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Gap year or year-in-industry work placements are rewarding
for both the student and the employer. Here are some testimonials
from recent gap year students and employers.
Gap year student testimonials
Tim Woolmer
Canterbury Library
"Although I have worked for Kent Libraries during academic
holidays for six years now while at school and university, getting
a full-time gap year placement has been an immensely fruitful
experience.
The staff at Canterbury Library made me feel immediately at home
and genuinely welcomed my input. My time here has taught me how to
co-operate and fit in to a team day in day out, as opposed to my
experience of casual work all over Kent, where I had an all
together different role having to fit into lots of different teams
for short periods of time.
"I have had to deal with far more responsibility and
subsequently take a lead on certain areas and then encourage other
staff to adopt my ideas. I have learnt how to follow procedures and
if I consider there is a better way of doing things, consult staff
both on my level and managerial level to get it implemented. I have
learnt to use my initiative; if something needs to be done then it
is the responsibility of each and every one of us to lend a hand. I
have had the chance to go on valuable local government training
courses, developing transferable skills that have enhanced both my
CV and my personal development.
"Additionally I have had the chance to work with Key Skills
students, helping them to develop the core abilities required to
make themselves employable. When they completed the programme,
having the chance to go to their leaving party and seeing for
myself their personal growth over the duration of the scheme, is
extremely rewarding and something that I will never forget.
"It has been a hugely positive time for me at Canterbury Library
and one that I would recommend to anyone looking for work
experience during or between stages in education."
Anushka Patel
Kent Youth Services
"I developed an understanding of the public sector and its
purpose. I found it interesting putting theoretical marketing
strategies into practice everyday when helping organising the
County Show. I worked on both updating Kent Youth County Council
website and reinventing the current Youth Services Website to make
it more relevant, useful and up-to-date.
"It has been a big adjustment from going to a university
surrounding to an office surrounding but the office staff have been
very welcoming and helpful. The friendly staff here have made me
feel at home and I have really enjoyed my role. It has given me the
opportunity to experience a local authority and the way it works at
all levels from top to bottom."
Shelley Baillie
KCC Kent Drug & Alcohol Team
"I have done a six-month placement with the Kent Drug and
Alcohol Action Team. Bit of a mouthful! My job was to be a
'Supporting Officer' in the Young Persons Team. It involved writing
up reports, one about drugs and alcohol in Dover, and the other
about the drug service for young offenders. To do this I flitted
across the county interviewing the workers who had specialist
knowledge in these areas to get the information I needed. As I am
doing medicine at university it was all relevant to me, and I spent
some time shadowing a prescribing doctor. The attitude at work was
very laid back and all the people I worked with were good fun and
really easy to get along with. They were all ex-youth workers or
drugs workers so they tended to be quite a laugh.
"These six months doing the Gap Scheme job have definitely been
much better than if I had carried on doing the bar and café work I
was doing. It is well paid and the hours are fixed. Monthly pay
also stops you spending wildly and I've now saved up enough to by a
round-the-world ticket I wouldn't have been able to afford without
the Gap Year Scheme. And paid annual leave means you can take about
two weeks off.
"I would strongly recommend anyone who is taking a gap year to
consider getting involved in the Gap Year Scheme. So many of my
friends now say they regret not taking part after working their
socks off all year stacking shelves! And got paid less for it! It's
a great opportunity, not only because it's a stable, well-paid
full-time job, but also because you can learn something from it and
have fun."
Tom Gilbert
Kent Partnership
"Having studied Business Information Systems for two years at
university I was required to do a year-in-industry for the third
year of my course.
"There was a placement available working for the Kent
Partnership, the countywide local strategic partnership. At first I
was unsure of how this placement would link in with my degree but
after an informal discussion with the Kent Partnership team I
discovered that they wanted to improve their communications by
implementing a new website and also building a contacts database.
This linked directly to my Business Information Systems course.
"I had experience in both websites and databases from my
university course but this opportunity has given me the chance to
apply this knowledge to a 'real world' situation. Even with the
experience I had, I have still learnt a lot of things that aren't
taught at university. For example, how to deal with people who have
different requirements and expectations for the same section of the
website.
"As well as working on the website and database, I have worked
on lots of different areas of Kent Partnership work. For example, I
have helped to organised four events, I have co-ordinated the
implementation of the work placements website and I have attended
various meetings and conferences. My personal skills have really
developed and the experience will help me both in my final year at
university and also when applying for jobs in the future.
"Many thanks to the Gap Year Programme for arranging this
placement, it has been a great experience."
Ben Hanson
Gap year placement with the Kent Youth Offending Service
"Getting in touch with the Gap Year programme was one of the
best decisions I have ever made.
"I wanted a fulfilling and enriching job before I started my
university course studying psychology and the job that I got with
the Kent Youth Offending Service was perfect.
