Beginning Monday November 15th, Enterprise and Employability Week gives students a chance to look at their options when they leave university and enter the world of work.
Monday’s events include a hands-on workshop to discuss self-employment, and the Dress for Success fashion event.
For budding Apprentices, “Pitch for Success” on Tuesday is the opportunity to be an entrepreneur for the afternoon.
Students will be working alongside local “dragons” before pitching their ideas to them, as well as finding solutions to everyday problems and developing a business plan into a business idea.
The dragons will comprise of Tim Sayers, the founder of Develop to Grow, Gerrard Jones, co-founder and director of Gerard School of Football, Randall Hayes of Hayes Associates and David Clarke from DBS.
The graduate careers fair takes place in the Engine Shed on Wednesday, with exhibitors including Coca Cola, Lindum Group, Siemens and many more: “There will be a host of both local and national businesses exhibiting, including Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Brand Four, Rockstar Games, Evolve Sports, Care UK, Eon Media, the military, Lincolnshire Police, Hilton Hotels and Lincolnshire Co-operative.
“Enterprise will also have a strong presence with stands from Job Shop, Opportunities and Sparkhouse,” says Kay Rodgers, a graduate career intern at Enterprise@Lincoln.
Other events throughout the week include workshops on applications and employer expectations for part-time employment, how to start your own business, and a morning with the RAF Motivational Team for personal development training.
Enterprise and Employability Week concludes with an open day at the Enterprise@Lincoln building, where students can talk to careers advisers, sign up to the Job Shop, and find out about the Lincoln Award whilst enjoying free food and drink.
Rodgers says that this week is important for students, as last year’s graduates are now facing problems as a result of not considering their options whilst still at university:
“Many of them hadn’t considered employability while they were still at university and now, six months after they’ve left, they are really struggling to secure jobs.
“Enterprise and Employability Week is a good chance to encourage students that now is the time to consider their options for after university, especially while Enterprise’s services are so easily accessible to them,” Rodgers explains.
She hopes that the event will help students in finding out what support is available from them, exploring different career paths and meeting employers: “We hope to raise awareness of the services available within our department and the ways we can help students and graduates and give students the opportunity to explore different career routes that they might not have considered, such as self employment.
“We’re also offering the chance to meet local and national graduate employers and to find out what it is that they’re looking for. And the opportunity to enjoy some fun and enjoyable events surrounding employment, like Dress for Success,” she says.