Monthly Archives: November 2020

Canterbury booking now open for Asymptomatic Testing Site

From Professor Richard Reece | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience

Following my email on 24 November regarding the new Asymptomatic Testing Site on the Canterbury campus, I can confirm that the booking window is now open.

Please remember that this test facility is only appropriate if you do not have Covid-19 symptoms (ie are asymptomatic) and you would like to be tested.

Government advice is that you should ideally have two tests, 3-5 days apart (3 days is preferable) and then return home within 24 hrs of your second negative test result. Should you not be able to wait for the second test, one test is preferable to not being tested at all.

The Asymptomatic Testing Site (ATS) opens on Monday 30 November 2020 at 13.00. It will close on Wednesday 9 December 2020.

Please ensure you only use the ATS if you are not displaying Covid-19 symptoms. If you do have symptoms, please follow our Self-Isolate, Test, Inform procedure and book a test via the NHS Coronavirus website.

If you intend to travel home after testing, please ensure you review Covid-19 travel advice for UK and international travel. For those of you travelling internationally, please be aware that some countries require a high level of Covid-19 certification as a condition of entry. This is not available through our testing programmes on campus and you will need to be tested privately to meet this requirement. Please refer to the Government’s foreign travel advice and contact the UK-based embassy of the country you’re travelling to for further information.

Further information about asymptomatic testing is available on our Coronavirus Student webpages.

New Strategic Lead for Medway

Dr William Collier has been appointed to the role of Strategic Lead – Medway. William, who is currently Deputy Dean (Education and Student Experience), will take up his new role in January 2021 for a 12-month period.

The University has been offering higher education in Medway for more than 20 years, and over time we have adapted our offer. However, there is more we should be doing to make the most of our presence in Medway, and the development of a new and comprehensive vision for the campus is a key strategic aim for the University.

As this year has shown, the new strategy for Medway needs to ensure we are better positioned to support the rebuilding of the region’s economy post-Covid, that we continue to support the bid of City of Culture through our Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries, and that we maintain and develop strong partnerships with local education providers, the Council and other external stakeholders

In his new role, William will be responsible for taking this work forward, consulting with both external and internal stakeholders. He brings a wide range of institutional experience to the role, with expertise in student recruitment, portfolio development, education and student experience. He is a Senior Fellow of Advance HE and an Associate of The Economics Network.

Applying to graduate schemes and jobs

As we come towards the end of a very different autumn term, everyone is in need of a well-deserved rest! If however, during the vacation period, you are looking to apply for graduate opportunities, below we have a few ways in which you can do this and how to prepare for the application process!

Graduate Schemes
If you are in your final year, you might be applying to graduate schemes. Graduate schemes are structured training programmes, providing you with responsibility early on, skills development and hands-on experience. Opportunities for 2021 start, are still available to apply to, but deadlines are coming up soon!

Where to find graduate schemes? careers.kent.ac.uk, Prospects, Milkround, TARGETjobs, Times Top 100 Graduate Employers and Bright Network all advertise schemes!
Access our Finding a graduate job workshop on Moodle: DP4450 for advice when applying
Attend our skills workshops to prepare for the assessments (virtual assessment centres, application forms, interview workshops coming up!). Book online Target Connect

Graduate Jobs
It’s important to remember that graduate schemes aren’t the only option for graduates, and in fact only a small percentage go on to a graduate scheme. You can find graduate jobs in big and small / medium sized businesses, across all industries. Entry-level roles can be available all year round, so keep looking on job sites for opportunities as we head into the spring term.

Where to find graduate jobs? Our Find a Job webpage has many useful job links.
Tip! Ensure you CV is up to date before you start applying! You want to make sure your CV includes your degree, any relevant experience (internships / placements), as well as, any extra-curricular activities that you have undertaken whilst at university (e.g. societies, Ambassador and Student Rep roles, volunteering).

Preparing for the application process

If you are in the midst of going through the recruit process, you could be asked to undertake various assessments. These can range from psychometric tests, video interviews and assessment centres. To help you prepare and feel confident when completing these, we offer many opportunities to practice!

Practice psychometric tests and video interviews via Graduates First. Practice numerical, verbal, situational judgement, game-based and assessment exercises are free to use! Login on the Graduates First website
Have your CV / Application reviewed by an Adviser. We have online appointments available during term time and the vacation period. Book a Quick Advice appointment
Attend a virtual skills workshop to help you prepare for interviews, CVs and selection tests. Workshops are running until the 18 December!
Book a practice interview with an Adviser, to help you with your interview technique, and receive feedback for self-development. Book a Practice Interview

Gaining work experience (Stage 2 advice)

As we come towards the end of a very different autumn term, everyone is in need of a well-deserved rest! If however, during the vacation period, you are looking to apply for industrial placements or gain some work experience, below we have a few ways in which you can do this and how to prepare for the application process!

