Written by Cath Challinor, MSc Museums & Heritage

On Thursday 26 June, students and graduates from the University and local employers gathered for the first ever Strengths & Skills Knowledge Exchange run by the Careers and Employability department. The event was the first of its kind and was organised by staff and six student Event Assistants. It was held in the Square, in the beautiful surroundings of the original stable blocks at Chester Zoo, with the aim of bringing together both students, graduates and employers in an open exchange of dialogue in a safe and welcoming environment.

Staff from the Careers and Employability team were particularly keen to foster an environment where everyone felt valued and included. The creation of name badges which only included first names was an important part of creating an all-inclusive space, where all attendees felt respected regardless of their position outside of the event. Both student, graduate and employer status was deliberately not disclosed on name badges to help break down barriers and to encourage an open approach to communication between all participants. The introduction of some basic ground rules set the expectations and tone of the event, helping to build trust and a sense of safety among the attendees.

Both students, graduates and employers were encouraged to listen with curiosity and attention, appreciate other people’s contributions and to express themselves in a positive way, helping to facilitate an inclusive environment where everyone felt able to speak out.

It was important for me to realise how supportive employers can be – that they want graduates to tell them if they are struggling.

Fern, Accounting and Finance

The first session of the day explored the idea of strengths profiling. All attendees had been asked to complete a strengths-based test and had come to the event armed with their individual strengths profiles. As well as helping with potential career suggestions, embracing a strengths-based approach can be applied in many workplace decisions, such as team building, performance development and delegation and problem solving. Knowing your strengths can lead to higher energy, increased productivity, reduced stress and increased resilience, as well as building confidence and helping you to achieve your goals.

Following on from a formal slide presentation on strengths and skills, both students, graduates and employers were asked to write down their top three strengths on a piece of paper, scrunch it up and throw it back on to the table. Attendees were then asked to pick up a note and read out the strength, and discuss with the group how this might show up in a work place or study environment. The person who’s strength it was, then shared with the group how much this strength meant to them. This was an insightful and revealing session that encouraged participation and involvement, as well as learning what strengths in the workplace are and how to showcase them to employers.

The most useful session was the strengths profile, focusing on your strengths and using them when thinking of a career path.

Adam, Computer Science

Now that attendees had begun to engage with one another and interact, it was time for the second session of the day – the roundtable discussions. The world café/roundtable method was designed to create a safe, welcoming environment in which to intentionally connect multiple ideas and perspectives in several rounds of small-group conversations. This technique was chosen to explore topics from multiple perspectives and to ensure that everyone in the room felt able to contribute to the discussion, and to encourage participants to network/make new connections, strengthen relationships, and build trust amongst both students, graduates and employers.

Three themes were chosen for this session, allowing for 20 minute discussions, after which participants moved to the next table and the next theme. The themes were as follows: navigating the recruitment process, employer expectations vs graduate experience and transition support and onboarding. This was a very successful session, resulting in two-way dynamic conversations between students, graduates and employers. Overall, the response was excellent and the following themes emerged from the discussion:

• The use of AI in application forms.
• The relevance of work placements/experiential learning when preparing for work.
• The importance of internships in bridging the gap between university and the workplace.
• The value of improved employee training/induction programmes.
• The introduction of workplace buddy/mentor schemes.
• The setting out of clear expectations for graduates entering the workplace.
• Authenticity and curiosity; be your authentic self, ask questions, engage, be positive and adaptable, in both the application process and when starting in a new role.
  

I enjoyed the round table because of the personal touch and ability to discuss topics at length.

Olivia, Accounting and Finance Graduate

Following a delicious lunch provided by the catering staff at Chester Zoo, the event concluded with a Q&A panel, where attendees were given time to ask the panel of employers, students and graduates a question. This brought to a close an extremely successful event where both students, graduates and employers had communicated openly and honestly about the challenges they all faced during the application and interview process, and during the first few weeks of being in a new role.

The Careers and Employability team have received a wealth of positive feedback and hopefully the event will be back bigger and better next year, helping to promote effective communication between students, graduates and employers, with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the needs of all parties.

The event was really insightful and motivating. I really enjoyed the variety of activities and approaches to get students/graduates and employers talking.

Jessica, Primary Education with QTS