by Stephen Ray Andrada, LLB Law Student (Final Year)
My saving grace would have to be the help I had received from the Employability and Placement Advisors in the Faculty of Business and Law at Coventry University. Due to their impeccable guidance, I was able to secure a year long placement at Coventry’s Refugee and Migrant Centre. This placement gave me first hand experience on the trials and tribulations of a solicitor in the affairs of immigration, and allowed me to develop transferable skills that could be applicable to any aspect of my bachelors degree in law.
Before my placement, I was a stressed-out, second-year university law student who was not ready to graduate. I lacked confidence and other crucial skills, which would have hindered my progression in the competitive field of law. However, with the help and guidance from the Immigration and Advice team at CMRC, I was able to learn many transferrable skills that I will not only be able to apply to my my future career but also in my day to day life. For this I shall be eternally grateful.
However, I am more grateful for the life lessons that I had the privilege of learning from the many people that I met at CRMC. People using the Centre come from all different walks of life. I was able to learn more about the issues regarding asylum seekers and refugees and the struggles that they go through to have a better experience, which I can honestly say that I was shamefully not aware of before working in CRMC.
I am more grateful for the life lessons that I had the privilege of learning from the many people that I met at CRMC.
I can genuinely say that I have learnt so much working with CRMC in the short span of one year. I was able to experience work as a paralegal, advice caseworker, receptionist (scariest position of them all), and as a customer-support and administrator for an award-winning translation and interpreting social enterprise.
My placement has also helped me with obtaining other placement opportunities. For example, I was able to use my experience with CRMC to secure a spot for the advocacy project in the Coventry Law centre for one of my final-year modules. As the work is very similar to my placement, I feel prepared and excited for the module.
I genuinely recommend university students to consider placements at CRMC, as I 100% believe that the comprehensive range/versatile set of skills and life lessons/experiences learnt within the organisation or placements in general, trumps graduating unprepared in today’s competitive job market.
Interested in studying law with us? Our Law LLB course offers you the opportunity to gain practical legal skills, develop your global experience, and get career ready, with expert staff and employment support. Current student? You can find out more about placement opportunities by speaking to the Talent Team.