Postgraduate work placement: Sarah Winter
In this post, Sarah Winter shares her experience of a 2-week postgraduate placement at the Careers Centre.
Sarah is a postgraduate student in her first year of the PgDip Career Guidance and Development course at Edinburgh Napier University. She recently completed a work placement with us and reflects on her time here below:
Why did you apply for this placement?
The University of St Andrews consistently ranks top in the UK for student experience and I believe the Careers Centre plays a key role in this by equipping students with the career management skills that employers value and the opportunities to help them progress. I knew that carrying out a work placement here would be a wonderful opportunity to gain first-hand experience in a successful careers service within a bustling university environment.
Describe the application process and what you learnt from it
I had to complete a written application form, addressing what attracted me to both the University and the Careers Centre respectively, and identifying any barriers which would limit my choice of institution such as caring responsibilities and any reasonable adjustment or specific requirements.
As there was a just a single application stage, I put a great deal of thought into my application and answered each question carefully to show that I understood what was being asked. I also made sure to demonstrate my knowledge of the University of St Andrews, as having grown up in the town, I had an added motivation to carry out my placement here and gain the experience I needed to complement what I had learned on my course so far.
Can you tell us more about your placement?
It was a richly varied programme, packed full of experiential learning, where I was fortunate to have the opportunity to shadow several experienced practitioners from diverse backgrounds and with a wide-ranging set of professional approaches. I enjoyed observing a range of different student appointments and through this I formulated new perspectives which I could apply to the theoretical learning I had developed during my postgraduate course up to this point.
The highlight for me was being able to observe, first-hand, the different counselling techniques and approaches that advisers took to encourage critical thinking among students and promote the importance of self-efficacy when it comes to following their career goals and developing their employability skills. I also enjoyed visiting the University’s Entrepreneurship Centre to learn about their work, participating in a Career Journey Workshop which focused on assessment centres, attending a PSC workshop on networking and lastly, engaging in the final workshop of the Your Future Start Now internship programme.
What did you gain from your time at the Careers Centre?
I developed my understanding of the range of services that the Careers Centre offers to enhance students’ skills and experience and support those preparing to enter the graduate labour market. I also gained a useful insight into the collaborative and agile approach that the Careers Centre takes when working together with schools and other partners to address the University’s strategic priorities and continue to deliver an excellent service to the students of St Andrews and the wider community.
We are delighted to hear about the positive experience that Sarah had while working with us at the Careers Centre. It was great to welcome her into our team and we wish her every success in the future!
If you require any advice or support on career matters, then please book an appointment with us and speak to one of our advisers.