App for UKCAT Practice Questions

Practice UKCAT Questions

By PerfectTrack

 

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An app allowing prospective medical students to practice and succeed in the UKCAT entrance exam.

 

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Language Skills and Employability

Foreign language skills make you more employable

Did you know that more people around the world speak English at this moment than have ever spoken any language before? Quite an incredible statistic, and the number of English speakers is increasing. As a native English speaker, you may think that this can only be an advantage – after all, it’s your language. But more than half of those people speak English as a second language, or a third, or fourth. As the world becomes increasingly mobile, these people will be your competition for jobs.

According to research published by Cardiff University Business School (see PDF) British companies are already losing out on around £21 billion each year in lost contracts due to poor language skills. Obviously, this is a major incentive for employers to look for staff who can speak foreign languages.

Speaking another language will give you an important head start in the British employment market, and not just in the traditional jobs that you associate with languages, such as translating, interpreting and teaching; you will have an advantage in any business that deals with overseas clients or suppliers. And that is a huge number of companies.

If you are looking internationally for work, the advantages are even greater.

Working in an international organisation like the United Nations or European Union, you will be expected to speak at least one foreign language. Indeed, the EU has a policy of interviewing candidates in one of the three official languages of the organisation (English, German and French)... that isn’t the candidate’s first language. This is ok for people who speak good English as a foreign language, but not good news for monolingual Brits.

Remember that universities also like to see foreign languages in your personal statement. And while saying you have studied a language to GCSE level is good, showing that you have dedicated some of your precious free time to study is much stronger.

There are fun ways to learn a language. Young people all over the world take language courses each summer as a major part of the summer holidays. Tens of thousands of language students come to Britain each summer to learn English (lots travel with ESL – Language Travel) and many visit language schools across Europe. Studying in language immersion abroad is a great social experience and lets you make faster progress than you ever could at home, where you are surrounded with English all day. It will also give you a taste of other cultures and introduce you to young people from all over the world. Again, these are positive additions to your personal statement.

Our courses are suitable whatever your current language level. On the first day of the course, you will be placed in a group of students at a similar level, so don’t worry about being out of your depth. Even if you don’t think you are “good at languages”, immersion is a really different way of learning that puts language in its context. After all, you learned English in immersion!

The first few days abroad can be tough... you probably won’t know anyone and the language will be a challenge. But get over them and you will develop much more than just your grammar and vocabulary when you are away.

Employers see plenty of CVs of “dedicated, hard-working team players” but the skills you gain learning a language abroad will make you really stand out.  

Find out more about a language course with ESL – Language Travel.

Source: Alex Wolfson - ESL Language Travel

Study in Holland - Finance for UK students

Dutch Student Finance for British Students

How Dutch Student Finance works?
Studying in the Netherlands is not free, nor is it necessarily cheap. We can confidently state that the cost of a three year undergraduate degree will be roughly half the price of its equivalent in the United Kingdom. However, this may not be what your British degree actually costs you. Student finance in England is now structured in such a way that you will be unlikely to know the true cost of your degree until 30 years after you graduate.
The biggest obstacle to studying in the Netherlands is often financial because even though the overall cost is usually much lower, you will not be eligible for British student loans and grants. As soon as you decide to study outside the United Kingdom, the British government stops helping you financially. The only exception to this is if you go abroad on an exchange from a British university – a great way to get international experience but not a great way to avoid British tuition fees.
All of the information provided below is correct on the basis of our current understanding of the Dutch system. It is subject to change at any time.
This support is available to anyone with a British passport, it doesn't matter where you are ordinarily resident.
If British Student Finance isn’t available what can you get?
Help with Tuition Fees?
Because the European Union dictates that all EU citizens must be treated equally, British passport holders are automatically eligible for a tuition fee loan from the Dutch government. This is called Collegegeldkrediet. You don’t have to apply for Collegegeldkrediet if you don’t need it and you can pay the fees upfront if you wish.Some universities charge higher tuition fees, specifically private universities and university colleges. In these cases you will be able to borrow the full amount.
There are some important conditions you need to meet but these are rarely an issue for British students. You must be under the age of 30 when you start your course (over 30s can receive support but is not as generous), you must have a Dutch bank account and you must have a Dutch “burgerservicenummer” (citizen service number) which you will only receive when you have a permanent address in the Netherlands.
Help with Living Costs
Nothing....
...unless you work part time for 32 hours a month. Then you can apply for...
Studiefinanciering
This is the financial support that is available to Dutch residents and passport holders. If you have a Dutch passport, or have been resident in the Netherlands for five years without significant interruption, you can access this support automatically. However, if you aren’t Dutch but are from the EU, there are still some ways that you can access this support as long as you are under 30 years of age when your course starts.
i. Work 32 hours a month in a registered job. You will need to be registered with the Dutch authorities for income tax and national insurance, although as a student you won’t actually have to pay this;

ii. If you are married or have a registered partner from the EU and Switzerland, if they work 32 hours a month with a contract from a Dutch employer, you can access Studiefinanciering;

