Categories
Spring Careers Fair

Opportunities to Shape Your Future at Careers Fairs

spring careers fair

We held the annual Queen’s Spring Careers Fair on 03 March 2026, in the Whitla and South Dining Halls with over 80 Employers onsite to chat with Queen’s students.

The Fair facilitated many important conversations between students and Employers about the various graduate roles, work experience, internships and placements on offer, which was great timing for National Careers Week.

Students were given the opportunity to prepare in advance of the attending the Fair by registering via our Careers management tool, MyFuture. Here, students could visit exhibitor profiles, interest areas and job opportunities  that were available for them to peruse ahead of the event. They could also follow Employers of interest in preparation for meeting them face to face at their stalls, and review the roles they were promoting.

As always it was a busy day with students from all degree pathways taking time to visit with Employers from a range of sectors at their stands. On the day we held a “quiet time” period to support the diverse needs of our students, when numbers were restricted and noise levels reduced. A limited number of one-to-one appointments with Employers during the Fair were also available for Queen’s students who are registered with Queen’s Accessible Learning Support. Students could also chat with our Careers Consultants at the Career Zone in the entrance of the Whitla Hall about the companies at the Fair and also about any quick Careers queries they had.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff in our Careers team, as well as our Careers Student Assistants for all their hard work at the Fair. We could not have done it without you, and undertaking a role as a student assistant at the Fair is always a great way for our students to get experience working at a large-scale event, (Queen’s students – keep an eye on QWork for future roles at our Fairs). A special thanks to our Fair sponsor EY and to all the Employers who were exhibiting, and a final thanks to all our Queen’s students who attended. 

We hope you found the day a useful platform to help you to shape your future.

Here’s what one of our Queen’s students had to say about their experience of this year’s Queen’s Spring Careers Fair:

“Had the opportunity to attend the Spring Careers Fair at Queen’s University Belfast today, and it was a truly valuable experience.
A big thank you to Careers, Employability and Skills team for organising such a well-structured event and creating a platform where students can directly connect with employers and explore future career opportunities.

The Fair brought together 80+ employers on campus, giving students the chance to learn about graduate roles, placements, internships and work experience opportunities across multiple industries.


A few key takeaways from the event:
• Had the chance to interact with professionals from organisations such as EY and many other companies.
• Gained insights into graduate recruitment processes and industry expectations.
• Engaged in meaningful conversations with recruiters about skills required for careers in finance, consulting and other sectors.
• A great opportunity to network, ask questions, and understand different career pathways available after graduation.
• Events like these help students bridge the gap between academic learning and real industry exposure.


Grateful to Queen’s University Belfast for providing such opportunities that allow students to explore their interests, build professional connections, and better prepare for the future.”

Shrisha Venkatraman, Queen’s MSc Finance student.

For information on Queen’s Careers Fairs visit https://go.qub.ac.uk/careersfairs

Categories
Careers programmes

Shape Your Future with Employer Insight Visits 

Employer Insight Visits (formerly Work Shadowing Week), give Queen’s students the opportunity to spend a day in participating organisations to get an insight into an organisation and sector and observe professionals in practice. 
 
Employer Insight Visits will take place from Monday 30 March – Thursday 02 April 2026. 
 
The objective of the visit is for you to gain important real life organisation insights into work and have the chance to engage in meaningful conversations and observations in a workplace setting. 
 
The day itself will involve but not be limited to, a facilities/site tour, opportunity to ask questions of the team, to include lunch and observe some work in action. Transport is provided to the Employers premises. 
 
Employers Taking Part in Employer Insight Visits 2026  

  • ALMAC 
  • ARUP 
  • Baker McKenzie 
  • Cooneen Group 
  • Foot Anstey McKees  
  • Funds Axis 
  • Henry Brothers 
  • Kukoon Rugs 
  • McQuillan Companies 
  • Oxford Instruments 
  • PwC Ireland 
  • RSM UK 
  • SAM Aerospace 
  • Sumer Accountants 
  • The Keystone Group  

Queen’s students can apply to take part in Employer Insight Visits via MyFuture where all these opportunities will be advertised until 06 March 2026. 

Find out more about the programme and apply: 
http://go.qub.ac.uk/employerinsightvisits 
 
Remember – applications will close on 06 March 2026 so get applying! 

This is what our students had to say about 2025’s Employer Insights Visits, (formerly Work Shadowing Week):

Kirstine Dela Torre, International Business with French Student at Queen’s University Belfast

“So grateful to have taken part in the Work Shadowing Week with Energia Group! From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with open arms (and a goodie bag), and I got to spend the day with the Micro Energy – Renewables team. 
 
It was eye-opening to see how much technical detail and teamwork goes into making renewable energy solutions work in real life. Energia Group’s commitment to making a difference was evident in every conversation. 
 
A massive thank you to Careers, Employability and Skills at Queen’s University Belfast, Lynsey Foster and to wider Energia Group for making this experience so insightful and welcoming. As a student navigating the early stages of my career, this experience reminded me that the future of energy is bright – and it’s powered by people who care deeply about impact.”
 
Eoin Loughran, BSc Geography student, Queen’s University Belfast

“I had a fantastic experience attending a work shadowing day with Energia. A big thank you to the welcoming and knowledgeable team for sharing such valuable insights into the energy sector. 
 
