Getting a degree takes a great deal of time, effort, money, and dedication. You pick up skills and knowledge along the way and hope that’ll help you bag your dream job. But is it enough?

We talk to Mandy Watson, managing director of recruitment consultants, Ambitions Personnel, about whether having a degree is enough to get you a top job.

Don’t underestimate the importance of work experience

Watson warned never to underestimate the importance of work experience in a job application.

“Graduates cannot purely rely on their degree to secure a position,” she explained. “This is especially true if the degree subject does not pertain to the job vacancy in hand.”

She added: “After all, there are some things that you cannot teach that will only come with day to day work experience.”

Although work experience is incredibly important, having a degree will sometimes give your application an edge over other candidates. It can often be the tiebreaker between two equally impressive candidates.

“Absolutely, if two applicants were on equal footing experience-wise, a degree would certainly offer an edge in many recruitment situations,” said Watson.

University experiences help prepare you for work

Having a degree shows employers that you have certain highly sought-after qualities which can help prepare you for work.

Watson said: “University can provide graduates with brilliant experience and skills. A university student has the fantastic opportunity of living somewhere completely new and to broaden their professional, academic and friendship networks.

She adds that in her opinion: “It’s often the experience of university that shapes a graduate. The academic side simply nurtures what is already there.”

A degree shows you can learn new skills quickly

“Even if a candidate lacks experience, a degree signifies a person is capable of studying at a certain level, meeting deadlines, making a long-term commitment and performing well under pressure,” said Watson.

However, Watson said that the key to being successful in your career to find what you want to do and to work hard at it. She explained that it’s important to remember that not everyone takes the same route in their career and a degree isn’t necessary for all jobs.

“Passion and integrity also go a long way,” explained Watson. “If someone can show they are tenacious, that they have worked on their skills and have a desire to succeed early on, they will also undoubtedly stand out above the rest in a competitive job market.”

Employers often look for candidates who they believe will engage and invest in their business.

“This is what I look for when recruiting internally for my business and for my clients, degree or no degree,” revealed Watson.

Develop transferrable skills at university

If you’re looking to build transferrable skills at university, pursuing work experience can help, with the chance to raise some much-needed funds while studying.

This could be by working part-time, volunteering, or interning.

“Having this responsibility helps develop interpersonal and time-management skills and it could be a great way to gain relevant experience for your desired career,” said Watson.

Extra-curricular hobbies and university societies can help students gain transferrable skills and really help students’ CVs to stand out.

“A well-rounded individual is what most employers are looking for,” revealed Watson. “Development of your own personal interests alongside your studies can be incredibly helpful.”

So, is having a degree enough?

Although recruiters look highly on work experience, a degree will show that you have a certain level of expertise in a subject. Students should combine their studies with work experience for the best results.

“Hypothetically, you could have a PhD graduate who has never worked a day in their life. Unless the PhD is relevant to the role and expertise the job requires, they are not necessarily going to be more desirable than someone with actual hands-on experience,” explained Watson.

“On the other hand, a qualification of that level will strongly signify to an employer or recruiter of that person’s academic ability, expertise and integrity.

“Generally, someone embarking on a PhD will have a clear goal in mind from the level of discipline needed to attain one, be that in further research positions or a career that demands it.”

She added, “Overall, if the level of passion for a subject matches the career prospects available with that achievement, then it’s worth pursuing.”

Internships are a convenient way to gain some work experience while studying and are intended to be flexible for both the student and the employer.

If you’re unsure whether or not to do an internship, you may be interested to find out how it might boost your career prospects.

DeltaNet International, a Leicestershire based eLearning provider, offers internships for students from universities in the local area. We spoke to the firm’s managing director, Darren Hockley, about the benefits of completing an internship while at university.

You’ll gain experience in an office environment

Teamwork is often something that employers look for in graduates. If the role you’re going for is an office-based role, you’ll be looked upon highly if you have previous experience working in an office.

