Video transcript: Olivia Hansard speaks about her placement year

Transcript for the video embedded on the Alumni and internships page.

[Music]

[The University of Leeds logo appears].

[Olivia appears on screen, speaking into camera. There are framed photos on the wall behind.]

[Olivia says:] Hi everyone. My name is Olivia and I am currently on a year-long placement as part of my degree which is a BA in Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Leeds

This year has been really important for me because it's encouraged me to look beyond my degree and it's opened me up to a whole new world opportunities and creating connections.

I’ve definitely seen it as a sort of stepping stone and I don't just have to look at a career which focuses solely on my degree.

The company I’m working for is currently based in Brussels so it's been great to have a different perspective, a global view and to see how different people work, not just within a UK-based company.

Obviously due to the pandemic I'm unable to join the team out there but everyone's in the same position as me and I've definitely built connections that I can use in the future and it's really important to see how a workplace functions and thrives. 

Despite not being able to travel there, so definitely I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to do a placement in their second or third year.