Find out about Elisabeth Ajayi BA (Hons) Architecture as Project Leader at the House of Commons
Tell us a bit about you and your role
I am a BA Architecture student at the University of Portsmouth and I am currently completing my placement year at UK Parliament, within the Project Delivery team. My team’s focus is to ensure the realisation of construction projects on the Parliamentary Estate, from conception through to completion.
What does the Project Leader role involve?
As a student Project Leader, my role involves a vast number of tasks which vary according to the ongoing project. In the past six months, I have been responsible for writing business cases on behalf of my team, compiling security reports and helping to make work processes more efficient through digital solutions. Every day comes with different challenges, which has made the experience very exciting!
Highlight so far
The UK Parliament runs a monthly newsletter to celebrate employee achievements and I had the chance to be featured during National Apprenticeship Week, alongside other placement students. It has been a major highlight of my time at Parliament so far, as it was an opportunity to share my experience with other people in the organisation. Overall, working with my team has been a great experience, as they are very supportive of my progression during this placement year and beyond.
What skills are you developing during your placement?
Presentation expertise is a very important skill set both here at Parliament and in my degree, and thankfully, I have been able to exponentially develop it during the first half of my placement. I have learnt how to target information to the specific stakeholder in the audience, while also refining the visual methods I use to present my projects.
Overall, I have become much more confident in communicating with people from all roles and departments, which has greatly enriched my experience here at Parliament.
Elisabeth at the House of Commons
What is the next project you will be working on?
Currently, I am looking forward to working with the contractors commissioned by Parliament to carry out construction projects on the estate. As I have spent 6 months familiarising myself with the projects from a logistical side, I am quite excited to work more closely with professionals in my academic field.
What is your advice to students applying for a placement?
Applying for a placement position can seem daunting as there are few places contested by many applicants; however, there are many resources available to support students in becoming potential candidates, including the Creative Careers team. It’s important to make sure that your CV and cover letters are of good quality as it will increase your chance of getting selected for the next stage of the application.
Lastly, it’s never too late to apply; while it’s better to apply early in the academic year, there are still many places available well into spring, so give it a try!