Careers & Employability Conference – Academic Year 2010/11

In February 2011, the Departments of Biological and Clinical Sciences held its second Careers Conference in collaboration with the Careers and Employability Department at the University of Chester.

Pictured from left to right: Mrs Helen Mitchell (Senior Careers Advisor - University of Chester Careers Depart.), Estee Tsang (Employability Enhancement Assistant), Suzanne Turnock (Chester Zoo), Kirsty Badrock (Administrative Assistant to the Director of Careers & Employability) and Elizabeth Cater (Universities Federation for Animal Welfare)
Pictured from left to right: Mrs Helen Mitchell (Senior Careers Advisor - University of Chester Careers Depart.), Estee Tsang (Employability Enhancement Assistant), Suzanne Turnock (Chester Zoo), Kirsty Badrock (Administrative Assistant to the Director of Careers & Employability) and Elizabeth Cater (Universities Federation for Animal Welfare)

After the great success of last year’s conference, the departments decided to repeat the event. The aim of the conference was for students to have the opportunity to network with employers relating to their field of study. This year the University saw more employers supporting the event including a number of employers who wanted to return after the success of last year. The organisations came from a variety of backgrounds, including: Kellogg’s, Cheshire Constabulary, the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Frontier, AstraZeneca, SRG labstaff, Prob-Lab Diagnostics, Wrexham Maelor Hospital, Countess of Chester Hospital, Chester Zoo, VetNet LLN, Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence.

The guest speakers were divided into three specialist areas each comprising of three, twenty minute talks or four, fifteen minute talks.

Animal Behaviour

Human Biology

Nutrition & Dietetics

Dr Margaret Hannigan

(VetNet LLN)

Steve Johns

(Pro-Lab Diagnostics)

Sara Collie

(Kellogg)

Bic Beaumont and Ellie Larkham

(Cheshire Wildlife Trust)

Anne-Marie Parry

(Wrexham Maelor Hospital)

Susan Brierley-Hobson

(Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board)

Suzanne Turnock

(Chester Zoo)

Joe Patel

(Astra Zenica)

Alexa Biesty

(National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence)

 

 

Duane Mellor and Rehana Jawadwala

(Department of Clinical Sciences)

A substantial number of students attended the conference and the feedback from both employers and students was very positive. Students particularly benefited from the insight to individual case studies and the range career options available to them. The organisations felt that they were able to gain an accurate understanding to the aspirations of today’s graduates. Once again the conference was a highly successful event and thanks go out to all speakers and organisers.

As usual, this year’s event proved extremely popular.

The Departments of Biological and Clinical Sciences would like to thank all of the guest speakers for attending and talking at the event; the employers (organisations) for providing professional help and advice to our students; Careers and Employability Department, staff, and students of the Department of Biological Sciences, and finally Dr Stephen Fôn Hughes, Stephen Davies, Kirsty Badrock, Helen Mitchell and Estee Tsang for organising the event.