The School will regularly post case studies, written by both students and members of staff from across the University, highlighting different employability opportunities available to you. The first such case study is on the Employability Points Scheme, run by Kent Enterprise and Innovation, as a way to reward you for the extracurricular activities you do throughout your time at Kent.
The EP Scheme is unique to the University of Kent and aims to enhance students’ employability in a simple and engaging way.
Through the scheme, students are able to bank Employability Points for taking part in extra-curricular activities (many of which students are already taking part in!) such as societies, part-time work and volunteering. These points can be cashed in later in the year for ‘prizes’ which include paid internships, project placements, work experience, training, vouchers and a lot more, all offered by businesses and organisations.
In 2015-16, EP was lucky enough to be able to offer exclusive work experience rewards with, among others, the Royal Engineers Museum, the Historic Dockyards Chatham and Waterstones. The British Army also offered a bespoke “British Army London Experience” providing students with a unique insight into the most iconic aspects of the British Army.
A School of History student, Molly Brett, had the chance to undertake work experience rewards at Canterbury Cathedral, attended the British Army ‘London Experience’ Day (More on what Molly and the others got up to at the Experience Day can be found here) and carry out 2-day work shadowing experience at the Royal Engineers Museum in Medway.
During the placement at the Royal Engineers Museum, Molly was able to meet various members of the Museum team, across departments including Archives and Library, Collections, Outreach and Exhibitions. This gave Molly a unique insight into what each role entails at the museum on a day-to-day basis.
Molly was given small tasks to complete throughout the placement, in particular cataloguing items in the archive. She had the chance to speak with Head Curator, Rebecca Nash, who provided ‘brilliant advice about the industry.’
In summary, Molly explained, ‘this experience has benefited my career plans by offering me an exclusive opportunity to go behind the scenes working in a museum, as well as allowing me to network with professionals in the heritage sector.’
History students especially are well aware of the value of work experience in securing a job in their chosen sector after graduating. The Heritage sector in particular looks for hands on experience and knowledge of the industry, as much as it requires a relevant degree.
Through engaging with the scheme, you are not only enhancing ‘soft’ skills sought after by employers but get the chance to apply for exclusive work placement opportunities and rewarding experiences that benefit your future employability.
Get involved with the EP scheme here and get rewarded!
Get in touch with the EP Ambassador for History, Rose Noble, at rn206@kent.ac.uk.
| W: www.kent.ac.uk/employabilitypoints | E: Employabilitypoints@kent.ac.uk |
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