iii. If your parent works 32 hours a month with a contract from a Dutch employer (and is resident in the Netherlands);iv:If you, your partner or your parent is an independent entrepreneur and/or freelancer based in the Netherlands, works 32 hours a month, and you can prove this to the satisfaction of the Dutch government.
There are some additional conditions that you need to meet in order to be eligible for “Stufi”. You need to have the job for three months before you submit your claim for support. The support you receive will not be backdated so, unless you line up a job before you start studying, you cannot count on this support from day one. If you work you must also purchase Dutch health insurance. Ordinarily you can survive the first year of living in the Netherlands with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the British government. If you work, you will need full health insurance. The cost of this insurance is usually around €90 a month but you can claim back around €70 of this. You also need to work 32 hours a month, 12 months a year. This financial assistance is provided on the basis of your residential status in the Netherlands and not your student status.
How does Collegegeldkrediet work?
This is the tuition fee loan component of Dutch student financial support. It consists of a loan to cover the tuition fees for your course. In 2013 this will typically be €1,835. The loan is paid directly into your bank account in monthly instalments of €147.58 (2012-the precise figure for 2013 is not yet publically available) and it is your responsibility to pay the university.
Some universities request payment in full for the whole year, or at the start of each semester. This can mean that you have to pay the fees before you receive the loan which may have a temporary impact on your cashflow.
You have to pay interest on Collegegeldkrediet and this is applied from the day you take out the loan. The current interest rate is 1.39%.
There is a two year interval after graduation before you start repaying your loan. The loan must be repaid in full over a maximum of 15 years and there is no mechanism for it to be written off automatically after that time. DUO will calculate the rate of repayment. The minimum monthly repayment is €45.41 but this can be reduced at the discretion of the Dutch government. You will have to repay the loan in full even if you do not complete your degree or if you leave the country.
Assuming you take out Collegegeldkrediet for a three-year undergraduate degree, the total you are likely to owe upon graduation is around €6,000 (£5,000).
You can only apply for Collegegeldkrediet once you have a confirmed offer from a Dutch higher education institution. Your offer will only be confirmed once you have received your A’ level results. For most students this means you cannot apply until just before you start your course. As a result, it is quite common for the loan to come through after you have had to pay the first instalment of the fees.
You can apply for the loan at any point up to 31st January in the year for which you wish to claim.
The current application form is here.
For more information
How does Studiefinanciering work?
There are three components to Studiefinanciering (Stufi):

1. The basic grant
The basic grant is a fixed amount payable to all Dutch students and those who meet the requirements outlined above. In 2012-2013 students who live with their parents (unlikely for British students) receive €95.61 per month. Students who live away from the family home receive €266.23. You must be registered as a resident with the relevant local authority in order to receive this funding. This is a grant, not a loan.
2. The supplementary grant/loan
This means-tested element takes your family’s income into consideration in the same way as financial aid for students in the United Kingdom. Depending on your family’s income you could be eligible for up to €244.60 per month as a grant. You need to provide proof of earnings, tax returns etc for the last two years in order to be considered for this. The amount you receive is calculated on a sliding scale depending on family income.
If you are not eligible for this amount as a grant, you can still get the proportion that you do not receive as a loan. The precise thresholds for the grant/loan proportion are complicated but you can count on accessing this funding, just not necessarily the way you will receive it.
There is a calculator for working out your eligibility for a grant or a loan on the DUO website here. It is only available in Dutch.
It is not clear what rate of interest the loan attracts but for repayment purposes it will be treated in exactly the same way as Collegegeldkrediet.
3. Additional loans
If after receiving these grants and loans you still require additional financial assistance you can apply for a Top-Up loan.
You can borrow up to €283.86 per month. This loan is designed to help you if you encounter additional costs during your studies, for example if you choose to study abroad during your degree. Interest will be charged on this loan at a commercial rate which will be determined at the time you complete your degree. This interest rate will be higher than that charged for the tuition fee loan.
You can only apply for Studiefinanciering once you have three months worth of payslips from a Dutch employer that prove you are eligible for it. You can find the form here. It is all in Dutch.
For further information please visit the DUO website.
What happens if you don’t repay your student loans?
Default of loan repayments is not a major problem for the Dutch government. However, any student who leaves the country with the intention of not repaying the loan will almost certainly be found if they remain within the European Union. Students will then have to pay back not just the original loan but also a punitive rate of interest. The Dutch government will also be entitled to recover the cost of tracking down defaulters. This could easily treble the overall amount of the student loan. In short, failing to take responsibility for a student loan from the Dutch government is an unwise, not to say an illegal, suggestion.
There is a mechanism in place to write off loans that students cannot repay although we do not yet have full details on how this works.

Video showing Freshers' Experience at the University of Law

LL.B Freshers Experience 2012 - video

Watch this video to find out what you can expect from LL.B Freshers Week at The University of Law. Hear from students about their experiences starting our LL.B in 2012 - including the events and activities on offer, our LL.B accommodation and, of course, the freshers parties!

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/partner-zone-college-of-law/interactive/ll-b-freshers-experience-2012-video?CMP=twt_fd

IB Students - Make your UCAS Application stand out

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is an increasingly popular qualification in the UK. How will taking the IB affect your university application – and can it put you at an advantage over A-level students?

Like A-level students, you’ll study the IB over two years, taking a broad mix of six subjects to standard level before progressing three subjects to higher level. You'll also study a philosophical 'theory of knowledge' course, complete a mini dissertation-style extended essay and get involved in sports, volunteering and extra-curricular community activities as part of the qualification.

IB uni application basics

• As an IB student, you apply to university courses through UCAS like anyone else – the only difference is the qualifications you list.
• You'll usually be expected to have taken a higher level in a subject related to the course you're applying for.
• Universities will often ask for specific results in your higher level subjects as well as giving you a total points target.
• While there isn’t a direct parallel between higher level standards / A-level, and standard level / AS-level, it’s safe to assume that if a university asks for a particular subject at A2 level in its entry requirements, they’re likely to require it at higher level as part of the IB.
  