Hockley said that interns at DeltaNet International get the opportunity to work at a fast-growing technology company.

“We’re always on the move here at DeltaNet International and getting used to the pace will really help students adapt to life after university,” he explained. This prepares students to work in a fast-paced office environment after graduation.

He added: “I think learning how to be agile and adaptive is imperative for graduates. You’ll learn how to keep an open mind working with the team here, and that’s a good outlook to start with”.

You can test out a career path before committing
You’ll gain experience in an office environment

India Wentworth, an English graduate from the University of Leicester, completed an internship with DeltaNet over two consecutive summers.

Although eLearning wasn’t something India wanted to pursue in her long-term career, she did want to get into journalism, so when she saw the advert for a marketing copywriter, she thought it would offer her some valuable writing experience.

“It may not have been journalism exactly,” said India, “but writing for a company was still going to improve my writing skills, so I went for it”.

“Internships are a wonderful opportunity to dip a toe into a few areas of interest before committing yourself entirely,” agreed Hockley.

India has since completed her NCTJ diploma and is now pursuing freelance writing.

You can use the connections to find a permanent role

Georgia Brazier, a jobs expert at Milkround, explained how internships may help students land permanent roles through the connections they build.

She said: “Internships are increasingly necessary for many entry-level job requirements, and students should call on their existing professional connections to secure work opportunities and gain relevant experience”.

Although nearly all of DeltaNet’s interns have had set plans for after graduation, Hockley said the firm was certainly open to offering interns full-time positions if the timing worked out.

“Having an internship under the belt demonstrates a real interest and passion for the subject,” said Hockley.

You’ll gain transferable skills

While DeltaNet is a learning tech company, the majority of its interns have worked in the marketing department.

Here, interns have gained a host of transferrable skills, such as planning, organization, persuasiveness, and effective communication.

“The work involved getting to grips with a lot of heavy compliance and health and safety information too, so our interns had to be able to quickly digest complex information and turn it into something relatable and interesting,” revealed Hockley.

India told us about the skills she gained from her internship with DeltaNet.

She said: “I’m much stronger at working to deadlines now and time management comes with that, as I was constantly writing articles to deadlines.

“Writing on subjects that were alien to me has really helped me be able to quickly get to grips with things and write about them with confidence, which are skills I need as a journalist as well.”

You’ll have something to talk about in interviews

“[The internship] has given me so much to talk about in interviews,” said India. “At the end of the day, a degree doesn’t make you stand out anymore – it’s all about work experience.

“By working as a copywriter for two summers, I can show that I was actually employed to write content in a professional capacity. All the skills that have come from that allow me to impress employers with everything I’ve learned too.”

Brazier said: “It’s important that graduates understand the skills employers are looking for and how they can upskill themselves, by developing their softer-skills and practicing virtual interview techniques, such as presenting on camera or video.”

You’ll get to work on exciting projects

During the internship, students are often given a project to work on. While working at DeltaNet, India was working on a large-scale digital PR project, creating databases to work out what questions people were asking on Google.

“From these databases, I then went on to write the articles” explained India. “These pieces explained things that could be quite dry and confusing (like cybersecurity) and I had to turn it into approachable, easy-to-understand articles for people to read.”

India then got to see how her hard work had impacted the company.

She said: “My work improved the SEO for the company because more people were coming to the website, and as a result, their numbers of customers have shot up ever since.

“Hearing how thousands have read the articles makes me really proud, especially when it actually has a significant impact on the success of the company. A random outcome was that one of my articles on the Terrorism Act was used in a school textbook, which was pretty cool!”

You can be creative and try something new

If there’s an aspect of the role that the intern is particularly interested in learning more about, employers will try to help interns explore and develop their skills in that area.

Hockley said: “Like all jobs, there is a certain level of ‘sameness’ to each day, but if you’re interested in trying something new, we’re all ears!

“We’ve been really impressed with the enthusiasm and creativity of our interns so far, and so we’ve felt comfortable handing over more and more diverse projects for them to sink their teeth into.”

It shows employers you take initiative

India explained that taking the time to complete an internship shows employers that you have a strong work ethic and are willing to work hard.

Her advice to students? “University gives you long summers off, so fill them with experiences that will impress employers and earn extra income too,” she said.

She added: “I’ve seen a lot of students waste summers, and then leave university with just a degree and not much else.

“Getting practical experience not only gives you lots of skills, it gives you valuable connections in the industry and can give you plenty of things to talk about in interviews that allow you to stand out from the other applicants, so you can be the one getting the job offer.”

If you’re looking for an internship…
Brazier offered some helpful tips for students looking for work experience.

She said: “This year’s cohort of graduate workers are entering the jobs market at an incredibly difficult time, but we are starting to see green shoots as businesses look to make hires – particularly in industries like IT, Education and Logistics.

“Many universities have amazing post-graduation career support schemes in place and many businesses are offering virtual internships or training sessions over the summer.

“Milkround is here to support both employers and students and will continue to work closely with employers to promote open vacancies, ensuring students and graduates are aware of their current career options.”

For the last three years, you’ve been studying for your degree, with the hope that all of your hard graft will eventually pay off. But who could have predicted that 2020 would be the year the world would grind to a complete halt?

What happens next for the Class of 2020 and those following? We spoke to Noeleen Hammond-Jones, an International Career Consultant at The University of Manchester about what graduates can do to boost their career prospects in a post-coronavirus world.

Hi Noeleen, can you tell us what some of the key challenges graduates are currently facing when it comes to the world of work?

The impact of COVID-19 on recent and upcoming graduate employability has been felt globally.

One of the main challenges as lockdown hit the UK in March was employers either canceling or not offering summer internships and placements. These internships are vital for students to gain work experience and an opportunity for them to apply their academic skills in relation to the world of work.

Some employers adapted quickly and were able to continue to offer these, some have pushed internships back to December recruitment and many universities have match-funded online projects or offered internships within their university. For example, The University of Manchester has been able to offer summer internships projects to a number of students.

The reduced amount of opportunities being advertised immediately after the lockdown was a real challenge, however many job sites are seeing a reported increase of vacancies for graduate jobs now being placed.

One of the other challenges has been the rescinding of graduate offers by some employers. This is not across all sectors, but it has been upsetting for those affected and we have supported these students with tailored graduate online workshops and guidance appointments.

We do see various employers and sectors embracing remote working and access to the best talent regardless of geographical location is opening up new opportunities that were not available previously. Employers are looking at new ways of engaging graduate talent and this has enabled us to work more closely with graduate employers to identify needs that can be communicated effectively with our graduates.

Most of our students are digitally agile, but embracing technology for professional purposes differs from using it for social reasons, so at the university, we are developing and delivering workshops for our students on topics such as ‘How to present yourself in a digitally agile era’.

Being flexible and resilient is also important graduate attributes to maintain during these difficult times, and we are working closely with our well-being team and Graduate Transitions Careers Consultant to reinforce these messages through online FAQ live sessions and short videos on social media.

Some students raised concerns that they thought finishing their degrees via online lectures and tutorials would be seen negatively by employers, when in fact the opposite is true. Employers are fully aware of the challenging times as they are having to adjust themselves and are very much interested in recruiting high-caliber graduates who have experience of switching and thriving in an online remote environment.

It’s a credit to the team at Manchester and our graduates that The University of Manchester has been named the most targeted university by the UK’s top 100 graduate employers for the third year in a row, in the High Fliers Research, The Graduate Market in 2020 report. It also ranks fifth in the UK in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020.

In partnership with Warwick University, we recently held an event where a global panel of employers discussed the current climate for graduate employability, and our graduates could ask the employers questions and gain insights into a variety of industries.

Which industries/sectors are struggling to offer recruitment opportunities to graduates? What can graduates do to better their chances of securing a job in these areas?

