Work experience is a practical and effective use of time that can help you develop future abilities and completing it outside of your academia can really help you branch out. I did a summer placement with the British Red Cross (BRC) and learned a lot from all aspects of the process.

The application process was rigorous. I’m not sure how many candidates there were at the start, but I know that there were only 16 placements.

In the initial application process, you send in a CV and why you would like to be involved. This was followed up with a phone call to discuss whether you are what they are looking for.

30 people were then invites to ‘Assessment Day’ where we took part in various activities:

1. In groups – team building and strategy challenges.
2. Pitch in 2 groups why we were a good candidate and what we would be interested in doing.
3. Fill in an application form with some more general interview questions.

Pre-placement, I had an in-person interview where they went through the expectations and sort of contract and gave me some indications of what I might be doing.

Working in the British Red Cross gave me a good example of what it was like to work in a large international company in London. I worked normal work hours, having to commute on the busy London Underground, and dress in smart casual attire. I had scheduled breaks and lunch and even got my costs subsidised.

As part of my placement in the IT Networking & Telephony department, I got to shadow a Business Continuity Coordinator. I was only there for a week, but I felt part of the team, getting to talk to members of the team, other departments and talking to some clients, and giving them my input. I was able to earn more about the BRC, and it provided me with some tasks where I learnt to talk with a client and prepare distribution of information in leaflets and training courses

The application process helped me to gain a lot of confidence, in putting forward my cv for the placement and successfully pitching myself when I thought everybody seemed more experienced and qualified than me.

My role helped me to get an insight to working in a London desk job, and how to work with set tasks and network with other people, such as clients and other young people.

The youth conference was a great opportunity to connect with other young volunteers, talk to other companies about their opportunities for us, and find out about more opportunities for us in the BRC. Unfortunately, due to Covid, the second group weren’t able to attend, but there are many other general volunteer events that carried on even during Covid that I still hear about to this day.

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Placements explained