News for International Students

December  2008

Interview Academy
The Careers Service is offering a brand new 2-day interview academy. Day 1 of the course will consist of lots of informal interview practice with intensive coaching from a careers adviser, a media consultant and an English as a Foreign Language tutor. Day 2 will feature practice interviews with real graduate employers such as Shell, Morgan Stanley and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Participants will be able to take away recordings of their interviews on DVD.

The dates of the Interview Academies are as follows:

• Academy 1: 18th/19th December 2008; from 09:00 til 17:00
  Academy 2: 8th/9th January 2009; from 09:00 til 17:00

You can book a place on one of the academies at:

http://www.glu.prospects.ac.uk/casa/servlet/casa.jobseeker.JSVacServlet?mode=menu

The Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme (FT:WISS) is replaced by a new post study worker scheme
The UK Government has launched a new immigration system. The Points Based System (PBS) is intended to simplify what had previously been a very complex immigration system by combining more than 80 pre-existing work and study routes in to the United Kingdom into five tiers. The tiers are:
Tier 1: Highly skilled individuals;
Tier 2: Skilled workers with a job offer;
Tier 3: Low skilled workers needed to fill temporary labour shortages;
Tier 4: Students;
Tier 5: Youth mobility and temporary workers.

Tier 1: post study work category
Of most interest to Glasgow’s students and graduates will undoubtedly be Tier 1. Tier 1 has four separate categories including the ‘post-study work’ category which from 30 June 2008, replaced both the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme (FT:WISS) and the International Graduates Scheme (IGS). The new post study work category provides 2 years leave to remain in the UK in order to seek employment throughout the UK – not only in Scotland.  Applicants to the post study worker category must have completed a bachelor's degree, a postgraduate certificate or diploma, a postgraduate Masters or PhD and be able to present their results.  

Post study workers, will be eligible to switch to a sponsored skilled worker category (Tier 2: skilled workers with a job offer) at any point within their 2 year leave to remain period providing they have amassed the requisite number of points on attributes such as age, previous salary or prospective salary and qualifications.

Also of interest to some will be the ‘Tier 1: General’ category which has replaced the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme.Interim arrangements
Graduates who successfully applied to the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme will already have received permission to stay for two years and will not need any transitional arrangements. However, any graduates participating in the International Graduate Scheme can apply to the UK Border Agency to stay for an additional year.

Proof reading service for applications
The Careers Service is delighted to announce a new service for international students. We have established a register of trained proof-readers who can check your applications for spelling and grammatical errors. How does it work?
• Firstly, you e-mail us to make a request for 'proof-reading' at least two weeks ahead of an application deadline.
• We then send your application to one of our proof readers.
• The proof-reader checks your work and comments on your use of English, eg. vocabulary, verb tense, use of definite/indefinite article, spelling, and punctuation. At this stage, they may contact you by phone or suggest a meeting to clarify points of meaning.
• The proof reader returns your application by email.
The charge for this service is £4 for half an hour or £7.00 per hour. Payment is made directly to the proof-reader. The proof reader will inform you if the application requires more than one hour’s work. To request the services of one of our proof readers send an email to: careers@admin.gla.ac.uk .

Please Note: The Careers Service will do its best to find you a proof-reader, but cannot make any guarantees. Proof Readers will only check the language in your CV. For general information on producing effective applications you should refer to the online seminars mentioned on this site or call into the Careers Service in person.
 

Graduate programmes suited to Chinese students
The Careers Service at the London School of Economics has compiled a list of graduate programmes either aimed specifically at, or at least very much open to Chinese graduates. Both lists are given below: UK Graduate Schemes Aimed at Chinese Students

KPMG
This special programme is designed for Chinese nationals who have attended a UK university and are interested in developing a career in Audit. Based in London, the programme gives you the chance to study for professional qualifications while gaining three years’ work experience with KPMG in the UK. Upon your return to China you should be offered the chance to continue your career with KPMG in China.

Ernst and Young
The China In Your Future Programme is open to Mandarin and Cantonese speaking individuals with a desire to study for a professional qualification, whilst gaining three years work experience in the UK – before returning to China to continue their career with Ernst & Young in China. Vacancies for the Ernst & Young China Programme exist in London or Reading working in the UK firm’s Audit practice and Birmingham for Technology and Security Risk Services (TSRS)
PwC and Deloitte programmes - don't appear to have specific China national programmes - but websites advertise graduate vacancies based in China.

Tesco
A 12-month Fast-Track scheme with opportunities in all business areas, from Finance and Commercial to Personnel and Marketing. Programme starts in China during September, then six to nine months is spent on a structured development programme in the UK. This will include time in UK stores. Recruits then develop skills in their chosen business area, before making a permanent move to China (Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenyang) to complete the programme.

ICI
Graduate recruits in ICI Paints in China spend 12 months on a structured assignment in a global Paints businesses outside China. These recruits undertake a cross-business/cross-functional project, developing broader business insights and understanding.

McKinsey
During the Asia House Program you work within teams of consultants serving clients in but Europe and Asia. The overall program lasts two to three years. You start at Asia House in Frankfurt or Paris. As an Asia House member, in general, you are expected to stay 12 to 18 months at Asia House Frankfurt and afterwards transfer back an office in Asia. Once in Asia, you have the opportunities that all consultants do in terms of mobility: Engagements are mostly in Asia also internationally, fixed-term office exchanges, as well as permanent relocation to another office, depending on your capabilities and the firm's needs.

Rolls Royce
This programme is aimed at graduates who are interested in developing their professional expertise while gaining a significant amount of work experience in the UK before returning to work for Rolls-Royce in China.
You will be employed by Rolls-Royce in China but initially, you will be seconded to the UK for a period of up to 18 months. Global Graduate Schemes

HSBC
Runs a number of different programmes. The international management programme involves moving to a different location every two years.

BSi
An independent world leader in standards, systems assessment, product testing and certification and training. The 2 year management training scheme is designed to enable BSI graduates to become well rounded business professionals. Each graduate undertakes four 6-month secondments across the divisions within the BSI group, with the possibility of working internationally for one of the secondments for example Hong Kong, U.S or China.

Other organisations that have run schemes in the past that have targeted Chinese nationals include Rexam and Fyffes.