EOY Recap

As the last bank holiday till August is upon us with a promise of parties and rest for all placement students, back in Aston it is the last exam week. The library is full with students on the verge of insanity eagerly preparing for their last exams. As my second year mates say, "the last exam is the hardest one". I think this has to do not only with the subject of the exam but also with the summer utopia that everyone who finished their exams already have created; it has to do with the end-of-year parties that the student guild has organised; it has to do with the buzz around the lake that seems endless throughout the hot months; and, of course, it has to do with the moving out preparations that everyone is struggling with...

Unfortunately, doing my internship has isolated me from the whole experience that is the end-of-year. But not one can stay away from Aston for too long. That is why on Tuesday I am off to join the Aston crowd in a week of celebration of the last exam. More to be reported soon.

EOY - end of year

Astonbury 2010 (tickets)

For everyone who could not go to the guild and queue tickets are sold online here: http://www.astonguild.org.uk/astonbury/events/index.php?page=event&event_id=457683

Astonbury 2010 (lineup)

Here is the announced lineup for the event:

Mr. Hudson
Roll Deep
The Hoosiers
Gracious K
Portlan
Sick City Club
Heroica
The After Hours
Kredz
Wildkatz
Bhangra Society
Essence
SPD
And many more!

Astonbury 2010 (update)

Tickets will be on sale tomorrow in the guild!

Online sale will be available for everyone who could not make it later this week.

More updates are to come. The pull-in of the dates is great, though.

Astonbury 2010

It is end of year time again but it is not just exams coming up. The biggest party fling is upon us - Astonbury. Tickets for Astonbury will be sold online from the 31st May. The event itself will take place on the 13th of June after all exams have been done with.

Aston is year on year voted one of the best university from a student social life perspective. The student guild execs make sure every year there are numerous massive parties with famous performers. This 24 hr even will combine the whole year into one.

Last year we had all upcoming artists in Aston, including Daneo, Taio Cruz, The Futureheads, Guru Josh Project, Chipmunk and more. Who will be performing this year, some top secret info is on its way.

The Countdown to Destruction

It is official people, the D&L towers are going down. The current announced date is 8th May 2011. I present to you The Countdown to Destruction!

GRADUATE EMPLOYERS TOLD TO SCRAP 2.1 MINIMUM

While in my second year I spent some time interviewing final year Aston students on their expectations and decisions for the future. The majority were, of course, worried about finding a job after graduating. Always being a hot topic, here is an article on graduate hiring that I just got my hands on.

A poll of more than 600 students and graduates by Milkround.com found 58 percent want graduate employers to scrap this minimum requirement where it is used.

They want recruiters to understand job suitability cannot be judged solely on degree classification.

Many graduate employers use a 2.1 degree as a benchmark for their recruitment: unless candidates have or are expecting a 2.1 degree they won’t even be considered for a role if they have desirable skills such as relevant experience.

When submitting applications online, 2.2 and third class degree graduates will often be rejected after an initial batch of screening questions, preventing them from giving evidence of their potential employability beyond academic achievement.

Commenting on 2.1 minimum requirements, one respondent said: "The achievement of a 2.1 is arbitrary in terms of grading as some institutions award marks much more liberally than others."

Another added: "There should be a substitute for people who did not achieve a minimum 2.1, such as a strong extra-curricular background or likewise."

Eva Malecki, Graduate Recruitment Manager at Centrica, said: "We do not have a 2:1 cut-off as we believe that accepting applications from graduates with a 2:2 or above will enable us to attract and assess a larger, more diverse graduate pool, especially as the value of a degree classification can vary from one institution to another. To secure the best talent for our business, we look beyond a degree classification; job history, activities and interests outside of university and competency based examples are just as important to show us that an applicant has skills beyond their degree."

However, among the 42 percent who think the 2.1 minimum requirement should not be scrapped, one said: "If the minimum requirement is scrapped students won't try so hard and become lazy knowing that getting a graduate job won't be as competitive. This is a waste of taxpayer's money and a decision which would punish those who work hard to achieve success.” Another added: “Even if you get a 2:2 for your first degree and that you're not qualified for applying for most big organisations, this is not the end of the world: it just means that you have to stay strong and put in extra effort."

Milkround.com spokesperson Mike Barnard said: "Graduates who don’t have a 2.1 degree will always be frustrated by its appearance as a minimum requirement, but recruiters are facing far more applications than ever before as the demand for jobs is high: a 2.1 minimum is a simple way to cut applications down, save time and get a highly academic candidate.

"However, any recruiter who enforces their 2.1 minimum risks missing out on non-academic talents that could be vital to a role but not associated with the level it says they achieved on their degree certificate. No institution is the same so it’s also important recruiters understand a 2.1 degree from one university may not be comparable to a 2.1 degree from another."

Milkround News, 28 April 2010

Internship Recap

It is without any further notice that I have just been reminded that in precisely 100 days my placement will be over. It has definitely bee one of the best experiences I have ever had. Thinking back on it now I didn't even plant to go on a placement in the first place; I decided to change my course after freshmen year. I would have lost on so many experiences and adventures. As much as I have developed as a person in high school and university, this year "in the industry" (to quote the Aston placement newsletters) has thought me everything about real-life business experience that I could possibly want. Before I would have studied so many aspects of my current job but would hesitate to call in a conference call (or any call for that matter), now it is a tiny part of my daily routine. What is most valuable, though, is the look into my strengths and weaknesses that I got through the feedback my colleagues and managers gave me. When you receive a low grade in uni there is always someone to blame it on but when you are told "hey, this part of your job has to improve" the ball is strictly in your field. Similarly, a high grade is often regarded as luck but there is nothing lucky about securing a million dollar deal and hearing a "good job" from your colleagues. It is this type of comments, advices and help that will make me miss all the people I am currently working with. What is more the way I have been accepted in into the society has been amazing. I have rarely had a party-less week. When I leave the company doors in three months I will feel like I am not just leaving a job but that I am leaving friends behind.