Trendence Survey – prizes to be won

Completing the Trendence Survey (and the chance for prizes) closes on Friday 11th January

Trendence carries out a national survey of students each year, to find out about your plans after finishing university, what sectors you are interested in, and which employers you would like to apply to. These responses are used to help create the ‘The Guardian UK 300’ publication, and also to inform the activities of university careers services and employers across the country.

Take part today to get your voice heard, influence how employers are targeting students, and win great prizes!  The survey takes 15 minutes to complete.

At the end of the survey you will have the chance to enter the prize draw to win:

  • a £100 Amazon gift card is given away every week – 14 to give away!
  • an iPad Pro (two given away at the end of the survey)

Your survey responses are anonymous and confidential.

To complete the survey, click here.

Find out how you can improve your English, learn to teach English, or learn a new language at Kent in 2019.

English Language and Academic Skills Workshops (ELAS).

Would you like to improve your academic English for FREE in the spring term? ELAS provides training in English for Academic Purposes to all international students at Kent. There are eight modules to choose from and you can also book individual speaking and writing tutorials. Book early, as places go fast.  Classes start in Week 14. Find out more and book your place »

Learn French, Mandarin or Spanish with Language Express 10-week beginners’ courses starting 21 or 24 January (depending on the language you choose). Reduced fees for Kent students
Find out more and book your place » 

Prepare for Cambridge CAE and CPE tests with our Cambridge Preparation courses, starting on 15 January. The first class is a FREE taster session, where you can meet the teacher and ask any questions.
Why take a Cambridge exam?
Cambridge English exams are lifelong qualifications with a worldwide reputation. They help you to improve your English Language skills for work, study or life.
Find out more and book your place » 

Demonstrate your English skills: prepare for an IELTS test at Kent. The teacher is experienced in IELTS preparation and the course will help you to develop your English Language and study skills.  You will practise listening, reading, writing and speaking skills.The course begins on 16 January and the first class is a taster session, where you can meet the teacher and ask any questions.  
Find out more and book your place »

 

Have you ever thought of  training as an English Language teacher?  The Centre for English and World Languages runs an intensive CELTA course starting 17 June. CELTA (Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is an internationally recognised qualification, which qualifies you to teach English to adults.
Find out more and apply »

Mentoring, work experience and scholarship opportunity with top City employers

The Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship Scheme is open to exceptionally talented students who are open to the idea of pursuing a career in the legal profession or a career in the City. Exceptionally talented means that you have the potential to succeed, it does not mean that you already need to have had exposure to the City.

Launched in 2013, the Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship Scheme was designed to address the disproportionate under-representation of black and black mixed-race men from less privileged background in large commercial law firms. In 2017 the scheme opened up applications to non-law students. The scheme’s ongoing work with Goldman Sachs, The Bank of England and Aon offers opportunities for other City careers.

Scholars will receive:

  • Interview coaching and other development opportunities
  • Commercial familiarisation (work experience/workshops) during university holidays
  • An alternative route to interview for a training contract at Freshfields
  • A £3,500 contribution towards course and associated study costs
  • Mentoring

Freshfields currently have two scholars on the scheme and two students who have completed the scheme. They have nominated over 20 students, of which a number have received work experience and ongoing mentoring.

To be eligible to apply for the scholarship you must be:

  • Black African or black African-Caribbean or mixed-race black African or mixed race black African- Caribbean.
  • Male
  • In your 1st year of a 3 or 4 year undergraduate course
  • Have not attended a fee paying school in UK
  • Have not attended a school outside of the UK for which the fees are more than nominal.

You also need to satisfy one of the following criteria:

  • Be in receipt of a maintenance loan from SFE above the relevant limit (student living with parents, £5,118, student not living with parents £6,469)
  • Have been eligible for free school meals at a UK senior school
  • Have attended a UK senior school with above average free school meals eligibility (we can check this for you)

To register your interest please contact Gemma Witts (Careers Adviser, Careers and Employability Service) G.Witts@kent.ac.uk to arrange an initial chat.  

To watch short films about the scheme see https://www.freshfields.com/en-gb/about-us/responsible-business/freshfields_stephen_lawrence_scholarship/

Volunteers wanted for School EDI committee

As you may know, last year the School became one of only eight history departments in the UK to receive an Athena SWAN bronze award, in recognition of our commitment to equality across gender and all the protected characteristics. But we aren’t stopping here! In our quest to make the School a place where everyone, students and staff, can achieve their best through a supportive environment and equal opportunities, we are already thinking about applying for a silver award.

This is where you come in: we need student input and feedback to help make sure this process is about everyone in the School, not just staff. Our two fantastic student members of the School’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee have stood down, and the School is hoping to recruit several students to take their places.

Continue reading “Volunteers wanted for School EDI committee” →

Teach First opportunity for Stage 2 students

Final chance to submit your application for Teach First’s paid, two-week award winning internship.

Over half of both maths and science departments in schools experience significant shortages of specialist teaching staff. (Association for School and College Leaders, 2014).

