Questions
What would you say to someone considering the Skills Bootcamp?
If the Bootcamp is in a subject you are interested in, a Skill Bootcamp is an excellent way to learn a lot very quickly without having to commit to a much longer course, and the careers support is also excellent and very worthwhile for people looking to either change course in their career (like I did) or just beginning their career.
How was your experience of accessing Skills Bootcamp careers support?
The careers support is excellent – my Gradcore career coach in particular has been excellent at providing feedback on documents before I submit them as part of an application. University of Birmingham Careers Network has given some excellent insights into jobs and internships in the West Midlands area, and further afield.
What are some of the best things about your Skills Bootcamp experience or your biggest achievements?
Just completing the Bootcamp, and diving into something so completely new to me then working with that subject for two intense weeks of on-site sessions was an achievement. Going from taking the first steps using new software through to creating my own workflows using that software and using other related tools to gather and sort, chart and present data was an efficient journey.
Please provide details of any employers in the relevant field who have invited you for an interview after completing the Skills Bootcamp.
I haven’t progressed to interview in most cases but have been interviewed by Unseen Group. I’ve had calls with South Staffordshire College, Audible UK, Queenz Sounds, and BBC Studios.
Tell us about yourself and your journey to studying a Skills Bootcamp.
I had just finished a five year project (extended slightly by Covid-19 lockdowns) and wasn’t sure what to do next. I took on some freelance work and had just completed that when I saw the Bootcamp advertised. I applied hoping that I could take skills that I already had, and add working with data which I’d seen the benefits of being able to take data and use it to tell an engaging story with stakeholders and the general public. Having data is useful, but being able to tell a story with it can explain why that data is important to a wider audience.
Why did you choose to study a Skills Bootcamp at the University of Birmingham?
I had finished at my previous role a few months before and was considering a career pivot to something new. The Skills Bootcamp felt like it would add to my existing skillsets enabling me to apply for a wider variety of roles, and the career support was a welcome addition to help identify suitable roles as well as how to best present myself on job applications.