IB and UCAS points

Like other qualifications, the IB is worth a different number of UCAS points depending on your final result, starting at 260 UCAS points for an IB score of 24. However, universities almost always make offers in terms of IB points rather than UCAS points so the UCAS tariff isn’t always helpful when comparing offers.

As an approximate guide, you can expect 36-38 points to be required for a course that asks for AAA at A-level, an AAB course is likely to require 34 points, ABB will usually require about 32 points and so on. The most competitive courses are likely to ask for 38 or 39 points.

Will my application be treated differently?

Your application will go through the same process whatever your qualifications, and admissions tutors will be familiar enough with the IB to judge your application fairly.

Course offers given to IB students may sometimes appear more challenging than offers made to A-level candidates, but that’s usually down to how the IB and A-levels are graded – the points scale allows competitive universities to more keenly differentiate between very able IB candidates.

IB results are released to students on 6 July, so if you’ve got the results you hoped for you’ll receive confirmation of your university place well in advance of A-level students. ‘Near miss’ applicants can face a tense wait until A-level results come out for a final decision to be made about their place - but if you need to go through Clearing, you’ve got the extra time to plan in advance and be first on the phone.

Making the most of the IB

So how can your IB qualifications help when it comes to making your university application?

1. The IB is good preparation for university-level study

'The things you do - the extended essay, CAS [the Creativity, Action, Service programme], studying a wide range of subjects and so on – give you distinguishing features to push in your personal statement, as well as better prepare you for university study. Simply being an English student studying the IB may be enough to make you stand out from the pile of applications with A-levels.’ Daniel Penman | Ib Student Now Studying History At University Of Cambridge

2. It gives you a broad study base

The structure of the IB means you study a broad range of subject options. It’s compulsory to take English, maths, a science, a language and an ‘individuals and societies’ subject (such as history, geography or economics), plus a sixth subject of your choice.
This should set you in good stead when it comes to making your university choices, especially if you’re not sure what course you want to take, as you’ll be keeping your options open (nearly always better than opting for a narrower combination of subjects).

The IB is also particularly well-suited to subjects like law because of its breadth and rigour.

3. You've got lots of experience to shout about

Stress the extra experience your IB course has given you and how different elements of the course have helped to shape your skills, both on your UCAS form and during a university entry interview.

Picking your subjects

The subjects you choose will make a big difference to your application - and in particular your combination of higher level subjects – as these will usually determine what you go on to study at degree level. You’ll need to make sure you fulfil the requirements of the degree course you want, but also play to your strengths to ensure you get a good result.

‘Find where the gaps are and fill them in by taking extra modules (or offering to take extra modules) where necessary, and don't make life harder than you have to by taking the hardest optional sections.’ Emily Hale | Ib Student Now Studying Civil Engineering At University Of Edinburgh

When it comes to degrees that require maths qualifications, for instance - such as maths, some economics and many engineering courses - you're likely to need higher level maths as opposed to standard level or maths studies. If you've got an idea of what you want to study at university, check the entry requirements of specific courses to find out what's expected.

Is it easier to study abroad with the IB?

As the name suggests, the IB is recognised internationally, and you should be able to use it to apply to university outside the UK.

However, other qualifications, including A-levels, are also recognised by universities around the world, so the IB may not be an advantage in itself. More important for studying abroad are good results and being able to speak the language.


Busy making your university application? Don't miss our expert advice on personal statements, admissions interviews and entry tests.

Which? University provides guest spots to external contributors. Brightside is an education charity which creates, develops and manages online mentoring projects, and other online tools and resources for students, including the Bright Knowledge website.

Source: Which? University

Oxbridge Taster Days

Merton College – the physics of sound waves and mechanics of organs
On Monday 13 May Merton College is hosting a workshop about the science of organs.

This cross-curriculum project encompasses science, music, and technology and is a fun way to uncover some of the mysteries lying behind the front display pipes of an organ. Students from Years 5/6 to Year 13 are welcome and groups will be streamed by age. For more information see the college’s website or contact schools@merton.ox.ac.uk.



University College English Study Day for Year 12s
This event on the topic of Beowulf will include a lecture from Dr Laura Varnam and discussion session facilitated by students currently reading English at Oxford.

The day is for students seriously considering studying English at university. Applicants should be studying English Literature, or English Language and Literature, and be predicted AAA or better at A Level (or equivalent). The deadline for applications is Friday 10 May. For more information please visit the college’s website.



Corpus Christi College Year 12 Study Day in History and Politics
On Monday 17 June year 12 students interested in studying History and Politics at university, and who have the potential to make a competitive application to Oxford, are invited to attend a study day about ‘Anglo-American Democracy’.

The theme will be approached from a historical and political science perspective, and offer a taste of life as an Oxford student. For further information please visit the college’s website.



St Peter’s Study Afternoons
St Peter’s College is offering free study afternoons for year 12 students in Law; Maths, Physics and Engineering; Archaeology and Anthropology; Languages and History.

Events take place between 17 and 21 June. Deadline to apply is Friday 24 May. Details and application forms are available on the college website.



