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Gaining Experience through Volunteering, Placements and Internships
Natalie Smith & Amy WigginsCareers & Employability Service
Agenda
• What is the Careers and Employability Service?
• What is employability and why are employability skills so important?
• Gaining experience and employability skills through:
• Volunteering
• Placements
• Internships
Slides will be on www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm
What is employability?
‘A set of attributes, skills and knowledge that all labour market participants should possess to ensure they have the capability of being effective in the workplace – to the benefit of themselves, their employer and the wider economy.’
(CBI, March 2009)
Page 3
What employability skills are graduate recruiters looking for?
Page 4
Communication
Report writing
Team working
Leadership
Planning and organisation
Project management
Enterprise
Problem Solving
Reflection
Adaptability
Energy
Drive and resilience
Integrity
Reliability
Enthusiasm/passion
Self awareness
Confidence
Contextual/cultural awareness
Capacity to develop
NumeracyPositive attitude
Business and customer awareness
IT skills
Why are employability skills so important?
Increased competition – over 400,000 graduates leaving university each year.
•‘Our latest UK recruitment campaign closed having attracted c.24500. The bank will offer c.475 places in 2012.’ HSBC newsletter April 2012
•Saatchi & Saatchi – 3000 applicants for 12 summer internships 2012
Page 5
How can you develop employability skills and provide evidence for them?
Through your course:
•Problem solving
•Written work
•Research
•Presentations
•Creativity
•Working in groups
•Using ICT skills
Page 6
How can you develop employability skills and provide evidence for them?
Through extra-curricular activities:
•Clubs/societies
•Volunteering
•Learning a language
•Travelling
Page 7
How can you develop employability skills and provide evidence for them?
Through gaining work experience:
•Part-time work
•Internships/placements
•Company events
More information on gaining employability skills:
www.kent.ac.uk/employability
Page 8
Volunteering
73% of employers said they would rather employ someone with voluntary experience than someone without (Timebank)
Page 9
Volunteering
What skills/experience/knowledge would you gain from volunteering in a charity shop?
Page 10
2 minutes
End
Placements and Internships - Definitions
• Internship:
• Usually 1-3 months long, during a summer vacation.
• The student works on a defined project at a graduate level.
• Graduate Internship
• Usually 3-6 months long, after graduation.
• The student works on a defined project at a graduate level.
Placements and Internships - Definitions
• Placement:
• Also called sandwich year or year in industry.
• Usually 9-12 months long during the penultimate year of study.
• Must be relevant to degree course.
• The student works on a defined project at a graduate level.
• Work experience/shadowing:
• 1-2 weeks unpaid.
• A taster of the career area.
• Insight day
• Taster days organised by companies.
Benefits of Internships and Placements
• Gaining employability skills
• Commercial awareness and experience
Many employers feel graduates are lacking basic business awareness, with 71% of employers
saying they would always consider candidates with poor exams results but a lot of work-
related experience (YouGov)
Benefits of Internships and Placements
• The chance to practise applications, interviews and assessment centres.
• Many employers use placements and internships as extended interviews.
• The chance to try something new e.g. a career area or commuting to London.
• The potential for better pay.
Searching for placements/internships
• www.kent.ac.uk/ces
• Vacancy database
• ‘Sandwich placements’ section
• ‘I want to work in….’ section
• www.ratemyplacement.co.uk
• www.prospects.ac.uk
• Vacancy database
• Job sectors
• Graduate directories
• Speculative approach
Searching for placements/internships
• http://graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!ecaaefg
• www.targetjobs.co.uk
• www.milkround.com
• www.insidecareers.co.uk
• www.thejobcrowd.com
Searching for Placements/Internships – Top Tips
• Provide evidence of your employability skills. Volunteer if you feel you need more.
• Use the Careers and Employability Service e.g. CV checks.
• Be resilient and persevere.
Top Tips during your Placement/Internship
• Make an impression:
• Use your initiative.
• Get feedback.
• Be professional.
• Network
• Ask to shadow/work in different departments.
• Connect with your colleagues on LinkedIn.
• Keep a log of the skills you have gained with examples.