Could you be an inspirational role model for the pupils that need them the most?

During our Insight Programme you’ll get training on leadership and teaching, and get the opportunity to step into the classroom and deliver your own lesson at one of our partner schools.

The programme is available to students in their penultimate year at university who have a science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) background. This can include Maths or Sciences A-Levels, even if your degree is not specifically in a STEM field.

To summarise the fantastic benefits, you will:

  • Develop key employability skills such as public speaking, teamwork & decision-making.
  • Earn £500 for the two weeks, with all accommodation and travel covered by Teach First.
  • Gain experience in the education sector and understand the STEM challenge.

The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 9 December. Click here to begin your application.

To be eligible for our programme you should:

  • Be graduating in 2020 (if you are currently studying for a PhD you can still apply however you must have completed your studies by 2020).
  • Be a STEM specialist: either studying for a STEM degree or have A-levels (A*- B) in the following subjects: two sciences (biology, chemistry or physics) and/or maths and/or technology (DT or ICT).
  • Have right to work in the UK.

As a science teacher and Teach First ambassador, it is my role to support students from your university with the short application process. Therefore, please direct any questions you have about the programme or application to Ross Cooper at rcooper@teachfirst.org.uk

Guest post – Advice on the defence and security sector

Sam Cranny-Evans is a graduate of the School of History, and works as a defence industry analyst with IHS Jane’s (you can read his graduate profile here).

Sam has given a number of talks for the School in the past on how to apply your research skills to a future career, and on the work he has done for Jane’s. Below, Sam has set out his advice for anyone interested in a career in the defence, security, and open intelligence sector.

Your future career

There are a few things I would encourage you to remember, regardless of what career you would like to have:

  • A path to your dream job may not be straightforward. I was a chef, before becoming a personnel trainer, then a data analyst and finally ending up where I am now. Don’t be disheartened if it feels like you aren’t progressing in the right direction.
  • You may have to build ancillary skills (data analysis, for instance) but you have the ability to do this – if you can study for a degree, you will have the skills you need to acquired other skills.
  • It is likely that you will have to work for not very much money at the start. This is quite normal, and if your goal is to have a job that you enjoy then it is to be expected.

Jobs in the defence sector

There are lots of places to apply to – many of the organisations below offer internships and entry-level jobs:

Continue reading “Guest post – Advice on the defence and security sector” →

Pathways to FE teaching

Work Experience in Teaching for final year students

The Education and Training Foundation has partnered with a number of colleges in Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Kent and the Thames Valley to provide 40 hours of work experience, covering a range of activities to give an insight into what teaching and working in an further education college is like.

Subjects include:

  • English
  • Maths
  • Engineering
  • Computing
  • Accounting
  • Business
  • Construction
  • Science
  • Animal Care
  • Health and Social Care
  • IT

The Foundation is also offering £300 to students who take part at the end of the placement to cover expenses.

Click here to find out more. Applications close on Friday 21st December.

Kent Open Day at Dechert – Fri 18th Jan

Kent Law School has arranged a Kent-only Open Day at global law firm Dechert on 18th January.   The Open Day will include an insight into the firm and what they do, including their training contracts; a skills session; and, networking with trainees, partners, graduate recruitment team.  This is an ordinary open day but exclusively available to students from Kent (and that includes non-law students too).

Eligibility:

  • Open to:
    • KLS students in stage 2, 3 or on a postgraduate degree
    • any final year student on any other degree/PG degree at the University of Kent
  • Must not be a qualified lawyer (in any jurisdiction)
  • Must be on track for a 2.1 degree and have AAB grades at A level (or equivalent).  Real mitigation for slightly lower grades will be taken into account.  If you wish this to be considered please supply information with your application.
  • Genuine interest in the type of work that Dechert does.  Some of their main areas are corporate securities, investment funds, litigation, white-collar crime.
  • You must be commercially astute.
  • International students may apply.

Your travel costs, up to £75, will be reimbursed by Dechert (please note, transport will not be organised for you – you find your own way there and claim your costs after the visit).  Lunch will be provided.

How to apply:

If you wish to be considered for a place on this Open Day provide the following information:

  1. CV – it must include each module that you have studied and the grades achieved.
  2. Details of any access or dietary requirements
  3. In no more than 400 words explain why you wish to attend the Dechert Open Day

Email your application to Jayne on klsemployability@kent.ac.uk with “Dechert Open Day” in the subject bar.

Deadline to apply for non- Law students: 9am, Wednesday 12 December

IMPORTANT: 

The eligibility criteria will be strictly applied and the standard of applications should be the same as if you were applying directly to the firm.  Applications will not be considered until the deadline.  As such, incomplete or substandard applications will not be identified before the deadline and no second chances will be given.

Civil Service Fast Stream drop-in session

Monday 3rd December from 11.30 – 14.30 in Keynes Seminar Room 4

Have you applied to the Civil Service Fast Stream? Are you currently going through the recruitment process? Or are you thinking of applying in the future, but have questions about their schemes or working for the Civil Service? 