Industrial Placements
If you are looking to complete a year in industry, as part of your degree, placement providers are currently advertising! Below are a few starting points when searching for placements:

Where to find placements? careers.kent.ac.uk, Prospects, TARGETjobs, Milkround, RateMyPlacement all advertise placements!

Visit our placements page, for advice and resources

Attend our skills workshops to prepare for the assessments (virtual assessment centres, application forms, interview workshops coming up!)
Search placements on our jobs portal for placement opportunities

Summer Internships
If you are in your second year, you might be applying for summer internships. Although opportunities have been affected due to Covid-19, there are still internships advertised for next summer, particularly with large graduate employers.

Where to find summer internships? careers.kent.ac.uk, Prospects, e4s.co.uk, Gradcracker (STEM), RateMyPlacement and Bright Network all advertise summer internships!

Which industries are offering internships? Finance, Law, Tech, Consulting, Retail and more!

Attend our skills workshops to prepare for the assessments (CVs, application forms and interview skills workshops are running until the 18 December!).
Book online via Target Connect
Book a Quick Advice appointment to have your CV/application checked

Preparing for the application process

Practice psychometric tests and video interviews via Graduates First. Practice numerical, verbal, situational judgement, game-based and assessment exercises are free to use! Login on the Graduates First website
Have your CV / Application reviewed by an Adviser. We have online appointments available during term time and the vacation period. Book a Quick Advice appointment
Attend a virtual skills workshop to help you prepare for interviews, CVs and selection tests. Workshops are running until the 18 December!
Book a practice interview with an Adviser, to help you with your interview technique, and receive feedback for self-development. Book a Practice Interview

Gaining work experience (advice for first years)

As we come towards the end of a very different autumn term, everyone is in need of a well-deserved rest! If however, during the vacation period, you are looking to gain work experience or try something new, below we have a few ways in which you can do this, even remotely!

Insight Schemes
If you are in your first year, you might be applying to insight schemes. Although opportunities have been affected due to Covid-19, there are still insight schemes advertised for next year, particularly with large graduate employers.

What are insight schemes? Insight schemes provide students with an introduction to the professional environment and culture of a company / organisation. They typically last between one to ten days, and take place during the Easter break.

Where to find opportunities? careers.kent.ac.uk, Prospects, e4s.co.uk, Gradcracker (STEM), RateMyPlacement and Bright Network all advertise undergraduate opportunities!

Which industries are offering these? Finance, Law, Tech, Consulting, Retail and more!

Attend our skills workshops to prepare for the assessments (workshops including CVs and application forms are running until the 18 December!). Book online via Target Connect

Book a Quick Advice appointment to have your CV/application checked

Virtual Internships
Virtual internships are flexible, online opportunities, where you can undertake remote experience. Many virtual internships exist in areas such as tech, marketing and social media roles. Some employers will give you project work to complete over a period of time, and you may have regular catch-ups with the employer.

Others are more flexible, allowing you to complete them in your own time, such as The Forage, which offers free open-access virtual internships. Great for building your commercial awareness! Opportunities include those in Law, Design, Tech, Investment Management, Banking and more!

Where to find virtual internships? The Forage, RateMyPlacement and Indeed all advertise remote working / virtual internships.

Volunteering (including virtually!)
Volunteering is a great way to gain experience and develop your soft skills, you can even volunteer from home!

Where to find volunteering opportunities? Some useful websites include Volunteering Matters, Studenteer, Reach Volunteering and Do it.org
View more resources for gaining voluntary work, on our How to develop your skills at home guide

Kent Sport reopening 3 December

Kent Sport Centre will be reopening on 3 December, with safety and social distancing measures still in place. Make sure you familiarise yourself with the information contained in their Coronavirus webpage and FAQs before your return.

Their classes will continue to be virtual for the remainder of the year, and they will add new classes regularly to their video library, so please be sure to check it out.

Opening hours:

Sports Centre – Monday – Friday – 7.00-13.00 | Saturday & Sunday – 14.00-18.00
Outdoor facilities – Monday – Friday – 15.00-21.00 | Saturday & Sunday – 9.00-13.00

Face-to-face physiotherapy appointments and online consultations will be available at the Kent Sport Physiotherapy Clinic.

They have their dedicated Stay Well @ Home webpage for those who are not able to visit them. Which is their go-to resource for at-home workouts, class videos, wellbeing advice and more.

