Student Name: Charlot Harper
Degree: BA Primary Education
School: Education
Acceler8 Student Champion 3
Acceler8 Student 2 nd rd
Year
Year
About Me:
I am a third year student studying the BA Primary Education course.
Why I chose to undertake the Acceler8 Award?
I undertook the acceler8 award in my second year of study at NTU. I wanted to complete it as it is a great way of enhancing your CV, an experience that looks favourable to employers, especially in a competitive job society.
I also wanted to do it as it gave me the chance to identify the skills I have, ones which are a particular strength and I could think about specific examples for these but also skills that aren’t that well developed yet and how I could develop these in my last two years at university.
Type of experience I used to count towards my experience hours
 Students in Classrooms Literacy assistant where I worked with a reception class supporting their English sessions by helping them with phonics, giving handwriting sessions, listening and helping them with their reading.
 Student Ambassador work where I worked with different schools in
Nottinghamshire, making children and young people of all ages
 aware of higher education and what it offers through workshops.
Admin work I completed for one term during my second year for
 students in classrooms where I organised applications, arranged interviews with candidates and general office duties.
Open days for the university showing prospective students around the campus, answering questions and giving them information and directing them around the campus.
What I gained from undertaking the Acceler8 Award?
I gained a real life experience of what an interview was like, especially as I had never had one before but also managed to ask questions about what employers wanted interviewees to say, expand on and avoid which I found useful and is something I could use when applying for graduate jobs in the future.
I was able to see which skills I needed to develop on and could write down how I would progress these and the experiences that I could use which would develop those.

Why should you do it?
 It’s a good thing to have on your CV which can make you more employable during and after university.
 You get the opportunity to take part in experiences you may not have had before.
 You can meet new people who are also on the award and make new friends.
My Top Tips to potential Acceler8 Award Students
Experience- I would suggest getting a range of experience if possible to open up different opportunities. Also, completing experience during the summer and Christmas holidays gives you the chance to build up the hours easily.
Core Sessions- Make sure you are actively involved in order to get the most out of the sessions. Use the information provided when writing/ editing your CV.
Skills Sessions- Be open minded! Take notes if necessary and ask questions if you don’t understand anything. Go to a range of skills sessions and make the most of the information that is provided to you.
Exit Interviews- Don’t be nervous. It gives you the chance to meet employers and see what it would be like. Make sure you arrive on time and think about the responses to the questions that they ask you. Take your time and reflect on what you have done.
Acceler8 Employability Development Profile- Work on it throughout the year and reflect on your skills once you have completed your experience as this will allow you to think about everything you have completed so far.
The interview process
It is designed to provide you with the chance to experience an interview with two employers. Take time to think about the answers that you are giving to the questions and make sure you draw upon all of the experience that you have so far.
Before the interview, go over your CV to make sure you know what you have completed and can confidently talk about it. Arrive on time and always have a question at the end to ask the interviewers.
Enjoy the experience that the acceler8 award has to offer!