Career Zone Podcast

Grand Challenges: Climate and Environment Emergency - Students perspectives

In this week’s episode Rebecca, a Student Programme Assistant, is joined by students Savi, Marco and Anushka who took part in the Climate and Environment Emergency Grand Challenges 2023.  For their project, they developed a student organisation, the Student Sustainability Board, that provides a platform to address sustainability issues and promote positive initiatives.  They share their experiences of completing Grand Challenges, their motivations for joining and the skills they developed throughout the week.  

You can find out more about the Student Sustainability Board by following them on Instagram @ExeStudentSustainabilityBoard  

Grand Challenges is a project week in which you work in interdisciplinary groups with other like-minded students to design innovative solutions to real world challenges. Top academics and invited speakers share their views and help you apply your skills and knowledge to a real-life problem. It’s open to all students and sign up for Grand Challenges 2024 is now open! Sign up for Grand Challenges or find out more on the Grand Challenges webpage.  

In conversation with students who have completed the Green Consultants Internships

In this episode Helen Hicks, Programme Officer, is joined by students Pooja, Octavia and Bryony to talk about their experiences of completing a Green Consultants internships. Pooja, Octavia and Bryony share how they overcame feeling nervous and intimidated by the thought of their internship to enjoying their experience and recommending it to other students. They share what their internships involved, the skills they have developed and how completing a Green Consultants internship has helped them when applying for jobs.  

Green Consultants is an award winning programme designed to provide students with additional skills and experience required to work in the highly competitive environmental and sustainability sector. You can find out more about Green Consultant and access the training here.   

Grand Challenges: Future Food - Students perspectives

In this week’s episode Olivia, a Student Programme Assistant, is joined by students Hannah and Sophie who took part in the Future Food Grand Challenges 2023. Their project involved designing an app that would generate recipes with ingredients that are in season, with the hope of improving sustainability habits. They share their experiences of completing Grand Challenges, their motivations for joining and the skills they developed throughout the week. 

Grand Challenges is a project week in which you work in interdisciplinary groups with other like-minded students to design innovative solutions to real world challenges. Top academics and invited speakers share their views and help you apply your skills and knowledge to a real-life problem. It’s open to all students and sign up for Grand Challenges 2024 is now open! Sign up for Grand Challenges or find out more on the Grand Challenges webpage.  

Working in PR: In conversation with alumna Hannah Smithdale, Account Director at Edelman

In this week’s episode, Laura Ibarra Hempal, Faculty Lead for Employability (Humanities and Arts), is joined by alumna Hannah Smithdale, Account Director at Edelman to discuss what it’s like to work in PR. Hannah shares her journey from graduate to becoming an Account Director and shares what a typical day looks like for her. Hannah also talks about the skills needed to work in PR and how completing the Career Mentor Scheme helped her when making career decisions.  

 

Links:

• Career Mentor Scheme
• Interested in a Creative Career? Explore roles, build contacts and get experience with our series on in-person and virtual sessions running throughout Creative Careers Month. (https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/careers/research/creativecareers/)

Grand Challenges: Mental Health - Students perspectives, part 1

In this week’s episode Olivia, a Student Programme Assistant, is joined by students Clara, Aimee, Mattea and Ermira who completed the Mental Health Challenge in 2023. Their project involved creating a children’s book which integrated theraplay techniques into the story, which caregivers could read and use with their children. They share their experiences of completing Grand Challenges, their motivations for joining and the skills they developed throughout the week. 

Grand Challenges is a project week in which students work in interdisciplinary groups with other like-minded students to design innovative solutions to real world challenges. Top academics and invited speakers share their views and help you apply your skills and knowledge to a real-life problem. It’s open to all undergraduates and sign up for Grand Challenges 2024 is now open! Sign up for Grand Challenges or find out more on the Grand Challenges webpage.  

The Meaning of Success in the Third Sector: In conversation with Jess D’Cruz-Clune, Senior Information Officer at MIND

In this week’s episode, Sunny Lalli, Employability and Careers Consultant, talks with alumna Jess D'Cruz-Clune, senior information officer at the charity MIND (www.mind.org.uk), a national UK charity founded in 1947 which advocates for improve quality of mental health support though education, information and guidance ventures. In this episode, Sunny and Jess explore the meaning of success in the charity and development sector. They deconstruct the concept of success and reflect on the unique ingredients of success within the charity and development (third) sector. Sunny and Clare also analyse the drivers of success in this sector and reflect on how to maintain success in charity and development work.

Useful links:

• University of Exeter Career Zone sector page on charity and development work: Charity & Development Work | Career Zone | University of Exeter
• University of Exeter Career Zone professional pathways scheme in charity and development: Professional Pathways | Career Zone | University of Exeter
• My Career Zone Digital article on four career success secrets: https://mycareerzone.careercentre.me/u/vqjvwy76

Grand Challenges: Social Inequality - Students perspectives, part 1

In this week’s episode Olivia, a Student Programme Assistant, is joined by two groups of students who completed the Social Inequality Challenge in 2023. Valentina, Nathan and Darcy discuss their project that involved using university students as tutors. The second group, with Bethan, Rosie and Ellie share their experience of working on their project looking at diversity and representation in period dramas with a focus on class, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ and race.  

  

Both groups discuss their experiences of completing Grand Challenges, their motivations for joining and the skills they developed throughout the week. 

 

You can find out more and sign up on the Grand Challenges webpages (www.exeter.ac.uk/students/grandchallenges)

Careers in Consultancy

In this week’s episode Mel Nearchou, Faculty Lead in the Business School, is joined by joined by Joan Wright, an Employability and Careers Consultant in the Business School to discuss Careers in Consultancy Week 2024, which runs from Monday 5 –Friday 9 February. Careers in Consultancy Week sees the Career Zone bring together a range of activities and events for any student interested in exploring consultancy as a career option. Mel is also joined by alumni Alessio Orlando who is now working as a consultant at Bearing Point. Alessio graduated in 2020 and shares his personal and professional experiences of life after graduation and what it’s like working as a consultant.

 

Find out what’s running and book onto events via Handshake.

Case Interviews session will be running on Thursday 8 February 4:30-6:30pm.

You can book a 1-1 guidance appointment at the Career Zone.

 

Grand Challenges: Tomorrow’s World - Students perspectives

In this week’s episode Rebecca and Katya, Student Programme Assistants are joined by two groups of students who completed the Tomorrow’s World Challenge in 2023. Jake and Anna share their experiences of working on a business plan for a community interest company focused on producing sustainable Cornish sushi. The second group, made up of Nigella and Jasmine discuss their project of proposing a building design to incorporate plants into city living. Both groups share their experiences of completing Grand Challenges, their motivations for joining and the skills they developed throughout the week.

 

You can find out more and sign up on the Grand Challenges webpages (www.exeter.ac.uk/students/grandchallenges)

 

 

An Indian perspective - Graduate Recruitment in the UK: Joan Wright in conversation with Exeter alumni Keshav Gujral

Hear Keshav’s top tips on how to be resilient and succeed in the graduate recruitment process from an Indian student’s perspective.  Keshav, graduated with a BSc Management & Marketing with Industrial Experience in 2022 and went on to work as a Business Transformation Analyst - Consulting at Deloitte.

Links:

• Employability support for International Students: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/careers/jobsandworkplacements/internationalstudents/
• Help with Interviews https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/careers/research/helpwith/helpwithinterviews/ 
• Help with Assessment Centres and Psychometric Testing https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/careers/research/helpwith/helpwithassessmentcentresandpsychometrictesting/