You’re now a Senior Project Analyst in the Digital IT Team at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, but your path to get there was a really interesting one – can you talk us through that progression journey and the jobs you had?
It was quite the journey for me until I settled in the NHS. I’ve been working for Joblink throughout my entire stay in the University of Leeds. When I first arrived I started looking for some jobs and was recommended to look into Joblink. It turned out to be the Union’s own job provider, supporting many students.
In my first year I was actively working every weekend and Joblink always managed to provide various opportunities. What was really valuable is the fact that I was able to work for different companies and gain working experience, which helped me improve my work ethic significantly. It was not about the type of job I did, but the value it provided as a different type of experience.
I joined the NHS in my second year as an intern. The experience and knowledge from my previous jobs helped me thrive in my role. My hard work and dedication were recognised by the NHS, as well, and I was awarded with their GR8X Award.
What was your experience of working through Joblink as a student? Was it an easy process, and how did your roles fit around the student lifestyle?
Joblink provides a great opportunity for students to support themselves financially during their studies in the University of Leeds. It was really convenient for me to work with them since their main aim has always been to support you and have a good understanding of the fact that studies come first.
Their flexibility in terms of jobs was the main factor for me to be able to work along with my studies. Usually, having a job and studying is a really difficult thing to do but Joblink’s experience with handling students helped me improve my time management skills, thus I was able to do both successfully and graduated with a first class degree.
What does your graduate job involve now, and how did the roles you secured through Joblink prepare you for that?
My graduate role’s title is Senior Project Analyst and I am mainly responsible for managing the EHR eForms Development Team and the internship programme across the DIT. I am also co-managing the releases and co-managing the live issues raised within the Trust’s system PPM+.
My graduate job is quite different from what I used to do as an intern but the knowledge I gained during the 2 years as an intern have helped me adapt and progress quickly. The role is really broad and allows me the opportunity to constantly learn new skills and improve myself.
The roles I’ve secured through Joblink had a great influence on my work ethic. I’ve learned how to work within a team and behave in a professional manner. The wide range of opportunities Joblink provides allowed me to pick up a great amount of skills in different sectors which in itself also improved my flexibility and adaptability .
It’s clear that the experiences you had with Joblink and the Trust – alongside your own talent and hard work – have enabled you to make impressive career progress since you graduated in September 2021. Would you recommend working through Joblink to current Leeds students and why, and do you have any advice for them?
Working through Joblink is a great opportunity for students to provide for themselves while studying. The main advantage of Joblink is the fact that you are not tied to a contract meaning that you are fully flexible with your time. What that means for students is for the weeks where they have a lot of coursework they can just take the time to complete them and only work in their free time. The main idea of Joblink is to provide the possibility of financial support for students without affecting their academic performance.
Considering the variety of roles Joblink provides on a weekly basis, students can always add new skills to their CVs making them more attractive to employers when applying for graduate jobs. There is not only the financial but also the experience you gain along the way.
Last but not least, one of the main goals for students when joining a university is networking and creating connections with various peer students. Working through Joblink is a great chance to do so since there are many people working through them. Building connections is much easier when you are all put to the same task. I’ve met great people and built great friendships that still continue after my graduation.
Interested in the NHS internship scheme?
Since 2018, 25 students have embarked on the bespoke scheme designed to provide interns with experience on projects which help clinicians care for patients and directly improve ways of working.
If you’re interested in the scheme, or other Joblink opportunities, contact the Joblink team at Leeds University Union or visit the website.
