University of Kent's Employability Points Scheme
The University of Kent’s Employability Points Scheme encourages students to engage with extra-curricular activities and rewards the most engaged students with internships, work experience placements, vouchers and much more.
For each extra-curricular activity completed, students can claim ‘points’ and towards the end of each academic year, these points can be redeemed for ‘rewards’ offered by the external business community. See: www.kent.ac.uk/employabilitypoints
My Employability Points
I have achieved 965 employability points
Gold Plus KSCV Award - 30 Points
Last updated 07 June 2019, 16:07
In February I achieved my Gold Plus volunteering award from Kent Union. In the end I recorded around 250 volunteering hours with Kent Union, for my roles on the Committees of Kent Uni Boob Team and Kent Sing. I also undertook work experience and was part of a sabbatical officers re-election campaign. From these roles, our societies were recognised by Kent Union for our work over the year.
Kent Sing was nominated for and won 'Most Improved Society' and the 'Performance Forum Award'. Kent Uni Boob Team was nominated for 'Most Improved Society', 'Best Community Action Group' and 'Committee of the Year' and won a 'Highly Commended' award for being nominated across such as wide range of categories.
Student Emp Rep Job (30 points)
Last updated 07 June 2019, 15:43
Since September I have worked as a student Employability Representative for the University of Kent Careers and Employability Service. This role entails helping out at events, promoting the careers service to students and sitting in on team meetings. All of these have advanced my understanding of how the department works, as well as gaining skills in communication both with team members and students. My confidence has grown through speaking to large numbers at events such as the JobShop Job Fair, encouraging students to use the services offered, as well as signposting them towards help and advice. Working at the careers fair was an opportunity to interact with employers, making sure their needs were met and helping where necessary. I was also able to give input on the recent promotional video filmed for the CES, giving my point of view both as a student and as someone that has taken feedback from my peers on how they view the careers service.
Another responsibility from this job is managing the CES blog. I am in charge of coordinating and posting the B-KEW blogs, which students write after receiving the bursary to support their work experience. I also write my own posts, which give me the chance to demonstrate my literary skills on topics that I believe would help students e.g. interview tips in advance of the Employability Points interview season. You can find the blog here.
I have also run a project of my own, creating a booklet that can be used as a tool by the careers service and kent union to point students in the direction of volunteering opportunities that would be best for them. The booklet categorises volunteering by Graduate Attributes/Grad Goals, to enable students to pick opportunities that can help fill gaps in their CV, or choose which skills they would like to develop. This is something I hope to continue in my second year as an Emp Rep, as I have faced challenges in liaising with Kent Union and finding the contact details to enable this project due to new GDPR rules.
LinkedIn Live Event - 20 Points
Last updated 07 June 2019, 15:35
In January I attended a LinkedIn Live event, giving me the skills to set up a account and start networking. You can read my Emp Rep account of the event here.
Public Speaker Programme - 20 Points
Last updated 07 June 2019, 16:06
Over the year I have attended the School of Politics Public Speaker programme, hosting monthly talks from those in the industry. I have attended talks by:
- the editor of the NewStatesman
- Eric Kaufman (writer of WhiteShift)
- Johnathan Millins
- Centre for Critical Thought: Lenin and the Russian Revolution
Profile information
- First name: G.A.
- Last name: Couch
- Email address: gac34@kent.ac.uk
My EPS journey in pictures (Display images uploaded directly to MyFolio as thumbnails or a slideshow (optional)
Bronze, Silver & Gold KSCV Awards - 75 Points
I have achieved the majority of my volunteering hours through my roles as President of the Kent Uni Boob Team (an affiliate of the breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel!) and as Performance Secretary of Kent Sing. I have had many opportunities through these including:
UBT:
- freshers & refreshers fair
- collaboration of the KU This Kent Girl Can campaign
- raised £1350 over the year
- got 475 students signed up to the free boob check text reminder service
Kent Sing:
- coordinated performances the Children in Need charity showcase
- collaborated with KTV for their 24 hour live stream for Books2Africa
- competed at the National Showchoir Competition
- organised our first society showcase raising £400 for YouCan Youth Cancer Support
Work Experience with Rosie Duffield MP - 20 Points
I completed a weeks work experience in the constituency office of Rosie Duffield, the MP for Canterbury, Whitstable and the Villages. This entailed admin roles on the constituency email account, curating emails using the Labour Party policy database. This gave an insight into some of the generic emails MPs receive, the current issues, and what can be done. It was fascinating to be involved in conversations of the team, including analysing Theresa May's original Brexit deal that was announced whilst I was there. I also conducted other office tasks, including meeting and greeting members of the public who were attending meetings with Rosie, making tea & coffee etc - all tasks that are easy but good to have experience in an official capacity. At the end of the week, I also accompanied Rosie to visit a Hepatitis testing van set up outside the homeless shelter in Canterbury. Rosie is heavily involved in their work, and the networking was important as well as interesting. It really renewed my passion to be involved in politics and helping change peoples lives.
You Can Youth Cancer Support Work Experience - EP Reward
From my first year collecting Employability Points I received 2 weeks of work experience with You Can Youth Cancer Support. I assisted with:
- admin
- research to support their annual review
- helping set up their wellbeing weekend
- attending a local networking event
- helping out on a stall to promote the charity at Sandwich business park
- representing the charity at the Malling 10K
Overall it gave me a great understanding of how a small charity works, e.g. what is successful and where there are limitations. I made some great contacts within the charity, and have continued to support them as the charity of choice of Kent Sing.
Sevenoaks Council Internship - EP Reward 2019
To be completed Summer 2019