Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Leeds Beckett student committed to improving Human Resources graduates from Leeds Business School
Today is the last day of Graduation at Leeds Beckett University, with Leeds Business School graduates expected to cross the stage throughout the day. Willem Kleinsmiede is among those celebrating today. His experience stands out through the passion and determination he showed during his three years on the course, to find the best opportunities for his future career in the wellbeing and ethics areas of HR.
After seeking out an opportunity through the Careers team at Leeds Beckett in his first year, Willem managed to secure six weeks working with a mentor from Leeds City Council. He says working with the Careers team to find a person who shared his perception of the field was essential.
“I had a particular idea of what I wanted HR to be. It’s not about making people work more effectively to improve money-making, it’s very much about how we can improve the colleagues’ lifestyles and work-life balance. The Careers team put me in touch with a mentor who did just that: they facilitated something that was exactly what I was looking for.”
Willem then went on to do a work placement with Siemens Mobility Global, which was a stepping stone towards his success in securing a position on the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme, starting in September.
When asked what motivated him to be so proactive in finding job opportunities from first year, he says that it was sheer passion.
“Growing up, I didn’t see my dad much. He lived in America for work and that really affected me. I was always wondering why someone like a father had to commute so much for work. And then my mum had to use her tips from her waitressing job and it made me question why people aren’t paid properly.
"Seeing the impact of those situations on my mum and my sister made me want to try to make a change in workers’ rights.”
After his work placement with Siemens Mobility Global, Willem realised he wanted to pursue a public-sector job that would offer him the chance to make a difference to people’s quality of life, by striving for HR policies that put colleagues first.
He is now waiting to start working with the NHS, on their Graduate Management Training Scheme, which has been recognised as the third best graduate employment scheme on the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers in 2021.
“I think a true wellbeing-led role needs to trickle down into society. And with the NHS, in particular, you can be a part of a team that hopefully will be responsible for implementing and maintaining a people strategy, which will help healthcare workers across the country and in turn affect the society as a whole.
"This is why I wanted to join the NHS and particularly this scheme, because it’s a leadership scheme, so it can give you the authority to implement change and put the colleagues first. Hopefully, we can achieve this sooner rather than later.”
To find out more about the BSc (Hons) Human Resources Management and Business course, visit the Leeds Business School website.