"Everyone has been extremely helpful and friendly and I have
gained valuable experience and have been paid which will really
benefit me in the future.
"Without the Gap Year programme I would not have had the
opportunity to work in this challenging environment."
Emma Chapman
Gap year placement with Kent Police
"The Gap Year programme worked hard to find a job that was
suitable for me. I am really enjoying my placement with Kent Police
and I am learning something new everyday. Thank you so much, I owe
you everything."
Emma Hoad
Gap year placement with Edwin Hill Chartered Surveyors
"I am currently working as an Assistant Surveyor at Edwin Hill
Chartered Surveyors in Dartford. My job is very interesting and
varied and involves writing up surveys, calling clients, carrying
out surveys in and around Kent, preparing files and spreadsheets
for co-ordination, helping the team in the office with their work
and printing off reports.
"The job so far has helped me to decide what I am interested in
and although I have a place at Kingston University to do Quantity
Surveying I may prefer to do Building Surveying. Although I am
enjoying my job I am not sure the property management side of
surveying is for me, however it is proving good experience I and I
still feel like I am learning a lot both about the industry and the
world of work in general!
"I definitely made the right decision to take a gap year. It has
given me a well-earned break from school and exams and it has shown
me what other options I have other than going to university. It has
also allowed me to completely change my university course and
career path. This would not have been possible without this
placement provided by the Gap Year programme."
Lucy Ingham
Gap year placement with County Estate Management
"I spent seven months working at a property management company
in Tunbridge Wells. While the main reason that I decided to do the
placement was to earn money to fund travelling, I have got far more
out of it than that. Not only has the whole thing been thoroughly
enjoyable, but I have gained some fantastic experience which will
help me both with my degree, and in getting a job when I leave
university.
"I have worked in all aspects of the company, including
assisting with insurance claims, accounts and management. I have
also been responsible for running a project. I have gained legal
knowledge and have had the opportunity to visit several
properties.
"All in all, it has been really enjoyable, and I am looking
forward to returning to the company in my holidays!"
Beth Crome
Gap year placement in Kent County Council's Policy Unit
"My gap year placement within the Policy Unit at Kent County
Council has been a very interesting experience. Having no previous
work experience, it has taught me a lot about the work environment,
and shown me how much I enjoy interacting with different
people.
"I've found my work colleagues to be more than helpful, with a
great sense of humour, and always supportive.
"My work is varied, and there's also a real feel-good feeling
about belonging to a team who you can rely on, but who also rely on
you.
"The team has been very willing to adapt my workload to what
will benefit me the most - tailoring the work I do to make it more
related to what I wish to do in the future, and even asking me how
long I wished to work for!
"I don't think that I could have a better team for helping me
during my gap year, and I credit this to being part of the Gap Year
programme."
Francois Camilleri
Gap year student with Kent County Council's Education Information
Systems (EIS)
"I am on placement at Education Information Systems (EIS). When
I arrived, everyone was very friendly and I was made to feel most
welcome. I was nervous that I wouldn't have enough knowledge for my
job, but whenever I was stuck, or felt out of my depth, other
members of staff were always at hand to help me out.
"I have learnt a lot already and the practical experience I have
gained has helped put my degree into context, giving me a better
experience of where it fits in to the working world.
"It has been a great experience working for Kent County Council,
as I feel involved and feel I am a valued member of a team. I am
not singled out as the person on placement, but treated the same as
the other members of staff here. I have a good rapport with my
managers and they are always willing to give me advice on what the
best methods of doing things, which has aided my learning
experience.
"There has been a good balance of learning and working, which
has made me feel that not only am I contributing my knowledge to
the team, but also learning from others."
Employer testimonials
Ellie Kenyon
HR Business Partner, London & S.E.
Brakes Bros.
"We have been very pleased to work with the Gap Year programme
to offer opportunities to a number of students in their
gap/industrial placement year. Doing so has helped Brakes to fill a
number of roles with suitably qualified individuals and has given
the individual a chance to gain invaluable experience with a
dynamic and exciting company."
Andrea Ashman
Kent Police
"Within Kent Police, the Gap Year programme has proved to be
extremely worthwhile both for the employer and the student
alike.
"An example of this is to be found within the HR department of
the Kent Police College where students have provided an important
insight into the way that young people can make a valuable
contribution to the regular working environment. They have brought
a freshness of approach that has been most welcome and have readily
undertaken genuine responsibilities with enthusiasm.
"Our student placements have readily adapted to the demands of
an alien environment quickly becoming full members of the team.
"I would recommend the Gap Year programme to any employer as an
ideal way of introducing young people to your organisation and
encouraging them to think differently about their career
aspirations. Equally, as an employer, we have considered our
approach to some areas of activity and drawn upon the ideas and
understanding of our students in developing new methods of working.
This continues to be of mutual
benefit." |