Students celebrate successful work placements
Students at the University of Bradford have gained valuable work experience with summer placements across the Bradford district.
The ‘Summer Experience’ scheme is a placement programme for first and second year students, run by the Career & Employability Service at the University. Students complete a six week paid summer internship with a local employer (or university department) having applied and competed for advertised vacancies in early summer.
This year more students than ever before have participated in the scheme with 83 internships taking place in total. 58 took part in the University’s own Summer Experience programme with placements in over 20 organisations, including both SME’s and charities across the district. In addition the University has worked with Bradford Council to include 25 additional opportunities aimed specifically at first year students from areas of high deprivation in Bradford. This is known as ‘Summer Experience First’, funded by Opportunity Area Bradford.
During both programmes, employers and students were invited to nominate each other for awards in various categories, which were then put to an impartial panel who decided on the winners.
Winners will receive their awards at an event on Wednesday 25 September. All employers and students from both programmes are invited to attend. The evening will includes speeches from Nikki Pierce (Director of Student, Academic and Information Services), Lee Dobbins from PWC as a ‘cornerstone’ employer in the district, and Raluca Maria Ciuperca, a student who benefitted from the programme last year and wants to share her experiences and what she has learnt. There will then be the presentation of awards to both students and employers finishing with networking.
Nikki Pierce, Director of Student, Academic and Information Services at the University of Bradford said: “These placements provide students with essential work experience to help them gain the skills and confidence to be in the best position to find a job once they graduate. As they are paid, it also helps them with living or travel costs.
“We are committed to helping those across the district who are from deprived areas not only have access to higher education but be successful and have the best possible chance of finding employment, so we are really pleased to work with the Council on this scheme.”
Councillor Imran Khan, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for education, employment and skills, said: “I want to congratulate all the students who took part in this year’s Summer Experience internships. It has been a fantastic way for them to learn new skills and gain experience in the workplace that will help them in their future careers. I also want to thank the University and all the businesses who worked together using Department for Education Opportunity Area funding to provide this opportunity.”
The Times and Sunday Times have named the University of Bradford as the UK’s University of the Year for Social Inclusion 2020.