Congratulations to our Future-Ready Award students receiving their awards at Winter graduation 2024!
Hear from Varshitha Manjunath, (pictured above), who is a Queen’s PGT student who graduated in December 2024 with a Master of Science in International Business, and an impressive NINE Future-Ready Award accreditations.Well done Varshitha!
“The Future-Ready Award enabled me to reflect on the diverse range of activities I participated in, including leadership roles, volunteer work, and practical experiences like the Think Pacific Remote Internship. By engaging in initiatives such as the Real-World Consultancy Programme and Prestige Volunteers, I was able to identify key skills I developed, such as teamwork, effective communication, and problem-solving. For example, my involvement in Homework Clubs highlighted my ability to mentor and support others, while Handy Helpers (SU) refined my organizational and time-management skills. These activities provided a structured platform to assess and appreciate the breadth of my personal and professional growth.”
In semester one 2024, Careers, Employability & Skills celebrated 444 unique students gaining the Future- Ready Award, including single and combined routes as well as an increase in work experience accreditations.
The award enables you to articulate your learning and signals to employers that you have developed essential skills required to succeed in the workplace and is open to all Queen’s undergraduate and postgraduate students.
We have over 100 accredited activities available to search on our activity search tool and there are three different ways to achieve the award, single route activity, combined route activity, and the work experience route. Full details on this and the list of accredited activities can be found on the Future-Ready Award website.
Applications open for the Future-Ready Award summer applications open on 20 December 2024 and close at midnight on 01 March 2025.
Q&A with Tom Smith who is a Queen’s University Belfast Graduate who started his career with Allstate as an Intern, moving to a Placement, which then led him to Graduate employment at the company in the Billing and Payments team within Allstate Canada
Why did you want to work at Allstate?
When I was in the first year of my computer science degree I saw a notice in an email from the Queens’ University Belfast Careers team, advertising Allstate’s Insights program, which was a series of workshops over a few days of the Easter holidays. I attended the workshops, and was offered the chance to interview for a summer internship. I got a place on the internship and have now worked here for three years.
What does a typical day look like?
I work on the Billing and Payments team within Allstate Canada. I work on a global team, with colleagues in India and Canada. As a result, I have time to get most of my actual work with the other developers done in the mornings, and then after lunch, my Canadian colleagues come online and that’s when things get busier and most of my meetings happen. I work from home most days, but go into the Belfast office at least once a week to see the others in my department, and usually play a bit of pool at lunchtime.
How was the transition from Intern > Placement > Grad?
Both teams that I’ve worked on have been very accommodating and supportive, pairing me up with one of the other developers on the team who I could work closely alongside to learn about the internal systems and the digital products the team is responsible for. It feels like there has been something of a change in my role at each annual milestone. When I first started as a summer intern, I was on the team that managed collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom. I then switched teams when I started my placement year, when I moved into the Allstate Canada Group. My team was known as Corporate Services, providing internal software services for both the Finance team and the Law and Regulation team. This team then merged with the Billing and Payment team between my placement year and starting as a graduate, introducing a new group of products for me to work on with a larger group of teammates.
What do you like about Allstate and your role?
There’s a big focus on a learning culture in Allstate. We have access to a large selection of in-house and external Learning & Development resources which we are encouraged to make use of. I also enjoy the social aspect of working at Allstate. On top of the events put together by individual teams (we went Axe Throwing recently), there is a constant stream of events being organised that all employees can attend. Personally, I regularly join the free cinema trips, but there are loads of other opportunities including a 5-a-side team, board game nights and the monthly beer and pizza event. The events are good fun and a chance to meet people outside of your team.
Any tips for those applying for an early careers opportunity?
Think about what benefits you personally bring to a team/company. At this stage of your career, you probably don’t have much technical experience that will set you apart from other candidates who have done the same uni assignments, and Allstate’s training resources are great for teaching you what you need to know, but a good team-worker who wants to engage with their colleagues and get involved with events from our various Employee Impact Groups is someone who will do well at Allstate.
May 2024 saw the return of our interactive Real-World Consultancy Programme, with students gaining a different type of work experience by providing a consultancy service to real clients and working on a real challenge that those clients face.
The Queen’s University Belfast students from different disciplines were facilitated through a Design Thinking process to resolve the client’s problem with hosts Patricia Flanagan and Michaelle Dolan of Rejig.
The students applied the design thinking process, tools and mindset to live challenges provided by companies including, Aflac Northern Ireland, BDO Northern Ireland, Gig Grafter Limited, KPMG Ireland, The Phoenix Education Centre, and SureCert.
The busy and interactive programme ran over four days and provided a great opportunity for students to develop highly valued Design Thinking skills prior to them going on to take up a placement, internship or a graduate role.
