Darcie Muller, year 2 English literature student, undertook a 40 hour work placement with the learning skills team as part of her applied humanities: employability in practice module. Read on to find out what she learned.

I chose a placement with the Learning Skills Hub to enhance my skill set in content creation and public engagement. I was intrigued to find out how students feel about learning skills and where they feel there is a lack in their knowledge, in hopes of transferring this information into my future teaching career.  

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One of the most interesting parts of my placement was creating and analysing the Microsoft Teams form that collected student feedback about the Learning Skills Hub. It was really interesting to see the variety of responses and discover what students actually wanted from the hub academically, rather than what staff might assume they needed. I also enjoyed helping at the student engagement events, especially seeing how students interacted with different resources and discussing what they found useful or confusing. Creating a promotional reel for the event was another highlight because it allowed me to approach the placement creatively as well as academically. 

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The most surprising thing I found out was how many students either did not know about the Learning Skills Hub or rarely used it, despite it offering a lot of useful academic support. It showed me how important communication and accessibility are when promoting university resources. I was also surprised by how valuable direct student feedback can be in improving academic support services, as students often pointed out issues or suggestions that staff may not have considered. 

I would definitely recommend a placement like this to another student. It was a really valuable experience because it combined research, communication, creativity, and teamwork. I felt that my opinions and contributions were genuinely valued, and it gave me a better understanding of how student feedback can influence university support systems. It was also a good opportunity to build confidence in a professional environment while still working on something directly connected to student life. 

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I developed several useful skills during the placement. I improved my research and analytical skills through collecting and evaluating survey data and writing the final report. I also developed communication and teamwork skills through working with staff and interacting with students during events. Creating the promotional reel helped me build confidence in digital content creation and social media promotion, which are increasingly important skills in many careers. 

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This placement strengthened my interest in becoming an English teacher because it showed me how important communication, accessibility, and student engagement are within education. Working directly with students and gathering feedback helped me understand how differently people approach learning and what support they find most useful academically. It also made me more aware of the importance of creating resources that are engaging, clear, and accessible to a wide range of students. Overall, the placement confirmed that I enjoy working in educational environments and helping students feel more confident in their learning, which is something I hope to do in my future career as a teacher.

We wish Darcie good luck in her future career! #EnglishCreates

Thank you to Claudia Espana, Gaynor Williams, Steve Peters, Vicky Mason, Emily Wareing and Michelle Crowther for making this placement possible.

Featured image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay