Over a weekend in June, LUMS Careers invited alumni back for a two-day event designed to support recent alumni whose career development may have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent global events. The event’s aim was to provide guidance to alumni who were reconsidering their career choices and create a bridge back to the Careers team through the LUMS for Life offer. This event was graciously supported by the Alumni Association.

The programme of activities and sessions was created to specific areas of the alumni’s career progression that were affected during these global events and crises and elements they wanted to achieve from attending the event. Areas of development included understanding transferable skills, exploring other avenues of lifelong learning, improving their networking and job search skills, making connections, understanding how to utilise their degree knowledge for career success, and re-energising themselves about their career prospects. All of these points were taken into consideration and the outcome was:

• Group activities to emphasise networking and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange
• Reflection activities about their environments and embracing their holistic selves beyond their jobs
• Keynote presentations from Susan Binnersley, Managing Director of h2h Resourced Limited, and Keith Williams, CEO and Founder of Periphas Ltd
• One-to-one support with Careers Coaches
• Launching the LUMS for Life offer to alumni

In Keith’s keynote, he reflected on his career journey, pointing out that the path to success is not a straight line and the only thing that can be done is to be open and flexible to change. In her keynote, Susan Binnersley reflected on her pivotal career moments and provided students with her top tips to follow when “carving” a career including paying attention to the tools you use and seizing unexpected opportunities.

Rachel Beauchamp, Postgraduate Projects Manager with LUMS Careers, delivered two workshops to help attendees reflect on their environments and embrace their holistic selves. The first workshop walked students through identifying things they had control and influence over and no control or influence over in their personal lives and career journey. Attendees were encouraged to focus on the things they could control, work on the things they could influence, and let go of the things outside of their control. The second workshop emphasised that people are more than their jobs and they can find personal value and passion in things outside of work. They were encouraged to explore their personality, passions, skills, and values outside of what they do but rather who they were and to identify what they wanted to do and how they could meet those needs by focusing on what was within their control to accomplish.

LaVerne Handfield, Employability and Events Coordinator with LUMS Careers, said, “This has been an event in the works for quite some time and we are delighted that it was finally able to come together. It’s always a joy when alumni return to campus, but the LUMS Careers team was excited to welcome alumni back to help pilot and launch this initiative. The LUMS for Life offer includes providing career provision post-graduation, and Reenergise Your Career was wonderful to host as the launch of this initiative. We welcome alumni to reach out in any capacity to seek advice and guidance or pour into the next generation of LUMS representatives going out into the field of work. We would also like to thank the Alumni Association for their support in making this dream of alumni provision become a reality.”

This event is an offer in the LUMS for Life and Careers for Life programme offered to all graduates of Lancaster University and the Management School. This offer can include one-to-one support and other useful online resources like access to the Abintegro Careers Portal and CareersConnect. Access to the Graduate Careers Coach is also part of this offer. If you are a LUMS alumnus looking to receive career support, email lumscareers@lancaster.ac.uk or lumsalumni@lancaster.ac.uk.