Last updated 12:07, Monday, 15 September 2008

Hannah Johnson on her last summer as a student...

I‘VE BEEN very busy since my last article making the most of my last summer as a student, (I will continue to classify myself a student until suitable employment is sought). I’ve been lucky enough to holiday in Rome, sail in Cornwall, visit friends in London and see my dad in Norway.

Aware of my busy summer schedule, I needed to maximise the time I had while Sophie was at school so set about drafting letters and establishing key contacts for potential work placements. I wanted to gain a greater knowledge of the regeneration sector.

I’m a strong believer that the people of today shape the future for the next generations, sitting at home doesn’t change things: I want to be out there working towards a better place to live, work and play, and I want to do it in Cumbria because of all the exciting plans for the county.

I was lucky enough to be accepted by both Cumbria Vision and the Cumbria County Council Economic Development department. The placements involved shadowing various people from the policy, project and strategy teams. It also opened doors in terms of visiting other organisations involved in regeneration such as Invest in Cumbria, Cumbria Chambers of Commerce and Cumbria Community Foundation.

The overall experience was fantastic: the networking, increased awareness of the huge scale of regeneration in Cumbria and clarifying for myself the area I would like to concentrate on and further develop my career.

I would recommend to anyone looking to gain experience in regeneration (or any field for that matter) to organise a work placement. My confidence on the subject has increased significantly, which will be a positive factor when it comes to interviews. I’m currently sitting tight for a few potential job opportunities so next month I will give you a progress report on the job search.