Employers back on campus

Posted on: 13 April 2022 by Richard Finch in Employer Connections Blog

The spring term at the University of Liverpool saw the easing of covid-19 restrictions and with that the Employer Connections Team were keen to provide opportunities for employers to return to campus, meet our students face to face and connect with our talented students in some new and exciting ways.

Our employer offer was designed not only to meet the needs of our employer partners who were struggling to capture students' attention in a virtual world, but also to enhance the student experience for many of our students who were new to face to face teaching and campus life.

Our offer was designed around an institution wide campaign - Feel Good February – and employer-connected events were key to making this a success and bringing campus back to life. 

Well-Being Workshops

We know that students are attracted to employers who demonstrate that they care about the well-being of their staff, provide sustainable careers and are authentic in their approach. Throughout Feel Good February we provided employers with an opportunity to showcase these attributes to students through a series of well-being workshops.

These interactive sessions covered topics such as: mindset, mental strength & mental health, and resilience as well as spotlights on employer specific well-being initiatives. For the employers involved, this provided a unique way to engage with students who were interested in these topics and who might not ordinarily attend their traditional recruitment and attraction events.

#LoveLiverpool

We celebrated Valentine’s Day with an event designed to help students find a career they love. The focus was on opportunities in the Liverpool City Region and we welcomed local employers onto campus as part of a campaign to help raise the profile of the LCR as a great place to work. We were joined by representatives from the Very Group and Agent Marketing and also showcased our very own Liverpool Interns and LCR Grad Scheme programmes. 

Employer Showcases

Employer showcase events were hosted throughout spring as a simple but effective way for employers to raise their profile and build networks with our students. We encouraged employers to be as creative as possible and to compliment Feel Good February and the 5-ways to well-being themes: Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give. Employers commented that they valued opportunities to return to campus in a light touch, fun and imaginative way.

“After so many virtual events, an employer showcase was the perfect opportunity to dip our toe back into on-campus events. We really valued the opportunity to speak to students face to face, discuss our opportunities and talk all things EY” EY, Employer Showcase.

Networking Breakfasts

Spring term also saw the return of employer-led networking breakfasts. These were hosted in the Connect Zone of our Careers Studio and provided employers with a work space for the morning, alongside an opportunity to speak to the students who dropped in over a coffee and a croissant!

It was good to be back! After two years of virtual activity, it’s safe to say both students and employers have enjoyed the opportunity to connect face to face this term. 

The benefits of in person activity are clear. For employers, it provides an opportunity to develop a brand profile on campus, engage with students who might not have ordinarily accessed their opportunities and develop more personal connections. For students, in person activity brings a level of interactivity that can often get lost virtually, it allows them to ask questions, get to know the culture and ethos of the employer and make informed decisions about their future.

2022/2023

So, what’s the plan? Based on the positive student and employer feedback we have received and the benefits of in person activity, the offer for 2022/2023 academic year will very much prioritise face to face employer engagement.

Autumn term will see the return of the Career Fair, Welcome Week initiatives for employers who want to engage early, an institution wide employability day for building those all-important connections and opportunities for employers to continue to get creative with showcases. We just hope covid-19 plays ball!