Bright Network

Connecting over 16,000 students with industry-leading employers 🚀 Last week, we concluded the 5th edition of Internship Experience UK, introducing over 16,000 students and recent graduates to some of the most competitive sectors to kickstart their careers. We were joined by stellar employers, including: British Airways on the Business, Operations & Marketing stream Clyde & Co on Commercial Law PwC on Finance, Professional Services & Consulting BT Group on Technology With 4 days to complete the experience, our members got to: 🧠 Take part in interactive skill-building workshops and gain industry insights in Sector 101 sessions 🤝 Network with employer representatives and Bright Network alumni 📝 Complete a work sample to get an idea of the type of work they’d do as graduates Huge congratulations to all of our incredible members who took part - we’ve loved seeing you post your certificates on LinkedIn! A massive thank you to all of our brilliant employer partners:  Adobe, AlphaSights, Ark, Baillie Gifford, BCLP, Bloomberg, British Airways, BT Group, Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, Clyde & Co, CrowdStrike, Deloitte, EY, Forvis Mazars Group, HSBC, IBM Consulting d.o.o, ICAEW, Kennedys, KPMG, Lloyds Banking Group, Macfarlanes, Mazars, Mishcon de Reya LLP, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, Osborne Clarke, PA Consulting, Procter & Gamble, PwC, RPC, Telent Technology Services Ltd. If you’re an employer looking to connect with students at our face-to-face and virtual events, or a student hoping to find new networking opportunities this autumn, check out our upcoming events (linked in the comments)!

Pride is a celebration, but it’s also about visibility and awareness in a continued push for equality. This year at Bright Network, we’re committed to supporting this ongoing push, promoting authentic allyship and creating space for LGBTQIA+ voices. We’re doing this in four key ways: 📚 Lunch and Learn: "Queer Eye: The 'state of play' for LGBTQIA+ people in the UK" that will look at the realities of living as LGBTQIA+ in the UK and to understand further how this could be affecting our member community 🎭 Supporting LGBTQIA+ culture: Every employee at Bright Network has been given a budget to spend on media that supports and upholds LGBTQIA+ Voices, from books and galleries, to cinema and theatre 🥤Social: Pride Pub Quiz to wrap up our summer of Pride activities and spend time together celebrating 🏳️🌈 Launching Proud to B: 44% of LGBTQIA+ Bright Network members are confident about securing a graduate role after university, compared to 54% of all Bright Network members. Our 6th annual Proud to B event aims to empower members by providing tailored advice and insight on being their authentic selves How will you be taking action and celebrating Pride in your teams this year? Comment below! ⬇️ #PrideMonth #Inclusion #LGBTQIACommunity

What do German graduates want from their careers? We can tell you. And give you the insights to ensure they choose you as a first choice employer 🔥 💪 That's right, our latest German annual research is here and we've published it in English too, so everyone can access the top tips in this unique report. We had a great time launching it at our EMEA Leads in London strategy roundtable. The discussion on topics around attraction, diversity and onboarding gave real insights into how employer are feeling about the market. A big thanks to Daria Vormfenne and Oliver Wuellenweber from our German office for joining us. 🇩🇪 For all of the insights and top tips, you can download the report here: https://lnkd.in/enY7QZzi

Why are we still talking about social mobility? Because on #SocialMobilityDay2024, the career barriers facing those from low socio-economic backgrounds have still not been removed. One thing remains true: talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Our recent research highlighted some stark findings: ➡️ Students with two or more social mobility indicators (such as receiving free school meals or attending a state school) have the lowest confidence in securing a graduate role ➡️ 45% of students who feel their background has hindered them in their career journey specify their socioeconomic background as something that holds them back ➡️ Only 34% of students with three social mobility indictors think the graduate job marketplace is inclusive (compared to 44% for all respondents) ➡️ Students from state schools are expecting a graduate salary of £28.2k, whereas their private school counterparts are expecting £30.6k These stats only scratch the surface of how social mobility is affecting the confidence and career concerns of bright emerging talent across the UK. On our mission to connect the next generation with the opportunities, insights and advice to succeed as the workforce of tomorrow, we are striving to create a graduate marketplace where students from all backgrounds can reach their potential. We are committed to continuing our work to level the playing field for the next generation by connecting them with the opportunities they may not have had access to otherwise, along with our dedicated employer partners. We'll also continue to use our platform to #ShareMoments that spread further awareness for the importance of talking about social mobility. #SocialMobilityDay2024 #SocialMobility #ShareMoments