A massive thank you to Patricia Flanagan and Michelle Dolan of Rejig for coming in to the host the programme, to our Careers Consultant Ludovica Piccinini for overseeing the programme, and to all the employer partners and our amazing students who took part, making this year’s programme a resounding success.
We are already looking forward to Real-World Consultancy 2025.
Below is some feedback from employers and students who participated on the programme.
Thanks to Ludovica Piccinini and Patricia Durkin for the invite to the Careers, Employability and Skills at Queen’s University Belfast Real World Consultancy Programme.
It was great to spend some time at Queen’s University Belfast this week with a team of highly talented students that attempted to resolve a KPMG Ireland business challenge focused on corporate citizenship.
Well done to all the participants and a special shout out to Michael, Majd, Lauren, Ruth and Muhammad for their efforts on our challenge this week (expertly stretched by Patricia Flanagan and Michelle Dolan as always!).
Paul Braden, KPMG, Ireland
Recently, I had the pleasure of taking part in the 2024 cohort of QUB’s Real World Consultancy Programme. This programme allowed me to work in teams with individuals from diverse disciplines with the end goal of providing consultancy services to real life clients.
My team was partnered up with Emma Shaw from Phoenix Education Centre. Emma alerted us to the challenges she was facing and gave us feedback and valuable guidance throughout the process. As a group we came up with innovative ideas to mitigate against these challenges and provided solutions and recommendations that could potentially be implemented by Emma.
Many thanks to Patricia Flanagan and Michelle Dolan for your valuable guidance throughout the program and enabling us to utilise our imagination to obtain useful solutions.
Amith Varghese, Queen’s University Belfast MSc International Business student
Recently, I took part in the Real-World Consultancy Program ran by Careers Queen’s University Belfast. My group got the chance to tackle a real-life problem presented to us by Aflac Northern Ireland; “How Might We Develop Future Tech Talent in NI.” Our group came up with innovative solutions after being introduced to a new way of thinking “Design Thinking” developed by Stanford University. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Deivydas Sakys, Shubham Soni & Akinyemi Folasewa and a huge thank you to Isabel Stacey & Jason Brennan from Aflac Northern Ireland who helped us throughout the week.
Paddy Latimer, Queen’s University Belfast, International Business with Spanish student
This immersive 4-day program equipped us with ”Design Thinking”, a problem-solving approach developed by Stanford University. Patricia Flanagan and Michelle Dolan guided us through the process.
The program was a series of incredibly interactive sessions with dozens of fun activities that fostered invaluable knowledge about design thinking. We learned the importance of stepping outside our comfort zones, fostering group creativity, and embracing empathy.
The program instilled valuable skills in storytelling, identifying key concepts like divergence and convergence, and the importance of inclusion. It also highlighted the power of reformation, building connections, and empathetic listening. Overall, this program provided an exceptional platform to apply our knowledge and prepare us for the professional world.
Riya Anandpara, Queen’s University Belfast MSc Marketing student
The programme participants were a mix of Queen’s University Belfast Law students and students from other disciplines within Queen’s. They visited a number of Law firms during the programmes including, A&L Goodbody LLP, Tughans LLP, Fieldfisher LLP,Lewis Silkin, and Factor.
The networking that followed provided a good opportunity for our students to connect with numerous law firms and potential employers, including TLT LLP, A&L Goodbody LLP, Phoenix Law, Arthur Cox, the Departmental Solicitors Office, and Fieldfisher.
A massive thank you to our partners at Queen’s School of Law and to all the employer partners and our students who made this year’s tour a resounding success. We are already looking forward to 2025’s programme.
Below is some feedback from students who participated in the tour.
What an incredible start to the 2024 Careers in Law Insight Programme! A heartfelt thank you to everyone at A&L Goodbody LLP for hosting us today. The session on commercial awareness and the firm’s CSR initiatives was not only informative but truly inspiring. It was also a pleasure to meet and learn from Queen’s Careers staff, Terry O’ Hanlon, Phil Wren, and Mark Gallagher. Your dedication to fostering student employability and skills development is evident and greatly appreciated.
Rushikesh Ravindra, Queen’s Law and Technology student
A special thanks to Queen’s Careers staff Terry O’ Hanlon, Mark Gallagher and Phil Wren for putting this tour together, it has made a massive impact on my decision to enter the law industry. As a student from outside the school of law, I cannot recommend this tour enough if you are considering a career in the legal industry. This tour has opened my eyes on the opportunities available to me as a non-law student.
Jake Dodds, Queen’s History Undergraduate
The tour closed with a panel event and networking session at the QUB One Elmwood building, where we had the privilege of learning from some key members of the legal landscape in Belfast, each offering a unique and invaluable perspective on the journey into a career in law.
