University of Westminster alumni from the Pharmacology and Physiology BSc and the Human Nutrition BSc courses shared their career advice at the 2022-23 academic year’s final What Comes Next? events during March.
As part of the alumni panels, the speakers explained their career journeys after graduation, discussed their experience at Westminster, talked about their worries and experiences of finding jobs, and shared tips on how to navigate career pathways. After the panel discussion, both events included a Q&A session, followed by a social session with refreshments and nibbles where students could approach the speakers with additional questions.
The Pharmacology and Physiology - What Comes Next? Alumni Panel was co-organised by Westminster's Alumni Relations team and Dr Christopher Biggs, Course Leader and Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology and Physiology, who also served as the panel Chair. The speakers included Dr Kamile Minkelyte, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UCL; Jake James, Senior Analyst at Lightning Health; Melissa McKoy, Senior Application Scientist at UK Biocentre; and Stela Papa, Clinical Submission Senior Associate at Pfizer.
The alumni encouraged students to try as many paths and opportunities as possible, and to think about their next steps before leaving Westminster. They emphasised that students should not be discouraged by rejections as it is a normal part of finding the right job, and the fact that any experience can carry transferrable skills, but they can always change paths to find something they enjoy more. The alumni also highlighted the importance of working in a supportive environment, and the different talks, events and resources the University offers.
Talking about the event, Jakes James said: “I had a great time at the event and would like to say thank you for organising the whole thing, it felt very streamlined and professional. It is also great to hear that students found the event useful.”
The Human Nutrition - What Comes Next? Alumni Panel event was co-organised by Westminster's Alumni Relations team, and Dr Jane Naufahu, Senior Lecturer in Human Nutrition and Performance; Dr Sanjoy Deb, Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Nutrition; and Dr Ihab Tewfik, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for the Human Nutrition BSc course. The panel was chaired by Dr Claire Robertson, Senior Lecturer at the School of Life Sciences.
The speakers explained that all experiences and skills gained at university could be important, so students might find modules that seemed less useful to be a crucial part of their career later on. Connecting with Westminster alumni on LinkedIn can also prove to be very effective, as they had similar experiences and can give tailored advice. Another tip was to attend networking events alone, as it forces students to reach out and meet new people.
Reflecting on the event, a Human Nutrition student said: “My experience at the event was really moving. I was so inspired by the honesty of the panellists about their choices and tough decisions… It gave me a taster of what really comes next after school.”
Another student added: “Knowing that I am not the only one who feels lost or is not clear on what to do next felt good.”
What Comes Next is a course-aligned event series to share the knowledge and experience of recent graduates. It aims to help undergraduate students to better understand the variety of opportunities and career fields open to them after university. The event series is set to resume for the 2023-24 academic year.
Watch the full recording of the Human Nutrition - What Comes Next? Alumni Panel at the University of Westminster Alumni Association YouTube channel.
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