Jake Thompson: Graduate Case Study

I’m from Caerphilly, and have lived here all my life, except for my time studying at university. I studied Business Management (Finance) with a year in industry at Swansea University. I graduated in 2021, completing my final year following a year in industry at the Football Association of Wales.  I love watching and playing sport, having played Football and Rugby at school, and was a competitive swimmer from the age of eight, continuing right the way until the end of my time at university. I have been a Liverpool fan all my life, and I am an avid American Football fan too. Aside from sport, I enjoy cooking, travelling, and spending time with friends and family.

I found out about CCR’s graduate scheme from Cardiff Council’s website, having been searching for graduate roles, and I felt that it suited my abilities and previous experience. I was ecstatic to have been offered the role, and have since been working across the infrastructure team, looking at Energy, Transport, Housing and Digital. This suits me as it involves engaging with a wide variety of stakeholders, and I pride myself on being an excellent communicator, so I hope to be able to make a meaningful impact not only in the aforementioned areas, but also on South East Wales as a whole! I haven’t got a specific career progression in mind so far, but I would say that I’m interested in Project management and believe that the CCR graduate scheme provides great experience in this area.

 

Name: Jake Thompson  

Hometown: Caerphilly

University Attended: Swansea University             

Graduation Date: June 2021

CCR Graduate Job Title: Graduate Associate       

Start Date: 01/11/2021

Employer: Cardiff Capital Region             

Supervisor/Manager Name: Clare Cameron & Rob O’Dwyer

 

Did you apply for many graduate roles or schemes? (if so, how many)

 Yes, applied for around 20 roles (graduate or otherwise) and/or schemes.

 

What were your thoughts/feelings around applying for roles/schemes during a pandemic?

Nervous, conscious that many businesses were making cuts and not taking on new staff, let alone taking on graduates

 

What attracted you to the CCR graduate scheme?

Competitive salary, the opportunities to engage with a wide variety of stakeholders & career progression

 

How was your experience applying for the CCR graduate scheme during the pandemic?

Very easy, probably the most straightforward and relaxed of all the roles I applied for.

 

What are you hoping to achieve during your time on the scheme?

Gain knowledge of project management further to what I had gained on my degree, and an insight into the public sector and major projects.

 

Is there anything you would say to others thinking of applying for the scheme?

Just Apply! It’s a brilliant scheme and I’ve gained so much in such a short time so far.

 

One sentence to sum up your CCR graduate scheme experience…

I am thoroughly enjoying my experience, working with internal and external stakeholders, and gaining valuable experience.

 

One word that sums up your CCR graduate scheme experience…

Interesting

 

How are you finding your new role? Has it exceeded expectations?

I’m really enjoying my role; it’s exceeding expectations. I was unsure what to expect moving into the public sector, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the attitude and drive within CCR from the other staff etc, and I feel part of something that can have a lasting, wide-reaching effect on the region, and Wales as a whole.

 

How are you finding the modules?

A little basic, as my degree was in Business and Finance, I’m finding there’s a lot of repetition from the first year of my degree. The modules are acting as useful refreshers, but the material is a little basic and I’m not always finding it particularly engaging.

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Ynyr Clwyd: Graduate Case Study