Danielle Young

"The most inspiring aspect of the course was the encouragement from teaching staff and peers, I felt that the University of Plymouth had a small and niche department for chemistry which meant you were able to form good relationships with your peers and with the teaching staff. This made the experience more personal and comfortable so you could fully engage in the learning and ask for support when needed. I also found it interesting that the teaching staff were all involved in research, which was inspiring and motivating for undergraduates to see where they could potentially lead their studies."

"The careers and employability service were amazing. I organised many zoom meetings with the careers team to help me build my CV and my cover letter so that it showcased my capabilities and appealed to potential employers. I also practiced interview techniques which I believe helped me in getting my current position. Without the help of the careers team, my CV would not have been so strong. The SUM:UP team in the library were amazing, it was such a great help for those who struggle with maths. It really helped me gain confidence in my maths ability throughout my degree and understand my coursework better so I could achieve great marks."

"I wasn’t too sure what I wanted to do as a career during my degree, but the hands on laboratory work helped me realise I wanted a laboratory/ environmental industry based career where I could develop those skills further and apply them to my job."

"I think Plymouth prepared me for my career in many ways. We were taught the underpinning mathematical and practical skills that I use in my job every day from simple skills such as calibrating instruments to more technical skills and knowledge, such as instrumental maintenance and understanding the chemical processes used in analysis. The careers team were helpful for job interviews and CVs so that I was prepared for the ‘real world’ interview processes which I believe helped me get into the position I’m in today."

"I recommend the University of Plymouth massively because the teaching staff take an interest in the wellbeing of their students. They offer lots of support outside of lectures which motivates you to do well, and they are easy to approach with any kind of problem. There are so many opportunities to get involved with volunteering, internal jobs such as ambassador and liaison, which opens up doors for positions within the University and gives you chance to meet other like-minded people. Also external opportunities such as working for the Royal Society of Chemistry and other STEM companies which get you noticed in the scientific community and introduces you to potential job opportunities. The course is well structured and covers a variety of theory based work, mathematical and statistical work which you will use in your career (if you go into a laboratory based role) and just general professional skills, such as meeting new people, leading talks and workshops, and presenting, which is important for being confident in the working world."