Careers Service, Skills development

£250 for Career Development

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Work & Opportunities Fund

Are you planning or have you recently secured some unpaid work experience?

Attending a training or networking event which will help you in your future career?

You could be entitled to funding of up to £250!

What can I use the funding for?
This funding will contribute towards the cost of transport, accommodation, training, childcare or uniform.
*Terms and conditions apply.

Am I eligible?
In addition to the Terms and conditions, you must:

  • Be a student registered with the University of Kent, studying in the UK.
  • Be undertaking work which is considered graduate-level or attending a training / networking opportunity that will support your employability upon graduation.
  • Claim the funding against costs incurred in the first 3 weeks (or 120 hours) of your work experience.

Click here for more information and to apply 

Graduate Jobs, Post graduate

MP for Dover & Deal recruiting for a Graduate Caseworker

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Charlie Elphicke, the Member of Parliament for Dover and Deal, is adding a full-time caseworker to his local team.

Do you have a passion for people and politics? A good writer, organised, with a strong work ethic and lots of initiative? The successful applicant will join a small, energetic team that is determined to help people in need and make a positive difference to our community.

Key responsibilities include research, drafting letters, producing reports, producing video content and handling social media and enquiries from the local press.

This is the perfect role for someone who cares about people and enjoys a wide variety of work in a busy office.

Closing Date

15 March 2019

Interview/Start Dates

Interviews likely to start week commencing 18 March.

Application Details

Please send a CV and covering letter to jamie.rose@parliament.uk.

Website: http://elphicke.com/

Click here for more details

Final Year, Graduate Jobs, Internships

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Graduate Scheme

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Foreign and Commonwealth Office Graduate Internship Scheme 

Internship up to 9 months
Closing date: 11 Mar 2019
£19,384 per annum plus £5,000 Location Allowance (pro-rata)

Business areas:

  • Administration / Corporate Support
  • Communications / Marketing
  • Customer Insight
  • Defence
  • Operations
  • Economist
  • Environment and Sustainability
  • Human Resources
  • Humanitarian
  • Policy
  • Press Relations
  • Procurement and Contracts Management
  • Security

The UK’s relationship with the rest of the world has rarely been so complex – or so interesting. Across the globe, the UK faces both challenges and opportunities. The FCO has teams working on everything from crisis in Syria, to helping British nationals in distress overseas, to creating new opportunities for British business, particularly in the fast growing economies, as well as managing a global network of posts overseas.

This is a unique opportunity to be right at the heart of the FCO’s work and to understand what it takes to run an effective global organisation. You will participate fully in the work of the FCO department into which you are placed and have an opportunity to influence how policy is made and delivered.

All the placements offer an in-depth insight into the work of the host FCO department and plenty of opportunity to learn more about, and experience, the wider FCO. No two placements are the same, and could be in any of the following departments:

• Geographical – Polar Regions, Western Balkans, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, East and West Africa
• Policy Themed – Economics, Defence Strategy, Cyber Engagement, EU Strategy, Climate Change and Environment, Human Rights, Counter Terrorism
• Customer Services – Consular, Parliamentary, Protocol, Crisis and Disaster Management
• Corporate – Internal and External Communications, Security, Human Resources, Press, Procurement

Please see the two ‘Day in the life of a Graduate Intern’ within the attached candidate pack for examples of the type of work you can expect to be involved in.

You will be part of a friendly and supportive team, where everyone is committed to diversity and encouraged to seek out development opportunities. Roles will allow successful candidates to develop their skills in relation to the Civil Service Success Profiles framework. You will be given a wide range of support, along with plenty of opportunities to learn about FCO work outside of your specific role. This may be through participating in Learning and Development (L&D) events and using FCO and Civil Service L&D tools. You may also have the opportunity to complete parts of the Diplomatic Academy Syllabus.

The type of placements we offer are suitable for those looking for general FCO work experience and NOT specific career related experience or experience relevant to ongoing academic studies. We carefully select suitable Internship placements from across the organisation in a range of roles offered by all our Directorates. Individuals are assigned to a Department for the duration of their Internship and we do not offer the option for Interns to select a placement or request a preference for a particular area of work for their Internship.

We are hoping to be able to offer Interns the opportunity to apply for the Civil Service Fast Pass Scheme, which is run by the Cabinet Office Diversity Team. The Scheme offers you the chance to be fast-tracked through to the assessment stage of the Civil Service Fast Stream application process if you receive a positive evaluation after the first six weeks of your placement. Further details on this will be provided at the beginning of placements, should the Cabinet Office Diversity Team confirm this is possible.

Please note:

• These Internships offer an insight into working in the FCO and valuable experience for future job applications.
• All Internships are expected to end in May/June 2020, depending on an Intern’s start date in 2019. Successful candidate’s indicative start date is August/September as an exact start date is dependent on candidates completing their pre-appointment checks and security clearance.