I would always advise graduates at this time to be agile.

Some sectors have been worse affected than others, but this can change on a weekly basis as some economies recover quicker. We have to acknowledge there is not one graduate labor market, but a very diverse labor market that differs from region to region, and this in turn sees various sectors being affected differently depending on where they are located.

We work globally with employers across all sectors to ensure our students are properly skilled and informed on their options and opportunities.

I think it is an important time to develop your digital skills as these can help you to show a potential employer your flexible skillset. Overnight the skills employers needed changed – never has working remotely, building rapport with people, and being part of a team been more important! Ensure that when you get a job interview that you can clearly articulate how you spent your time during the pandemic, such as working on a project, volunteering, learning a new skill, helping out in the family business, or working in your part-time job. All of these are important and relevant to an employer as it can demonstrate how adaptable and motivated you are as a potential employee.

The introduction of the new Graduate Immigration Route together with the existing Start-up Visa Route will open up many more possibilities for students across all sectors. Graduates will have the opportunity to gain experiences across a range of sectors for up to two years on the Graduate Immigration Route with the potential to get sponsored and stay on for longer.

What do you think are the three most important things to keep in mind when it comes to graduate job hunting during the pandemic?

Network as much as you can. There are fewer jobs being advertised on job boards but that isn’t to say they aren’t out there. The most effective form of job hunting during times like these happen in what is known as the ‘Hidden Job Market’. Who you know is important, and raising your visibility through group membership and writing of articles and posts on platforms such as LinkedIn can be a game-changer for some graduates. Getting noticed and building professional connections is important and can lead to job opportunities that may otherwise not be available or advertised.

Be able to communicate and clearly articulate to an employer your motivation for wanting to work for them. The graduate market will be more competitive, so your application has to stand out. Research them thoroughly, who they are, what they do, who they work with, how they have adapted during the lockdown and who are their competition. Are they working on anything new and innovative that you find interesting or aligns with your knowledge and expertise? The level of research you do will demonstrate to an employer your motivation to work for them. Generic applications and answers will lead to disappointment.

Understand what it is you are bringing to the organization in terms of skills and knowledge. At this stage in your career, all your experience such as club and society membership, volunteering, part-time jobs, internships, working for your family is important and relevant and you gain skills as a result. Identify these skills and give examples of them in your interviews.

What advice do you have when it comes to job application rejections?

If you aren’t getting a one in 10 response from your job applications, then I would seek help and advice from your university’s careers service in order to get your application, CV and cover letter checked.

Applying to jobs couldn’t be easier in the digital age. But this can lead to complacency and sending the same generic CV to an employer without taking the time to tailor it to what the employer is looking for is a real mistake many graduates make.

It’s important that you read the job description carefully and understand the skills and experience an employer has asked for and make sure to demonstrate this on your CV through recent experiences. This can be as simple as stating you worked as part of a team of 10 people from four countries in your most recent internship, group project, society, club or volunteering experience which shows an employer not only that you can work in a big team, but a diverse team which may demonstrate good communication skills as well.

It doesn’t have to be complicated and time-consuming to tailor a CV, but it is smart. A graduate recruiter can spot a generic CV easily and some companies use AI software to scan applications for keywords which make it even more important to tailor and use the employer’s terminology.

Never assume an employer knows what skills you used in a job. Be specific and highlight your key achievements as opposed to listing tasks. Finally, always check with your careers service if you are unsure and need some insight and support.

How has The University of Manchester’s careers service adapted in light of the coronavirus pandemic, and how is it preparing students for the world of work?

The University of Manchester Careers Service has been very proactive in moving to online accessible delivery. We have worked across many areas of the university to ensure our messages and services are accessible and relevant to our students across the globe. We use a variety of platforms to deliver our online workshops, employer events, guidance appointments, and webchat so that students can contact us and use the services wherever they are.

