Written by Dan Lowy
Last year, we supported A-Level graduate Dan Lowy through the Pure Innovations placement. Through this scheme, individuals with learning difficulties are supported with workplace placements to build experience in employment. Below is Dan’s experience as being part of the Sustainability Team for several month, an how he benefited from the experience.
The program
The supported internships by pure innovations is a one-year program designed to give help to individuals with learning difficulties to get work placements. the program is for people with varied goals, whether it being getting straight into the workforce or being able to just get work experience.
Why I joined
Having finished my A-levels prior in the year, I joined this program as part of my gap year in order to gain valuable workplace experience. With the exponential development of AI leading to a large amount of job roles becoming redundant, job prospects are looking bleak for university graduates. Soft skills are becoming increasingly important in a volatile job market. By joining this course, I wanted to gain those valuable soft skills to help me post-university.
What I did
I worked twice a week in the Environmental and Sustainability team. For the majority of the placement I alternated between working on the energy and sustainability each day. I was asked to complete a variety of tasks such as using building management systems in order to analyse whether there were any unusual patterns of energy use. I attended several meetings with contractors in which I was instructed to write down notes in. I also completed a Carbon Literacy course.
What I enjoyed most
The task I enjoyed most was compiling a report on the best ways to optimise cycle usage in the campus. I found this task particularly interesting as it allowed me to use my critical thinking skills to find solutions to the problems presented.
How this helped me
The time I spent in the suitability and energy team has helped me get a valuable taste of a working environment. It has also helped me develop my soft skills. Having ADHD I struggled concentrating, the people I worked with, Phil and Emma were both very supportive and helped me come up with strategies to keep me focused.