Please read the attached Candidate Pack in full for further information on the roles and responsibilities, minimum criteria required and details of the internship. The Candidate Pack also explains the selection process and notes what applicants will be assessed on at the first sift and at interview.

We want to encourage applications from the most talented people from all backgrounds.

Please note that the FCO carries out name-blind (anonymised) recruitment to help build a more diverse and inclusive workplace.

Qualifications
A Graduate with at least a 2:2 degree (first degree). For those graduating in 2019, we will need evidence of your predicted grade. If your degree was awarded by a non British university you must provide satisfactory evidence that it equates to a British degree, i.e. via NARIC. It is also essential that you provide evidence of your qualifications if called to interview.

Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Delivering at Pace
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Working Together
  • Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

  • Motivation & personal development
  • Benefits
  • Pensions
  • Civil Service pension schemes may be available for successful
  • candidates.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.
For more information, please read the candidate pack.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Open to UK nationals only.

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

If you have any questions about the internship or the recruitment process please email fcorecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk Please include the seven digit vacancy reference number (1617790) in the subject line of your email.

For more information, click here

Events, Final Year

Careers in International Development Event

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Speakers will share their experiences of careers in NGOs, in campaigning and small organisations, in media (investigative journalism and communications), and policy and government.

The event is for final year undergraduate students and postgraduate students interested in working in international development including environmental justice, campaigning, journalism, government and policy.

The event will allow students to network with experienced professionals. We have confirmed speakers from DFID Department for International Development, Centre for Global Development, Amnesty International, The Guardian, Banyak Films, Global Giving and more. 

It will take on 15th March (09.00-17.00 GMT) at the Royal Geographical Society in London.

More information and tickets can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/careers-from-development-putting-critical-thinking-into-action-tickets-54972671741

Employability Points

Getting Rewarded as a PolIR Student!

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Employability Points

 

As a student of Politics and International Relations, there are a whole host of career options available to you. The EP Scheme has a variety of rewards that might be of interest, from work experience with a range of charities, to internships and work shadowing with councils, the Civil Service Fast Stream and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.

So, what is EP? The scheme rewards you for undertaking co-curricular activities. You can earn points, which you can spend on rewards such as internships, work experience, work shadowing, training and more! You have until 5pm on Monday 18th March to get as many points as possible, and you will then have the opportunity to apply for the rewards that you qualify for!

Sounds good? Click the links to find out more about the rewards that we think might suit you:

Sevenoaks Town Council are offering a 2-3 month internship where you will be able to review strategic projects/developments, which will cover public perception, research, policy and more.

Medway Council are offering a large range of work-based rewards including an internship in the Housing Strategy team.

Kent County Council are offering an internship in the Sustainable Business and Communities Team, helping public services, businesses and communities in Kent to benefit from a competitive, innovative, resilient, and healthy economy, society, and environment.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council are offering the opportunity for a student to shadow their Chief Executive, as well as the Director of Change and Communities. This will provide the students with a unique and comprehensive insight into local government management. The council are also offering a skills workshop focusing on working in local government.

DSTL are providing six remote work experience placements where students will work on a research project that will focus on the UK Government and/or Ministry of Defence.

The Civil Service Fast Stream are offering a range of exciting rewards including the chance to shadow Senior Civil Servants and current Fast Streamers, as well as an exclusive Whitehall Experience day, which involves a behind the scenes tour of various sites, workshops and networking opportunities.

Samaritans  are offering work experience placements focusing on planning, promoting and holding an event to raise awareness about the charity.

Demelza are providing a work experience placement focused on event management and a work shadowing placement, providing an insight into fundraising management.

If you have an interest in working in the charity sector, you may also want to take a look at EP opportunities with East Kent Mencap, Kent Enterprise Trust, Nucleus Arts, and People United. For a full list of the rewards available through EP this year, take a look here.

If you want any more information, or to book a 1-1- with the team, contact us at: employabilitypoints@kent.ac.uk

Events, Graduate Jobs, Internships, Skills development

POLIR Fully Funded Field Trip – Careers in International Affairs

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Career in International Affairs Forum

The School of Politics and International Relations is fully funding a field trip to the annual Careers in International Affairs Forum.

Tickets to the event and a coach trip into London are included.

Places are limited to 10 students, to apply please email: aspirations@kent.ac.uk
and explain why you would like to attend the forum.

