Continuing the conversation on career services: From reflections in Bath to opportunities in Prato
As part of the Highered team attending the 2024 EFMD Career Services Conference hosted by the University of Bath School of Management, alongside my colleague Bahargul Emin, I had the opportunity to explore conversations and network with a community of career services professionals who share a passion for student career success.
What I left with from those conversations were valuable learnings—and I’m excited to share some of them with you. The conference started with Margaret Heffernan’s thought-provoking keynote, which challenged our traditional notion of career planning.
When she asked students how many careers they expected to have in their lifetime, most said two – a stark contrast to the reality of today’s dynamic job market.
It’s clear that while students crave certainty, the career services role isn’t to provide strict roadmaps but rather to help them embrace adaptability, resilience, and a creative thinking mindset.
A key takeaway is how we need to adapt to today’s ever-changing environment to be part of the career services model. Today’s career development is about fostering skills like resilience, cross-cultural communication, and creative thinking.
We’re seeing exciting partnerships between academia and industry, with companies like IBM not just hiring talent but actively shaping student development through programs like SkillsBuild. The integration of career activities into academic curricula is creating a more holistic approach to student success, breaking down the traditional silos between classroom learning and career preparation.
“While I imagined I would gain knowledge and connect with inspiring professionals, the most profound takeaway was the sense of shared purpose among us, career services professionals. I discovered that in spite of our diverse languages, educational systems, and cultures, we all face common challenges and share a passion for finding creative solutions to overcome them. Our collective mission is clear: to empower students to build meaningful careers in a complex, ever-changing job market and an unpredictable future and we are stronger when we work together to find solutions.”
“A shoutout to EFMD Global for organising such a thought-provoking and meaningful event, and to the University of Bath for hosting it. This event is a must for any career services professional who wants to reflect on their practice and strive to provide better ways to support students in their career journeys.”
-Paula Pascu, International Career Consultant
Another aspect of the conference worth highlighting was learning how student-led initiatives and emerging technologies are transforming career development. Student clubs and societies are powerful environments for leadership and professional growth, while AI tools are opening up new possibilities for personalised career guidance and reshaping career services work.
An engaging simulation was presented illustrating a day in the life of a career services professional from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., demonstrating how AI tools like Gamma.app and Claude.ai offer exciting possibilities while balancing innovation with responsible implementation.
The conference wrapped up in a collaborative and creative thinking session with a LEGO® Serious Play session, where we literally built representations of career service department challenges, and suggested solutions and actions based on reflections and learnings from the conference.
It challenged us out of our comfort zone and provided another reminder that in this era of uncertainty, our greatest strength lies in our ability to adapt, collaborate, and innovate together as a career services community.
As we look to the future, it’s clear that career services must continue to evolve and adapt alongside the changing landscape of work. The role isn’t just to prepare students for their first job but to equip them with the mindset and skills they’ll need throughout their entire career journey. By embracing uncertainty while maintaining our commitment to student success, we can create a more resilient and adaptable generation of professionals ready to thrive in whatever the future holds.
Looking ahead
The next opportunity to continue these conversations will be the 2025 EFMD Career Services Conference, taking place face to face from 19–21 November in Prato, Italy. With the theme “Thriving in uncertainty: Building resilience, adaptability & creativity in career services,” the conference will bring together professionals engaged in shaping the strategic direction of career services within their institutions.
Participants will examine pressing issues, including shifting labour market trends, employer engagement, internationalisation, and the integration of technology into career support. The programme offers panel discussions with recruiters, interactive workshops, and peer-to-peer exchanges designed to address the challenges of guiding both students and alumni through uncertain times.
Whether you are experienced in leading a careers team or just starting out in the field, this conference provides a platform to share practices, strengthen networks, and develop strategies that equip graduates to build meaningful careers.
You can find additional details on the event website, or you can register here.
At Highered, we’re committed to supporting the Career Services departments of the EFMD Network. We’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. How are you preparing students for uncertainty in your institution? What challenges are you facing?
Want to explore how Highered can support and be an integrated part of your career services initiatives? Let’s talk.