We have created a variety of online workshops that are relevant to the current conditions for students and deal with the topics at the forefront of students’ minds such as employability, graduate labor market, employer expectations and skills requirements, accessing jobs, panel events with employers and alumni and building resilience to name a few.

We are also liaising with employers regularly to understand their recruitment needs and ensure students receive this information. We’re looking at market trends and working closely with colleagues across the higher education sector including Universities UK, The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, and Institute of Student Employers to stay up to date with employer needs and expectations.

We have a dedicated Employer Engagement Team and a team of Career Consultants with expertise across a range of sectors that work alongside each other to communicate and create resources and activities for our students. To see a range of activities we offer, feel free to visit our careers pages which are updated daily.

We have years of experience of successfully delivering large and complex events online with great success for both our employers and students. These events expect to attract some of The Times, Top 100 graduate employers in the UK, internationally covering all sectors for graduate, placement, and internship opportunities.

Along with the Big Careers Fairs, we will be delivered in partnership with the University of Warwick, the Asia Careers Insight Series in March 2021, working with employers from across Asia over a period of four weeks to connect them with our graduate talent. This event expects to attract employers from a variety of sectors and consist of employer recruitment webinars, online workshops, and panel discussions. Delivering our fairs online has helped engage new employers and are in talks at the moment with a variety of employers who are new to working with us for their recruitment needs.

During these uncertain times, as the world tries to navigate its way through instability and unpredictability, it’s safe to say that great leadership in business has never been so valuable.

But, what does it take to be a great leader? While we could reel off a whole list of skills and attributes that make a great leader, we’ve narrowed it down to the following…

Cultivating compassion and integrity

Creating a positive work environment should be standard, and not a privilege. A great leader should be mindful, and make themselves readily available should their team feel the need to approach them with any concerns or questions they might have.

Also being aware of the team’s needs and interests can make all the difference when it comes to boosting team morale. Team members who feel valued are more likely to want to stay in their job and do the best they can when it comes to their roles and responsibilities. Employees who don’t feel valued can have a negative impact on business productivity.

Facilitating communication to boost productivity

Communication in the workplace, no matter how big or small, is essential. As a leader, your colleagues and employees will look to you when it comes to setting the tone, culture, and values of the business.

You should be clear and concise wherever, and whenever you communicate – especially in today’s business world as many are still working from home, and the likes of Zoom meetings and other forms of virtual communication have become essential to everyday life.

If you want to see business productivity increase efficiently and effectively, you’re going to need to define the business’s goals and objectives. On top of this, it’s important to see projects and initiatives completed on time, in the budget, and to a sufficient standard.

Encouraging regular conversations is critical, especially when it comes to offering up ideas and solutions, as well as clarifying information and offering effective feedback.

Always expecting the unexpected

Being flexible and adaptable has never been so important. But what also comes with the unexpected is the potential for opportunity. To navigate through such uncertainty is admirable – but leading a team to do the same when it comes to resetting strategies and taking (calculated) risks is a powerful tool.

Establishing collaborative and transparent leadership

EGADE Business School at Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico has recently published its decalogue for the economic and business development in Mexico. In it, it emphasizes its commitment to the Mexican entrepreneurial ecosystem and its dedication to finding proactive solutions in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

One key theme, in particular, focuses on forging collaborative, transparent leadership. It recognizes the agenda for leaders who have the ability to ‘think strategically and communicate effectively’.

Business schools around the world, such as EGADE Business School offer a range of postgraduate degree programs that give students the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills and knowledge. EGADE’s Full-Time MBA highlights the importance of developing strong leadership skills both in the classroom and through experiential learning experiences – something which the Decalogue has identified essential when it comes to business growth during these uncertain times.

The curriculum is dedicated to four focus areas, in order to train students as to how they can best navigate the business’s future. Business simulators and case projects enable students to develop not only their leadership skills but their communication, project management, critical, and creative thinking skills, through solving genuine business problems for established organizations.

