The categories are: aerodynamics, control systems and electronics, design and analysis, performance engineering, power-train energy recovery, R&D of materials, transducers and test technology, vehicle dynamics.

Entries at the Final Presentation will be judged by a panel of experts from Altran and the Renault F1 Team. They will be assessed on their concept, the demonstration of scientific and engineering knowledge and the clarity of the proposed project.

The prizes at stake are two paid internships with the Renault F1 team.

6 months in Enstone, England (chassis/bodywork development)

6 months in Viry-Châtillon, France (engine/gearbox development)

Click here to find out more and apply by 28th May 2010 and see what last year’s winner has to say about the Altran Academy in this video:

Earthwatch is an international environmental charity which is committed to conserving the diversity and integrity of life on earth to meet the needs of current and future generations.

With the Earthwatch Citizen Scientist Competition you have the chance to win a place for yourself and a friend on an Earthwatch Institute expedition, where you can find out more about the scientific research that goes into solving today’s most pressing environmental issues, from sustainably managing the tropical rainforests of Puerto Rico to bringing Kenya’s black rhinos back from the brink of extinction.

To enter, submit a 1,000 research proposal or a 3 minute video (or both), addressing an urgent environmental issue and outlining how your research concept could present a solution to the problem.

For full guidelines on the areas you should be researching, as well as a downloadable self-help sheet, visit the Citizen Science website:  www.citizenscience.org

You can also attend a Competition Advice Clinic on Thursday 20th May, where Earthwatch research staff will be on hand to help you develop your research proposal.

Deadline for entries is Friday, 28th May 2010

Vitae has undertaken a pilot project to produce around 20 films of the career stories of people with a research background, currently working within and outside HE and from a variety of backgrounds, disciplines and levels.

There are two main aims for this project:

• to create a series of films to illustrate the range and variety of careers that people with a research training go on to do, in order to highlight turning and tipping points
• to create a set of career profiles to begin to demonstrate the wider impact of research careers on society/the economy.

You can see the full range of films here

The approach you are taking as a business to recruit graduates has changed. Can you tell us how and why?

As Centrica continues to develop, the graduate programme must ensure that it is continually re-aligning itself to the needs of the organisation.  In particular, the graduate programme must ensure that as a key talent pipeline, it remains well linked to the current and perceived future talent needs of Centrica and its business units.

The current structure of the programme is a mixture of functional streams (in particular engineering, geoscience, IS and finance) and generalist streams (namely the General Management stream).  Where streams have been more functionally focussed there has been better alignment with talent and business objectives as well as enhanced support for graduates. Therefore, a decision has been made by the business to offer four new functional streams of HR, Customer Operations, Analyst and Marketing to replace the General Management graduate programme

You have increased the summer placement programme by 50%.  Can you tell us the thinking behind that considering the current economic climate?

Part of the reason for Centrica’s upswing in demand for summer placement students is the company’s involvement with the CBI.  Sam Laidlaw, CEO of Centrica plc, is Chairman of the CBI Higher Education Taskforce, which is spearheading collaboration between the higher education sector, business and government.  We’re recruiting 75 students to undertake 10 week summer placements within Engineering, IS, Finance and General Management. As the 2009 NCWE overall winner of Best Placement provider we are committed to giving students the opportunity to developing their employability skills.

Full details of Centrica’s schemes can be found on their website

If you need help with your CV or Application visit our website for details on the resources we have in stock to help you.

If you spot any other online student editions of industry publications drop us a comment, and don’t forget we have a huge library of online resources on our Careers Tagged system

1. Consolidate Information

Look through the literature you have collected and ask yourself the question ‘is this for me?’ Revisit company websites (links or the Careers Fair microsites) to consolidate any information you were given by the exhibitors. If there are case studies on the website, read them and visualise yourself in the role – does it seem like the type of work you would enjoy and succeed at?

2. Make Comparisons

If you need further information about the employers that you met, request a copy of their annual report (often downloadable from their corporate website). You may also want to look at their competitors, even if it is only to answer the ‘why do you want to work for us?’ question. If you don’t know who the competition is, have a look in the trade press, contact your relevant professional body or visit Careers Tagged. Start solidifying what you are looking for in an employer and develop your shortlist of organisations you would like to pursue.  If you want help comparing the different jobs and developing your plan, consider having a chat to a careers adviser.

Quick Query sessions are available Monday to Thursday at the Careers Service http://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/advice

3. Look for Further Opportunities

If you want to find out more about working in a certain sector or company, look out for open days and taster courses run by companies and professional bodies. Explore the Careers sections of employer websites to find opportunities for internships and other placements.  The Careers Service also runs a comprehensive employer presentation programme, where you can talk to recruiters about their opportunities in more depth. Collect an annual programme from the Careers Service, or download this PDF

4. Use Your Contacts

If you were given a business card by a fair exhibitor, it was for a reason – if you have further questions contact them. When you call, make sure you have your questions prepared and offer to call back if the person is busy. Another way to use the contacts you have made at the fair is when you are at the application stage. Mentioning that you met a named person from their company and how that interaction inspired you to apply shows you are pro-active in your job search.

5. Succeed at the Application Stage

Having carried out your further research you may decide that you wish to apply for a position. Firstly, find out what the company expects – do they want a CV, application form, covering letter? What skills are they looking for in you?  And find out their recruitment deadlines. Some organisations have good ‘top tips’ on their websites to assist with filling in the form or to tell you what to expect at interview. Read this carefully and draft your application.

A Careers Adviser at UCL Careers Service could help with your CV, application form and covering letter in a Quick Query session http://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/advice/quickquery. If you receive notification of an interview, you can also book a mock interview with feedback at the Careers Service.

