Read about Zarina's experiences as UMAX Front of House and how the SU has impacted her time at University.
Hi,
My name is Zarina and I’m a final year Sport and PE student. This past year I have been working twice a week as Front of House in the Student Union.
Initially I applied for a job here as I had previously worked as a student ambassador and I enjoyed interacting with different people; while having a job alongside those that understand the importance of university work. Not to mention the convenience of a job that is based on campus!
Not only is my job perfect to fit alongside sport and studying, but it has also opened my eyes to the many opportunities that the SU offers. In my previous years at uni I had never really considered, heard of, or took interest in the range of services that the SU had to offer - I had only been involved with the Athletic Union. I was amazed when I first started this job to realise the range of opportunities on offer that I had been missing out on in my previous three years. Let me tell you about just a few of these …
The SU office offers an online Jobshop. This Jobshop gets updated every few days and advertises full and part time jobs in the local area – perfect for when the student loan doesn’t quite stretch far enough! Alongside this free Jobshop service the SU also provides CV help. These one to one sessions can really improve your CV and assist in adapting it to the specific job you’re applying for (whether that’s an undergraduate part time job, or a postgraduate full time position).
The SU also offers a range of great volunteering events. Not to mention student led events throughout the year to raise money for charities – such as the fantastic salsa evening me and my friends recently attended.
Furthermore through working as Front of House I was encouraged to complete the Cardiff Met Award. In order to gain the award students must complete 100 hours of work experience, two self-analysis sheets and attend five free workshops. This award is a great showcase of extra skills and experiences gained alongside academic study. The award is an employability initiative designed to give students a head start. Due to my sporty nature at first I was reluctant to sit through five workshops, as I presumed I would be bored and lose concentration. However I couldn’t have been more wrong! These interactive workshops have professional speakers who really engage with and personalise the workshops to those attending. I would recommend these fantastic workshops to everyone! They are fast paced and exciting and you will leave them having gained a lot of knowledge on the workshop subject.
Overall my job as Front of House hasn’t just been any old part time job. It has really allowed me to maximise my final year at university and get involved in opportunities that I would never have before. I would recommend all students to explore the SU website and really make the most of the free time that university life has to offer!