Emma
Allsop

What were the key features that attracted you to your course?

“The work placement modules and the range of topics available were the main reasons I chose my course. The second year module called History At Work and the third year module, Real Life Work Project both allowed me to gain experiences that I wouldn’t have had otherwise, as well as gaining some really useful skills from them. The range of topic available, such as Chinese, Aztec and Russian history, is just amazing and really intrigued me.”

What do you enjoy most about your course?

“I really love learning about history and different societies and the events that happened. We use different types of evidence in each module and analysing them ourselves is really interesting, especially when you get to hear other people’s opinions during seminars.”

What do you like about studying and living in Nottingham?

“The libraries are a great place to study and there’s study room dotted all around on both the Clifton campus and the city one, but when you want to relax it’s easy to get away. The city campus is just a short walk to the shops, and you can get into the city centre from Clifton in 30 minutes. There’s always something going on in market square, and there’s a huge range of shops. There’s a lot of heritage sites around, and it’s just generally a really great city to live in!”

Why would you recommend your course / NTU to someone looking to study in that area?

“I would recommend it because of the employability support throughout the course. The work-based modules are backed up by the employability team who are very helpful with any of the struggles you have. When you’re looking for a part time job it’s the same people so they can get to know you and help you gain experience relevant to you.”

Have you completed any work placements and if so can you tell me a little bit about them – where you went and what you did?

“I completed two placements as part of my second year module, both at local libraries. I sourced the placements myself, but the NTU employability team were really supportive in helping me arrange them. My first placement was at Nottingham City Library’s Central library, and this really helped me get an idea of what a public library setting is like and what that various jobs there are. It was on the local studies floor of this library where I first got archiving experience, which I’ve now decided I want to do as a career. I did my second placement at the NTU Libraries, and this really helped me gain a full understanding of the academic library setting, as well as how I can make the most of the libraries as a student myself. I managed to observe the librarians while shadowing them and this was the most useful aspect for me.

In my third year, I took the Real Life Work Project module, which allowed me to work with a group of my fellow students for a client. The client was from a local business and tasked us with doing research for him. Our end result was reports of what we’d found which he could then use on public displays, and so this gave me a lot of ideas of how the archives work as a customer, as well as thinking about the kind of history the public would want to see and how to display it.”

How will your course and/or placement enhance your employability for your chosen career? What skills have you gained?

“The placement module on my course allowed me to decide what I wanted to do for my career, because I got my first archiving experience at Nottingham City Central library. Since then I have taken up volunteering at Erewash Museum, Ilkeston with an archiving project, which has furthered my experience. I’ve also gained general employability skills, such as organisation and team work.”

What are your plans for the future?

“I am aspiring to become an archivist, and for this I need to take a masters course in the area and so I will be attending the University of Glasgow in September to study Information Management and Preservation. Afterwards, I want to get a job, in an archive that has strong heritage links.”