Even though many of our graduates will have progressed in their careers since completing a case study, they are still of interest to students who wish to gain an understanding of the world of work.

I am an assistant SLT, creating resources such as visual timetables, communication books and accessible information for service users who have moderate-severe learning disabilities. I assist SLTs during initial community visits (e.g. at service user's home or day centre), helping with communication assessments and dysphagia observations.

There is a lot of admin' involved eg. making phone calls to arrange appointments, gathering information from carers/family/GPs, booking rooms for meetings/clinics. I am actively involved in evidence-based research within our team, ensuring that assessments are up to date. Going out on visits to see our service users within the community, assessing them and writing reports. If required, creating resources to aid them and increase the efficiency of their communication. Training staff/carers/family in Makaton signing or showing them how to thicken drinks/modify food if the service user has dysphagia guidelines in place.

It gives me the all round experience of what a career in speech therapy is like. I get to visit patients, help complete assessments, help assess communication/dysphagia difficulties, create aids to help them, help families and patients and relate communication to my interests (linguistics, English language and the biology behind language/speech). For the past three years, I have been volunteering my time in order to build up my experiences and skills. This job is exactly that, building up my skills, knowledge and experience but I get paid to do it!

Time constraints is very challenging. The NHS as a whole is low in funds and we are a stretched service with ever-growing waiting lists and demanding caseloads. The stories of people's lives is also particularly difficult sometimes, hearing about what people have gone through. It makes the job all the more worth it when you put a smile on their face and can help them become efficient communicators and improve their quality of life though.

I came to Sheffield to do my BA in Linguistics as I knew that there was a postgrad' SLT course and this was what I ultimately wanted to do. By studying Linguistics beforehand and enrolling in modules from the human communication department, I could be completely sure that this was the career I wanted to pursue. After being unsuccessful in applying for the MMedSci SLT course, I found a position working directly for SLTs which is great experience that I get paid for doing!

My linguistics background (phonetics, syntax);
Computer competencies (Microsoft word, excel, publisher etc);
Organisation is key (keeping on top of work loads, managing the SLTs caseloads when making appointments for them and keeping in mind travelling time, ensuring that deadlines are met)l.

After finding out I was unsuccessful in January 2018 for the MMedSci SLT course (whilst in my final year of my undergrad) I signed up for the NHS careers job notifications. The position was advertised and during the Easter break (March/April 2018) I was interviewed and offered the job providing I could start after finishing my degree in the June. Upon leaving university, I shadowed an independent SLT and worked as a scribe/reader in a private school for a child with severe dyslexia who was sitting his SAT tests. This was during the period of time that I was having my occupational health checks before i could start my new job.

I see myself reapplying for the postgraduate SLT course. This would allow me to practice as a fully qualified speech therapist so that I could progress in my career.

Never give up if you want it that badly. I had so many knock backs - from applying for voluntary positions to contacting SLTs for shadowing experience. Opportunities don't fall into your lap or grow on trees. You need to do your research (and I mean hours of it!) every waking minute I was searching organisations/charities/NHS voluntary positions etc. anything that was remotely related to SLT/english/language/communication/the client groups I could potentially work with e.g. stroke survivors, brain injury patients, elderly vs young children. The opportunities are there, you just have to be very patient and actively seek them out.