Date: 29th April 2019
Time: 9am – 5pm
Venue: City University of London, St John Street London EC1V 4PB

PROGRAMME FOR THE DAY

08:30- 9:00 Registration

09:00- 9:30
Opening Statement – Simon Anholt, Co-Founder, the Good Country

09:30- 10:15
Career in British Foreign Service
– Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Richard Everingham, Lead on the Fast Stream Recruitment

10:15- 11:15
Career in International Organisations
– World Bank: Claire Willman, International Affairs Associate,
– United Nations Population Fund: Matthew Jackson, UK Director

11:15- 11:30 Break

11:30 – 12:15
Career in Think Tanks
– Chatham House: Lisa O’Daly, Director of Human Resources
– Royal United Services Institute: Oliver Kraft, Research Fellow

12:15- 13:15
Leadership Opportunities
– British Council: Bethan Dinning, Project Manager & John Rolfe, Schools Outreach Manager
– Shwarzman Scholars

13:15- 14:15 Lunch Break

14:15- 15:15
Career in Humanitarian Sector
– International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): Sophie Da Silva, Recruiter & HR Marketing Officer
– UNICEF: Yahav Lichner, Senior Adviser

15:15-15:45
Career in International Affairs, Private Sector
– Jonathan Paris, Senior Adviser, Chertoff Group
– Richard Griffiths, Senior Advisor, Dentons

15:45 – 16:00 Break

16:00 – 17:00
Career in the United Nations
– United Nations: Eva Jansen, Human Resources Officer

17:00 Closing notes

Click here for more information

 

 

Alumni, Events

ALUMNI CAREERS PANEL EVENT, 6TH FEBRUARY, 1pm-3pm, GLT2

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Alumni Careers In…
Public Affairs, Public Relations, Engagement and Lobbying

Wednesday, 6th February 2019, 1pm – 3pm
Grimond Lecture Theatre 2

The School of Politics and International Relations is bringing Alumni back to campus. Hear from a panel of 4 alumni speakers who will share the secrets of their career success in Politics and International Relations…

FEATURING:

Misha Upadhyaya
Stakeholder and Engagement Officer at Mayor’s Office
for Policing and Crime
After completing her undergraduate degree and Masters at Kent, Misha Upadhyaya left to join Thames Valley Police as a Civilian Counter Terrorism Officer. For over two years Misha led on Police work for the Government’s Prevent programme which aims to safeguarding vulnerable people away from radicalisation and extremism in the Thames Valley area. She worked extensively with the community to safeguard individuals from a myriad of risks. After this, Misha joined NHS England as the London and South of England’s Regional Prevent Coordinator where she oversaw the implementation and safeguarding legislation in the form of the Prevent statutory duty in over 150 health care organisations; including Clinical Commissioning Groups, Acute, Community and Mental Health Trusts and Foundations Trusts. As part of the regional safeguarding team, Misha worked on a variety of safeguarding risks (Radicalisation, FGM, VAWG, etc). Misha was also part of the national safeguarding team and took a portfolio of Prevent based communications. After spending a couple of years in this role, Misha now works for the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime where she leads on engagement and policy for the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan’s, Countering Violent Extremism programme. In her free time Misha volunteers as a co-opted School Governor for safeguarding for at her local primary school.

Matthew Partridge
Head of Recruitment and Retention Strategy for the
National Education Union
Matt Partridge studied a BA Hons in Politics and International Relations at Kent from 2009-2012. Involved in many campaigns and organisations whilst studying, Matt initially began work straight out of university with a public relations firm in London.  Shortly after Matt began his current career in the trade union movement.  Initially working for the education union the ATL, Matt soon secured a place on the Trade Union Congress’ Organising Academy; a yearlong program designed to recruit and develop organisers and leaders of the trade union movement.  After completing this course Matt took a full time role with the teaching union the NASUWT as an Organiser.  In 2014 Matt took his career ‘down-under’ to work with the Australian higher education union the National Tertiary Education Industrial Union as a National Branch Organiser.  Returning in 2015 to work on Labour’s general election campaign he briefly worked in an organising role for UNISON, the UK’s largest public sector union, before securing an organising post with a union he had always dreamed of working for; the National Union of Teachers.  Working first in an organising role then as a negotiator and casework official, Matt played a key role in amalgamating the NUT with the ATL to form the National Education Union in September 2017.  Matt is now working in the union’s head office in a strategy role managing a team responsible for ensuring teaching remains a highly unionised industry and the NEU the largest education union in Europe.

James MacCleary
Campaigns Director for the European Movement UK
James MacCleary is a political campaigns professional with nearly 15 years’ experience working in politics and public affairs. James developed his skills working for the Liberal Democrats who he has also represented as a local councillor where he lives with his family in Sussex.  James has also worked in animal welfare and led successful human behaviour change campaigns for the RSPCA, and led the establishment of an expanded advocacy presence for Cats Protection. James is now both Campaign Director for the European Movement UK and Co-Director of Campaigns for the People’s Vote.  James is currently leading one of the largest grassroots political campaigns in the UK pressing for a public vote on the final Brexit deal.

