News from the OU Careers Advisory Service

Do you have a bright idea?

Learn the essential skills to
Start Your Own Business

Led by experienced entrepreneurs, this 1-day intensive course could help you confidently turn your business idea into a reality.

You will:

• learn how to refine your business idea into a robust and coherent business proposition
• learn how the numbers work, through building your key financial forecasts
• learn how to put together a business plan
• meet like-minded aspiring business owners
• have the opportunity to pitch to Bright Ideas Trust for finance

Price: £99
Early bird discount: £79 before 10th Feb

Register now by emailing: bizbox@brightideastrust.com or visit the Bright Ideas Trust website

Teacher Training Scholarships awarded by the Institute of Physics (IOP) 

100 scholarships are available for graduates with a 2:1 or first class degree who can demonstrate exceptional physics subject knowledge and an outstanding potential to teach.

Worth £20,000, each scholarship will enable those doing a PGCE in Physics or Physics with Maths in England in 2012-13 to join a prestigious programme that offers a package of support and benefits.

The application process begins with submitting an online application that includes a physics test, followed by an assessment day for shortlisted candidates.  Application deadlines and assessment days are set monthly to manage demand, with the next deadline being Monday 5th March 2012.

Full eligibility information, together with FAQs can be found here 

The BBC’s Production Talent Pool is one of the main fast track entry routes into production based roles across TV, radio and online and is open to applications from 6th February 2012.

Over 100 short term, entry level positions across the BBC are being offered, so those with a passion for TV and radio are encouraged to apply.  For full details and how to apply click here.

Society of Biology Life Sciences Careers Conference 2012

University of Westminster
(Cavendish Campus)

11:30 - 17:30

Thursday 1st March 2012

Explore your career options in research, industry, science policy and more…

• Presentations

• Meet the experts

• Exhibition

• CV workshop

• Careers advice

• Lunch and refreshments

Registration for the conference is £10 per person, however, members of the Society of Biology will receive a £10 refund for their ticket price at the end of the event.

Register online

The Network FREE TV skills training is the most prestigious and comprehensive introduction to TV in the UK, and will be held in Edinburgh on 22nd - 25th August 2012.

This could be the first step to start your career in TV - and no qualifications needed!

Applications open on 13th February 2012.

EmployAbility is the not-for-profit organisation dedicated to assisting disabled students and graduates in the transition from education to employment, offering free support, guidance and advice throughout the recruitment process and beyond.

They have a range of competitively paid internships and graduate programmes with leading graduate employers:

The National Audit Office EmployAbility Summer Internship
in London and Newcastle
Closing date: 5th Feb

Google EmployAbility Online Media Associate Summer Internship 2012, Multiple Languages
in Dublin, Ireland
Closing date: 19th Feb

Wednesday 15 February 2012
1 pm - 6 pm in the RDS in Dublin

Ireland’s biggest national postgraduate study fair where you can get all your questions about further study answered at one FREE event.

• Organised by careers services so you are guaranteed expert and impartial advice
• Speak to course providers from all the Irish Universities and ITs plus major providers from the UK and further afield
• Series of specialist careers seminars to give you the edge when considering your further study or career opportunities
• Student debt will be a key consideration in postgrad course decisions. Visit our unique Funding Pavilion for advice and guidance.

Register for free admission and find out more here.

‘Doing Careers Differently‘ is a guide to help you make a success of your career while living with a disability or health condition.  It is produced by Radar (The Royal Association for Disability Rights) and is useful for

• those beginning to think about a career
• those re-thinking their career because they have acquired a health condition or impairment
• those simply wondering what’s next?

A wealth of useful resources and links are provided, dealing with external sources of help with education and training, practical issues around career development and disability and how to discuss disability at work.  There are also inspirational stories from people from a range of backgrounds with lived experience of disability or health conditions speaking about their experiences and what they have learned. 

The OU Careers Advisory Service is running a careers Quick Queries Forum from Monday 16th January to Friday 23rd March 2012 to support OU students planning your next career steps.

The forum will be moderated each week by two careers advisers who will provide some initial advice to help you with any careers related questions. 

Typical questions last year included:

• What can I do with this degree/certificate/diploma?
• What subject/qualifications do I need for a career in ….?
• How can I find work experience?
• Questions about job applications, CVs etc.

As we cannot anticipate demand, please bear with us if the forum is busy.  It will be open until the end of March so there should be plenty of time to get your questions answered.  After it ends, the forum will be available in read-only format for a year so you can still access the advice given.

We hope you enjoy using the forum and look forward to receiving your queries.

Young Million (an initiative of the international leadership development organisation Common Purpose) is a campaign to help 18-25 year olds develop the skills and confidence to get into employment.

A free two-day Young Million workshop will be held

2nd and 7th February (must attend both days)
Discovery House, 28 - 42 Banner St, London EC1Y 8QF

to help you develop new skills, consider what you can offer, learn to sell yourself and give you experience of working environments.  It’s also about connecting you with your peers and people in your local area who have expertise, work experience or even jobs to offer.

Visit the Young Million website for more details, to register, or for dates of other workshops.