Anna Romachney's Graduate Story

What journey did you take whilst looking for a job once finishing University?

When I was a student at Manchester Metropolitan University, I became Carbon Literate. After that, I became a Carbon Literacy Student Trainer. A member of the Manchester Met Carbon Literacy team told me about a volunteering opportunity at The Carbon Literacy Project, and I decided to volunteer there before doing my placement in the education sector. During my placement year, I also worked in a Covid testing lab. Additionally, I took on various roles through jobs4students and Rise, which significantly helped to improve my skills and employability.

What is it like working in your field?

Due to having experience as a Carbon Literacy trainer and volunteering a lot already in the project, there was nothing too surprising in my job role. I think I had initially expected it to be more people-facing, though there is a little more admin than I expected.

What does your day-to-day life look like at work?

In my previous roles with Jobs4Students, most of my work involved independent tasks. In the Carbon Literacy Project, there is a mix of independent work and teamwork. We have regular team meetings, and occasionally, we have tasks that require collaboration. While I mostly work independently, I closely collaborate with someone else in the education sector. My typical day involves emailing and meeting with people in the education sector who are new to Carbon Literacy, helping them prepare for their training, and creating content to support them. The team at Carbon Literacy is very supportive, and we all work well together.

What skills or experience did you learn at Manchester Met that are key to your work life?

The Carbon Literacy training I received and subsequently becoming a Carbon Literacy Student Trainer helped me acquire many valuable skills and created numerous opportunities for me. As a Carbon Literacy trainer, I gained confidence in public speaking, presenting, and expressing myself both verbally and in writing. This experience also boosted my overall confidence, which was beneficial in my academic pursuits and job applications. Additionally, my time as a student trainer led to other opportunities, including work as a Research Assistant in sustainable fashion and microbiology.

What advice would you give students looking to get into your field of work?

In The Carbon Literacy Project, we value people’s passion and commitment to sustainability. If you are enthusiastic about educating others about climate change and taking action to make a difference, you share our values. Effective communication is essential for all roles in the organisation, as there is a lot of interaction with external partners to engage them in our training programs. The Carbon Literacy Project also provides various opportunities for placements, internships, and volunteering throughout the year. You can find more information on how to apply on the website. Additionally, Manchester Met offers training to become Carbon Literate and work as Carbon Literacy trainers. I highly recommend pursuing these opportunities, as they provide specific sustainability-focused skills, and important soft skills like presentation and public speaking, which are valuable for any role.

Do you think you could have done anything differently during your course which could have better prepared you for working life after graduation?

I was lucky that I was offered a permanent role after my placement. Although, I wish I had taken more advantage of the free experiences and training that Manchester Met has to offer, such as different Rise programmes and LinkedIn learning. By utilising these opportunities, it will really help to enhance your employability skills. I would recommend doing these things from first year up until you graduate. That way you don’t have as much stress in your final year and can also make sure you have time to relax and enjoy your final year of university too.

If you could give one piece of advice for those starting their career journey, what would you say?

Try to learn from the experiences along the way. Even during interviews that you aren’t successful on, try to learn from them and try not to dwell on them too negatively either. Also make use of the services at Manchester Met as they’re there to help and support you even after graduation.