Rory Murray
Senior Public Affairs Adviser, Royal College of Physicians
Rory studied Politics and International Relations graduating in 2015. During his final year he stood for election as a full time officer for Kent Union, initially as Vice President (Welfare) and then being re-elected as Kent Union President the following year. During his time at Kent Union he led on a community approach to tackling harassment in the night economy, securing £120,000 to reduce cost barriers for students and leading a strategy review. Rory was then appointed as a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) assessor working for the higher education regulator the Office for Students. After finishing at Kent Union he went on to work for the Royal College of Physicians, initially as a public affairs adviser and then promoted to senior public affairs adviser. In this role Rory leads on the college’s public affairs and campaigning activity working across a broad range of areas from workforce, public health, tech and artificial intelligence. Rory works to ensure the voices of the colleges 36,000 members are heard across Westminster, Whitehall and Brussels. In this role Rory also manages a small team supporting the college’s campaigns and policy objectives. In addition to this role Rory is also studying part-time for a MSC at Birkbeck in Child, Youth and International Development.

You will gain first-hand information and practical advice on various careers paths. Our alumni are able to share invaluable information through open, honest dialogue with the students who attend. The event wraps up with a networking session where attendees can mix and mingle with all of the panelists.

Careers Service, Events, Featured

Exciting Upcoming Careers Events

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Government Operational Research Service (GORS)
Thursday 14 February 2019, KLT5 13:00 – 14:00
GORS is offering Year-Long and Summer Operational Research placements in a number of government departments. You will have the opportunity to gain professional and technical skills whilst working on some of the most interesting and pertinent problems currently facing the country. For further details & to book visit https://careers.kent.ac.uk/

PwC Insight Day (Gatwick Office)
25th February, 10.45 – 17:30
Whether you’re an undergraduate, postgraduate, graduate or ready for your second job, you can pick up loads of information about our work and decide which of our career options interests you most at our office based event. You’ll have the opportunity to spend some time in our Gatwick office discovering what we do, how, why and where we do it, and who we do it for. You’ll find out where a career with PwC can take you – and how far you could go – and you’ll be able to ask us questions face-to-face and get a better grasp of our business. Suitable for all degree streams. Event booking link: https://careers.kent.ac.uk/events/event.html?execution=e3s1

Your degree can take you anywhere!
Discover your skills with PwC!
27th February 2019, 13:15 in Keynes Seminar Room 11
This session will focus on how you can utilise the transferable skills you have gained from your studies and apply these to the workforce. Irrespective of your degree, all students will have acquired soft and technical skills from their studies that are relevant to a career in professional services. PwC, a multinational professional services network, will provide some suggestions on other ways you can develop your employability skills, as well as practice some interview questions and discuss the PwC application process. Register here: https://careers.kent.ac.uk/leap/event.html?id=3617&service=Careers+Service

Master your Video Interview Skills
27th February 2019, 14:30 in Keynes Seminar Room 11
This session will cover what you should expect from a video interview and how you should approach this stage of the application process. We will discuss how to prepare in advance, common mistakes, the importance of body language and tips for a successful interview. You will have the chance to review real life good and bad example case studies, and have the opportunity to practice filming yourselves and observe how you come across on camera. A great opportunity to practice your interview technique with expert advice from a Recruitment Officer at PwC! Register here: https://careers.kent.ac.uk/leap/event.html?id=3619&service=Careers+Service

BVE Expo coach trip (The UK’s leading broadcast, production and media tech event)
28th February, 08:00 – 18:30
BVE is the largest broadcast, production and media and tech exhibition in the UK attracting over 12,000 creative professionals, business leaders and tech professionals every year. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about all of the careers in Media and Production, network with employers and attend accredited seminars. Suitable for all degree streams, of special interest to Media, Production and Tech. Event booking link: https://careers.kent.ac.uk/leap/event.html?id=3733&service=Careers+Service

Events

Alumni Careers in the Civil Service Panel Event – Wednesday 23rd January

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Come and meet our University of Kent alumni working in the Civil Service. Hear from a panel of three alumni speakers who will share the secrets of their career success.

Date: Wednesday 23rd January 2019
Time: 1pm – 3pm
Location: COLT2 – Cornwallis South East (Octagon)

 FEATURING:
• Annabel Kirkham, Chief of Staff in the Foreign Office
• Gabrielle Osei, Fast Streamer
• Sharon Atubo, Senior Policy Advisor, Civil Service

You will gain first-hand information and practical advice on a career in the Civil Service and how to navigate the Civil Service fast stream process. Our alumni are able to share invaluable information through open, honest dialogue with the students who attend. The event wraps up with a networking session where attendees can mix and mingle with all of the panellists.