Around 50 students took part in this year’s programme, which offers ann opportunity for any student of any discipline or level to build commercial awareness and develop teamwork, management, leadership and presentation/negotiation skills.
Participants worked in teams, through a series fast moving but fun business games and challenges to win prizes. Each team was mentored by an Employer representative.
There were some fantastic business ideas, design skills and prototypes on display, and the teams sold their products well to our team of judges at the Innovation Fair.
Thanks to all the students who took part, and to all the Employers for their help with bringing the business ideas to life this week.
It was a fun three days, with some great opportunities for networking and some new friendships formed.
We are also happy to announce we came second, (highly commended), at the AHECS Employability Awards in Dublin in the ‘Supporting Student / Graduate Employability’ award category for the Future-Ready Skills for Leaders programme.
Big congratulations to our Careers Consultant Emma Lennox who was managing the programme. The Careers team really enjoyed the awards and communicating the benefits of the programme to other Careers professionals in various educational institutes.
Check out Queen’s University Belfast Masters student Malavika Mahendranat’s blog about their experiences of the three day programme.
Hear what some of our other students had to say about their experiences on the programme:
These few days have been honestly indescribable for me. I had the opportunity to participate in a series of business games and challenges which helped me to develop my teamwork, leadership, and strategic thinking skills. The program was designed to be dynamic and engaging, constantly challenging us to think on our feet and collaborate effectively under pressure. I was also impressed by the diversity of the participants, who came from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds like undergraduates, postgraduates, and PhD students. Overall, it was an unbelievable experience that left a lasting impact on me.
Aaditya Joshi, Queen’s University Belfast student.
As a Humanities postgraduate who does not usually venture into the realm of business events, the FRS-Leaders Program was one phenomenal way for me to begin exploring the unknown, get outside my comfort zone, and to inculcate important values necessary to improve one’s quality of life.
Ashwin Somanath, Queen’s University Belfast, Postgraduate Student
I had so much fun completing the Future- Ready skills for leaders programme over the last 3 days! I really enjoyed the challenges , developing my skills and getting to meet new people! A big thank you to everyone involved
Sophie Wylie, Queen’s University Belfast student
I must extend my gratitude to Emma Lennox, (Queen’s Careers Service), for her outstanding training sessions. I always enjoy her program, and I can feel tons of effort behind designing the session, inviting speakers and judges, and preparing those materials. I also learned a lot from Patricia Durkin, (Queen’s Careers Service), about generating a business idea from scratch. We are so solution-driven, and Patricia guided us to consider problems, which was crucial for business and leadership.
Looking forward to working with you in the near future
Yanglu Alex Wang, Queen’s University Belfast, PhD Researcher
Some of my key insights of the Future-Ready Skills for Leaders programme include: – Leadership is about diverse styles, from leading by example to empowering others. – Mistakes are part of the journey; resilience and perseverance are key. – Empathy, anticipation, and confidence are vital for effective leadership. – Continuous learning is essential; staying curious and seeking knowledge keeps you ahead. – Engaging in hands-on learning enhances practical problem-solving abilities.
Uma Ravi, Master’s Student, Queen’s University Belfast.
Queen’s Computer Science student Tim Chan, takes us through his night as an award nominee at the gradireland Undergraduate of the Year Awards 2024.
Take it away Tim…
“A few months ago, an email from the Queen’s Student Union’s VP of Undergrad Education told us about the gradireland Undergraduate of the Year Awards. The gradireland Undergraduate of the Year Awards is an annual competition aimed at finding the best undergraduates in Ireland. Each award is sponsored by a different graduate recruitment company with its own prize including things like cash prizes or work experience with the graduate employer.”
“I nominated myself for the ‘Difference Maker Undergraduate of the Year Award’, in the hope of highlighting some of the work I do in student societies and as school rep for EEECS to inspire other students to also take part in these rewarding activities. The nomination process included an online application form with specific questions about the award, an online test and an online interview (this differs depending on the award category). About a month later, I received an email that I was shortlisted as one of the top 10 finalists of the award, and was invited to the final award ceremony in Dublin.”
“The award ceremony was in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin during April, and it was amazing. We were greeted by gradireland and were given complimentary tea/coffee and some snacks for about an hour of networking with finalists from all the award categories. This was followed by an amazing three course dinner, which was really good, better than any formal dinner I’ve been to during uni. It was at that table that I met another student from Queen’s, Mary Freeman, who was nominated for the same award category, and we found out that we were even on the same train on the way down.”
