We are just getting started…

As society slowly but surely tries to get back on track after a national lockdown, finding a work placement just after this wasn’t as easy as I first thought. Throughout this blog, I will use Gibb’s Reflective Cycle to evaluate some challenges I faced when finding my work placement. 

          In June I started to draft up my CV, after doing so I began to research what companies I could approach within the TV and film sector. Having done all this prep, it was time to email each company looking for a placement. The next step was quite easy and straight forward… However, with restrictions being lifted and sectors opening again, my summer plans got in the way of my quest to find a placement. It wasn’t until August time where I emailed these companies, by then it was even more difficult to get a secured spot – franticly emailing around last minute, I had no responses, other than those replying saying they weren’t taking anyone on due to the pandemic. At this point I was furious and annoyed at myself for leaving it so late and being quite naive in thinking that I will just gain a placement without reaching out over the summer period.

There was one more placement I had yet to apply for, the SARC media team. Placement with University seemed to be something students in my position could fall back on, but still I wasn’t guaranteed anything, and I was still in the panic, distressed stage. I emailed my CV over to the SARC media team and waited for a response. At this point I thought I had messed up and had to reconsider my module choice and switch to a dissertation – which would possibly be my worst nightmare. A few weeks later I received an email saying I have been granted a place on the SARC media team. Panic over, for now anyways… 

          The main thing I took away from this experience was to stop procrastinating, to be more proactive and to follow through with the rest of the task. I had all the groundwork and research completed, all that was left was the final leap of communication. My action plan will be to complete the task on the day and to prioritise what is more important for me and my future.  

          After receiving confirmation that I have secured a work placement within the SARC media team, I still wasn’t sure what sector of the media team I was on. Happy and pleased that I had my placement sorted, I was still anxious on what the job role entailed. During the first media team meeting, my lecturer John D’Arcy announced that I will be producing the second series of Alumni Anthologies, a podcast interviewing Queen’s noteable alumni’s. I was ecstatic with the news. It is something I know where my strengths lie, as last year after completing a podcast module within my course. I decided to continue that same podcast with my two friends, called The Galdem Podcast. Unfortunately, due to other commitments between the three of us we were unable to produce more episodes and put it on pause. So, when I was met with this opportunity to create a podcast for work placement and to have the creative freedom to create what I desired I was beyond excited. 

          Next it was time to set up meetings with Frank, my module convener, and Aileen Carson, who works at the faculty office here at Queen’s. Within that zoom meeting we solidified the purpose of the podcast – talking to each Alumni on their life at university, challenges, luck and successes they have faced to get to where they are now. After that we then discussed the fun bit, who will I be interviewing? Aileen mentioned that I can choose who interests me the most and she will make the initial contact with them. On the call, myself, Frank and Aileen brainstormed a few famous alumni’s, one being the amazing Annie Mac. Annie Mac is one of those Irish celebrities that I have constantly looked up to and inspire to reach the level of success that she has over the years. Aileen was pleased that I was thrilled to hear that she was willing to contact Annie Mac to get involved within the podcast series. With the potential of Annie Mac being one of my interviewees, the next step was for me to research and note a list of possible interviewees and pass onto Aileen. 

Podcast Pending…

After entering procrastination station throughout the months of summer, then panic mode come the end of august to get a work placement. I am delighted and pleased that I have been given this amazing opportunity to produce the second season of Queen’s University Alumni Anthologies. Now it is time for me to get organised, prepped and ready to embark on this amazing journey.

Bibliography

Gibbs, G. (1988). Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods. Oxford: Oxford Further Education Unit

Jasper, M. (2013) Beginning reflective practice. Andover: Cengage Learning EMEA.