Support from De Montfort University Leicester’s (DMU) award-winning careers and employability service, DMU Works, has helped an international student land her dream placement.
Having graduated with a BA in Film Studies from the Universidad de Las Américas in her native Ecuador, Nancy Rivera swapped Quito for the multicultural city of Leicester to study for a MA in Digital Design at DMU.
It wasn’t long into her course before the 26-year-old discovered the coaching tools available to her through DMU Works and, throughout the Easter holidays, she decided to utilise the service to help improve her employability skills.
The decision was justified as Nancy received not one, but two part-time placement offers, one in the film department at Break the Mould and the other working virtually in as in intern in the Graphics and Visual Design department at New York-based GAOTek.
“Speaking with DMU Works really built up my confidence,” Nancy said. “I felt that my improved self-assurance from working with the team came across well during my placement interviews.”
DMU Works is the university’s dedicated team of career experts that offers both students and graduates flexible and tailored professional support. In February 2021, the team scooped the Best University Careers and Employability Service at the National Undergraduate Employability Awards, and in June, DMU was named in the top three for both Graduate Outcomes and Excellence in Digital Innovation at the Whatuni Student Choice Awards.
“I got hooked on working with the team from the first CV-building webinar I attended,” Nancy said. “I was so impressed with all the detailed advice and practical tips to tailor my CV to certain jobs, that I signed up for all the webinars I could.
“From there, I scheduled one-to-one sessions to go through my CV and address any gaps. No question was too silly and the team dealt with all my queries in such a friendly and succinct manner.
“Gaining a placement was very important for me to advance my career in the UK, so DMU Works provided me with software that mimicked a real interview to help me prepare. After each answer, I would receive real-time feedback outlining what I did well and where I could improve. I couldn’t have asked for more.”
While Leicester may not always benefit from the same tropical climate as Ecuador, DMU’s Digital Design MA course, city-centre campus and state-of-the-art facilities proved too good for Nancy to turn down.
Nancy started her course in January 2021 and since moving to the UK, her university experience has gone from strength to strength. Through her placement with Break the Mould, she is busy creating social media graphics for the organisation, as well as creating animations and being part of the post-production team for a video that she pitched in her first week.
She said: “Back in Ecuador, two of my professors studied their master’s in the UK. The knowledge they acquired in the UK inspired me, plus my English was good and I’d always wanted to explore the country after watching so many British movies.
“I heard of DMU through a placement programme back home and I thought ‘this course looks perfect, let’s give it a go’.
“I started working with Break the Mould in late May and have loved every minute so far. Creativity is really encouraged here and everyone is friendly and happy to provide good feedback so I can grow my skills further.
“I’ve learnt so much during my time in the UK and I’m so grateful for the time DMU has invested in my education. The DMU Works team offers a wonderful service that I would recommend to anyone - even if it is just using some of their online tools such as CV360 to get some instant feedback on your CV.”
Further information about the services and opportunities that DMU Works provides can be found online.
Posted on Wednesday 30 June 2021