Embedded Files
BA Students: Graduate schemes for 2025 starters are open! Whether you’re thinking about a graduate role, or masters study after your UG degree, now is the time to start looking!
MPlan Students: If you don’t have any work experience, now is the time to be gaining some, as well as thinking about what options interest you!
1.) Career Planning Goals for Level 2&3
By the end of third year, you could potentially have secured an internship or a placement. These are typically used to see if a certain career you had in mind is what you want to do when you graduate. A lot of work must be done before this to put you in the best possible place to secure a role. You may want to dedicate slightly more time to career planning in second year, building on the activities from first year (e.g. attending employer events, careers fairs, keeping up to date with the newsletter etc).
Think about whether a placement year is something you’re interested in? Lots of large schemes are now closed, but smaller companies/local authorities might be advertising before Easter, or approaching companies directly.
You may be fully comfortable with university life now and may want to look at securing a part-time role (if you haven’t already). You may want to secure a role that aligns with your career ambitions but this isn’t a requirement – if you’re gaining transferrable skills and dealing with responsibilities in a role that you can articulate to employers, then the majority of part-time roles can be beneficial.
2.) Explore Career Ideas
Researching the job market and career pathways that interest you and narrowing down your options
Check the weekly Employability Newsletter - what jobs interest you? What are the requirements?
Where have USP alumni gone on to work? LinkedIn is a valuable tool for this
Speak with alumni and professionals through eMentoring, Careers Fairs, USP/RTPI/University events
Compile a shortlist and consider the advantages and disadvantages of your options
This is the perfect time to consider work placements, internships or shadowing (have a look back over the slides from the placement session in October) to help you with gaining an insight into what each role on your shortlist entails
If you’ve had some work experience during your studies, think back to this - what roles did you enjoy and why? Which parts didn’t you enjoy so much?
Career planning and advice
What’s it like to be a surveyor/planner/GIS analyst?
What are the main entry routes?
Inside information
Company and sector (ie ‘commercial awareness’)
Company culture and values
Opportunities
Not all opportunities are advertised
Increases your visibility
Makes you memorable
More on why networking is important on this page linked here.
Page updated
Report abuse