Students get ‘pacey’ careers boost after Santander internships

A dynamic duo of students scored big with their internships, with both offered new jobs well before graduation.

Bryony Pack and Roxi Uys – both Physical Education and Sport students – started the Santander Internship Scheme at Pacesetter Sports and Wellbeing at the beginning of January.

Pacesetter needed two enthusiastic team members to join their coaching programme, and both had some of the qualifications and experience needed to shadow full-time coaches working in primary schools.

These sessions involved taking lunchtime and after school sports and wellbeing clubs and in some cases delivering physical education.

They quickly hit the ground running and were soon delivering in-school sessions and were offered further vocational courses from Pacesetter to boost their development.

Bryony and Roxi did so well during their four months with Pacesetter, the company offered them both full-time, permanent positions.

Bryony said: “Working with Pacesetter has been an extremely enjoyable and valuable experience for me. I have been provided with numerous opportunities to develop my coaching ability, which will no doubt help me in the future where I hope to work as part of a coaching company such as Pacesetters.

“The UON internship scheme has been of great assistance to me and I am very grateful that I was able to continue working with such a great group of people at Pacesetters who have been of extraordinary help to my coaching career.”

Roxi added: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Pacesetters gaining more knowledge and experience on PE and coaching. It has been an eye-opening experience on the type of career I would like for my future for a potential graduate job.

“The internship will give other students a perspective on what type of career they would like to do once they graduate from university or the type of pathway, they could choose. Another perk is that you are doing something you love and want to learn new things about.

“Although I wasn’t able to accept a permanent post with them, my confidence in seeking my next role has been boosted”.

Nick Schanschieff – Director of Pacesetter Sports & Wellbeing – concludes by saying: “Both Roxi and Bryony have been a fantastic addition to the team. They are both hardworking, reliable, punctual and above all very good at delivering PE and Sport to the children in our contracted schools.

“The Santander Scheme allows students to showcase themselves in front of potential employers. Over the years Pacesetter has had a good working relationship with the University of Northampton offering, not just Santander placements, but also general work experience opportunities. We have had many different students going on to work for us full or part-time over the years.

“Having been involved in recruitment in my eight years with Pacesetter and before that as a Centre Manager, you cannot underestimate people who are taking their first steps into employment may be from school or university who are willing to undergo some work experience to demonstrate their qualities.”