Archive for the ‘Work Experience’ Category
Podcast: Get a Graduate Advantage
May 14th, 2010
Posted in Work Experience
The Grade speaks to Clara Wilcox of Graduate Advantage, a West Midlands based project designed to put graduates into paid and unpaid placements from 4 weeks to 12 months. They offer a wide range of placements in all sectors, with any West Midland company eligible. They also accept CVs and covering letters to their email address, enquiries@graduateadvantage.co.uk, and they let you know when your ideal placement comes around.
Download or listen to the podcast below to find out how you can apply for a placement as well as hear what Clara thinks employers are looking for when deciding who to take on.
Employment Zone part three: Graduate Fairs
April 20th, 2010
Posted in The Fun Stuff, Work Experience
The Discover Potential and Improve Prospects fairs are there to support students beyond the typical showcasing of job vacancies and placements opportunities. It is a chance for them to see what their options are in the world of work.
Graduate fairs are also a great opportunity to speak to potential employers and ask questions; giving you valuable information and insight into companies and industries. You can almost treat it as a networking event in itself. Companies are on hand to inform students about interviews and prepare them for what is to come. Going along to a graduate event will leave you well informed and hopefully provide you with some useful contacts.
Alongside all of the fairs we arrange we run several workshops including training sessions on networking.
If you are unable to attend these sort of events, we also have plans to launch our Life beyond Birmingham City University publication, which is a guide for all things you might be considering after graduation. This will be a great resource for all students and graduates thinking about their future plans.
These fairs are aimed at all students and are themed around entrepreneurship, volunteering, and employment for graduates.
Don’t forget, Birmingham City University’s three-day Graduate Fair starts Tuesday 27th April, 10am at MillenniumPoint.
Graduate Fair this month!
April 18th, 2010
Posted in The Fun Stuff, Work Experience
Birmingham City University are treating all of their students to the three day graduate fair, Discover Potential- Improve Prospects. Starting Tuesday 27th April, the fair will commence at Millennium Point 
on Tuesday, then City North Campus on Wednesday, and finishing at Gosta Green Campus on Thursday; all running from 10am -2pm.
This is the chance for you to receive advice from the experts and network with the professionals in charge of the hiring and firing in Birmingham.
We will also be there handing out the first issue of the magazine version of The Grade ever! Don’t miss out.
Work abroad with global experiences
April 16th, 2010
Posted in The Fun Stuff, Work Experience
If you have sunnier climates or fast paced cities on the brain then an international internship could be for you. Global Experiences offers a unique selection of exciting international destinations to graduates looking to set sail.
Global Experiences set out to design packages for people who want to work, study and live abroad. They cater for a wide range of industries, with everything from politics to fashion. So anyone can do it! You needn’t travel too far either, the destinations on offer range from Dublin to Australia, with many in between.
It is reassuring to know that Global Experiences’ advisors have all worked, lived or studied abroad themselves so they will be able to offer both expert advice and speak from personal experience. They say:
“We are a group of “do as I did” people, not “do as I say” posers.”
Working abroad can be an adventure and an amazing contribution to your CV too, working overseas shows courage, ambition and gives you priceless life experience.
For more information on the internships they offer visit their website.
Employment Zone Part Two: What employers want
April 7th, 2010
Posted in Work Experience
If the thought of finding a job and, even worse, being interviewed for a job is making your stomach somersault; then never fear, the experts from Birmingham City University Employment Zone are here to help, once again…
Is it about turning on the charm during an interview? Including every last qualification on your CV? Or simply “being yourself”? Confused? I know I am.
When it comes to what type of person organisations are looking for, we asked Marcus what he thought employers want from their employees:
“No doubt, people would have heard about ‘transferable skills’ and this is really what employers are looking for. For example, communication skills, using your initiative, problem solving, working well as part of a team etc – not a lot of people realise they have these.
“They love work experience. Use it as evidence for the skills required and business acumen. Above all they want passion and drive. If you show this in your application and interview you are on to a winner!”
Part One: The Employment Zone explain it all
April 2nd, 2010
Posted in The Fun Stuff, Work Experience
Birmingham City University
The Grade caught up with the Birmingham City University’s Employment Zone to find out what you can do to nab your dream job.
Following our CV clinic during the ‘Welcome to the Real World’ campaign, it’s time to start thinking about what to do next.
The recession has hit many working people hard; with fewer jobs available and redundancies becoming a common threat, it is more important than ever to be at the top of your game. That is why the Employment Zone is on tap with advice for students on how to prepare for the world of work.
Unless you are one of the lucky ones, most of us will start at the bottom of the ladder and work our way up to the top. Marcus Andrews, Employment Zone Co-ordinator tells us exactly where to start.
“Employment Zone is keen to make sure that students realise the value of work experience from day one. Many employers look for this when considering graduates as it shows that all important ‘go-get them attitude’.”
B-Hive Briefs Announced
February 11th, 2010
Posted in Media, Work Experience
STUDENTS ENCOURAGED TO GO GREEN FOR WORK PLACEMENTS
Students looking for a career in the creative and marketing industries are being asked how they would build on Birmingham’s green credentials for a chance to secure work placements with the region’s leading agencies.
The B-Hive Campaign, with less than a month to go before the deadline, is challenging students to come up with an initiative scheme in which Birmingham will become the greenest city in the world by 2020.
Students will be required to demonstrate how they would encourage residents and business to become proactive with green initiatives including using public transport, reducing energy usage and recycling.
A foot on the creative ladder
February 3rd, 2010
Posted in Media, Work Experience
- Glenn Tucker and Katie White, winners of B-Hive 2009
The B-Hive campaign offers students in PR, marketing, web design and graphic design a head start in the creative industries.
Now in its second year, The B-Hive offers students across the city the chance to get involved in one of the 24 placements on offer.
Each applicant must complete an online application for their chosen category. If successful, students will be invited to sit before a panel of six judges in a Dragon’s Den style interview.
Joining with high profiled employers, such as McCann Erikson Communications House, KLM and Seal Communications, the campaign gives the students of Birmingham a unique avenue into the creative sector.
