"The job is challenging but also rewarding"

Published: 28 August 2020

Omkar Deodhar worked as a Clearing agent during this year’s Clearing and Adjustment process at St George’s. Omkar, who is currently intercalating after completing the penultimate year of medicine during the last academic year, explains more about his role in the wholly digital approach that St George’s innovated with Clearing and Adjustment this year.

Omkar begins, “There are two parts to Clearing: early Clearing, which runs from roughly July to mid-August, and main Clearing, which runs from A Level results day to about mid-September.

“My role during early Clearing was to process applications using a bespoke online system, built at St George's on Akero. There are several different parts to the process which reflect the different stages of making a Clearing application, such as assessing an application to see if they meet the criteria for an interview or an offer; checking an applicant’s details to see if they match the data on UCAS; and calling applicants to confirm an offer of study.

“As a Clearing agent, you need to understand that you will be interacting with prospective students during a very stressful time of their lives. Applying to university can be very trying, so being empathetic and understanding of their situation is essential.

“During main Clearing, my role has transitioned from processing applications to supporting new Clearing agents. Due to the massive increase in applications on and after A Level results day, more agents process applications during main Clearing.

“Due to my experience and familiarity with the system from early Clearing, I now support a team of main Clearing agents working on a particular part of the system. I answer any questions/queries that the main Clearing agents have and deal with any difficult/unorthodox cases. If I can’t deal with them, I escalate them to our supervisors.

“Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed working during Clearing. The training felt intense at first, but was really useful and all the staff working in Clearing, including my fellow Clearing agents, are incredibly friendly and approachable. The job is challenging but also rewarding as it requires me to be dynamic and flexible.

“I feel like a valued member of the team, and never feel shy raising something with my supervisors. It’s fulfilling to be part of something bigger than myself.”

Ordinarily the management of the Clearing and Adjustment process takes place on campus, however, the Covid-19 pandemic has meant that it has had to take place remotely this year with St George’s pioneering a wholly digital application process.

Omkar continues, “The online system we use to process applications works very well. It has allowed us to process an enormous amount of applications this year all from the comfort of our own homes! The laptops the university has sent us show how much St George’s has invested, both financially and emotionally, in remote Clearing.

“Working from home removes the social aspect of working in Clearing, however, I would argue that a lot of our social lives are conducted online nowadays anyway. We use Microsoft Teams to communicate with each other - to call/message each other, to troubleshoot problems by sharing our screens with each other and in many more ways.

“Nevertheless, all the difficulties of working from home are present. There are random software updates and everyone, myself included, will inevitably start talking only to have it pointed out that I have forgotten to unmute my microphone. It takes longer, and is perhaps a little more difficult, to build a rapport with colleagues, but this can be overcome with patience, effective communication and simply helping each other out.”

On the ‘digital-first’ approach taken by St George’s, Associate Director of Marketing and Student Recruitment, Naz Hussain, adds, “The current situation presented a significant challenge for our Clearing operation, which was office-based and paper heavy. We committed early to the bold decision of delivering Clearing fully online and remotely. The teams involved (Student Recruitment, Marketing, Registry and IT) did in months what would typically take years, in completely transforming our approach and taking a great leap forward in the volume, efficiency and transparency with which the University can take applications.

“But our digital first approach doesn’t remove the human interactions we want to have with our applicants. Our Student Ambassadors and academic colleagues do an amazing job of reaching out and providing the advice, guidance and support applicants seek in these difficult times. Our entire Clearing operation wouldn’t be possible without them and students like Omkar. I want to say a big thank-you to everyone involved for their unbelievable effort this year.”

Beyond Clearing and Adjustment, Omkar shares his advice for new students at St George’s. He says, “Firstly, I would say, welcome! And secondly, congratulations! We look forward to welcoming you to our university and hope that you make the most of it!

“At university, you will not only study, but also grow and develop as a person. Take advantage of as many of the opportunities available to you at St George’s as you can. Also, bear in mind that, whilst exams are very important, you are not learning solely to pass them, but also to gain skills and experience that will be useful to you in your future careers.

“Try to keep your curiosity alive during your studies and, if at all possible, throughout your life! By doing this you will not only learn more, but also enjoy the process of learning itself.”