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"Being a part of the Students' Union at the University of Plymouth I've definitely developed myself and my skills throughout my time from being a student all the way to becoming a Sabbatical Officer and President of the Students' Union.
So UPSU definitely has a sort of community feel to it, it has the groups you get to know at University, the friendships you create for life, my housemates. Everything I know from my life right now I have built from the Students' Union. The experience part of University such as Plymouth Snow Sports club. So we go on ski trips holidays quite often and that's we have the social aspect when we're training together in Plymouth and that's sort of my friendship group I know I'll have for life.
When I was a student, I was also President of the University of Plymouth Business society so that on my CV looks absolutely amazing. Being able to lead a group such as such as that, in such a large institution and the skills I learned there through the training provided through the Students' Union has definitely benefited and also carried me through my degree. And once I graduated to be elected, as part of the Students Union, as the Union President, I would say, has given me sort of weird shared values with them. So there's definitely a community feel and UPSU is one of supporting it's one of empowerment. And I think that I've sort of brought that to myself while working here. And it's quite nice to see that community feel and that group of empowerers and friends and support network which you wouldn't have elsewhere. So I'm quite grateful that being in UPSU has given me the opportunity to sort of grow into individual, make friends for life, and develop my skills to sort of be where I want to be."
Where are they now:
"My time as a Sabbatical Officer and the experiences that came with the role were vital to my personal development and ability to perform well in a professional capacity. I enjoyed every moment of my time in office, from pushing the sustainable agenda to being the voice for those that needed it. Without realising, I learnt how to confidently articulate myself in a way that I never saw possible for myself. I wasn’t always the most confident of people, but the role provides opportunities to build and develop yourself in ways that work for you. The campaigns led and seeing first hand how we can influence positive change had also given me experience that employers love hearing about, even more than my degree. I went from the quiet person in the back of the room to one that thrives in the board room. I now manage my own department in a hugely successful organisation and am able to do so confidently, thanks to the building blocks set whilst being a sabbatical officer at the University of Plymouth Students’ Union."
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