I know I know, another two weeks since I updated last time, now you can probably imagine how tight and tough second year could have be😅Projects over projects every week along with studies and society, I’m literally a spinning machine throughout the first month of uni. I still remember the first month in my first year was so chill and fun, what a comparison. Apart from the modules with the set deadline assignments, there is one thing that we all need to prepare in advanced over our second year, which is applying for placements! In the last article I have spoiled the career fair, which is one of the resources that students can use to prepare their placement. Today, I will be introduce more detailed and specific related to the preparation of our placement year.
拍謝～～～我知道我又放鳥晚了兩個禮拜才更新文張了，現在應該感受的到上了二年級之後有多忙了吧😅 每個禮拜做完一個報告又有另外一個等著你交，還要複習學科跟規劃社團活動，才開學一個月我已經忙到歪頭了。相較之下我大一真的都在魯拉拉，第一個月都在開心的交朋友、到處晃。除了各個必修的科目和每項設好deadline的報告之外，還有一件事是大部分的大二學生都要整整準備一年的事，那就是申請實習！我在上一篇文章有稍微提到學校舉辦的就業博覽會，這也是其中一個學校提供給所有學生有關習習年的資源之一。而今天我會介紹實習年相館的詳細內容給大家～
As for my course, we have a specific module called ‘Placement Preparation’, which is basically a lecture to build up anything related to placement. Including CV and cover letter writing skills and support, personal tutorial and examples. It could be a challenge for students like us to write a decent CV for the first time without any instruction, this module did build up my understanding and general structure of writing a CV. Apart from the whole two hours lecture every week, the lecturers are all very supportive when it comes to placement preparation. Personal tutoring or even emailing the CVs and cover letter for feedbacks is also one of the options.
以我的科系來說，學校有為實習專門開設一門課就叫做’Placement Preparation’，內容主要就是給予學生有關實習的一切建議。其中也包含了履歷和介紹信的寫作技巧、範例的研討跟個人指導。對於像我們一樣尚未進入職場的學生來說，一開始就要交出一份令人滿意的履歷並不是一件簡單的事，這門課的確可以建立一些關於履歷的寫作基礎還有一些應該注意的小眉角，我也對履歷大致的雛形有了更深一步的了解。除了每個禮拜兩個小時的課程之外，教授們也都會給我們一些實習準備的建議，像是一對一指導和透過郵件修改內容，這些都是學生們可以獲得的資源之一。
Field trip to NEP student open day
Besides the different arrangements between departments, the university also provide several resources to the general students on campus. The career fair is one of them, and it is hold regularly during the term time. The companies and organization are various every time that the students can have different contacts to the the fields they want to get in. The fairs are sometimes separated into different industries so students can be split and decided which to go. Expertises from the industry are also invited to hold speech to the students every week, which students can ask directly about the industry or anything they are curious in person.
依據各個系所對於科系安排的不同，有關於實習的課程多少會有出入。不過學校也提供了各種不同實習準備的資源給所有在校的學生。就業博覽會是其中一項，而且也在學期間在校內定期舉辦；每次參加的公司和組織的不太一樣，所以學生們可以有多樣的選擇他們有興趣的領域去諮詢。每個禮拜學校也會安排在特定領域就業的專家來校內分享他的工作經驗，學生也可以直接和講者提出疑問和交流，並更深入了解那個特定的領域。
In terms of online resources, Surrey has an office called Employability and Career Centre that students can just drop-in to ask for advice or even book an appointment online to talk to an expert. Most of all, they provide an online service which is ‘Surrey Pathfinder’, the website includes all the examples and advices either for writing a CV or cover letter, also lists out the current released placements for you to search.
Get the link here 👉: https://pathfinder.surrey.ac.uk/student/home.html
It is a very convenient and clearly layout platform which you can search for placement opportunities on one website by selecting the specific fields that you are aiming for. The Employability and Career Centre will also send an email listed out the potential placement that is related to your course that you might be interested along with the deadline as a reminder. I found it very useful when you need to deal with loads of things at the same time, it just make your life easier.
說到線上資源，Surrey有一個就業中心提供學生隨時去辦公室詢問實習的事宜，或是可以上網預約和專家面談的時間，這個網站就是’Surrey Pathfinder’。網站上面有不同的履歷和介紹信格式跟範例可以提供參考，還有實習機會的搜尋引擎。這是一個非常方便而且簡單的介面，你可以用不同的領域和產業來篩選各種你有興趣的實習機會。就業中心還會依據你的科系和你學習的領域列出相關的實習機會和申請截止日到你的信箱來提醒你，我覺得這對同時要忙很多報告跟學科的學生來說真的非常貼心實用。
Now you’ll probably find out that my course did’t just offer a placement position but I will need to find one myself which is very challenge and kinda scary. However, it is still very excited that I am on my way to step into the real professional industry! Coming into university did open up so many opportunities that I have never thought of myself going into before. Some of our deadline are approaching very fast that I really need to get myself together to get my CV done as soon and perfect as possible. It is a long journey that I will definitely get back to you guys for more further updates.
Some interesting pic from the amazing workshop
寫到現在不少人應該有發現，我們系上沒有提供實習職缺給我們，而是要自己一間間研究跟申請，其實真的還蠻有挑戰性跟恐怖的。不過同時我也很期待我的實習年就竟會去哪裡，還有真正進入專業的產業。上了大學之後真的為我開啟了很多我之前想也沒想過的工作機會和技能，由於各大公司的實習申請截止日都很接近，我現在真的要督促自己趕快完成我的履歷了。這也是一段說長不常說短不短的過程，有任何消息我也會上來跟大家分享的～
After the deep discussion on placement year, just wanna share some pics from the Bon fire night on last Saturday! I’ll see ya’ll soon!
Bon fire night with the Taiwanese Committee members!
寫完一長串正經的實習介紹文，最後來分享一下上禮拜六一年一度的煙火節照片給大家，那我們下次見囉！
Mandy xx