Worcester College and Mansfield College FE Access Initiative events
A Further Education Open Day will take place on Tuesday 18 June at Worcester College, and a Sixth Form College Open Day will take place on Friday 21 June at Mansfield College.
All subjects will be represented, and tutors and undergraduates from across the University will take part. Any interested students and staff from the FE sector are very welcome to attend either event. For more information please see the Mansfield College website or contact helen.etty@mansfield.ox.ac.uk.



St Edmund Hall Subject Residential Workshops
This event on Friday 28 June for students from non-selective state schools interested in subjects such as Materials Science, Beginner’s Russian, Medicine and Mathematics will give them a taste of life at Oxford and provide sessions focused on getting the most out of their application.

To nominate students contact schools.liaison@seh.ox.ac.uk.

Radio - Work Experience Opportunity

Kiss & Magic Work Experience June 2013

Category: Audio and Video Broadcast & Postproduct...
Organisation: Bauer
Number of Opportunities: 2
Kiss 100 and Magic 105.4 are looking for individuals with a genuine love of music and a passion for radio broadcasting, to experience what it’s like to work behind the scenes of London’s two biggest radio stations.
We’re after creative, enthusiastic, driven individuals who want to go far! Placements will last 5 days (Monday to Friday) during which you will learn how radio works from a range of different perspectives – from music programming to presenting, and from producing to general admin duties.
This is an excellent opportunity to experience radio first hand and learn exactly what goes into keeping Kiss and Magic at the top.
Please state which dates you are available
Start Dates:
03/06/13 - 1 Week
17/06/13 - 1 Week
Minimum Age: 16
We anticipate a large response for these opportunities; therefore if you would like to be considered you must stand out from the crowd please send us your CV and tell us in less than 100 words why you are the person for the job and why you are passionate about the brand you want to work with.

Posted 2 months ago

Closing 19th May 2013

Source: http://www.gothinkbig.co.uk/opportunities/kiss-magic-work-experience-june-2013

 

Corporate Law Work Experience - July 2013

Corporate Law Work Experience with Reed Smith LLP July 2013

Category: Law
Organisation: Reed Smith
Number of Opportunities: 2
Week long work experience opportunity at international corporate law firm.
Reed Smith is a leading international law firm with more than 1,700 lawyers in 25 offices throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the United States. We represent leading international businesses, mid-market companies and emerging enterprises. We provide litigation and other dispute resolution services in multi-jurisdictional and high-stake matters.
We offer advice to industries including advertising, education, energy & natural resources, financial services, health care, life sciences, manufacturing, real estate, shipping and technology & media.
This opportunity forms part of our formal work experience scheme and the successful candidate with join other young people for one day of training and four days of work experience with Reed Smith lawyers
Skills Gained: Attendees will gain valuable insights into life at a corporate law firm and the work undertaken by lawyers. Attendees will also participate in a number of skills sessions which will be held on the first day of the programme.
Location: London
Minimum Age: 16
Please state in your cover which of the below dates you are available for
Start Dates:
01/07/13 (1 Week)
29/07/13 (1 Week)
We anticipate a large response for these opportunities; therefore if you would like to be considered you must stand out from the crowd please send us your CV and tell us in less than 100 words why you are the person for the job and why you are passionate about the brand you want to work with.
Find out why you don't need a degree to become a Lawyer...
http://www.gothinkbig.co.uk/features/order-order-you-can-become-a-lawyer-without-going-to-university-first/

Law - without University?

Order, order! You CAN become a lawyer without going to university first

Author: Natalie Clarkson Date: Tuesday 23 April 2013

The legal profession is notoriously hard to get into. There’s three years of a degree and then numerous professional qualifications before you can call yourself a lawyer and start saying things like “Objection!” and “This whole courtroom is out of order”. But actually, what you might not know is that that isn’t the only way into the legal profession.
Yep, that’s right. You don’t necessarily have to spend three years at university to become a solicitor. There is another option, that doesn’t involve spending £50,000. Taking a chartered legal executive qualification is currently the only way to becoming a lawyer without incurring so much debt.
It’s possible to become a chartered legal executive by taking a level 3 qualification (equivalent to A Levels) with the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) as a school leaver. It’s a four year course, that includes three years of relevant experience in the legal profession and then another two years working in qualifying employment. For all the information have a look at the CILEX website.
And there is more good news for those of you who don’t fancy uni but still want to go into law, the Legal Education and Training Review is looking at ways to transform routes into the legal profession. We spoke to Nigel Spencer, director of learning and development for Europe and Middle East at Reed Smith, about the proposed changes.
“I went to a breakfast seminar at the House of Lords during National Apprenticeship Week and one of the things that they were talking about was the launch of the higher level apprenticeships. So what they’re planning to do possibly from September 2014 is what they’ve titled the higher apprenticeship in legal practice,” Nigel said. “And the aim is that that would be a non-university route into the profession.”
The apprenticeship, if it’s agreed by The Law Society and the Solicitors Regulation Authority, will work primarily on work based training. Apprentices will earn while they learn and gain valuable experiences in a legal setting.
“Learning on the job is everything. One of the challenges is the transfer of the learning from the classroom back to the desk,” Nigel said. “Have a placement, learn on the job, apply your learning in a real situation. For me that’s absolutely everything. For that reason I’m a big fan of apprenticeships.”