Being a role model while leading and motivating others through certainty (and uncertainty)

There’s no denying the coronavirus pandemic has perhaps been the ultimate test of leadership in business. In fact, a recent Harvard Business Review article considered how ‘real leaders evolve in the face of a crisis.’

So whether you’re leading a project or are in a management position, keep in mind that nobody likes a leader who doesn’t lead by example.

In fact, a 2018 report by the Chartered Management Institute found that 70 percent of employers believe all students should study modules specializing in management, entrepreneurship, and/or leadership.

So when it comes to fostering problem-solving and creative-thinking skills at EGADE Business School, Full-Time MBA in Innovation & Entrepreneurship students can utilize the Innovation Lab, and solve real problems for reputable organizations, while the Advancing Women in Leadership Scholarship is awarded to exceptional female leaders, who want to enhance their leadership and professional development.

Nature vs. nurture

It’s important to remember that there’s no one size fits all leadership style. How you lead your team depends on a number of factors and being a great leader isn’t necessarily about titles or even accolades. While some individuals may possess more typical personality traits that make them more natural leaders, when it comes to great leadership, there’s no real set formula.

On-going collaboration partnerships between universities and industry have the potential to influence and improve society on a cultural, social, and economic scale. So when it comes to the world of design, it’s apparent that such opportunities have never been so important (or innovative).

So, what’s it like to work with some of the world’s most innovative businesses and organizations?

Over the years, students at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London, which ranked first in the world for Art & Design in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020: Art & Design, have had the chance to collaborate and work with a range of industry partners, including Hyundai and Visa, as well as Logitech, British Land, Rainbird & EY, British Airways, CERN (European Laboratory for Particle Physics).

Here are some of their stories…

‘The three-month project was fast-paced, very busy and exciting’

Julian Ellis-Brown is a systems designer, specializing in novel sustainable materials. With a background in engineering, Julian studied the MA/MSc Innovation Design Engineering.

During his time at the RCA, Julian has explored numerous projects involving environmental design, co-founded the innovative-textiles company ‘SaltyCo’ together with three peers from the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, and took part in a three-month collaboration project with British Airways.

What was it like to collaborate and work with British Airways?

The British Airways ‘Flight of the Future’ collaboration kicked off in April 2019. I’d been in Nairobi the day before, finishing a human-centered design project with my IDE course cohort and stepped right off the nine hour flight to meet with the CEO of British Airways on the college campus for an introductory presentation.

The following three-month project was fast-paced, very busy and exciting. Having a large brand behind speculative design ideas looking at the next 100 years of flight was a fantastic opportunity to push the boundaries of what’s possible and ultimately display our work in a world-renowned gallery.

Can you tell us a bit about what you learned?

There was a huge amount to learn from the process involved, and I was a beginner to a good chunk of it. We started by using speculative design methodologies – ones that were founded at the RCA, to build up alternative futures of what might be possible in 10, 50, 100 years’ time.

We then established how these concepts might be transformed into physical embodiments to present to a series of panels made up of industry leaders from the executive board of Airbus to head scientists at NASA. We eventually settled on our project Aerium – a performative skin and structural method to harvest the clouds of water, add strength to the plane’s chassis, and power on-board devices.

With the project secured, we considered how we could convert our designs into a world-class exhibition that was to be presented in the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea, London. We had to learn how to make 1:1 scale models designed using heat-pressing, silicon molding, large-bed CNC machining, hand sculpting, electronics and an awful lot of wood-filler.

Do you think the experience has had an impact on your approach to your studies and your career prospects? If so, how?

I had been given a small piece of advice not long before this project started – try and say yes to every opportunity, because you never know where it might lead.

The British Airways ‘Flight of the Future’ exhibition was the pinnacle of this advice and I am so pleased I pursued it. The lessons I learnt throughout that process have stayed with me as I’ve taken my latest project and start-up, SaltyCo, to multiple exhibitions alongside my team that received fantastic feedback and responses. I look forward to continuing to apply the skills of professionalism, design and creation that I learnt throughout this process, long into my career.