Wear a face mask at all times in the Templeman Library

Following recent changes to Government guidance you must wear a face covering at all times when you are in the Templeman Library (unless you have a legitimate reason not to).

You will now have to wear a face covering when you are seated in a study space. Study on your own in the socially distanced study spaces – do not gather or work in groups or ‘bubbles’.

Your safety and wellbeing is our priority. We will continue to regularly review our guidelines and adjust as appropriate.

Disability History Month – workshop on Neurodiversity

Story by Natalia Crisanti, Student Engagement and Communications Officer | Student Support and Wellbeing, Student Services

Have you looked at any of the calendar of scheduled events for UKDHM? This year’s Disability History Month challenges us to consider ‘Access: How far have we to come? How far have we to go?’ If local television channel KMTV’s report is anything to go by, accessibility might still be an afterthought in Kent.

Take a look at more information of Disability History Month.

As a staff body there is certainly still a lot we can still learn to improve the experience of all of our students, whether they have physical disabilities we can see, chronic conditions we couldn’t guess at, or invisible conditions such as mental health concerns or autism, sometimes referred to as neurodiversity.

On 3rd December there will be a free workshop delivered via Teams on Neurodiversity to help everyone understand and accept neurodivergent ways of experiencing the world. Book your place on Eventbrite now, and be part of the community moving towards a more inclusive place to work and study. Let’s #MakeKentAccessible.

If you have any questions please contact me at n.crisanti@kent.ac.uk

Wellbeing art kits are back! (With free UK postage)

Whether you’re travelling home for the winter vacation, staying in your term time city centre home or campus accommodation, you can have a Wellbeing art kit sent to your door for some festive, crafty relaxation.

Espression Arts in Canterbury has teamed up with Student Support and Wellbeing to offer these decorate at home kits at a cheaper price for Kent and KMMS students. Simply the discount code KentStudent2020 and your University of Kent email address - postage is absolutely free for you and covered by the University of Kent.

What’s in it?

Each Kit comes as a mixed media pack with everything you need to create a wonderful, personalised work of art wherever you are. Kits include your selected ceramic decoration shape with a hole for hanging (approx 8cm x 8cm), 3 colours of acrylic paints (various colourways available) glitter and sequins can be added (with glue provided) to brighten up your creation and add sparkle! Designs can be applied front and back for double the fun. Once completed your decoration can be hung on the ribbon provided to give to a loved one or to keep for yourself – full user instructions provided.

Get yours before they run out!

Go ahead and purchase your discounted kit (300 subsidised kits for students available at only £4.50) by 10 December, giving the UK postal address at which you will be from 14-19 December when you check out.

If you have any queries, please email wellbeingevents@kent.ac.uk with your order number and address.

Asymptomatic testing available at Medway

From Professor Richard Reece | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience

I am emailing to let you know the process to follow should you wish to be tested for Covid-19 on our campus prior to travelling during the Student Travel Window (3-9 December 2020).

We have worked with the Public Health Team on a special scheme to provide asymptomatic testing at our Local Testing Site (LTS).

This scheme is specifically for asymptomatic students – those not displaying Covid-19 symptoms.

If you are not currently displaying symptoms of Covid-19 and would like to book a test, please complete our request form by 17:00 Thursday 26 November 2020. Please note if you do have Covid-19 symptoms you should refer to our Isolate, Test, Inform procedure and use the NHS Coronavirus website to book a test.

If you decide to be tested, you will be given a PCR test and your test result will normally be available within 3 days. You will receive a text or email from the NHS confirming whether your test is positive or negative.

If your test is positive, please self-isolate and follow our reporting procedure. There is lots of support available to help you during self-isolation.

If your test is negative, you should travel home as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours.

Any requests for testing received after Thursday 26 November will be accepted however your appointment is likely to be during the latter part of w/c 7 December 2020.

The Medway LTS is in front of the Jellicoe Building in the car park accessed by North Road. It is open 08:00 – 20:00, seven days a week.

The Government is asking all students to travel from their termtime to permanent address during the Student Travel Window (3-9 December 2020). Please do try to travel during this period if you are able and bear these dates in mind when booking a test appointment. We know that some of you have made alternative plans or may be intending on staying at University after the Student Travel Window has closed. We are here to support you whatever your plans and personal circumstances.

For those of you intending to travel internationally, please be aware that some countries require a high level of Covid-19 certification as a condition of entry. This is not available through the national testing programme and you will need to be tested privately to meet this requirement. Please refer to the Government’s foreign travel advice and contact the UK-based embassy of the country you’re travelling to for further information.

Additional information about Covid-19 testing can be found on our Coronavirus website.