Tips from those in the know

We asked Nigel for his advice for people wanting to work in the legal profession. He said: “When you talk to people at law firms, just cross check what the qualities they look for are. Often the applications are quite competency based, often it will be qualities like determination, motivation, working in a team.”
We also asked Carolyn Pepper, a partner at Reed Smith, for her advice for people wanting to get into the legal profession. Here are Carolyn’s tips for making it in the legal profession:

• Be determined. “Being determined and being confident are two of the most important things because it is hard work, being in the legal profession, so be prepared to work hard. Be determined and be ambitious as well. You need to be all of those three things if you want to be successful at it. The rewards are great if you’re determined, ambitious and prepared to work hard, the rewards are really good both in terms of job satisfaction and financial rewards so for all of those reasons you need those three qualities.”
• Network, network, network. “Don’t be afraid to try and make as many contacts as you can. Go to as many events as you can. There are a lot of people wanting a limited number of jobs, it’s a very competitive so you have to make yourself stand out somehow and one of the ways to do that is to go along to as many free talks or lectures as you can. There are so many people going for it, you want to be remembered.”
• Volunteer. “Volunteering is a very good thing to do if you have some spare time to help out at the Citizen’s Advice Bureau or anything like that, it just gives you a bit of experience. It doesn’t have to be in a law firm, which can be a bit more difficult to get. Just anything that gets you a bit more experience of legal related things. Can you write to the courts asking if you could follow round the staff in the court for a while. It doesn’t have to be through a law firm, just show that you’re keen, show that you’re determined from the beginning to do this.”
• Think outside the box. “Work experience is key because you would not get a training contract at a law firm unless you can show you’ve done some kind of work experience. But the thing to remember is it’s not just law firms that have lawyers working in them. Most big companies these days have a legal department so even if you don’t know someone working in a law firm, you probably know someone working in any kind of firm. Wherever it is, they’ll probably have an in-house legal department. All sorts of companies do, local councils too. There are lawyers in almost every big organisation these days. A lot of people concentrate on getting into big law firms for work experience but you don’t have to do that you can get the work experience from going in and shadowing someone in a legal department instead. Work experience is so important but just think outside the box about where you might find it because you can find lawyers everywhere.”

Ready to start looking for some work experience in the legal profession? Well, look no further than our opportunities pages as we currently have two placements available with Reed Smith in July.

First Year Law student reflects on his University Application

Sean G - The end is nigh!

29/04/2013

By this time next month, I’ll have completed all my first-year exams. It’s amazing how quickly this year has gone, but has it been worth it?
I think it has; whether it’s worth £9,000 or not is a different matter! Nonetheless, I have absolutely no regrets about studying law; while cases may be long to read, I have found all my first-year subjects interesting and hopefully that will carry on into next year, though I’ve heard awful things about EU law (and not just from UKIP).
I recently helped out at a university open day, at which I pulled out the “why do you want to study law?” card to some of the perplexed, slightly nervous looking prospective newbies. I never liked being asked this question when I was on open days, mainly because I’d just spent ages writing a personal statement all about it – it felt as though if I mentioned any reason different from my personal statement, I’d be found out and hung. Perhaps I was motivated by sadism. Anyway, the response I got was largely the same as I gave to people – a shrug, followed by a meditational hum.
At this point in answering the “why?” question, I believe most prospective law students think the following: “Say anything but the money! For God’s sake, don’t mention the money - they’ll think you just want to do it for the money!” I think this thought is thunk by even the most chrematophobic (word of the day) prospective law students.
The reason for this is the perception that lawyers are rich; you know that as soon as you tell someone you're a law student/want to study law they'll be taking down your details just in case you make it and they need a favour. Of course the longer one's pensive state lasts, the more the question asker begins to wonder whether this person has given any thought to why they want to study law at all.  
In reality, of course, the question asker doesn’t think this at all and basically just wants you to stop humming and answer the question so it’s not so awkward. In my situation, I rather unexpectedly got asked the question back. A question I haven’t answered in at least six months.
Bizzarely, I still felt compelled to stay loyal to what I’d written in my personal statement, and indeed my first LC.N blog post. I then wondered whether what I wrote in my personal statement was still true. So, I embarked on the cringeworthy task of re-reading my personal statement.
Here are some of the clangers:
“I have always firmly believed that there are two sides to every story...”
“As a child, I took great enjoyment in reading, which awakened an interested in words and the power they possess.”
“The role the law plays in creating effective socio-political change engaged me…”
And, the final sentence: “I look forward to immersing myself in all aspects of university life.”
Ignoring the fact I managed to squeeze “socio-political change” into my personal statement, largely that stuff is true. I did look forward to "immersing myself" - which sounds oddly painful – and I feel I have done that reasonably well. I still believe that there are two sides to every story and I remain a language lover.
The moral of the story is: say whatever you want in response to that question - chances are when you look back it will be ridiculous anyway.

Source: LawCareers.net

BBC Radio Apprenticeship Scheme

BBC Radio Apprenticeship Scheme

1. 

The BBC Radio Journalism Apprenticeship Scheme

Are you interested in people and their stories? Can you find guests that will challenge, amuse, surprise and inform the Radio 4 and World Service audience?

The BBC Radio Journalism Apprenticeship Scheme is a fantastic opportunity to kick-start a career in speech radio.

If you have a passion for speech radio and listen to Radio 4 and World Service programmes like Woman’s Hour and Outlook, if you have a genuine interest in how such programmes are put together and what makes them tick,  then this is an opportunity for you.

We have six positions available for a paid apprenticeship in BBC Radio Production.

