Westminster Working Cultures (WWC) UK offered current students and recent graduates the opportunity to consider Leeds as a prospective location for their future career and learn about how to best prepare for the landscape of professional opportunities in the UK as part of the April 2022 programme of events.
Participants on the hybrid 5-day programme connected with each other in-person and virtually, getting the opportunity to visit offices and speakers in London and Leeds. The programme coordinated a day trip to Leeds, during which the students were hosted by LeedsBID (Business Improvement District) at its Engine Room business hub premises, and interacted with a range of alumni and partners from different sectors. Participants learnt about the opportunities beyond London and the promise of the city for young professionals.
During the day, participants heard from LeedsBID CEO Andrew Cooper and Martin Dickson, Head of Marketing, Communications and Brand, who gave an insight into the incredible heritage of Leeds, from the origins of fizzy drinks to dance concerts, and highlighted the booming job market available to graduates. Lyndon Timings-Thompson, co-founder of We Are Social Enterprise (WASE), discussed his entrepreneurial journey, how to build a business brand and network, and how he kept himself motivated.
Students also had the opportunity to take a tour of Leeds City Varieties Music Hall where they got to learn the history behind it, the importance it held in the lives of the working-class people of Leeds in the 20th century, and also discovered that it once hosted an animal show with an alligator on stage.
Speaking about his career journey since graduating from Westminster, Contemporary Media Practice BA alumnus and Senior Creative Producer at Channel 4 Jack Homan said: "There's stuff that you can do at university that you don't get to do anywhere else."
Jack also offered useful advice to students on how to deal with rejection and finding inspiration, allowing students to connect with one of Westminster's successful alumni and learn about life in the creative sector and life in Leeds.
To end the day, students participated in a workshop with Leeds Grand Theatre and learnt how to project themselves and their voice for success. This session allowed students to step outside of their comfort zone and build their confidence in different ways.
Talking about the programme, Elijah McDonnell, a Film BA Honours student, said: “Going to Leeds was a great experience and broadened my horizons to potential opportunities outside of London. I have learnt about how to stay motivated, the keys to building a successful freelance business, how to promote yourself, confidence, and that there are numerous careers outside of London. I really enjoyed this programme. I learnt so much and met some really great people from all different courses and backgrounds, who I will definitely keep in touch and hopefully work with in the future.”
Tanya Bansal, a Contemporary Media Practice BA Honours student, reflected: “This day was just the best. I can't believe I have just come back from a day trip from Leeds. I learned a lot today. I realised that so far, I had only really been looking for things in London and had not thought of opportunities outside. This visit also renewed my interest in theatre and I feel especially interested in pursuing the role of a theatre programmer. I plan to do some more research into it and see if that could be a possible career path.”
This programme was made possible by the generous funding support from the Quintin Hogg Trust and was organised by the Westminster Working Cultures team within the Alumni Relations office.
Tierney Holloway, who manages the WWC UK programme, said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to expand the career horizons of Westminster’s students, while building their confidence to explore a future beyond London. Spending the day and networking with speakers and colleagues from LeedsBID has been a unique learning experience for our students, transforming their perceptions of culture and the working environment in Leeds.”
Dianne Wainwright, LeedsBID’s Head of Business Engagement said: “We were delighted to welcome the students to Leeds and to give them an introduction to the city while helping to showcase the vast range of opportunities available to them here.”
WWC UK is part of a wider programme of activity, including WWC International and WWC Professional, and is designed to support the employability skills development and global outlook of Westminster students. The WWC UK programme has hosted three programmes this academic year, which featured a range of successful alumni and partner organisations with over 150 Westminster students and Class of 2020 graduates participating. Upcoming WWC activities will take place in June 2022.
Learn more about Westminster Working Cultures UK or email [email protected].
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