‘Working with OPPO was a great opportunity for me to learn how a telecommunications company works’

Stockholm-based industrial designer, design researcher, and former Ikea Foundation scholar, Anna Heck, studies the MA Design Products at the RCA’s School of Design. During her second year, Anna was able to complete a three-month internship with OPPO – a leading Chinese consumer electronics and mobile communications company.

What was it like to collaborate and work with OPPO?

I’m really interested in working in consumer electronics, so working with OPPO was a great opportunity for me to learn how a telecommunications company works. As part of the project, OPPO generously brought a big part of their team from China to the RCA to demonstrate to students how they work with consumers and technology.

What did you learn?

I learnt a lot about the technology behind phones, how they develop their products and how teams within a communication company work together.

Do you think the experience has had an impact on your approach to your studies and your career prospects? If so, how?

The RCA teaches you a lot about design thinking and my internship with OPPO gave me the opportunity to apply this notion in practice. I learnt a lot about CMF (colors, material and finish). In relation to phones, CMF refers to the color, coating, feel and look of the phone.

This helped me consider the market, consumer preferences and understand the new behaviors of users and translate this to how the product should be designed and evolve. These are skills that I will continue to use and build on as my design career develops.

‘Working closely with a small team that are so hands-on and invested in the project was a delight’

MA Curating Contemporary Art student, Haseeb Ullah Zafar is an independent curator, researcher, writer, and artist. For his graduate project, Haseeb had the opportunity to co-curate a trans-disciplinary online art commission, titled Empathy Loading, in partnership with Furtherfield, a leading art organization in the United Kingdom (and London’s longest-running center for art and technology).

Furtherfield’s reputation for initiating experiments in artistic co-creation across both digital and physical networks aligned perfectly with Haseeb’s current interests, which involve investigating the intricacies of born-digital artistic practices and the curator’s role within the labyrinthine socio-cultural context of the internet.

Haseeb, can you tell us a bit about what it was like to collaborate and work with Furtherfield?

I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience working with Furtherfield on the trans-disciplinary online art commission. It brought together my passion for science fiction and interest towards understanding the intricacies within affective relationships between humans and sentient cybernetic beings.

Working closely with a small team that are so hands-on and invested in the project was a delight. Whether it was the constant guidance from Ruth (Co-Founder & Co-Artistic Director) or the continuous support from Charlotte (Executive Director) or the all-important feedback from Marc (Co-Founder & Co-Artistic Director) that helped refine our ideas I cannot say, but each of these elements came together to push myself and my fellow co-curators in the development of the project, which we are all proud of.

What did you learn?

I have learnt to appreciate the level of responsibility that comes with being a curator, especially towards the community and environment in which I work. I’ve learnt to apply my critical analysis skills to producing meaningful projects, all while keeping the audience experience at the forefront. I have also learnt how to support artistic practitioners in telling vital stories.

Most crucially I’ve learnt how to navigate unprecedented circumstances, using my problem-solving skills and the platform I have to work through the traps and pitfalls of operating during a global pandemic. Putting research into practice I have learnt to utilize the role of empathy within working relationships between all collaborators contributing to the Empathy Loading graduate project and this is surely something I hope to carry through to all future endeavors.

Do you think the experience has had an impact on your approach to your studies and your career prospects? If so, how?

I’ve developed a litany of necessary professional skills which I believe will be crucial to my practice and assist in realizing future curatorial endeavors. The RCA has helped me adopt a proactive approach towards expanding my knowledge and gaining valuable experience by utilizing the networks and opportunities I have at hand.

The ethos of collaboration and co-production throughout the CCA program has helped me to refine my interpersonal skills and develop meaningful working relationships with my fellow practitioners, which I believe will stand me good stead as I move towards establishing a career as a curator.