August 9, 2022, by Jackie Thompson

Start Your Future With the SU

By Hayley Williams, Students’ Union Employability Development Manager

Your Students’ Union (SU) is here throughout your degree and beyond, with opportunities to discover your passion, excel at it, and make your CV outstanding. Getting involved in your SU can help you: 

• work as a team
• develop your leadership skills
• manage budgets and test your financial skills
• make a positive impact on people and their communities
• discover your hidden talents

Paid work

There are lots of opportunities to undertake paid employment in your SU. Opportunities range from our retail outlets, to bar work, and acting as the first point of call for students entering Portland. All of these opportunities offer the chance to meet new people, be part of your SU community and develop valuable transferable skills that will be useful in your future career.

Abigail Whitehead, Liberal Arts student

Working at Mooch has been a real highlight of my University experience. The flexibility of the hours and friendliness of the team has enabled me to feel at home whilst I am at work and develop a real passion for the hospitality industry. I joined the team as a bartender and waitress and developed skills such as initiative, customer service, and keeping calm under pressure.

I have since progressed to become a Student Duty Manager which has challenged me to take more responsibility and learn how to develop professional relationships with a variety of people. The management experience has been integral to securing my graduate role as a Charity Programme Manager.

Student Trustee

The University of Nottingham Students’ Union represents 38,000 students studying at the UK campus of the University. Our Trustee Board composition consists of four Lay Trustees (one of which is the Vice-Chair), eight Officer Trustees (one of which is the Chair), and four Student Trustees. Our Student Trustees play a huge part in the success of the Board, being vital contributors to the discussions and decision-making process of our highest committee structure.

Ebunoluwa Tsemaye Salami, Student Trustee (2020-21), Law student

Being a Student Trustee at the University of Nottingham’s Students’ Union was one of the most rewarding and life-changing experiences I’ve had. There was never a dull moment, and each day brought a new task to tackle. As a person and a leader, I grew tremendously.

I was asked to chair the start of a sub-committee meeting, and I received coaching support from the Governance Specialist which helped me immensely. This was also the case when I presented an item at the Student Engagement Committee of which I was a member, again support was provided by the Governance Specialist and Director of Student Engagement to ensure I was set up for success.

The communal support on the Trustee Board was what made my time as a student trustee so fulfilling. Most especially, having observed the work culture from my recruitment process through the end of my two-year tenure – where I witnessed other recruitment processes – I can confidently state that everyone on the Board earned their place there solely on the basis of merit. Trustees are recruited on an individual basis, and from my experience, I felt absolutely no barriers to entry other than the requirement of competency. I believe it’s important for prospective trustees to know this.

I encourage anybody who has a keen interest in organisational strategy and is willing and ready to commit to apply. It’s a major commitment, but it’s absolutely worth it.

Find out about getting involved in the Students’ Union via Facebook , Twitter or the website.

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