Students’ skills development stories

Unchisa completed the programme while working towards her Master’s in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship. Reflecting on her experience she said:

I am pleased to have completed all stages of the postgraduate programme which is run by BU for preparing students to the worldwide real workings.

I can say that this was an opportunity to develop professional and soft skills from employer-led workshops such as British Airways, Sainsbury’s, Cadbury and Southampton City Council. It is broaden my horizons in global issues, social development, interpersonally, cultural boundary, value, resilience and new challenges.

Thank you to the team for this useful programme that let me gain special experiences while studying in the university as well as give me a space for exchanging ideas with speakers and students from other courses.

Jasmiina challenged herself as part of her final year of BSc Psychology studies to develop a prototype for a mobile application:

The programme has opened so many doors and opportunities that I wouldn’t have taken if I wasn’t part of it. For example, I applied to take part in conferences to present my work, which previously I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do. It really has encouraged me to push myself and step out of my comfort zone.

It has also allowed me to meet people from a variety of different backgrounds expanding my understanding of cultural differences in the workplace. I am so grateful for the amazing opportunity and enjoyable experience as well as the inspirational guest speakers for sharing their real life experiences. I would definitely recommend the programme for future students.

Bettina completed the programme during her BA (Hons) Politics and really enjoyed the experience:

The programme was a great companion during my four years at BU. It was like a promise I had made to myself and the University that I was going to have an awesome and unique experience. The programme is a great opportunity for students to develop essential employability skills. It can even help to develop your personal skills. All future employers value an employee who has something more than a degree. That’s your opportunity to make your degree unique.

Sergio completed the programme on top of his Business Studies with Marketing course. Being born in Colombia and speaking Spanish and English, Serge is passionate about travelling and aspires to work internationally and learn about different cultures. He actively engaged with the core workshops and made the most of the real-life opportunities to practice the models and skills learned. He completed a study exchange for a semester in Newfoundland, went on placement at a multi-national company, attended professional development workshops with STEEP and participated in startup and networking events. Reflecting on this experience Sergio said,

The programme is much more than just sitting through lectures. It has really complimented my course, given me a new growth mindset and encouraged me to achieve more. The guest speakers are so interesting, everything they are telling us is real life experience, real people’s stories. It is inspiring and really useful for finding jobs and handling interviews. I would recommend the programme to anybody who wants to grow personally and professionally and stand out from others on their course.

Jade joined the programme on top of her second year of BA Public Relations studies. She was successfully selected to join the Global Festival of Learning in Vietnam as a social media specialist and made a difference in the University as a Student Rep and Ambassador. As a result Jade has secured a placement with the Walt Disney Company and was recognised with a Global Talent Outstanding Contribution award.

Reflecting on her experience, Jade says,

I truly can't speak more highly of the programme that has brought so many amazing opportunities to me. My values and hopes have changed.  My core values are compassion, determination, respect and making a societal contribution. In order to make a difference in the world, you need to start by believing in something bigger than yourself and my heart goal studying Public Relations is to work on a campaign in the future that raises public awareness on autism.

Leah was raised in Mangalore, a lively coastal city in India and earned an Engineering degree from Manipal University India before coming to BU to pursue a Masters in Computer Animation and Visual Effects. She took part in problem solving competitions inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and developed a mobile application project solution as part of a team for the Global Talent Project Lab.

My biggest achievement was winning the Project lab along with my wonderful team. It was a great opportunity to apply the concepts of project management on a realistic scenario. Getting feedback from a professional panel and viewing other presentations gave me greater understanding on how projects attain their goals based on given constraints. I am very grateful to have been part of the programme. It has been a very rewarding experience and I hope even more students will join our global talent community in the future.”

Leah was recognised with a Global Talent Outstanding Contribution award.

Sam joined the programme as part of her first year BA Events Management studies and has consistently exceeded the formal requirements and developed strong interest in other cultures and global citizenship, being actively involved in cultural activities by starting to learn Mandarin Chinese with Languages@BU and becoming one of the Global Talent Influencers, a Global Buddy and Global Cultural events participant.

The programme has encouraged me to fully immerse myself within university life and given me the chance to participate in activities and events that I would otherwise have not had the opportunity to do, for example taking part in workshops with real life employers. It has provided me with the confidence that I now have acquired the global skills that many businesses are looking for. As a first year, the programme has also provided me with an additional aspect to add to my CV that will hopefully stand out when applying for my placement year in future."

Sam was recognised with a Global Talent Outstanding Contribution award.