Our projects
Some of our projects are open to any students in the faculty, others are offered to specific groups of students, for example if funded by alumni gifts. This list gives some examples of our main projects:
- Employability as part of your course
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We work with your department to embed skills/learning into courses. Our team works across the Faculty and with stakeholders to develop a curriculum that enhances skills, attributes and abilities to secure the outcomes you seek and manage your onward careers with confidence. We help to align programme and curriculum developments with the changing employment landscape.
- Workplace Insights - Easter Internship programme
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Our short-term Internship programme enabling our students to make a real contribution to a business, charity or public sector organisation. On Workplace Insights (WI), students work on a project submitted by a partner organisation - one of our trusted and respected student employers - over the course of two weeks to gain work experience. Students will complete the project during the Easter vacation period, supported by a bursary payment paid by the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Students- Applications are open now! Apply here and find out more information here.
Organisations- Click here to see some examples of projects from last year. Click here for further information for partner organisations.
- City Connections - Business and networking visit to London
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London City Connections is an event designed to support students from under-represented backgrounds to develop their networking and communication skills, commercial awareness and enhance their career prospects. The project provides students with the opportunity to build connections with alumni of the University of Sheffield who have reached senior positions in major organisations, and who generously give their time to support the project. Students taking part gain an insight into a wide range of career sectors and hear first-hand from alumni how they have got to where they are today. Click here for details of previous visits.
London City Connections will be running in 2023 and further information for students can be found here.
Applications are open now! Apply here
- Third Sector Connections - Meet organisations from the Charity sector
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Meet and hear from a range of professionals working in the third sector (including charities and non-government organisations). Gain real-world insight, start your network of people working in the third sector and get to know where your Social Sciences degree from the University of Sheffield can take you.
If you’re interested in a career involving making a real social change, helping others and developing your community, this event is for you.
More information on applying for this event will be released in due course
- Meet the Professional' Speed Networking Events
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Meet a range of professionals (including Sheffield University Alumni) at our informal events to find out more about careers in a particular sector. Examples planned for this year include Working with Children and Young People (1st December) and Careers in International Development (Semester 2).
1. Working with Children and Young People: Local professionals, including University of Sheffield alumni, from a range of careers in the Children and Young people sector came on Thursday 1st December to offer their experiences and share knowledge of how to get into the sector.
It was an informal opportunity to explore job roles including:
- Speech Therapy
- Education Policy
- School roles (including Teaching, Mental Health Support)
- Community NHS services including SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)
Professionals from organisations such as Department of Education, Kooth, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, and The Muddy Puddle Teacher attended and over 40 students benefitted from this opportunity.
It was great to meet professionals in careers that I hadn't even thought of before, it really improved my understanding of what opportunities are available post-university.
Chloe Bowers
Second year Educations student
2. International Development: Are you interested in working with international organisations who support communities to improve their lives?
Virtual event on Zoom
Thursday 16 February, 5.00-6.30pm
Open for first and second year students in the Faculty of Social Science
What is International Development?
This career term is very broad and open to interpretation- you don’t need to have a full understanding to attend! Professionals attending this event currently work in or have significant experience in organisations whose main goal is to support communities to improve their lives. This could include government departments involved in overseas links, international NGOs, charities of all sizes, and roles that could be based anywhere in the world!
Sign up here
- Business and Industry Challenge days
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An opportunity to work with a business to develop your skills and understanding of a particular sector through team challenges and 'taster' workshops. Examples planned for this year include 'Marketing' Semester 1, 'Tech careers for non-tech students' (Early Semester 2) and 'Leadership and Project Management' (Summer 2023)
Policy Industry Challenge 5th December 2022- The Faculty of Social Sciences hosted a Policy Challenge Day with Sheffield's own Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
Students had practical experience of real-world policy decision-making and insight into careers across a range of Government departments including Education, Health, and Justice.
The challenge involved students working in small groups while representing Government departments and the brief was that they had to bid to win funding from the "Chancellor". groups were encouraged to agree cross-departmental bids and their proposals were presented to the "Chancellor" who allocated funding to the winning bids.
When a student was asked about the highlight of the event:
Collaborating with individuals from different backgrounds to collectively decide and evaluate effective policy decisions and their impact on the specific department and also wide reaching impact on the lives of ordinary individuals.
Sana Khan
A first year Economics student
Marketing Industry Challenge with Pricecheck 14th February 2023
Pricecheck are a global wholesaler and distributor and are located locally here in Sheffield! They work closely with many recognisable brands such as L’Oreal, Adidas, and Disney.
Marketing is much much more than advertisement and you may already have the transferable skills needed in this industry such as creativity and problem solving! Most marketing roles are available for students from any discipline.
14 February 10:30am-14:30pm on Campus at the Interdisciplinary Centre of the Social Sciences.
No prior knowledge of marketing or Pricecheck needed - just an interest in learning more, and a willingness to take part in group discussions. The challenge will simulate a process that Pricecheck go through when working with a brand to launch their products in different countries
Tech Careers for non-Tech students Industry Challenge 22nd February 2023
An Industry Challenge day for students who are not on a Tech course and may not realise the Tech industry is an option. Local tech company Eyup and Tech Nation will be delivering this event.
The UK Tech sector is looking for bright, creative and knowledgeable students like you to support the growth of its innovative companies, whether that’s a small start up or a tech giant.
Wednesday 22nd February 12:30-17:00, on Campus in 38 Mappin Street
Gain practical experience in Tech from local organisations:
- Create a basic game
- Understand how tech is used in product development
- Find out about the wide range of roles and careers that are available in Tech
- Events for Law Students
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The Susan Crosbie Leaders in Law Programme is part of a gift by Mark Crosbie, made in memory of his sister Susan Crosbie. The programme aims to support law students and students from other disciplines who are interested in a career in Law and support students from under-represented backgrounds. The main elements of the employability programme involve Coach Café and The Firm.
Coach Café: A University wide online networking series for students to meet successful Alumni and Professionals. During the event you'll be randomly matched with four different Coaches and chat to them with a small group of other students and an informal networking session will follow.
Coach Café - Law - Tuesday 25th October 2022, 5.15pm - 7.15pm
Coach Café - Females in Law - Thursday 2nd March, 5.15pm - 7.15pm- Register your interest here
The Firm- an in person series with business visits to leading Law Firms in the North. Students will have the chance to have a tour of the firms offices, work on case studies, attend Q&A Panels with recent graduates and attend Professional Networking Sessions with members of each firm.
- Other work experience opportunities within the faculty
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In December Elina Thompson came to give out unique and crucial advice to students in their final year and are applying for graduate roles or schemes. Elina graduated in 2016 from The University of Sheffield in BA Business Management and currently works for Lloyds Banking Group in Sheffield.
Elina has had experience in various roles, ranging from working in Communications and Engagement, Human Resources, and working on the design of digital customer platforms for Lloyds. Elina has conducted hundreds of graduate level interviews so this was fantastic opportunity to learn from her.
Elina offered her support on:
- Assessment Centres
- CV Surgery
- Mock 1-on-1 interviews
It was clear how much students who attended valued this opportunity to gain personal advice from a successful graduate who has been in the same position they may have been in while applying for graduate roles.
