Pritpal Kalsi

About Me

I hold a PGDip Career Guidance & Development qualification from the University of the West of Scotland. I also previously studied BSc Psychology with an interest in Social Psychology and Applied Behavioural Analysis.

My current work is based in the Applicant Enquiry Team at the University of the West of Scotland assisting potential applicants with a wide variety of queries such as looking for educational paths to progress onto various courses and advice/guidance on personal statements. This involves answering phone calls and emails predominately however I also attend various secondary schools across Scotland to promote the University and what it has to offer at various school's careers fairs. I also work on University open days and offer holder sessions and act as an ambassador to organise the day's events and speak to the coming students on university life and experience. In this role, I liaise with various internal departments and work with careers advisers across a variety of schools. I have managed my team in my manager's absence by organising workload for members of staff and supporting their learning and knowledge on a daily basis.

Developing good working relationships is at the heart of my ethical code. This includes respect for colleagues and customers. Central to this is speaking to people how you would like to be spoken to, which is with dignity, humility and respect. Being adaptable and flexible means that I can face challenges easily. I'm used to thriving in difficult circumstances at the last minute through my current job which can at times require me to provide a campus tour with short notice or attend a secondary school careers event to cover a staff member who is unable to attend or come into work on my day as the office is short-staffed due to illness.

I engage in continuous self-reflection to assess my own decisions made and the information I have provided throughout my professional and personal life. Having this approach means that I'm constantly looking to improve upon myself as a person and my abilities by always looking at ways to develop myself and seek new information. I'm constantly seeking ways to improve services for people by providing feedback. This is done through my current job at UWS by being diligent on issues with our application system and making sure website information is correct and kept up to date. It goes beyond my remit and job requirements but I believe it's important to always be pro-active in this. In my job, students or potential applicants can phone up confused and afraid about their future, about what to do and I make sure they have options available to them by suggesting gradual steps they can take to achieve their goals. Hearing compliments from them and the change in tone of their voice to being more motivated or inspired is what drives me every day to do even better for the next person.