Hello! My name is Marie Law and I am a second year Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Birmingham. Living in Birmingham has offered me all kinds of entertainment, along with different cuisines from countless restaurants. My main hobbies are swimming, cooking and listening to music. I like to socialise with people of different … Continue reading “Introduction to Myself and Why I Chose Birmingham”
Why I chose Birmingham – Yangyi
Hello, I am Yangyi, an international student from China currently in my final year of my Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Birmingham. Actually, I am taking part in a 2+2 programme between the University of Birmingham and Wuhan University of Technology (WHUT) in China, which means I have studied … Continue reading “Why I chose Birmingham – Yangyi”
But what’s next?
So, my placement has finally come to an end. After a little over a year (54 weeks to be precise), I’ve handed back the staff access pass and said my final goodbyes. Reaching the end of the placement has brought with it very mixed feelings, I’m glad to have finished and I’m looking forward to … Continue reading “But what’s next?”
Year in Industry – Synthomer PLC by John Redwood
Having settled into my seat on the plane I allowed myself a moment to reflect upon the solid foundation gained at work so far and upon the challenges I was to face over the forthcoming six months. At this point I had been on placement for a little over seven months working at Synthomer’s Harlow … Continue reading “Year in Industry – Synthomer PLC by John Redwood”
What am I learning and how does it help?
There are many different reasons why placements are a valuable experience and the most obvious of these is that a placement looks great on your CV!! When you finish your degree and start looking for jobs, you’ll probably notice that one of the major factors an employer will look for is experience. This is why … Continue reading “What am I learning and how does it help?”
The Big Report!
So I’m now 10 months into my placement and it’s time for the final report. For my course; this report is the major assessed part of my year and contributes 55% of my placement mark. As you might have guessed this means it’s no small piece, it weighs in at 8,000 words and is designed … Continue reading “The Big Report!”
Living away from campus
As you may have guessed your placement year will most likely be spent living away from campus and although you’ll still have rent to manage and bills to pay like before, the experience may well feel a little different. Different companies work in different ways. Some will provide you with accommodation either with other students … Continue reading “Living away from campus”
Take a break – how to keep your focus for work
As I mentioned last time you’ll probably have lots of additional university work to do whilst on placement but this year away isn’t all about working! After all, you do need to make sure you take breaks and give yourself some time to let your brain reset so you don’t just burn out. When it … Continue reading “Take a break – how to keep your focus for work”
A fine juggling act – distance learning modules and time management
Holding down a full time job is a challenge in itself, especially if you’ve never done it before. But trying to study on top of that is an even bigger task! Depending on your course structure you’ll probably be given some Distance Learning Modules (DLMs) to complete whilst on placement. These will enable you to … Continue reading “A fine juggling act – distance learning modules and time management”
Applications, CVs and waiting for replies!! (Part 2)
In the last blog I talked about personal statements and university applications. This time I’ll focus more on job applications and CV writing, this is something you’ll almost definitely use at some point in the future. And trust me CVs are a tricky one to get right and not least because they have a bit … Continue reading “Applications, CVs and waiting for replies!! (Part 2)”