“During the awards dinner we sat with representatives from the graduate employer sponsor of our award. That was when I met Barry who was currently the Vice President of Chartered Accountants and was about to enter a new role as President. I thought the experience was going to be super scary, but everyone was very friendly, we shared funny experiences and everyone’s career journey even though mine hadn’t even started and everyone was very down to earth.”
“Whilst I didn’t win the final award, this was an amazing experience. I got to network with other amazing finalists and was told that if a careers as a Software Engineer doesn’t work out, I could always try accountancy. I would definitely recommend anyone to apply for the awards when they come out in future years, there’s absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain!”
Some highlights from the night of the awards, including that amazing three course awards dinner!
Luckily for you, we have a hotline to powerful recruiters across a range of industries and sectors, and we are committed to helping you make key introductions.
Many employers hire graduates that they already know, and you’ll have plenty of opportunity to meet employers on campus through Careers Fairs, employer panels and industry workshops.
Find opportunities to suit you
Whether you are looking for a funded summer internship, a short-term, real-world work project, or to road test a career with work shadowing, we can help you put what you’ve learned on your course into practice, enhancing your CV and graduate prospects. We source and promote employer vacancies and work-related learning opportunities through MyFuture, Queen’s early career management platform. This intuitive system allows you to filter your job search by industry, job function and course. You can also set up job alerts which are sent directly to your student email. There is even a handy app – think of it as Tinder for jobs!
Careers Fairs on Campus
Our Careers Fairs take place on campus twice a year in October and February offering the opportunity to connect in-person with employers offering work experience, placement and graduate opportunities.
We also run the NI Graduate and Recruitment Fair in partnership with Ulster University once a year before summer graduation for final year students and recent graduates.
The Future-Ready Roadmap can help you to develop new skills, explore the right opportunities, build your support network and gain the confidence to realise your ambitions. It’s a framework designed to help you progress your employability throughout your time at Queen’s. Everything we offer is clearly linked to the Roadmap so you can see where your gaps are, chart your progress and plan your future.
DISCOVER
Understand what employability is and combine this understanding with self-awareness to identify your strengths and areas for development.
EXPLORE
Our events and programmes are designed to help you try new things, meet new people and build relevant skills and experience, both at home and overseas.
PREPARE
This phase is all about helping you recognise your potential and understanding how to promote yourself and your skills. Whether applying for part-time work, an internship or a graduate job, we support you through every stage of the recruitment process.
REALISE
Once you know a bit more about your goals, we help you plan how to achieve them. From connecting you with key employers to offering access to graduate and placement opportunities in your target sector, we’ll develop you into a future-ready graduate.
Did you know: Queen’s has the highest percentage (92%) of graduates in employment and further study among Russell Group Universities including Oxford and Cambridge.
As a Queen’s student, we are the secret weapon you need to reach your full potential. Why? Many students leave university assuming their degree certificate is enough to get them where they want to be. But employers want more than the right degree: they are looking for all-rounders with transferable skills like teamwork, communication and critical thinking. These skills can’t be learned in a textbook. This is where we come in.
Firstly, we know employers and the skills they are looking for. What’s more, we can help you develop the most in-demand skills that will unlock exciting opportunities for you. Whether it’s learning from leaders in Boston, completing an employer challenge in Belfast or networking with the tech community in Berlin, we can give you access to powerful experiences that will stay with you. Crucially, we will work with you to sell those skills effectively on your CV or in a future interview – turbo boosting your employability.
No idea where your future lies? We’ll teach you to lean into the power of uncertainty and of staying flexible. We’ll help you use your time at university. to road test a range of career opportunities and help you figure out which direction is right for you. If you challenge yourself to keep an open mind and look at fresh perspectives, we’ll help you improve, grow in confidence and be the best that you can be whatever success looks like for you.
The Future-ready Award is an employability award that allows you to gain formal recognition and a certificate for the extracurricular experience you gain during your time at Queen’s.
You can gain this award by completing an accredited activity.
Added to a CV, the award signals to a potential employer that you have worked hard to develop the skills you need to succeed in the workplace, and enables you to better articulate your skills and experience. In addition, the award gives you the opportunity to receive a certificate at graduation, on top of your degree, with the achievement verified on your QSIS Student Record.
Get Involved, Get Rewarded
We have over 100 accredited activities available.
These include extracurricular work experiences, community and voluntary work, Global Opportunities to work or study abroad, as well as early professional development activities.
Layer Your Skills
From trips to China and the USA to employer-led challenges, there are so many fun and rewarding activities for you to get involved in on campus.
Tailor Your Award
You can complete an activity (or more than one activity), at any time, fitting them in alongside your studies and tracking your Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR) progress via QSIS.
Added Value
Taking part in the award is free of charge, (although some activities might have costs involved), and allows you to add valuable skills and experience to your CV all while having fun, making new friends or travelling abroad.
