Catching up with our UGOTY runner up, Andrew Wilson

Name: Andrew Wilson

University: Glasgow Caledonian University

Course: Environmental Management

Award: Low Carbon Energy

Being in my final year of my degree, I was constantly looking for opportunities to expand my personal development and boost my CV. So when I received an email from TARGETjobs about the UK Low Carbon Energy Undergraduate of the Year, it really captured my interest.

The process itself was testing to say the least, made even more difficult by the prospect of upcoming exams and coursework deadlines. However, after completing the various stages of the assessment including four online tests designed by SHL and a competency based interview with EDF Energy, I was happy to learn that I had made the final 10 for my category.

The final 10 were invited to the awards ceremony in Canary Wharf, London to hear who had won. This was a fantastic experience as I got to network with students, employers and professionals from across the country and hear of the fantastic things that they were doing. After an excellent 3 course meal, the winners were announced. Although I didn’t win, I am extremely proud to have got so far and to have had the opportunity to represent Glasgow Caledonian University as their sole finalist. When I entered I had no idea how far I would get, so to be a runner up in such a prestigious competition far surpassed my expectations.

After this, everything was a win-win. Not only had I gained experience by going through a challenging application process against some of the brightest undergraduates in the country, but I had something on my CV which intrigued many employers.

It is true that after the Undergraduate of the Year Awards I have been very busy, with numerous opportunities presenting themselves to me. Since mid-May I have been completing a United Nations Environment Programme internship with the Environmental Management Group and Sustainable United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. One of my main responsibilities in this role is to help deliver the climate neutral strategy, which this year needs to be completed a few months earlier in December to present before COP21 in Paris. The experience I have gained from the Undergraduate of the Year process without a doubt helped me to get through a tricky interview and ultimately secure this position.

I have also recently been offered a role with SPACE Canada as their CDF Coordinator in their upcoming space-based solar power project. Although I cannot reveal too much details about the project at this point in time, I can say that it concerns gathering solar power in space and beaming it back down to earth through microwave beams as a form of renewable energy. I have also been accepted to do a PhD in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Strathclyde directly relating to my research in this. Again, I feel largely indebted to the Undergraduate of the Year process for giving me the confidence and skills necessary to achieve this.

I would strongly recommend applying for the Undergraduate of the Year Awards. Even now, I still feel a huge sense of accomplishment. When first applying, I didn’t think I stood much of a chance, but there I was in the middle of Canary Wharf and all because I took a couple of hours out of my day to apply for the award.

To anyone thinking of applying, what have you got to lose? In the worst case you end up with nothing less than you had before. And you might just surprise yourself! 

Apply for the 2016 Undergraduate of the Year awards now!

Olympic Fever

Nikki, our marketing temp, is back with her last blog. This week she is talking about her feeling of the Olympics. (Hope everyone is enjoying them).

My third week at TARGETjobs was made much better by the fact that we were finally graced with some nice weather, which has been ideal for enjoying the sun in the lovely park at lunchtime. The Olympics has begun and of course this means the sun has decided it’s given us our week allowance of hot weather and disappeared. Friday when it all kicked off everyone had the Olympic bug, from an early morning unnamed popular radio show making people honk their horns all round the UK to Big Ben chiming away in London. 

When it comes to the games I think people fall into one of two categories its very much like marmite, you’ve either got those little GB flags on your car wing mirrors embracing every second or you are trying to get a last minute flight far far away to somewhere that’s hot for longer than one week a year. Personally being an avid sports fan everyday of the year I am quite the enthusiast of this spectacular event, (although not to the extent of publicly showing it on my car) and intend on watching as much as possible.

Britain obviously has very big shoes to fill when it comes to the previous event being held in Beijing with immaculate precision and wonder. But I feel so far the UK has done us proud, the opening ceremony certainly did not fail to impress, directed by Danny Boyle, it was certainly a miraculous and pertinent show. 

A few people will always exaggerate the mistakes that have been made, but in such a huge event as this a few teething problems are to be expected. First the security company failing to provide enough staff, but then immediately there was a contingency plan in place. And secondly in the women’s football, granted the error with the flags couldn’t have possibly happened to a worse country but if South Korea can forgive and forget surely we shouldn’t dwell on it. The torch relay however has been orchestrated with exceptional control and unprecedented support and success. It was, I am sure for most of us that lined the streets to watch it briefly bob past, something of an anticlimax, done purely to say in years to come that you did it but nonetheless it was something that is part of the history that is currently being made here in the UK.

It is obviously much easier for someone like me situated out in the countryside to enjoy the Olympics from the comfort of my own home and my traffic free country lanes. Sympathy does go out for the few Londoners, such as electricians who have no choice but to add at least an extra hour on their journey to get to work. I imagine they are the people trying to get out of London during these two weeks when it’s expecting an extra 1 million visitors each day. But all in all I think there is only one way of dealing with the negatives of the Olympics and that is to simply just embrace it and enjoy all of the positives.

If you want to make the most of the summer, whilst taking a break from all the Olympic watching, why not start reading up on how to write applications and best prepare your CV, for the fast approaching openings for graduate schemes. 

If however, you are interviewing this summer make sure you brush up on your interview techniques with our handy tips and advice.