Welcome to Careers!
Hi everyone, my name’s Jasmine, I’m a final-year content creator for the Careers department. It’s National Careers Week this March 3rd – March 8th! The theme for 2025 is ‘You CAN!’ so what better time to talk about the Careers Centre here on campus and how they encourage you to achieve your career goals? Whether you’re about to graduate and embarking upon the next steps, or still studying and unsure about the scope of your future, the Careers Centre is here to address any concerns through face-to-face appointments, workshops, and more.
In this blog post, I’ll go a bit more into depth about what we do and how easy it is to make the most of your uni experience with our support!
Events and workshops:
Throughout the year, Careers run a plethora of free, in-person and online events and workshops that aim to shed light on career opportunities and support the development of employability skills. You can book these easily via MyJobsOnline.
If you’d like to get an idea of how one of these events play out, read my blog post review on ‘Exploring careers in film, TV, and broadcasting’.
We also run career fairs where dozens of employers and companies flock to the university to engage with students. It’s a great chance to make connections, take a good look at your options, and get some freebies! Keep an eye out for these over the course of your study.
RED Awards: (a message from the RED team)
Hello – I’m Danielle, and Bethan, Erin and myself manage the RED Awards at the university. The Reading Experience and Development (RED) Awards are designed to help you to enhance your CV, and show prospective employers how you have gone above and beyond during your time at Reading. The awards are designed to help you develop a diverse skillset, and show you are a well-rounded individual who maximised their time at university. In 2023, students who completed the award were 68% more likely to have secured a job by the end of their final year than students who did not engage with the awards. They really can have a significant impact on your career development.
We have three awards to choose from according to your interests, or you can complete all three. These awards are flexible so you can tailor your own individual experience. RED focuses on your employability and career readiness, Global Engagement concentrates on cultural awareness, and Sustainable Action is about advocating for change based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. You can complete the award(s) at any time before you graduate. However, we recommend starting as early as possible. You can also backdate activity you have completed since you joined the University of Reading. For example, if you have a part-time job, volunteer, learn a language, are on a society committee, or if you are a Star mentor, you have already made progress towards attaining at least one award.
You can find out more about the awards on our webpages. The RED Team is here to help you progress at any stage. Keep an eye on Blackboard Organisation Careers 24/7, our newsletters, and MJO for events and opportunities (for learning, volunteering, and paid work) to support your award progression and completion.
– Danielle Park
I’d like to add that it’s very likely you’re already chipping away at one of these awards. If you have a part-time job, are on a society committee or are learning a language, for example, it’s possible that you already have hours to claim. It’s well worth doing!
R.I.S (Reading internship scheme):
If you are looking for paid, professional work experience and the chance to develop your transferable skills, the Reading Internship Scheme could be for you! The scheme is exclusive to University of Reading undergraduate students and gives you the opportunity to undertake a short-term paid internships with professionals. The Reading Internship Scheme team source internships for you, and uploads these onto MyJobsOnline for you to apply for. Many students have procured successful and rewarding internships through this programme, so it’s definitely worth looking into- especially as the summer break approaches.
-Fiorella Illes
Placements:
If you are doing a Professional Placement Year, or a shorter placement as part of your course, then the Placements Team is here to support you! We provide school-based and central training sessions to help you get ready to apply for placements, and we also offer 1:1 appointments which you can book through My Jobs Online. In a placement appointment, you can receive tailored support and feedback on topics such as…
- Your placement search and finding opportunities
- CVs, cover letters and applications
- Interview/assessment centre preparation guidance
- and lots more…
If you are looking for more information about placements, head to our Essentials page. You can also stay up to date with the Placements Team on LinkedIn, where we post our ‘placement vacancy of the week’, as well as lots of top tips, resources, and student case studies.
-Emily Dewell, Placement Coordinator
Graduate support:
The Careers department is still here to help for up to 24 months after you complete your course. We know that things don’t always go to plan, so it’s important that you can continue to access custom-made career support after you graduate. As a post-grad student, you will still be able to…
- Book an appointment with Careers to discuss any career-related concern
- Book and attend events on MyJobsOnline, allowing you access to employers and professional guidance
- Access digital tools such as GraduatesFirst and Forage, which will link you to potential employers and new opportunities
Read more about the bespoke guidance, digital tools and the graduate-specific summer events that we offer alumni here!
So then…
If any of this information caught your attention this National Careers Week, be sure to get in touch with us for the latest opportunities. You can book your face-to-face appointment and start discussing your future with us now through MyJobsOnline.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, for the latest info. We look forward to hearing from you soon!