Increasing Confidence in Job Applications at Capital Connections London 2024

Amelia Foster is a third-year BSc Earth and Environmental Science student and the former Vice President and Captain of the Handball club. They are also employed part-time by the University’s Children and Young People’s Partnership.?

In April 2024, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend the GROW Your Future Capital Connections trip to London. I applied to join Capital Connections as it looked like a great opportunity to find out more regarding graduate opportunities as well as life post-graduation in London.

Capital Connections London is a two-day trip to London with visits to various companies and an Alumni networking event. This year we visited the Civil Service, Unilever, OC&C Strategy, and Omnicom Media Group.

Day 1 – Civil Service, Exploring London, and Alumni Networking

On the first day we visited the Civil Service where we learnt about the vast range of sectors they have opportunities in, as well as their Fast Stream Graduate Programme. Under the graduate scheme, you are able to complete a three-year graduate programme rotating across three different teams every 12 months, and they have opportunities available across the country, not just in London. We also got an insight into what a pathway onto the graduate programme might look like from two employees currently in their second year. This was great, as they were able to tell us how they both got onto the programme and what they have enjoyed so far, as well as how the programme runs.

After the Civil Service we had some free time to explore London and get dinner, and then attend the Alumni networking event in the evening. This was a fantastic opportunity to hear from past Lancaster students working in a wide range of sectors. The event started with a panel, and afterwards we had time to speak to Alumni about their jobs and how they got there. It was really interesting to hear about the different routes people had taken, and also how many of them had jobs that weren’t directly related to their degree, but instead they were able to build upon transferable skills they gained whilst doing their degree.

Day 2 – OC&C Strategy, Unilever and Omnicom Media Group

On the second day, we split into two groups, with some students visiting OC&C Strategy, and some visiting Unilever. I visited Unilever, where we had a presentation by a former Lancaster graduate who was currently on the graduate scheme there. It was really interesting to hear about all the opportunities available at Unilever, as well as the emphasis on employee well-being and life outside of your day-to-day role.

Finally, we visited Omnicom Media Group, where we had presentations from a large number of employees with a wide range of roles. This was great, as it gave an insight into how the entirety of the company works and how each individual role and department is linked.

“I would highly recommend that any eligible student applies to attend a Capital Connections trip.”

Final Thoughts

I would highly recommend that any eligible student applies to attend a Capital Connections trip. It was a really insightful two days and gave me lots to think about regarding opportunities available to me post-graduation. It has massively helped to increase my confidence regarding job applications too and shown me how my degree is applicable to so many opportunities outside of its direct area.

Capital Connections happens during the Easter Vacation period. You can register your interest in attending here - https://lancasteruni.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9QSzwiZfRrLworc