In April, 79 Westminster students had the chance to explore the professional environments of the UK and Singapore as part of the Westminster Working Cultures (WWC) programme.
WWC International and WWC UK provide short-term mobility opportunities to Westminster students, giving them a chance to experience work insights and employment culture in some of the world’s major cities. Participants have the unique opportunity of hearing from a diverse range of inspiring alumni speakers and partner organisations and being guided by them in their journey to become work-ready, confident and successful graduates.
Over the five-day WWC UK programme, 60 postgraduate and undergraduate students engaged in 16 speaker sessions in London, virtually and with a day-trip to Birmingham, meeting 37 Westminster alumni and partners, and other students. They engaged with the speakers through asking questions and joining interactive workshops designed to connect, upskill and inspire. Through these sessions, participants received important workplace guidance in areas such as how to be authentic, dealing with burnout, building a successful career in the creative industries and how to find their passions.
About the experience with WWC UK, Finance BSc Honours student Laetitia Anthonimuthu said: “This experience has been truly transformative, equipping me with an abundance of knowledge and invaluable insights that have undoubtedly shaped my professional journey in significant ways. As I reflect on the invaluable lessons gleaned from Westminster Working Cultures UK, I am reminded of the profound impact that effective networking, continuous learning, and embracing challenges can have on one's professional journey. I am excited to apply these newfound insights as I embark on the next chapter of my career journey with confidence and determination.”
19 undergraduate students visited Singapore with WWC International where they met 29 Westminster alumni and partners. Across nine sessions they heard about a range of professional journeys unique to the local working environment and explored different sectors such as consulting, AI, hospitality and the beauty industry.
Westminster students on WWC Singapore trip
Alumni speakers showcased the working cultures of organisations such as the British High Commission, Accenture, Google, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas and L’Oreal.
About the WWC International trip to Singapore, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Global Engagement and Employability Professor Dibyesh Anand said: “In our endeavour to prepare students to be global citizens as well as be competitive in global market, we are keen for them to experience diversity of working cultures. Joining the students toward the end of this trip, I witnessed firsthand the excitement and determination they felt being in Singapore and learning there. We are proud of our flagship WWC International programme.”
The WWC programme was made possible by the generous funding support from the Quintin Hogg Trust and was organised by the WWC team within the University’s Alumni Relations Office.
WWC is designed to support the employability skills development and global outlook of Westminster students. WWC International has hosted 26 trips all over the world and WWC UK has run 13 programmes since the launch in 2017, which have all featured a range of successful alumni and partner organisations with over 1000 Westminster students participating. Upcoming WWC programmes will take place in the UK, Barcelona, Berlin and Washington DC in June 2024.
These trips contributed toward the Quality Education (4) development goal of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which were adopted by the University of Westminster to help make the University a more sustainable, responsible and inclusive place to live, work and study.
Learn more about Westminster Working Cultures or email the Westminster Working Cultures team.
