By Clemvio Hodge, BA Business Management
Many students come to university unsure of what they would like to do after they graduate. I’m a little different, in that I came knowing what I would like to do and the skills I needed to acquire in order to accomplish my goals. However, many of the skills I have sought to obtain are essential, no matter where life takes you, so I thought I’d share exactly the opportunities for skills development I have found through university.
Workshops | Learn anything that interests you
Always keep an eye on your university email so that you do not miss some of the amazing workshops available – especially if they are HEAR accredited. HEAR is your Higher Education Achievement Record which keeps track of your skills development and will also be shown on your university transcript after you graduate.
One of the most impactful workshops that I attended was an 8-week media course with the Corporate Information and Computing Services (CICS) at through the university. There I learned about and developed a passion for videography and photography, and I have been able to loan equipment and use editing software for free at any time during my course. It also looks really good on my HEAR and resume! Another workshop that I attended, and would definitely recommend, was social media training. This was done through the Employability Hub in the Management School, and provided excellent tips on how to use social media to build a professional network.
Online Tutorials via Lynda.com | Develop skills in software and app usage
Your University of Sheffield log-in credentials give you access to Lynda.com (which you would have otherwise had to pay to access). Through short and easy to follow video tutorials, you can learn app development, use accounting software, or simply find out how to use Excel better – the possibilities are endless. It’s definitely worth signing in and seeing what you can learn whilst you have free membership through uni.
I utilised it to further my knowledge in using Premiere Pro for video editing, Photoshop for photos and graphics, Indesign for publication creation, and tutorials on developing a website.
Competitions and Networking Opportunities | Meet people and visit other places
I would advise any student to attempt the University Business Challenge through the University of Sheffield Enterprise (USE). The objective of the challenge is that a team of students would serve as directors for a simulated company and make relevant decisions over the course of several weeks. The success of the business in terms of profits and other metrics would then be compared among over 300 teams from various universities in the UK and, if you rank in the top 10, you get to travel to compete in the finals.
My team was able to make the top 10 and was afforded the opportunity to visit the IBM Client Centre in London. We got to network with other students, interns and managers at IBM and were able to tour the city.
Another great networking opportunity is City Connections. I was lucky enough to return to London and visited four of the top companies there – one being Ernest & Young. We also had the chance to network with UoS Alumni and gained valuable insight into the working world.
From the list of opportunities I have undertaken, I’m sure you can pinpoint my interests – media and business. You can go further and develop skills through sports clubs, employment skills sessions at the Employability Hub, in engineering via iForge… the list is endless!