Author Archives: Miriam Sandiford

Tier 3 announcement for Kent and Medway

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

I hope you are well, and looking forward to a well-deserved rest over the festive period once term finishes on 18 December 2020.

Some of you may have seen the Government’s latest announcement that places both Canterbury and Medway regions in the Tier 3 Covid restriction category. This means that when the national lockdown ends on 2 December, Tier 3 rules will come into force and will remain in place at least until the tier structure is reviewed on 11 December 2020.

A Covid-19 Tier 3 area is classed as very high risk. Please ensure you abide by the following regulations applying to our region:

No household mixing indoors or in private gardens – please do not socialise with those you do not live with. This means no visitors to your student accommodation.
The ‘rule of 6’ applies when meeting others outdoors in public areas such as parks. You can meet in a group of up to six people you do not live with, providing you abide by social distancing.
The Government is advising against travelling in and out of the area in which you live. Please be aware, however, that the Student Travel Window (3-9 December 2020) still applies. You can travel from your term-time to permanent address for the Winter vacation period. However, please do not make other non-essential journeys.

We are waiting for specific guidance from the Department for Education concerning how the new Tier structure will affect universities and will share this with you as soon as we can. For now, please continue to engage with all your teaching arrangements as you have been doing. We are committed to keeping as many campus services and provisions open as we can whilst we are in Tier 3.

I understand what a challenging term this has been for you all and appreciate the sacrifices you have had to make. With the end of term fast approaching, it is vital that we all work together to keep our community safe. Do please follow the Government guidelines set out above and ensure you follow Hands, Face, Space guidance.

Hands – wash your hands regularly and for 20 seconds
Face – wear a face covering
Space – stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible.

I know many of you are planning to travel home during the Student Travel Window (3-9 December 2020). If you do not have Covid-19 symptoms, i.e., are asymptomatic, and would like to be tested before you leave, this provision is available at both Canterbury and Medway campuses.

When planning for your journey home, please ensure you review our Christmas vacation and travel advice and pre-book any tickets you need.

Lastly, I would like to remind you that although face-to-face teaching will stop by 4 December 2020, your teaching will continue online until term ends on 18 December 2020. You should continue to engage with all your teaching sessions to ensure you get the most from your studies this term.

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.

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

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.

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.

Disability History Month events

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 as a county.

One event coming up is the Neurodiversity Workshop: Understanding and Accepting neurodivergent ways of experiencing the world. This event takes place Thursday 3 December 11.30-12.30. Book your place now.

Check out #DHMKent20 on Twitter, Instagram and Twitter for up to date info on events, or to see people’s opinions and debates on these issues.

What’s been your experience of inclusion or accessibility at the University of Kent so far? If you’d like to have a louder voice of influence, you could join the friendly student-led Accessibility Network at Kent – join the Facebook group or check them out on Instagram: @ukcaccessibilitynetwork or Twitter: @NetworkUKC to see what they’re up to. You can also email accessibilitynetwork@kent.ac.uk for information on joining socials and events.

Together, we can #MakeKentAccessible.

Applying for work opportunities during lockdown

As we begin a new week, our theme for lockdown focusses on applying for work opportunities. Whether you are in your first, second or final year, there are vacancies advertised for all stages! Below we have covered graduate schemes, internships and placements, sharing a few ways to find opportunities and help when applying.

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

Internships
If you are in your first or second year, you maybe 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, 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 (virtual assessment centres, application forms, interview workshops coming up!). Book online Target Connect

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

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.

Changes to your Student Data System (SDS)

On Monday 30 November, the Student Data System (SDS) website will be unavailable while it is upgraded. The new site will be fully accessible and mobile friendly.

The look and feel of the site will change but the most frequently used features will still be available and can be accessed the same way.

(click to expand – view from phone and from desktop).

Coming soon on SDS

When the new-look SDS launches on Monday 30 November you won’t see the following features:

Updated Postgraduate Research (PGR) progression pages
Workshop sign-up form
Progression and outcome letters
Academic Advisor notes

This is because we are currently working hard to improve these features and they will be available shortly after launch. We thought it was important to provide you with improved access to the most frequently used features first!