With 200 delegates from 57 universities, seven expert judges, more than 900 hours of hard work, hundreds of social media posts and an impressive collection of Handshake swag…. Handshake’s Careers2030 bootcamp has ended on a high.
Heralded as an ‘exciting, impactful and groundbreaking’ event by delegates, the intensive course saw teams come together to create workable careers services strategies to take back to their institutions. And, in a celebratory awards ceremony, the winning team, as voted for by the public, was awarded £1500 per person to put their plan into action back at their institution.
Over the three-day course, delegates harnessed the power of design thinking to build strategies for a smooth and equitable transition from university to employment. And, as well as plenty of networking, collaboration and learning opportunities, Careers2030 introduced attendees to industry leading technology and software like Miro.
Dimitar Stanimiroff, Handshake’s General Manager for EMEA, who opened the bootcamp, reflected: “In our incredibly busy lives, it’s so rare that we get the opportunity to stand back and allow ourselves time to consider the big picture. Careers2030 allowed emerging leaders from universities all over the country to do just that. It’s been a pleasure to see the creativity, resilience and resourcefulness of my HE colleagues over the last few days - they’ve demonstrated that the future is incredibly bright for universities, students and employers alike.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of the groups chose to focus on social mobility, ensuring equitable access to career opportunities, particularly in the wake of Covid disruption. Indeed, Handshake’s Head of University Success for the UK, Clare Adams, highlighted a particularly pertinent issue right now – that of ‘netpotism’. Netpotism is a phrase which Handshake coined to explain that, particularly in an online environment, students from more affluent backgrounds, with personal connections into professional careers are still likely to be gaining an advantage over other candidates. It’s crucial, says Clare, that our post-Covid careers strategies seek to overcome this important obstacle to social mobility.
Helping shape strategies, panelists including Greg Wade, policy manager at Universities UK and Debbie McVitty, editor of WonkHe, provided valuable insight into industry priorities and pressing concerns.
Reflecting on a busy, challenging and inspiring week, we’re thrilled to have been able to provide talented delegates with the time and resources needed to collaborate and build the future. Careers2030 was made possible through our Early Careers Recovery Fund, a dedicated UK fund set aside to help universities recover from the challenges of the last eighteen months and develop forward looking strategies as they rebuild from the pandemic.
Check out our video recap here and watch out for more events and initiatives on the horizon. Congratulations to everyone who was involved with this great event!
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