Izzy Brookes, Lemuel Leach and Aimee King all completed projects with local organisations as part of the scheme, funded by Santander UK.
This was the second year this initiative was made available to Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences students.
The trio spent time with Bath City Farm (Izzy), Pledgeball (Lemuel) and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust (Aimee) between June and October 2024.
Overcoming real-world challenges
Each project was set by the organisation and focused on helping them to overcome business challenges they were facing.
Izzy, Lemuel and Aimee received funding from the Santander Universities UK Group, which works closely with the University of Bath on several student-focused initiatives.
Izzy, who graduated from BSc (Hons) Psychology last year, helped Bath City Farm by collecting data via surveys. She then compiled the results into a comprehensive report for the farm’s trustees, staff, and public display. The report included actionable insights that Bath City Farm could use to inform its strategic decisions moving forward.
Speaking about her project, she said:
As someone deeply interested in sustainability, it was inspiring to work with an organisation like Bath City Farm and witness the positive social impact of their projects. Contributing to the development of actionable insights to attract more visitors to this valuable community space, is something I feel very proud to be a part of.
Aimee, who studies BSc (Hons) Sociology, worked at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. Her project focused on reducing carbon emissions from staff and volunteer transport.
By analysing data, Aimee identified key issues and created promotional materials with future recommendations, and collaborated on networking maps to provide accessible, sustainable travel information for staff and volunteers.
Reflecting on the work, she said:
Through this placement, I not only contributed to an important cause but also refined my communication and project management skills. I gained hands-on experience in research, analysis, and the art of presenting complex information in an engaging and accessible way.
Speaking about Aimee's contribution, Jessica Thimbleby (Carbon Reduction Champion at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust) said:
It was fantastic to be offered the opportunity for additional capacity on our Carbon Reduction project - it made a real difference and Aimee was able to research and develop an area of work I would have struggled to put time to.
Lemuel’s internship at Pledgeball was divided into two phases under the guidance of different supervisors. During the first part, he worked to develop a comprehensive resource bank of facts and figures pertaining to the specific pledges suggested to users on the website. In the final weeks, he focused on scoping and designing a user account system.
Lemuel, who studies BSc (Hons) Psychology, said:
As someone who is looking to do a master’s degree in sports psychology, this experience with Pledgeball and working with regards to sport and football will be really valuable.
Future opportunities for students
The Santander Employability Projects scheme prioritises students not undertaking a professional placement as part of their degree, as a way to help them gain real-world experience alongside their studies.
The projects will be available again in summer 2025. Applications will open during Semester 2, at which point students will be notified.
If you are interested in the Santander Employability Projects scheme, or have any questions about projects and other opportunities, please contact Katie Gilham-Terrell (klg48@bath.ac.uk) (Student Success Officer).