Voluntary work can open many doors to your future working life. It can give you the experience of making a difference and finding meaning in what you do – and that can be a good experience to take with you into your professional life. By volunteering, you also gain a network of people who share your interests, which can be a valuable support and inspiration for both your personal and professional development.
A project placement is a good way of getting practical experience of the labour market – and of brining your your professional and personal skills into play. Since they are often for a longer period of time, project placements give you the chance to try out different tasks and really integrate into the workplace. This allows you to discover which working methods and processes suit you best. It also gives you work experience for your CV.
A project placement can also help you to see whether your disability affects your work tasks – because it might not!
Your project placement options and guidelines will depend on which Master’s degree programme you’re following. You can read more in your academic regulations. You’re always welcome to contact the student guidance team on your programme to get an overview of your options.
Exam assignments
Remember that your exam assignments require you to get to grips with many different questions, studies and analyses.
By writing these assignments, you have the opportunity to focus on what you think is interesting, important or perhaps just intriguing. You can put your academic knowledge and skills into play in a specific context. So just by completing your assignments, you show a level of expertise in different subject areas and topics. Have you already written an exam assignment that could show a relevant perspective for a prospective employer?
Master’s thesis collaboration
It is possible to write your Master’s thesis in collaboration with a company or an organisation. This could be a private company, public institution or an NGO – and the topic could relate to any profession.
A Master’s thesis written in collaboration with a company or organisation is subject to the same conditions as any other Master’s thesis, and will be assessed according to the academic objectives in your academic regulations. This means that you must comply with your academic regulations and the rules which apply to Master’s theses at the department/school at which you are enrolled. This kind of thesis is no different from any other type of thesis – it must conform to one of the thesis types described in the academic regulations.
The Danish Association of Young People with Disabilities (Sammenslutningen af Unge med Handicap) offers good advice for students with disabilities. It suggests that you make it a priority to get as much work experience as you can throughout your studies – if you have the resources to do so. A student job can be a really good idea, and you don’t need to work for the traditional 12-15 hours a week. Working fewer hours can also make a difference and give you valuable experience. It’s better to work for two hours a week for a year than twelve hours a week for two months and burn out 😊 And remember – voluntary work and projects can give you just as good an insight.
Stay on top of the rules for disability allowance, and remember that you can always ask the SU office for advice.
