Learning & Teaching

What is it?

This guide helps staff design or adapt events with external contributors (e.g. alumni or employers) so that they become purposeful opportunities for surfacing skills.    

Instead of just about ‘meeting professionals’, these sessions encourage students to actively notice and reflect on the skills used by guests and consider how to develop themselves. The aim is to turn panels, talks and networking into meaningful, skills focused learning experiences.   

How does it work?

These events are structured to intentionally spotlight skill development. This can be done through these points:  

• Set the stage: Brief students beforehand about the focus on future skills.   

• Interactive: Include activities to make it participatory. Use formats like round tables, speed networking, skill-based challenges, real case studies with the external guests. 

• Build in refection: Include short reflection activities during or after the event. These help students to identify the skills they applied, observed in others or began to develop.  

• Connect the dots: Staff to actively link the event activities to the employability framework, helping them see the relevance of their experience to future skills.  

Does it work?

For this approach to be effective, students need guidance to intentionally recognise and build on their future skills. It works best when: 

• Before the event: 
  • Encourage students to notice both named and implied skills. 
  • Brief students, employers and alumni about the skill-development focus (e.g. share an employability framework). 

• During the event: 
  • Build in opportunities for interaction, not just passive listening. 
  • Frame the session with purpose (more than just a careers talk, it’s about spotting skills in action). 
  • Use prompts (slides, handouts, questions) to draw attention to skills. 
  • Make it active through discussions, problem-solving or scenarios. 
  • Encourage facilitators to ‘name the skills’ as they appear. 

• After/during the event: 
  • Provide structured reflection opportunities so students can connect observed skills to their own development. 
  • Use debrief activities (peer conversations, digital polls, etc.) to reinforce inks between the event, coursework, and future opportunities. 

What do I need?

To run a skills-focused event with external contributors, you will need: 

• Clear learning outcomes linked to the Employability Framework. 

• Engaged external partners who are open to supporting skill development, not just sharing their career story or promoting their organisation.  

• Staff/facilitators to support reflection and skill signposting. 

• Structured prompts or tools for student reflection (e.g. guided interview questions, worksheets, digital tools). 

• Opportunities for students to present their findings or reflections, helping them develop communication skills and consolidate their learning. 

• Post-event follow-up to consolidate learning, this might be in a workshop, or reflective task.