Join Elliot and Sophie, current Fast Streamers, who will be on hand to answer any questions you may have regarding your application, the recruitment stages (including the assessment centre and final selection boards) and working for the Civil Service! They’ll be on campus on Monday 3rd December from 11.30am – 2.30pm, so drop by, no appointment needed! If you have any questions about the Fast Stream, come along and have a chat!

Event link: https://careers.kent.ac.uk/leap/event.html?id=3597&service=Careers+Service

The Civil Service Fast Stream is an accelerated career path to leadership with supported development. They are a graduate employer that is consistently ranked in the top five of The Times Top 100.

The Civil Service is looking for graduates with the potential to progress to the most senior levels of the Civil Service and become our future leaders.  By ‘potential’ we mean graduates who have the motivation and ability to progress to the highest levels of our organisation. We are seeking the widest range of people, who can bring differing life experiences to their roles, enriching our organisation and helping us to better represent the whole of the society that we serve.  There is no typical Fast Streamer. We believe that people perform their best when they can be themselves at work.  We value who you are before you join the Fast Stream and ensure that through flexible working you will still have time for the things that matter the most to you outside work.

Undergraduate of the Year Awards

The TARGETjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards celebrates the UK’s best undergraduates. It is the only undergraduate award in the UK and is widely recognised by graduate recruiters.

The final shortlist of ten from each category are invited to the exclusive awards event in Canary Wharf, London on 26 April 2019 to network and dine with graduate recruiters before the winners are announced. The Awards are run in partnership with a range of high-profile graduate employers, including VISA, P&G, Rolls Royce, Deutsche Bank, and TeachFirst.

Applying to these awards is a great opportunity to reflect on yours skills, and potentially setting you on course to gain great experience of the graduate job application process. To find out more, head to the Awards website!

 

Essay competition with Volkswagen Group UK

WIN A £500 CURRYS PC WORLD VOUCHER & TAILORED WORK EXPERIENCE

As technology advances and becomes more innovative, it will impact and influence the ways in which people drive and travel today and in the future. At the forefront of new technology is autonomous driving alongside many other advances in the industry.

To enter, your task is to draft an essay between 1,500-2,500 in length discussing the short-term and long-term considerations for Volkswagen Group UK when bringing autonomous vehicles into the automotive industry.

To register your interest and receive a full brief, please email: inspire@vwg.co.uk

Completed entries must be submitted to the above email address by Friday 1st March 2019.

If successful, you will be invited to a Finalist’s Day on Wednesday 10th April 2019. This will include the chance of experiencing the Volkswagen Group UK Headquarters along with presenting your ideas.

Postgraduate Studentships PhD Funding Fair

Wednesday 5th December 2018, Central London

The Fair is your opportunity to meet and talk with representatives from some of the top UK universities. All of the universities present at the Fair have PhD funding opportunities to offer and are looking for the best students.

As this is a specialist Fair, there are limited spaces in both the morning and afternoon sessions. In order to attend, you will need to have applied, been accepted, and have received a personal invitation to the Fair. Click here to register to attend.

Free journalism workshops at the News Associates

If you’re interested in a career in journalism, News Associates is running a series of free, hands-on workshops to give you a glimpse into the industry and their award-winning NCTJ training.

News Associates is recognised by the National Council for the Training of Journalists as the best provider of journalism courses in the country – for more details, see their website.

London Workshop Dates

  • Friday, November 30 – News journalism (10:30am-1:30pm)
  • Tuesday, December 4 – News journalism (7:30pm-9:30pm)
  • Saturday, January 5 – Sports journalism (1:30pm-5pm)
  • Tuesday, January 15  – News journalism (7:30pm-9:30pm)
  • Friday, February 1 – News journalism (10:30am-1:30pm)
  • Saturday, February 16 – Sports journalism (1:30pm-5pm)

If you are interested in attending one or more of these workshops, click the following link to go to the application form on the News Associates website:

Click here to apply

Remember, you can apply for funding to support the cost of unpaid employability development events such as these via the Careers and Employability Service.

If you are interested in a career in journalism but would like to remain at Kent, the University’s Centre for Journalism offers a free week-long introductory workshop in the summer term, as well as a highly-respected MA in Journalism. See their website for more details.

Alumni research presentation – Russian cross-domain coercion

On Friday 30th November, the School of History will welcome back Sam Cranny-Evans, a former Military History student who is now working as a defence analyst with IHS Jane’s, a leading defence and security analysis and consultation firm.

Sam has very kindly been supporting the School’s employability activities for the last few years, and has recently completed a book on armoured fighting vehicles around the world, and a detailed analysis of Russian war-making activities in Ukraine, Georgia, and Syria.

Sam has accepted an invitation to come and speak to all interested students and staff on this highly-charged contemporary subject. Sam will also be more than happy to give his advice on how to approach a career in research, analysis, and journalism to any students considering these areas.

Sam’s talk will be held at 6pm on Friday 30th November in Eliot Lecture Theatre 2, and all are welcome to attend.