We had a fantastic introduction to the world of broadcast journalism and news presenting, learned all about the global professional services firm PwC and the vast amount of opportunities for young people to start their career in our latest Employer Masterclass, and got the lowdown on some seriously good career advice with Mark Woodward's #18Before18.
The great thing about all of our talks is that no matter what industry you’re interested in, all of them have valuable lessons, insights, tips, and guidance that can be applicable to anyone at any point in their career journey. If you’ve yet to take the plunge into Learn Lounge, now is as perfect a time to get started as ever!
Here’s a recap of who we heard from last week:
Martine Croxall
BBC News Presenter
For Martine, a career in broadcasting and presenting all started with an interview with a tree and grew naturally from there! Although she never set out to be a BBC presenter in her early career days, Martine says saying yes to the opportunities that came her way mixed with a healthy dose of determination led her to what has been an incredibly rewarding career. She shares with us her advice for making a start in the industry (it’s not all about having studied the right degree) and says that producing evidence that you really want to do the thing you say you want to do is a surefire way to make the right impression
From blogging, vlogging, YouTubing - there’s no limit to making a start on demonstrating your passion. Just be careful what you post and think about the types of roles and companies you want to align your career with. Alongside traineeships and taster days, Martine says the industry is increasingly seeking a wide variety of voices in the newsroom. If you’ve got your sights set on a career in broadcasting. Martine's professional knowledge is not to be missed!
“I was there interested, being enthusiastic, and offering to help. All of these things I’d advise anyone to be and do if they want to make the right impression.”
Martine Croxall
Watch Martine's talk here: Reading Aloud: Life As A BBC News Presenter
Andrew Bargery
Campus & Schools Engagement Leader - Student recruitment, PwC
In his incredibly valuable talk, Andrew breaks down some of the key trends across the world for the future of work, as well as what it is employers are looking for. He talks us through the current Global Megatrends (sounds scarier than it is!) which are the things currently impacting the world, businesses, and the ways we work. This includes technology, demographic shifts, and rapid urbanisation. Andrew provides a fantastic insight on the in-demand skills at the moment that young people need to be aware of, which does include digital skills, but he’s quick to reassure us that robots won't be taking our jobs just yet as social and emotional skills are also highly sought after (phew!).
Alongside all this, Andrew provides us with top insider advice on securing a role with PwC (something you definitely want to look into, as the options seem limitless!) and talks us through the PwC Professional Model, which includes the five things PwC looks for in new recruits: Whole Leadership, Business Acumen, Technical Capabilities, Global Acumen, and Relationships. The future of work often feels pretty terrifying, but Andrew’s talk has helped to demystify some of those big concepts into stuff we can positively get our heads around!
“A question we get often is ‘I don’t have any relevant experience, so therefore you perhaps won’t be interested in me’. One thing I want to really reinforce is that an apprenticeship program or work experience program shouldn’t require any previous work experience at all. At PwC, that’s not an essential requirement.”
Andrew Bargery
Watch Andrew’s talk here: The Future Of Work
Mark Woodward
Independent Careers Adviser, Writer & Event Photographer
Mark is a fountain of career knowledge and in his highly motivational talk, he shares with us his top 18 career tips for making the best of your future - some of which you definitely won’t have heard before! His #18Before18 tips include make a start, build commercial awareness, network, and break the rules - amongst many others - and he provides some very practical advice on how exactly to do or implement each of the tips he mentions. Mark warns us against stereotypes, advising that we often pick subjects and then feel that our future career options are limited or dictated by the subjects we study.
He reminds us that most employers are open to students who have studied any subject and there are so many jobs that we not only won’t have heard about at school but that haven’t even been invented yet, so don’t limit your possibilities! Perhaps most importantly Mark encourages us to flip our thinking, so if you’re not sure what your next steps are or what you want to do, you should see this as an exciting adventure and opportunity to explore in new ways. If you’re after some outside-the-box guidance when it comes to your career, this talk is for you!
“Be disruptive and break the rules. I’m not saying go crazy, but we’re often told things that aren’t right. It’s easy in a school context to assume what you’re told is always right. It’s important when you hit a block to try and find another way, to ask questions, be skeptical, look for new avenues. Do this and you’ll definitely stand out when it comes it work.”
Mark Woodward
Watch Mark’s talk here: 18 Ways To Make Future Employers Notice You
What’s Coming Up Next?
We're taking a short break over half-term to recharge our batteries. But we’ve got a stellar line-up of speakers ready to hit things off in week six of Learn Lounge, so if you haven’t already signed up for notifications when these talks go live, now’s your chance to get on board.
Keep connected with us and let us know what you think of the talks. You can leave comments on the individual talk pages, get involved with the Q&A, and use the #LearnLounge across social media.
And as always, all of our talks so far are ready and waiting for you in the On-Demand Library.
See you at the next Learn Lounge!
