How university helps you get a job

Studying at uni is fun and rewarding but for most students, getting a job at the end of your studies is the main thing! Here at Brighton we pride ourselves on our close links with employers and plan our courses with the jobs market firmly in mind.

Whether through industry placements, live client projects, gaining practical skills or polishing your CV, there are great opportunities at university to make yourself more employable when you graduate. Here 10 of our students share their experiences:

• Putting theory into practice
• Working with professionals
• Gaining practical skills
• Doing a group pitch
• Working on social media
• Gaining industry experience
• Getting work published
• Acquiring employability skills
• Working on client projects
• Doing a practical placement

Putting theory into practice

My year one placement was such a good experience. I was able to put lots of theory into practice and work with the most amazing children and staff in a local primary school. I learnt a lot about the type of teacher I am hoping to become. The support from my school-based mentor was so valuable and they gave me confidence to believe in my abilities as a teacher and fully understand the difference I make to children.
Lisa is studying a primary education degree.

Working with professionals

Last summer, I was lucky enough to be chosen for a four-week placement at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals in London, which was an amazing experience. I visited so many wards and departments and met so many pharmacy professionals who all brought their own unique experience and attitudes to their roles. This experience really helped me understand the varied role of a hospital pharmacist and has helped me solidify that this is what I want to do in the future. 
Eva is studying a pharmacy degree.

Gaining practical skills

Engineering at Brighton has a great balance between theoretical, practical and software application. The facilities have allowed me to gain knowledge of welding, 3D printing, simulation data analysis and so much more. My course is particularly great at bringing in external engineers to share their experiences and insight into real world engineering.
Beth is studying an automotive engineering degree.

Doing a group business pitch

My favourite thing about my course is collaborating on group work with my peers. We did a project working on creating a product or app. We came up with an idea, how we were going to fund it, who it was aimed at, and where and how much advertising we would do. It was a bit like Dragons Den. We recorded the pitch on video, and then we had to take questions from the whole class. I enjoyed presenting, it was a chance to put some showmanship into my studies.
Joseph is studying a business management degree.

Working on a social media campaign

I did a month placement with the Brighton Green Party, which gave me a great idea of what it’s like working in industry. I also took a module on Social Media, in which we worked in groups with a local organisation to facilitate a social media campaign for them, so that gave us firsthand experience of working to achieve a company goal.
Katy is studying a media studies degree.

Gaining real industry experience

With support from the placements team, I was able to secure work experience with an artist development company in North London. Not only did this provide me with real industry experience, references and direct connections with an employer, but provided me with confidence to pursue something similar after my degree. I’ve been lucky enough to continue working with this company alongside my studies!
Kristian is studying a music business and media degree.

Getting work published

My course has supplied me with the knowledge and confidence to start putting my work out there. One of my lecturers told me about a publishing opportunity, so I thought I’d give it a go. Now, I am so proud to say I’ve been published in The Writers and Artists blog, which is run by Bloomsbury Publishing.
Angelica is studying an English literature and creative writing degree.

Acquiring employability skills

In the environmental sector, experience is very key to gaining more employability after graduation. My placement allowed me to explore my interests and fine tune what I wanted to pursue after university. It also helped me gain confidence as an independent adult and advocate for myself as a young employee in the work place. 
Seniz is studying an ecology and conservation degree.

Working on client projects

My placement gave me industry insight and a chance to refine the skills I learned on my course. Working on live projects was a great way to see the process of how a design can go from a drawing to a piece of furniture in a commercial setting. | worked on some amazing projects and I am still really grateful for the opportunity. The university has an on-site careers team that helps you through the process and provides support throughout the year.
Charlie is studying a product design degree.

Doing a practical placement

I managed to get a placement with the London Metropolitan Police Service, something I would not have been able to do without my degree. I worked on a student finance placement, so I was able to put into practice what I had learned previously in my studies. I learned much about how the Metropolitan Police Service operates and regulates finance. I also connected with other colleagues who have a wealth of experience.
Faye is studying a business management with finance degree.