The BBC Radio Journalism Apprenticeship Scheme combines training and study at Lambeth College in London with work placements in our radio production teams and will train you in every aspect of radio journalism, from how to create accurate, clear, and balanced reports, to how to write for radio, the web, and social media.

The apprenticeship and work placements will be for 2 years, starting this September (2013) and ending in September 2015.*

This experience will give you all the skills and knowledge you need to gain an Advanced Apprenticeship in Journalism (Level 3) and an NCTJ diploma in BBC Radio Production.

The salary will be c. £11,000 in the first year.  It will increase in year 2 to reflect the experience you've gained.

By the end of the 2 years you will be in a good position to compete for jobs at Assistant Producer level in BBC Radio Production.
The application process opens on May 6th and will close on the 20th May.


*This is conditional on this apprenticeship being approved for funding.

Ernst and Young Careers Event - 10th June 2013

Visit ey.com/uk/careers.

Studying Abroad Resource List

Resources for Studying Abroad

Source: Yammer CEIAGwww.britishcouncil.org/higher-education/uk-students-abroad including US-UK Fulbright, Study in Denmark etc) www.ukcisa.org.uk/ukstudent/index.php www.thestudentworld.com www.eunicas.co.uk (includes European course search) www.astarfuture.co.uk (includes European course search) www.studyportals.eu (search for courses across Europe) Student experiences www.iagora.com/studies/ (study abroad experiences and opinions) www.stexx.eu/ (student reviews of studies in Europe) www.thirdyearabroad.com/home.html (useful insights and some information on taking full degree overseas) http://maastricht-students.com/ (blogs) samstudyingabroad.tumblr.com (blog: Samuel Knight in Groningen) International league tables www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings
www.arwu.org
 

Where do International Students work when they graduate?

 

 

Where do international graduates work?April 27, 2013

Posted by Abi Sharma in : Job Hunting , trackback
Have you ever wondered where international students go after they graduate from UK universities? You can find this information on our website on the Where do graduates go page.
Employment Geography tells you where people are now working: top employer and top jobs refer to the employers/jobs with the most number of international students working there; source for finding a job shows how they found out about the position and size of employer refers to the number of employees.
You can look at undergraduates, postgraduates or all – so you can find the right information just for you!
Use this information to get an idea of places and locations that you should target for your job search.

Source: International Futures

Your online career 'life'

Online Reputation

The internet is part of most people’s everyday life. We use it to support our educational, working and social lives. But how many people consider how those three ‘lives’ that we live online could impact us, both positively and negatively?
The recent media furore around Paris Brown, who was appointed as the Youth Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent and then resigned after criticism over her previous Twitter comments, has highlighted some of the consequences that can occur when our online ‘lives’ are exposed to people that we didn’t expect would encounter them.
Some have said that Paris’s age when she made the comments should have negated the criticism that she received: at the age of 15, she didn’t know that two years later, she would have an opportunity that these comments would be potentially damaging to. Had anyone explained to her that her digital presence whilst a teenager could damage her future job prospects in any field?
In reality, how many of us have Googled a new colleague when they are appointed? Or, as a recruiter, checked out a candidate before or after interview? Doing a search of online presence is likely to bring up our ‘professional’ life e.g. via Linked In, but also other aspects of our online lives.
It’s not just young people who might not be aware of how their online presence in the ‘social’ sphere can impact their professional life. Another recently publicised example was a TV personality who, having been subjected to online abuse, tracked down the person who had been abusing them and reported them to their employer.
So as part of helping both young people and adults to develop their career plans, we need to highlight the impact that their online presence could have in the future.
There are two strands to this.
Whilst the importance of understanding the potentially negative impacts is well highlighted, the positives are also important.
Your online presence gives you the opportunity to showcase your skills and abilities. Young people in particular need to understand how they can improve their employment prospects by demonstrating their skills online.
During a recent visit to a school, we spoke to a number of students who had ambitions to work in photography. Only one had developed an online portfolio of their work.
Several wanted to work in website development but none had actually developed their own website.
Two wanted to work in journalism – one had created a blog which had attracted interest and an offer of a work placement from a local newspaper, the other hadn’t published any of his writing.
The internet can be an excellent place to demonstrate skills and can help young people set themselves out from the crowd. Aside from the skills that they have demonstrated, taking the time to develop (and maintain) an online presence to showcase their skills also demonstrates other attributes that many employers seek, such as creativity, commitment and passion.
Understanding the potential of an online presence needs to be integral to helping both young people and adults manage their career.
Tristram Hooley from the International Centre for Guidance Studies recently led a very interesting webinar which explored these and other issues around the impact of the internet on careers. You can watch a recording of the webinar by clicking here.
Young people (and adults) need to be aware that planning a career is no longer just about seeking information from the internet. It’s also about making sure that what people can seek out about you portrays the image that you want future employers to see.

