Making the most of summer
The summer holidays are not far off, and students will soon be enjoying at least six weeks off. You could spend the time watching every episode of ‘Bake off’, or you could listen to the inspiring Willow Herold from InvestIN who joined the Dukes Club last night to share her tips on how students can use the holidays to increase their future career prospects.
A recent poll suggests that almost half of students are not confident in entering the workplace. Willow discussed the importance of getting to grips with the job market and what employers are looking for in this ever-changing environment. From a focus on textiles in the 80’s to a growth in tech, healthcare and green jobs in the 2020’s – it is key we build an awareness of what is impacting these shifts – current factors include ESG awareness, Covid, BREXIT, climate change and more.
Career paths also look completely different these days. The linear career path is all but gone, and people are changing their jobs around 12 times in their lifetime. This trend means that development and awareness of transferable skills is key.
Emotional intelligence and self-confidence are vital, Willow stressed, when entering the workplace. She encourages students to build awareness of their key strengths and values, develop an understanding of the world they are entering, explore all available avenues and get hands on experience in what you are interested in.
The World Economic Forum have identified the six most sought-after skills in today’s workplace – analytical thinking, self-awareness, curiosity, creativity, agility and motivation. Willow encourages students to use the summer to focus on developing these skills. There are so many options available - summer programmes, part time jobs, volunteer work and more. Students can use these to develop their skills, challenge themselves and push the boundaries. But more importantly they should then learn to articulate what they are good at, log their successes and be positive! Never forget that it is possible to turn your dreams into reality.
Listen to the webinar for a deeper insight and to hear more on Willow’s key tips.
Related