Michelle Anderson

Professional Development Module
BA Criminology, 2022

Tell us about your experience on the Professional Development Module.

Hi, my name is Michelle Anderson and I’m a student at the University of Birmingham studying Criminology and this is my video showing my experience on the Professional Development Module. I chose this module because it offers the opportunity for professional development in an area related to my degree. This is beneficial for when I graduate as I already feel like this module has closed that gap between academic and professional experience. I strongly advise my future fellow students to enrol on this program because it is a module like no other. It offers practical experience in your desired field of work, which is a rare and unique opportunity to develop employability skills with the guidance of a great module team. 

I thought securing a placement would be difficult considering time management of balancing university studies and attending the placement, but because I attended the placement during the summer, I was able to overcome this challenge and manage my time so that I could commit 100% to the placement. As it was during COVID, the NHS needed the extra support so this unique experience during the pandemic has helped close that gap between my studies and post-graduation life as this was a challenging time considering the NHS were under considerable pressure. I was able to manage their workload. This has since benefited me when applying for postgraduate work, using my placement manager as a key reference on my CV. I now feel confident applying for jobs and further studies because of the way in which the placement has enhanced my CV and my practical employability skills in the workplace.

As I acquired the placement outside of the Careers Network which was fortunate, I would recommend future students applying through the Careers Network as it is a great service and many of their roles did appeal to me. However, I feel quite lucky to have secured an interesting and challenging role outside of the Careers Network, so I recommend students do whatever suits their career aspirations.

Overall, I advise you to enrol in the Professional Development Module and make use of the Careers Network and a great module team. My experience has made myself more employable, showing what a rare and great opportunity this really is. Really consider your career aspirations and secure a placement in your desired work setting, so you can get first-hand experience and place yourself ahead of your peers. Make note of your experiences during your placement as it will give you an in-depth reflection when completing your work-based project. This ensures you will get the most out of your work experience because it can have a big impact on how you pursue your career once you graduate. The feedback I’ve received from my reference on my placement has made me more employable because it's given me the career direction I needed. So to make your placement a success give it 100%, be punctual reliable, and committed, as this is the key to succeeding on the Professional Development Module.