster
Days)
Speculative
applications
Making a speculative application
Making speculative applications involves contacting
an
organisation and enquiring about possible vacancies. You might
contact an organisation because their area of work interests you,
or because you’ve heard about an upcoming vacancy from someone
you know.
Things to consider when making a speculative application
Awareness of employers to contact
Establish a personal contact
Tailor your CV/covering letter
Method of tracking your applications
Keep in touch
Consider booking a CV check with a CN Advisor
through Careers Connect
Methods of making a speculative
application
How to find out about organisations?
Telephone
Face-to-face
Use online resources
Yellow pages
Thomson Directories
FAME directory
Social media networking
Utilise your network
Mail
Friends & family
Colleagues
Tutors
E-mail
Attend events
Societies and professional bodies
What are the benefits of joining a professional body?
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Gives you access to new funding streams
Gives you networking opportunities
Opens many opportunities for internships, research and potential
employment
Provides you with an insight into current research, new approaches
and developments related to your discipline
Looks good on your CV
Using social media
Careers Network social media
Facebook - /careersbham
Twitter - @careersbham
Linked in communities
Internships community
Graduate community
Quick exercise
In pairs, you have 2 minutes to
identify which approaches you
will use to find work experience
and why.
Bursaries for
undergraduates
UoB Work Experience Bursaries
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Professional – Up to £800
Research – Up to £500
International – Up to £800
Global Challenge – Fully funded
Gateway – Up to £2000
Deadline: 3rd April 2016
Deadline: 3rd April 2016
Deadline: 3rd April 2016
Deadline: 14th Feb 2016
Deadline: 17th April 2016
*The bursaries are only open to undergraduate students
For further information, visit the internship web pages:
www.birmingham.ac.uk/internships
If you are not eligible for the above you may wish to look at
alternative modes of funding at
http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/generic/internships/funding/othersources.aspx
Hong Kong Mentoring
OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS
AND RECENT
GRADUATES
• Insight into the current job
market in HK
• Expand your professional
network
Deadline: 22nd November 2015
www.birmingham.ac.uk/hkmentoring
Resources
ISAS (International Student Advisory Service):
https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/studentservices/international/
UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs):
www.ukcisa.org.uk
UK Visas & Immigration: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ukvisas-and-immigration
UKBA Register of Sponsors:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/businesssponsors/points/sponsoringmigrants/registerofsponsors/
VISA guidance: www.intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/careers/international
Join the Career Action Planning for Masters
Students Canvas Course (CAPMS)
https://canvas.bham.ac.uk/enroll/JW49TY
International Student Careers Canvas
https://canvas.bham.ac.uk/courses/12211
Autumn Action discussion forum and resources
https://canvas.bham.ac.uk/enroll/PLWDJA
Find us at
Student Services Hub, Aston Webb (R7 on map)
Visit our homepage
https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/careers
Facebook
Twitter
facebook.com/careersbham
@careersbham
Linked In Internships community