💭 Reflecting on our Summer Social... 💭 🤗 Last Thursday, we had the pleasure of hosting our annual Summer Social event, and what a brilliant evening it was! 150 experts from the early careers community joined us for an unforgettable night of drinks, delicious food, and great conversation. It was a wonderful opportunity to bring together our employer partners and welcome many new faces to our community. A particular highlight was our famous ‘Spin the Wheel’ game... did you Spin to Win? 👀 A huge thank you to everyone who came along and made the event so special - coming together to celebrate the end of another great season is always a pleasure and your presence is what truly makes these occasions memorable. We’re already looking forward to seeing you at the next one - here’s to many more fun times and shared achievements! 🌟 #SummerSocial #Networking #Community #EarlyCareers

🚨 Applications for IEUK close tomorrow! 🚨 Don’t miss this key opportunity to supercharge your CV and boost your career prospects. ⬇️⬇️⬇️ 👉 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gyG_9VVh Why is IEUK a must for aspiring professionals? 🌟 Over 150,000 Bright Network members have completed IEUK 🌟 10,000+ members credit IEUK for landing their roles Here’s what makes IEUK invaluable: 📄 Essential CV Experience: Gain practical skills in just four action-packed days 🧠 Expert Insights: Get tips and advice from industry leaders to stand out 💻 Sector Exploration: Discover which career path suits you best 🤝 Networking Opportunities: Connect with top employers like BA, PwC, BT Group, and Clyde & Co This is your chance to secure your spot and join us for an unforgettable experience that could be the key to your dream job. Apply now: https://lnkd.in/gyG_9VVh #IEUK2024 #Internships #EarlyCareers

Who’s coming along to our Summer Social tonight? We’re absolutely buzzing to see you all there! Here’s what you can expect... 🍹🌴😎 🧡 Freeflowing drinks (alcoholic and non) 🧡 Plenty of delicious food to enjoy 🧡 Catching up with the early careers community (and meeting new faces!) 🧡 Chances to win prizes with our famous Spin the Wheel 👀 🧡 Ready for all weathers - outside and inside space available Reminder of the key details: 📍 Vinoteca City, 21 Bloomberg Arcade, London, EC4N 8AR ⏰ 5:30pm - late Not registered yet? Add yourself to the guestlist: https://lnkd.in/dXY42gyP (Please note: This event is for early careers professionals only and not designed for students) #EarlyCareers #Networking #SummerSocial

‘Intersectionality’ is a word being mentioned a lot in the early careers industry right now, but what impact does it actually have? In our recent research, we found that it can have a significant impact on career confidence ⬇️ So, what are these insights telling us? 📊 Students with any of the three social mobility indicators have significantly lower confidence than the average student population, where confidence sits at 54% 📊 Confidence drops further for students with more than one social mobility indicator, suggesting that students from multiple disadvantaged backgrounds face compounding challenges impacting their confidence in securing a role 📊 The students with the lowest career confidence are those who attended state schools and came from low income households, sitting at 37% Once you understand the true impact of intersectionality, it may feel like a daunting task to tackle in your early career strategies – but it doesn’t need to be. Here’s our advice on how to embed intersectionality within your approach: 💡 Understand your audience: Avoid assumptions and get to know the individual you’re trying to connect with. Host student focus groups, chat to recent graduates at your organisation about their experiences and read our annual research to get unique insights into the mindsets of current students. 💡 Use this understanding to create personalised candidate journeys to support those who need it the most: Think about including coaching in your process, specifically tailored to individuals in intersecting diverse groups. 💡 Shout about the great work you're doing to support students so confidence increases: It's crucial to bring the work you're doing to empower and engage students from underrepresented groups to the fore in your campaigns. Whatever stage you're at on your journey to better understand intersectionality and support graduates into your organisations, we're here to support as you shift the dial even further and authentically engage with students that you want to attract into your businesses. #EarlyCareers #Intersectionality #DEIB

☀️ We're counting down the days to our Summer Social next week! Our annual summer event is the perfect opportunity to mark the end of the season with drinks, canapés and music. Everyone in the early careers space is welcome to join us for the celebration! Don't miss this opportunity to connect with your peers in the graduate recruitment and emerging talent space - secure your free spot below ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/e7SYy23S #FreeEvent #GraduateRecruitment #EarlyCareers

🎥 Should you add events to your CV? In today’s competitive job market, standing out is crucial. Georgie Crotty from P&G shares how Internship Experience UK can enhance your employability. 📈 Events are a great way to demonstrate your proactive attitude, willingness to learn and ability to network—all qualities that employers highly value. Looking to gain that edge this summer? Internship Experience UK offers unparalleled opportunities to immerse yourself in real-world projects, connect with industry leaders and build skills that make you standout as a candidate. 🚀 Don’t miss out on this chance to elevate your career. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/e7kxfBK4 #IEUK2024 #Internships #EarlyCareers