Lesley Wilson Email and Phone Number

Develop proactive, targeted and strategic relationships with decision makers within the University and external organisations to enhance the employability skills of Newcastle University students and positively impact on graduate outcomes.Focusing on the growth of Undergraduate placements across Newcastle University and particularly via the Careers Service's central placements module, on offer to students from across 13 schools across the institution.Managing a growing team to support students consider, search for and gain placements as well as then supporting them pastorally whilst on placement. Leading strategic and operational development of 9-12 month placements approach across the institution. Lobbied for and project managed university-wide changes to our operational approach to placements in response to the Covid 19 pandemic.

My teams work on two different fronts; managing both 9-12 month placements opportunities and Student Employment on Campus initiatives. 9-12 month placements are on offer to all Undergraduate students at Newcastle University. I'm keen to work with companies from across the UK and overseas who would like to recruit our students for this type of placement. We support the development of opportunities as well as the advertising and promotion with students. On placement, we are here to support both students and employers with any issues and the assessment process.On campus, we support students to develop the key skills they will need as they progress on to graduate level employment. Through initiatives such as work experience projects and a student temps bank, students are able to earn while they learn as well as reflecting on the skills they're developing. Our aim is to create work ready graduates that move effectively into the labour market and are able to perform in their roles from day 1.

I manage a team of 7 supporting work shadowing, part-time, temporary and casual work, work experience and mentoring for current Newcastle University students. Externally to the University: we manage a bank of regional and national mentors for our students; we work regionally with small and medium sized organisations in the private and third sector to set up Newcastle Work Experience placements; we offer access to our students via jobs fairs for PT workers in October each year; and we aim to develop effective relationships through our work shadowing and experience schemes in order to broker further links across the University. Internally to the University: we run a student temp bank (JobsOC) to support temporary work requirements across campus; work shadowing through Passport to Work which supports initial steps to develop the skills students need for PT work opportunities; and are developing the number of work experience placements on offer to students both in term-time and summer.I work on numerous projects related to student employability and business engagement alongside the above activities.

I run Newcastle University Careers Service's Newcastle Work Experience (NWE) scheme which works to offer regional SMEs and Charities a cost effective and flexible solution to short term business needs. My role involves working with organisations to develop project based work placements that can help fill a business need while also bringing the fresh perspective of a student to the organisation.