Are we really providing relevant and suitable careers and employability support to our widening participation students?
Bringing together experts in the careers and employability arena, this webinar sought to challenge our current practices and offer a forum to share and discuss what we can do better. Watch a recording of the session and download the presentations below.
More about the speakers
Deirdre Lynskey (chair) is Student Development Manager at Queen’s University Belfast, managing the team of Careers consultants who provide an integrated service to all Queen’s students relating to their personal, academic and career development. With a career firmly based in widening participation, Deirdre was Assistant Director for Aimhigher Greater Merseyside where she was the Strategic lead for care experienced young people, which included establishing the Care Leavers network on Greater Merseyside and leading the Buttle UK Quality Mark pilot for Further Education Colleges. Deirdre’s experience also includes leading and managing detached youth programmes and working in creative arts training.
Ladan Mirzadeh Hong is a Widening Participation Careers Consultant at King’s College London. Her role focuses mainly on shaping and implementing a targeted and tailored careers provision for students from under-represented background. She also works with the wider KCL Careers & Employability and KCL Widening participation team on implementing change to benefit all students. Ladan has over 12 years’ experience in the Higher Education sector, mainly working in Widening Participation, creating, and leading projects focused on raising aspirations. Having gained her PgDip in Careers Guidance, she moved to The Careers Group in 2018.
Tristram Hooley is a researcher and writer specialising in career and career guidance. He is variously Professor of Career Education at the University of Derby, Professor II at the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences and Chief Research Officer at the Institute of Student Employers. His work looks at the relationship between career, technology, politics and the labour market and he has a strong and ongoing commitment to social justice. You can find out more about him on his blog Adventures in Career Development.
Dr Jamie Mackay is the Skills Strategy Manager at Enterprise M3 LEP, with a central role in helping to shape and focus the development and activities of the skills agenda within the LEP area. A key part of Jamie’s work is leading on the support and development of the Skills Advisory Panel, a membership group with representation from business, education, government and the not for profit sector. Jamie’s background is largely with the higher education sector although a common thread through his career to date is helping to empower individuals to make informed decisions about their own careers. Jamie is an annual Ambassador with National Careers Week. Read more on Jamie’s LinkedIn profile.
Heather Pasero, Career Practitioner at University of Southampton, has conducted theoretical and applied research looking at the experience of students who are the first member of their family to attend University. She has been a career professional for twenty years since first working as a receptionist at Manchester Metropolitan University Careers Service. Also working in FE with Access to HE students empowering them to enter University and create a road map for their future. She is interested in unwrapping the University space, understanding the current culture and practices and how this can evolve to become more inclusive and comfortable for a wider range of students.