Source: CASCAID

Twitter feed for Hockerill Careers Department

Follow Hockerill Careers Department on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/HockerillColl

Civil Service Fast Track Apprenticeship

The Opportunity

The Civil Service Fast Track Apprenticeship Scheme is an 18 month programme that offers a real alternative to university. Completing the Fast Track Apprenticeship scheme will provide significant work experience, a level 4 qualification and the springboard to a career in the Civil Service.
The programme will consist of learning on the job combined with studying which will result in gaining a Higher Apprenticeship in Business and Professional Administration whilst earning money at the same time.
Upon commencing the programme you will be placed in a role that offers real responsibility from day one. You will join at a management grade so you may have responsibility for managing others and you will enjoy a minimum salary of £18,763 depending on location and department.
The posts are offered on a permanent basis and opportunities are available in the following locations, subject to change:

• London
• North West - Liverpool, Manchester and Preston
• West Midlands - Birmingham, Coventry and Telford
• Yorkshire & Humberside - Bradford, Leeds, Lincoln and Sheffield

You will be able to state what hub you would like to be based in, i.e. London, the North West, West Midlands or Yorkshire & Humberside but you will need to be flexible as you may need to work in different locations as your career develops.
There are various roles on offer, which will differ depending on which location hub you are applying for. You could find yourself working as an Assistant Private Secretary to a Minister, responsible for a specific work area of the Minister’s portfolio which will require you to work closely with senior officials, lobbyists and Parliamentary offices to ensure that the Minister’s needs are met or you could be working in a Job Centre providing advice and guidance to a job seeker, looking at their skills and experience to help them find suitable employment or you could be working in a team to develop a new policy by engaging with stakeholders, interested groups and other Government Departments.
Roles will be available within a range of Government departments which may include Cabinet Office, Ministry of Justice, HM Revenue and Customs, Department for Work and Pensions, Crown Prosecution Service, Department for Education and Department for Business Innovation and Skills.

The Apprenticeship

In addition to your working role you will also be supported to complete a Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship in Business and Professional Administration which is made up of:

• Level 4 NVQ in Business and Administration which will test competence against a framework; and
• Level 4 HNC Diploma in business to test knowledge and will be assessed through written assignments.

This is a challenging qualification that requires you to gather on the job evidence to demonstrate your competency, as well as studying and submission of written assignments to show understanding of high level administrative processes.
View further information regarding apprenticeships at www.apprenticeships.org.uk (link opens in a new window)
If you would like to find out more about the role and work of the Civil Service please visit www.civilservice.gov.uk (link opens in a new window)
The completion of your apprenticeship will be alongside your day to day work and will require commitment as well as stamina; we will of course support you to do this.

Women In Science

Women in Science

 

Earlier this month, the European Commission released its latest snapshot of the representation of women in science. The message that emerges from the oddly named report, She Figures 2012: Gender in Research and Innovation, is hardly surprising: Women are still underrepresented in science. The gap appears to be closing—slowly—but more needs to be done if it is to close completely anytime soon.

Some of the report’s main findings:

• On average, in 2009 in the 27 E.U. countries, 33% of all researchers were women. There was a very wide range, however: Women were the least well-represented in Luxembourg, Germany, and the Netherlands (21%, 25%, and 26%, respectively) and best represented in Latvia and Lithuania, which in 2009 had (and presumably still has) more female researchers than male researchers. In Bulgaria, Portugal, Romania, Estonia, Slovakia, and Poland, at least 40% of researchers were women.   
• Between 2002 and 2009, the number of female researchers grew more quickly (5.1% annually) than the number of male researchers (3.3%) in the E.U.-27. "[W]omen seem to be catching up with men over time,” the report says. Yet, "it must be remembered that the growth rate for women is on a smaller base than that for men so that if it is merely sustained and not radically increased, it will still take a long time to significantly improve the gender balance in research."
• In the E.U.-27, 40% of researchers in both higher education and government were women, but only 19% of researchers in the for-profit sector were women. There are signs that the gap is closing in all three sectors. For example, in 2002, 35% of researchers in higher education were women, but by 2009 that number had risen to 40%.
• In 2010, across the E.U.-27, women earned 46% of the Ph.D. degrees across all scientific fields (which, according to the report's definitions, include not just the natural and social sciences but also the humanities). Between 2002 and 2006, the number of female Ph.D. graduates increased faster than the number of male Ph.D. graduates—but in 2006, the number of women earning those degrees stopped growing and the number of men earning degrees started to decline.
• Women accounted for 64% of all 2010 Ph.D. recipients in education, 56% in health and welfare, and 54% in the humanities. Among Ph.D. graduates, gender was approximately balanced in social sciences, business, and law (49% women), and in agricultural and veterinary sciences (52% women). But just 40% of Ph.D. graduates in the natural sciences, mathematics, and computing were women, and in engineering, just 26%.
• The report found that 44% of entry-level academic researchers were women—just below the percentage of Ph.D. graduates. For intermediate-level academic positions that number fell to 37%. Just 20% of senior professors were women. And while the representation of women in the professoriate increased at all levels between 2002 and 2010, "[t]his positive progress is nevertheless slow and should not mask the fact that, in the absence of proactive policies, it will take decades to close the gender gap and bring about a higher degree of gender equality."
• Zooming in, similar trends could be found in the natural sciences and engineering, which the report lumps together. In these fields, the representation of women was 35% at the Ph.D. level, 32% in entry-level faculty positions, 23% in intermediate-level positions, and just 11% among full professors. While the proportion of female scientists and engineers went up between 2002 and 2010, the rise was less pronounced in these fields than it was overall.
• The report's authors calculated a "glass ceiling index" (GCI) for various countries, an indicator of how hard it is for academic women to reach full-professorship. (A value of 1.0 would indicate full equality with men.) On average, throughout the E.U.-27, the GCI was 1.8 in 2010—slightly more favorable to women than in 2004, when the GCI was 1.9. Romania was the closest to gender equality with a GCI of 1.3. Cyprus had the worst GCI (3.6), followed by Lithuania and Luxembourg.
• Across the E.U.-27 in 2010, just 10% of universities had a female rector.
• In 2010, 36% of E.U. scientific and management board members were women. The data seem to show that gender-based quotas work: Sweden, Norway, and Finland, where the share of female board members was 49%, 46%, and 45%, respectively, have such policies. In contrast, in Hungary, Cyprus, Lithuania, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic, less than 20% of board members were women.
• In most countries, men had a higher success rate than women in securing funding. The gender gap varies from 1% (Belgium and Portugal) to 11% (Austria). In Slovenia, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Iceland, and Norway, women had higher success rates than men.

