Students from a local school have swapped holidays for hard work after spending the summer on placement at Plymouth University.
The sixth formers – Rebecca Martin, Lauren Newell and Shae Crocker – from All Saints Academy completed six weeks employment across the University as part of a Business and Finance course.
This is an annual initiative which aims to offer students employability skills by taking on a position of responsibility, working a standard week and with the added bonus of being paid at the end of it. It also gives them the chance to put the skills and knowledge they have learned at school into practice.
The girls have been working with staff in the Careers and Employability team, Talent and Organisational Development and Student Recruitment and Admissions. Outreach Adviser (Employability) Helen Smith said:
“This is an exciting scheme that opens up new opportunities to help young people improve their skills for work and decide what they want to do when they leave school. I have seen their confidence improve tremendously and can see how these work placements have helped to improve their employment chances.”During their internship, the students have also had the chance to learn how to write a CV, fill in an application form and speak to careers advisers.
Lauren, who has been working with the Student Recruitment and Admissions team, has been helping her colleagues prepare the resources for an 80 person call centre that will offer guidance to A Level students through the confirmation and clearing process. The experience has been invaluable to Lauren who is currently applying to go to university in September. She said:
“I have had an unforgettable time at Plymouth University picking up a wide range of skills which I can relate back to my studies. The biggest thing I will take away is identifying the need to pay attention to every detail which has helped to define the new skills I have gained, as well as making a number of new connections, all of which I am sure will aid my success in the future.”The University works closely with schools in Plymouth to help students access the facilities through various activities.
