This week’s profile is from Jay, who has been involved in practical conservation work with the RSPB since graduating from Aberystwyth. They wish they’d invested more time in improving their proficiency with statistical analysis software, and in learning how to use GIS software during their time at Aberystwyth. There are many courses available from LinkedIn Learning if you are interested in also developing these specific skills:

Statistical analysis:

• Statistics Foundations 1: The Basics (33m)
• SPSS Statistics Essential Training (2019) (5h 49m)
• Excel Statistics Essential Training (3h 36m)
• Python Statistics Essential Training (2h 39m)

Geographical Information Systems:

• Introduction to ArcGIS Online (3m)
• Foundations of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (59m)
• ArcGIS Pro Essential Training (3h 47m)

Text only:

When did you graduate from AU?

What did you study? – Zoology

What are you doing now professionally since graduating? “The last 6-months I have had a volunteer position at a Scottish RSPB reserve but I’ve just got a 3-month paid seabird surveying position on the Isles of Scilly with the National Trust”.

What digital skills do you use in your job? –

Data and information literacy- “I have done a lot of data entry and work with Excel and also typing up from written notes into spreadsheets. Also report writing with some statistical analysis but this has mainly been done with Excel as well”.

Digital learning – “Working at the RSPB I have had to use Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and I hadn’t used it until I was at the RSPB as it wasn’t part of my course”.

Are there any digital skills you wish you had learnt before you graduated?

“It would have been helpful to have learnt GIS and also maybe some introductory level map making skills and maybe to have different level courses so for beginners, intermediate and advanced for example. I would have also been interested in using image analysis software as this would have been good for my dissertation but also work so for example I could upload an image of a starling cloud and it would automatically count how many birds there are”.

Are there any common weaknesses in digital skills you notice amongst your colleagues?

“Yes statistics, it seemed that for some people it just didn’t click and no more support could be given– just seemed that you need to repeat the procedure. The resources were all there for you to learn which is good”.

This week we have the profile of Gabriela who has been studying for a Masters in Biochemistry since her time here at Aberystwyth University. Read how she’s made use of her free access to LinkedIn Learning to develop her skills in R (a programming language) and to develop her photography skills, one of her hobbies.

Visit this webpage to learn more about LinkedIn Learning and how you too can activate your free account.

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Our first graduate profile of Semester 2 is with Weronika who has great experience with using photo and video editing software, but she wishes she had learnt more about connecting with other professionals on networking sites such LinkedIn before she left Aberystwyth University. If you are also interested in learning how to utilise LinkedIn, take a look at the LinkedIn session with the AU Careers Service at our recent Digital Skills Festival.

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Our last profile for this semester is a recent Physics graduate who has had an exciting career since leaving Aberystwyth University in 2002 and is now teaching himself computer programming and is hoping to find a new career in that field.

At AU we have lots of resources to help you learn new things such as computer programming, including the new CoderPad challenges in LinkedIn Learning. In addition to this, next week we will be posting a follow-up blog detailing all the resources available to you to enhance your digital skills so keep a lookout for that!

*Please click here to read all of the other posts in our AU Graduate Digital Skills Profile Series*

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Our second graduate in our Digital Skill Profile Series is Korneliusz who has been working on a portfolio of work for a career following on from his degree in Film Making at AU. He wished he had been made more aware of the importance of your digital footprint while at university and next week on Wednesday 9 November we have an event on Improving your digital footprint and your online shadow as part of our Digital Skills Festival (6-10 November 2023). For more information, and to book your space on any event at the festival, please have a look at the programme. 

*Please click here to read all of the other posts in our AU Graduate Digital Skills Profile Series*

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Blogpost by Laurie Stevenson (Student Digital Champion)

*Please read my first blog to learn more about our AU Graduate Digital Skills Profile Series*

Our first graduate interview is with Francesca who now works as a support secretary within the NHS and wished she had been able to improve her knowledge and proficiency using MS Excel before she graduated.

Our Digital Skills Festival (6-10 November 2023) has two events on using Excel for both everyday use as well as working with more complex data sets. For more information, and to book your space on any event at the festival, please have a look at the programme.

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