The report's authors conclude that continued and expanded measures are necessary if progress is to continue. "There is no evidence of spontaneous reduction of gender inequality over time. All these policies, and many more, are needed to ensure that constant progress is made towards gender-equality in research and scientific careers."

"Some people think that if we just wait, it will get better, and that’s one way in which the She figures are extremely important," says Curt Rice, vice president for research and development at the University of Tromsø in Norway, an E.U. associated country. "They show us that … if we believe it’s important to have women at the top, then we must act." Rice led an initiative at the University of Tromsø that contributed to boosting the number of women in professorship positions from 9% to 30% in a decade. (You can read our Q&A with Rice here.)

The 159-page report was put together by the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission in collaboration with the Helsinki Group on Women and Science. Since 2003, the report has been published every 3 years.

The complete She Figures 2012 report is available on the European Commission’s Web site.

Elisabeth Pain is contributing editor for Europe.

Source: Sciencemag.org

BBC News - More jobs for graduates than the unqualified

More jobs for graduates than the unqualified in UK - study

By Sean CoughlanBBC News education correspondent

University leavers are taking a growing share of jobs

Continue reading the main story

Related Stories

• US degrees 'keep job advantage'
• Graduate jobs defy economic woes
• Graduate jobs 'hard competition'

The number of jobs in the UK requiring a degree has overtaken the total of posts not needing any qualifications, an employment survey suggests.

More than a quarter of jobs are now available only to graduates, it says.

The study shows a major shift in the job market towards requiring many more skilled workers, as roles disappear for those without qualifications.

Researchers at the Institute of Education surveyed 3,000 adults across the job market.

The findings of the Skills and Employment Survey, with the latest figures for 2012, show a significant milestone in the employment landscape, with graduate jobs at a record high level and unskilled jobs at a record low.

Skills mismatch

In the mid-1980s, graduate jobs accounted for about one in 10 jobs, and more than three times as many unskilled jobs would then have been open to school-leavers without any qualifications.

Through the 1980s, 1990s and the first decade of this century, this has relentlessly shifted, with a growing number of jobs needing degrees, while unskilled jobs have become a shrinking part of the labour market.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

Employers have been slow to take up the swathes of better-qualified workers, but now they are starting to wake up to the use of graduate labour”

Prof Francis GreenInstitute of Education

The fall in jobs without qualifications has accelerated since 2006 and this latest survey places it at a "historic low" of 23% of the labour market, compared with 26% for graduate jobs.

"At no time in the 1986-2012 period have falls and rises of these magnitudes been recorded," says the report.

Among part-time workers, the proportion of jobs available to the unqualified has fallen even further, down by more than half since the mid-1980s.

The study, funded jointly by the Economic and Social Research Council and the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, is the latest evidence of the difficulties facing unqualified and poorly qualified young people entering the job market.

A long-standing problem has been the skills mismatch between employers being unable to find suitably qualified staff while there are high numbers of unemployed youngsters.

This also adds further evidence to the debate about whether the economy needs more or fewer graduates, and whether this is the latest step towards a graduate economy.

Marginalised

The OECD has argued that increasing the number of graduates and skilled workers will help to drive economic growth and that those without skills will find themselves increasingly marginalised and with poor job prospects.

A major report from the Pew research group in the United States this year examined whether it was still worth going to university, and found that those with degrees had weathered the recession much more successfully in terms of protecting income and avoiding job losses.

The US study rejected the anecdotal evidence that debt-burdened graduates were finding themselves stuck in low-skilled jobs.

And this latest UK study from the Institute of Education shows that fewer graduates are now in non-graduate jobs - with this "over-qualification rate" falling.

The survey says that 74% of those with degrees are in graduate jobs, compared with 69% in 2006.

'Compete globally'

Prof Francis Green, of the Institute of Education, said this suggested a better use of graduates in the workforce.

"Although mismatches remain quite high, this turnaround may signal more effective use of qualifications at work by employers.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

Addressing the shortage of skilled technicians we face will require better-quality courses”

Neil CarberryCBI

"Employers have been slow to take up the swathes of better-qualified workers, but now they are starting to wake up to the use of graduate labour."

Neil Carberry, the CBI's director of education and skills, said: "The vast majority of young people in future are going to need a route to higher skills if the UK is going to compete globally.

"The changing face of the economy means that we have to expand alternative routes to higher skills alongside traditional residential university courses.

"Even below degree level, addressing the shortage of skilled technicians we face will require better-quality courses, with a strong role for businesses working with universities, colleges and providers to design the curriculum."

More on This Story

Related Stories

• US degrees 'keep job advantage'
  09 JANUARY 2013, EDUCATION & FAMILY
• Graduate jobs defy economic woes
  11 OCTOBER 2012, EDUCATION & FAMILY
• Graduate jobs 'hard competition'
  18 MAY 2011, EDUCATION & FAMILY
• Taken from BBC News