Happy New Year! Welcome to the January edition of the SSIS Employability Newsletter.

What’s in a Work Placement Module?

Module selection time will soon be upon us. It can be a confusing time, trying to work out what the best options to go for are. There is a lot of choice and something you might not immediately think of is choosing a work placement module, which often sit outside of your discipline’s module list and are open to most students, (restrictions on law students do apply).

SSIS offer work placement modules that closely relate to the social sciences.

Learning from Work Experience in Social Sciences is a 15 credit module that allows you to arrange and undertake a week’s work experience in an organisation that interests you. You are expected to reflect on your experience on the placement, and develop ideas and themes from your experiences which you can relate back to your areas of study within your discipline.

If you are on a Q-Step programme intending to do POL2077/ SOC2077 or SOC2019 and completing either POL1041 or SOC1041 this year, you are eligible to participate in the Data Analysis in the Workplace module, which allows you to undertake practical elements of data analysis for a variety of businesses.

A range of 15 or 30 credit modules are available on the Learning for Teaching module, which includes either a 5 or 10 day placement in a school of your choice. The module allows you to explore whether teaching is the right career choice for you.

Look out for these options when it comes to choosing your modules, structured work experience like this can enhance your CV and provide rich material to take to interviews.

Good luck for 2016!

Julia Paci Employability and Outreach Manager (including Alumni relations) SSIS

• Careers in media and journalism

Date: Friday 15th January

Time: 1:30-2:30pm

Venue: Streatham Court D

Simon Vigar is a graduate from the University of Exeter (Politics, 1991) and is a Correspondent for Five News, covering an array of reports. Simon has reported on many big sporting events including the World Cup and the Olympics, while as Royal correspondent, he has also covered all major tours, jubilees, wedding and royal babies. Simon has also reported on major court cases including Baby P, Stephen Lawrence and more recently, covered the Paris attacks.

Simon will discuss what it's like working in the media and how, despite it being such a rapidly changing industry, one thing that never changes is that it's all about story-telling. Whether telling a story in a 17th Century pamphlet or a 21st Century video blog, the outcome is always the same and the role of the media is an important one. This talk will be an interesting insight into how areas such as politics and law, tie into and are reflected within the media. The talk will be followed by a Q&A session.

For more information and to book onto this event please visit: http://ex.ac.uk/agq

Upcoming Careers Consultants Talks:

• Making Applications for Post-Graduate Study

Date: Friday 15th January

Time: 10:00-11:00am

Venue: Forum Exploration Lab 1

This session will be useful for any Final Year student considering Postgraduate study.

To book onto this event please visit: http://ex.ac.uk/ah5

• CV & Cover Letter Writing

Date: Monday 1st February

Time: 2:30-4:30pm

Venue: Forum Exploration Lab 2

This session will help you to consider the design, structure and content of your CV so that you create something that has real impact.  You will also learn about how to structure a covering letter.

To book onto this event please visit: http://ex.ac.uk/ah8

• How to promote yourself and your degree in a job interview

Date: Thursday 4th February

Time: 11:00am-12noon

Venue: Forum Exploration Lab 2

Being able to perform well in an interview is a key factor to securing employment. This session will inform you about the different types of interview you can expect to face and prepare you for answering questions effectively.

To book onto this event please visit: http://ex.ac.uk/ah6

• The Mock Assessment Centre

Date: Tuesday 16th February

Time: 9:30-11:30am

Venue: Amory B105 Seminar Room

This session is designed as a mock assessment centre to give you an opportunity to take part in some typical assessment centre activities to get a feel for what one might be like and receive feedback on your performance

To book onto this event please visit: http://ex.ac.uk/ah7

• PGCE Programme

Studying for a PGCE at the University of Exeter opens doors to a varied and exciting professional career. The Graduate School of Education has been the home of teacher education programmes for over 165 years, remaining consistently committed to providing high-quality, research-inspired teacher education.

The ‘Exeter Model’ for PGCE training is highly regarded in the industry. It is explicit about the learning processes needed to develop practice-based skills; engages trainee teachers in structured conversations about their impact on pupils’ learning; develops trainee teachers’ ownership of their professional development; and provides a professional development framework that will be of value throughout a teaching career.

Due to changes in how PGCE places are allocated nationally, we strongly encourage you to apply now. All university-led PGCEs will close simultaneously when a national recruitment cap is met.

Full details can be found at: www.exeter.ac.uk/education/pgce, or you can contact the PGCE admissions team at pgce-admissions@exeter.ac.uk.

• British Council - Generation UK-China

Generation UK-China provides an exciting range of opportunities to gain study or work experience in China, giving students the chance to see the country and immerse themselves in a fascinating new culture whilst acquiring valuable skills for the future.

There’s a wide range of two month internship placements where students can gain work experience in an industry of their choice in one of six booming cities across China.

Our Study in China program allows students to access scholarships to study in China for 5–12 months in a variety of subject areas and locations.

Applications are open all year round for our internship programmes. Applications for scholarship programmes for September 2016/17 will open 15 January 2016.

For more information please visit: https://www.britishcouncil.org/study-work-create-china

For more opportunities to study and work abroad, please visit: https://www.britishcouncil.org/study-work-create

• Sprint

Sprint is the ground-breaking new development programme designed for undergraduate women of all ages, from all backgrounds and stages in their lives and study. Sprint is designed to develop female students to their fullest potential and address study and career issues. You can apply for a place via the website.

• eXfactor Open Sessions

First years who missed their disciplines’ eXfactor sessions can still attend an Open Session this year. Book your place on My Career Zone by searching ‘Open eXfactor’ under events. Previous participants have really valued the opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills.

Ryan Hopkins, BA Politics (2015)

Where do you work now?
Policy Research Unit, House of Commons

Were you involved with a society? If so, in what capacity and how do you feel it benefited you?
"During my time at Exeter I was really involved with the Politics Society, eventually taking over the presidency in 2014/15. I was incredibly lucky to have been president during this time, as it fell to us to oversee efforts to increase awareness of, and the participation of students around, the 2015 General Election.

Working with the society was one of the best experiences that I had at Exeter, and I’m exceptionally proud of the work we did for the General Election. Society involvement, and getting the presidency, was a key talking point during my interview for my current position. I think it showed that I had the ability to network, organise and work well with others, and I really believe that it may have given me an advantage."

What is it about your specialist area you enjoy the most?
"Somewhat predictably, I was the politics student who went to work in politics. I’m incredibly lucky to work where I do – I get to walk into work in the House of Commons every day, and working out of that iconic building shows no sign of getting old anytime soon.

Part of my current role involves writing briefings for Conservative MPs ahead of Parliamentary debates, questions, or media interviews. I specialise in two areas, Energy & Climate Change and Women & Equalities policies, and brief exclusively in those sections. Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of my role is hearing lines that I have written in a briefing used by an MP in a Parliamentary debate or an interview, and knowing that my work is being used and read at a high level."

What advice would you give current students?
"I think the best advice I could offer current students would be to get involved with as much of the non-academic stuff as possible. Of course, good grades are crucial, but when going for a good job its likely most of the candidates will be coming from a respected university with at least a 2:1. You need something to set you apart. Societies, sports teams and volunteering are all excellent ways of adding real merit to your CV, and actually, participation in these things makes you a lot more interesting as a potential hire to an employer.

It’s all very well talking about your excellent grades at interview, but if you can’t back these up with good life experiences and an interesting personality, they’re not likely to do you much good. I remember talking far more about my involvement with the Politics Society and volunteering I had undertaken with the Stonewall charity than about my academic studies at the interview for my current job."