Our experiences as Inclusive Careers Education Ambassadors
In this post, we will be giving you an overview of the Inclusive Careers Education Ambassador (ICEA) pilot programme, our experiences as Ambassadors, and highlight upcoming career-related opportunities.
My name is Kirushney Kalamohan and I graduated in 2021 in Physics with Astrophysics and Cosmology and have been working as an ICEA for the Physics department for the past 6 months.
Hello everyone, my name is Anchalee Parr and I am currently in my final year studying Mathematics with Statistics here at King’s. I saw the advert to become an ICEA through King’s Career Connect and applied for the role because I was really interested in building an inclusive careers education programme. Since the start of this academic year, I am glad to say that I am part of the Inclusive Careers Education Ambassador or also known as an ICEA on behalf of the Mathematics department, under the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences.
What is this programme about?
The project was created by the Careers & Employability team to give students the opportunity to deliver careers education activities to their peers that draw from an understanding of the experiences of underrepresented groups in higher education. The training in summer involved learning about what inclusive careers education means, discussing what students would want from each department and how we could contribute as Inclusive Careers Education Ambassadors.
Through this programme, we have been able to run numerous CV and Interview workshops and department panel events. This has been an amazing opportunity as it has given students a chance to really make a difference using their lived experiences.
Our experience as ICEAs
Kirushney: I decided on running an inclusive careers education workshop for careers staff, specifically from my perspective and experiences as a student from an underrepresented background. I was granted the opportunity to facilitate after presenting my proposal to staff in the summer, and I was recommended to run the events for The Careers Group, who are careers staff from universities all across London. The aim of the workshop was to help staff understand what inclusive careers education means for students and understand current issues and challenges in careers education and how we can go about solving them. The workshop also allowed different careers services across London universities to evaluate their current practices to help students develop their skills and confidence in preparation for graduate employment.
Anchalee: My experience as an Inclusive Careers Education Ambassador has been very insightful and overall a great learning experience. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to co-create the inclusive careers education programmes and enhance my relationship with professionals from various industries, working closely with members of the Careers team, fellow students and alumni through collaboration during the project. I have gained a deeper understanding of the principles of inclusive education and knowledge of good practices to enhance the programmes. I have enhanced my transferable skills through running two workshops namely “Career Options after a Mathematics Degree” and co-chaired the “Career Options for Maths students and graduates”. Furthermore, I have built on my existing experiences and knowledge to support my fellow students within the faculty. I believe that the education system plays an important role in shaping students to be future leaders of tomorrow. Overall, my experience as an Inclusive Careers Education Ambassador has been a great learning experience.
The Impact:
Kirushney: One of the main benefits of this programme was having the space to promote what I believed was important for underrepresented students. I was also given the opportunity to suggest improvements in terms of careers education at King’s. I really valued having the chance to make a significant impact and I am hoping to run more workshops in the future.
Anchalee: Some of the lessons I learnt through being an Inclusive Careers Education Ambassador have reinforced my belief that equality, diversity and inclusion are very important, particularly in the community. This is because it is the fundamental basis for creating a good work culture or community where talented individuals are given the opportunity to build on their interests/ambitions and be recognised for what they have achieved beyond stereotypes etc. I have learnt that it is increasingly important to consider and implement these factors into our education system as we support people to reach their potential and capabilities, to be the best version that they can be. Furthermore, a diverse and inclusive workplace will lead to better productivity and efficiency. In this 21st Century, many successful companies/organisations aim to recruit people from diverse backgrounds. Every individual has different skill sets which they use to work on a common goal, with the same mission in mind globally to achieve a greater impact. As a result, we should value and cherish the diversity and differences we have in making the world such an interesting place to live, learn and grow.
Opportunities for students from under-represented backgrounds
Careers+ Research Inclusive Employers’ (Mon, 28 Feb 2022, 12:30 – 13:30, Virtual):
Careers+: Speed meet with employers (Tue, 22 Mar 2022, 16:00 – 17:30, Virtual):