If you are still not sure about what you want to do next, or need some additional practice we are running events all the way up to the end of term with both Employers, and Careers Advisers

Employer Presentation: Ernst & Young.
19 November 2009. 1pm. More information…

S4W Panel Discussion: How to Survive an Assessment Centre.
19 November 2009. 5:30pm. More information…

Employer Presentation: Bond Pearce.
23 November 2009. 1pm. More information…

1st Year Students’ Event:
23rd November (Evening). More information…

Employer Presentation: ICAEW.
23 November 2009. 5:30pm. More information…

Employer Presentation: Society of Young Publishers.
24 November 2009. 1pm. More information…

Employer Presentation: What is it like to be a Summer Intern at Ernst & Young
24 November 2009. 5.30pm. More information…

Practice Aptitude Test.
25 November 2009. 10am. More information…

S4W Workshop: Commercial Awareness.
25 November 2009. 2pm. More information…

Employer Presentation: DLA Piper.
26 November 2009. 1pm. More information…

Employer Presentation: Lloyds Banking Group.
30 November 2009. 1pm. More information…

International Student Talk: Guide to the Tier 1 Post Study Work Visa.
30 November 2009. 4pm. More information…

S4W Workshop: Decision Making Under Pressure.
01 December 2009. 5:30pm. More information…

Practice Aptitude Test.
03 December 2009. 2pm. More information…

Practice Aptitude Test.
07 December 2009. 10am. More information…

MBTI Personality Profiling Workshop.
08 December 2009. 2pm. More information…

Practice Aptitude Test.
15 December 2009. 2pm. More information…

864 vacancies currently on JobOnline tagged with the following industry sectors:

Details you will find there include:
o   A comprehensive list of the departments looking for ITs with links to
the individual department placement adverts
o   Guidance on how to complete the application form
o   Comments from our 2008-09 Interns
o   A brief overview of the local area

The deadline is Monday 26th October so get applying now!
All the placements available are for 12 months and have an anticipated start date of 6th September 2010.

The programme offers one or two PhD-level researchers studying or working in a UK academic or Governmental institution the opportunity to kick-start their career by gaining up to two year’s experience in a Toshiba R&D laboratory in Japan.

The Toshiba Fellowship Programme was set up with the objective of nurturing cultural understanding between the UK, Europe and Japan in the fields of technology and engineering. It gives Fellows the opportunity to work in a highly innovative organisation, in a country renowned for its world-class technology.

Since it was established 26 years ago, the Toshiba Fellowship Programme has attracted high-calibre applicants from the UK’s top universities in the area of science and technology. To date, it has given 29 Fellows a unique start to their careers, and Toshiba’s R&D departments have gained from their fresh thinking in return. Many of the Toshiba Fellowship alumni have gone on to successful careers, investing their skills back into the UK and European knowledge base and economy.

“The Toshiba Fellowship Programme was a great place to begin my research career,”

commented a Toshiba Fellowship alumna, Dr Lois Hobson, who is today Manager of the NE Energy 2015 Programme at the Centre for Process Innovation.

“After several years in academia I was eager to gain some industrial, as well as life experience. I learnt so much from my time in Japan, everything from working in a commercial environment to immersing myself in the local language and culture. My experience at Toshiba is a clear differentiator on my CV and has proven to be a firm basis for my career in industry,” she continued.

The programme, which is run in association with the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council), offers a generous package including support for the re-location of the successful candidate and their family.

Dr. Mark Thompson, a lecturer at the University of Bristol who is currently participating in the Toshiba Fellowship Programme in Japan also commented,

“My experience of the Toshiba Fellowship Programme has so far been a great learning curve. I’ve found it exhilarating to live in such a different culture, and it’s valuable to learn so many new skills in such a short period of time. Toshiba has fully supported the transition, providing me with language lessons, help with accommodation, even advice on good restaurants for me and my wife to try.  I feel I have quickly become one of the team.”

The closing date for applications for the 2010 Programme is 11 December 2009.

For a detailed list of the research topics, please visit:

http://www.toshiba.eu/fellowship

Guidelines for Applications

Applicants must be:

• Holding the nationality of an EU member state

• In possession of a PhD or reliably expected to obtain one by the time they begin the Fellowship in Japan

• In possession of less than ten years maximum post-doctoral research experience

• Studying or working in a UK academic or government institution at the time of application

Learn from the experts at the EMBL- European Bioinformatics Institute open day in Cambridge, which will take place on Tuesday November 3rd from 09:30 to 16:30.

This is the ideal opportunity for young scientists who are considering
a career in bioinformatics to find out more about opportunities at Europe’s main centre for bioinformatics.

This is an excellent chance to learn about cutting-edge research projects, get an overview of one of the world’s most important collections of biological databases and tools, and be given time to talk one-to-one with the experts who develop and curate these services.

Registration is FREE, but places are limited to 40 so please register
now to avoid disappointment. Please go to http://www.ebi.ac.uk/training/openday/ for a full programme and registration details.

Laura Brammar, Careers Adviser, UCL Careers Service

The ORBIS Programme (Overcome Recession: Bioscience Investment in Skills), set up with money from the Economic Challenge Investment Fund, is offering 60 internship placements that aim to provide practical work experience with leading bioscience and healthcare companies, as well as twelve days of specific bio-business training.

The aim is to equip recent graduates (with a first degree, masters or PhD), who may have limited work experience in this sector, with the technical and commercial skills they need to significantly enhance their employability. The project will be delivered by both The London Bioscience Innovation Centre and The Royal Veterinary College, with the internships lasting 26 weeks. 

Further information for prospective interns is available from the programme website .

The closing date for applicants is Monday 2^nd November but early applications are encouraged.