Learning from the world of work

We caught up with students who enjoyed placements in the summer term to discover what they’ve learnt about the world of work

Pippa Bland – PLMR Healthcomms 

My week within the world of public affairs with PLMR has been extremely fascinating. I have learned about the public affairs, lobbying and PR sectors, how to navigate the challenges for clients, and what it all looks like in practice.

I am currently entering my final year at Ripon Grammar School, where I study English Literature, Classical Civilisations and French. I have always had a love for politics and policy, and have been thinking about what my career will look like when I leave university. This week has provided a wonderful opportunity to put some of my knowledge and skills to the test in the real world, as well as learning and absorbing as much as I could.

My week of work experience took place the week after the General Election – which saw a change of Government, and the biggest Labour electoral victory for a Generation.

One of my early tasks was monitoring Ministerial and other important political appointments to the new Government, providing biographies of key personnel, and sharing with clients – all of whom will be impacted by the result of the General Election, and the new incoming Government.

Although I was working in the PLMR Healthcomms team through the week – and had a focus on public affairs related to health and social care – I got the opportunity to meet with colleagues from across the company to learn more about the work of a public affairs and PR professional, including from the education team and others – all of whom have different ways of working, shifting priorities and varying client needs.

This week provided me with the opportunity to get to grips with the sort of work that the team are doing post-general election, often with tight deadlines and in line with client expectations. I joined a range of team calls where we planned strategy and activity for the week in reacting to the new Government, as well as joining some client calls, where we discussed how the change of Government would impact on them and their businesses.

The week was very busy, and I managed to fit in client work; supporting the team with research into the shape of critical care services within NHS Trusts; and meeting with people from across the sector, who provided me with an insight into some of the wider roles within the political space which have an impact on how policy is shaped – including Dr Simon Kaye from Reform Think Tank, and Dr Sean Phillips from Policy Exchange. The opportunity to connect with and discuss the work of think tanks and politics with such a knowledgeable figure was invaluable for me as I begin to figure out what my journey into politics might look like.

During my week, PLMR held an event with Michael Gove. Hearing insights on the election and on a wide range of policy challenges from someone who was until last week a Secretary of State, was incredibly interesting.

As I take my next steps in my education and prepare for university and beyond, I have lots of options to consider, including courses at university, further work experiences, and planning for a career. Meeting with a range of members of the PLMR team in person meant I could have open discussions about important tips that I can use when planning my career, for engaging with the political and policy landscape, working with clients and external stakeholders, and planning the next steps in my education and career.

Theo Kendrick – Acoustic Solutions, in-house technician

Theo, 17, says: “I was working for Acoustic Solutions doing events in the Speigeltent, a temporary venue that comes to Harrogate. I was the in-house technician for the week, doing sound for bands, jazz quartets, drag acts and Bhangra workshops to name a few.

“I learnt to plan ahead for upcoming events, liaise with all people involved in putting events together, as well as managing the long hours that the industry entails. For me, this has confirmed my desire for a career doing live event technology on all scales.

Owen Robinson - Jorvik Viking Centre, York

Owen, 17, from Dishforth, studying classics, psychology and German at A-level, says: "I worked at Jorvik Viking Centre, so that I could experience the commercial and educational aspects of archaeology and handling and cataloguing artefacts."

He hopes to study classics at university, then find a career in conservation or archaeology: "I learned a lot about working with the public and the process of documenting findings and I think I developed good speaking skills and time management."

Daniel McClean, Leeds Bradford Airport

Daniel, 17, who aims to become a pilot and is studying maths, economics and politics at A-level, said:

“I completed a week of work experience at Leeds Bradford Airport. I heard about this programme through a visit by the airport’s CEO to my former school, and I chose to pursue it because I was interested in pursuing a career in aviation, probably as a commercial pilot.

“The programme was tailored to give insights into all aspects of airport work. It was difficult to get photos because of security requirements but I do have some photos (attached below) of when I did work with the fire department which should be acceptable to put in the newsletter. Day one was in air traffic control - as a qualified glider pilot, it was fascinating to get an insight into what our colleagues in air traffic control see and do when we contact them. We then moved to look at customer services on day two, and helped with various passenger concerns, including helping load passengers with mobility restrictions onto their aircraft. On Wednesday we helped out with runway and taxiway inspections with the Airside Operations team before moving to view the fire department. Thursday saw us helping out at the engineering department, viewing their operations working with ground lighting, terminal engineering and air traffic data systems. We finished on Friday with a day working with the Airport Duty Managers, serving as the airports front line to help with customer concerns, manage gate allocation, arrival and departure infrastructure and anything else that came our way.

“The week was a great insight into not just how an airfield works, but also how a large business works. We saw that not only is the airfield a complex operation, with advanced engineering and complex passenger experience systems at work, it is also a collection of smaller teams working together for a common goal. By working with the different teams, it was clear the dedication that everyone on site had both for their individual role, but also for the airport as a whole. I think the highlight was my day with airside operations helping scare birds off the airfield, but also standing at the backtrack holding point beside the runway and watching aircraft land from the closest possible range!

“The experience was illuminating as it was my first experience with a major international airport. I already knew a lot about the role of a pilot or an air traffic controller, for instance, but my time at the airport showed me the varied and important role of the ground-based staff at airports around the world. It has definitely made me think about the aviation industry more as a varied and complex industry.”

Abanoub Girgis – SMR Architects

The 15-year-old, who plans to study architecture or civil engineering at university, enjoyed his placement in Harrogate.

“I chose architecture becasue it is a dream to become an architect or to be a civil engineer.

“My role was to be like an architect but to design and to create my dream house on Auto CAD (2D App) and 3D apps to make it look like it is in reality.

“I learnt from experience design skills and knowledge - knowledge of building and construction, to be thorough and pay attention to detail, thinking and reasoning skills.

“The highlights of my week were that the manager, Sara Moody, was able to make me see what the actual architects in reality design and make and pictures of buildings they have created which have been built.

“It has definitely informed my career choice.”