It was especially rewarding to see firsthand how EVs and solar panel technologies are being implemented in real-world projects, bridging the gap between the theoretical knowledge I’ve gained during my undergraduate studies and its practical application. 
 
I’m very grateful to Careers Queen’s University Belfast and to Lynsey Foster for organising this opportunity.”

Nikita Jain, MSc Finance Student at Queen’s University Belfast

“I had the pleasure of attending a Work Shadowing Day at Sumer Northern Ireland, organised through Queen’s University Belfast. It was a valuable opportunity to gain insights into the firm’s operations and learn from such a welcoming and knowledgeable team. 
 
A big thank you to Lynsey Foster for guiding us through this experience, to Careers Queen’s University Belfast for providing such a valuable opportunity and to Shannon Savage for walking us through the day. Grateful to everyone at Sumer NI for hosting us and making the day so engaging!”

Krupali Thakur, MSc Artificial Intelligence, Queen’s University Belfast

“Had a fantastic day at BT Group, an experience that truly brought the world of work to life!

From exploring BT’s rich legacy and its broad ecosystem, including Openreach, EE, and Plusnet to hands-on tech sessions, it was a day full of inspiration and learning.”
  

Hitesh Gidwani, MSc Finance, Queen’s University Belfast

“Had the amazing opportunity to shadow professionals at PwC Belfast as part of Queen’s Work Shadowing Week 2025! 
I had the chance to explore PwC’s dynamic work culture, learn about account verification, auditing processes, and discover how their core values shape everyday operations. 
 
A big thank you to Lynsey Foster for leading this initiative and to the Careers Queen’s University Belfast for making it possible, and a huge thank you to PwC and PwC Ireland especially Rachel Kelly for graciously hosting us. 
 
The experience was packed with insightful conversations, a networking lunch with PwC professionals, and an exclusive office tour giving us a first-hand look into the day-to-day life at one of the Big Four.
 
Grateful for the exposure, inspiration, and connections made!”



Categories
Careers programmes Interviews Mock Interviews Strengths-based interviews Virtual interviews

Big Interview: Your AI-Powered Interview Coach

Big Interview

We all know that interviews can be nerve-wracking experiences: sleepless nights, endless flashcards, trying to feel comfortable in some newly-bought interview clothes. But whether you’re worried about what to say, how you come across, or just freezing up under pressure, Big Interview is here to help. Think of it as your own AI-powered, personal interview coach, available around the clock, giving you honest feedback so you can walk into an interview feeling confident and prepared.

What does the AI actually do?

Big Interview uses artificial intelligence to help you practice and improve:

Instant Feedback:Record yourself answering questions and get immediate feedback on your tone, pace, and even the ‘um’ and ‘like’ fillers that we all use when we’re nervous. Big Interview also picks up on eye contact and facial expressions – meaning you’ll soon be feeling confident enough for any interview scenario.

Practice that fits your schedule: Whether you’ve got a few days or a few weeks before an interview, Big Interview adapts to you. Choose Fast Track if you’re short on time, or dive deeper with the Mastery Track which covers more complex or difficult interviews. Big Interview is there to work to your schedule, meaning you can fit it in when you need it most.

Industry-specific questions: Practice with real questions from your field and get personalised feedback each time you try. You’ll soon see yourself getting better, which is a huge confidence boost. It also means that when you meet with the staff in our Careers service, you can focus on specifics instead of having to go over the basics.

Track your progress: See exactly where you’re improving and what you might want to work on a bit more. It’s all laid out clearly so you know you’re making real progress: this is particularly useful when you are having Careers conversations with Queen’s staff, as you can discuss the areas you know you need to work on.

Getting Started

Practice anytime: Jump in whenever suits you: midnight, Sunday afternoon, between classes, whenever: Big Interview will always be there when you need it.

Try, review, improve: Record an answer, watch the AI feedback, then try again. Repetition is how you become comfortable and more confident in yourself.

Complete assignments: Your Careers team or lecturers might set you specific tasks. These are designed to prepare you for real interviews in your industry. They are hugely useful as they will give you a glimpse into real-world experiences and make sure you are prepared for your post-graduation journey.

Ask for help: Big Interview is just one tool among many at Queen’s: make sure that you reach out to Careers, Employability and Skills with any questions you have about your employability journey.

Check out the student guide to get up and running quickly. The sooner you start practicing, the more confident you’ll feel when the real interview comes around.

Categories
Careers programmes

Students work with industry experts to suggest climate change solutions

real world challenge climate change

We held the Real-World Challenge, Climate Change event hosted by PwC in their Belfast office at Merchant Square on 20 February 2025.

It was an exciting opportunity for the students who took part to hear from industry experts and join a team to tackle the real-world problem of climate change and what is currently being done in Northern Ireland to reduce emissions and produce a greener place to live, all while developing key employability skills!

A presentation was given by Professor John Barry, and we also hosted some Café Conversations with external speakers, who were, Melanie Thrush, Senior Engineer, geotechnical team, ARUP, Claire Shortt, Belfast City Council, Amy Bell, Acting Climate NI Manager, Climate Northern Ireland, Jason Calvert, Director in Economics Consulting, PwC, and John McCann, Estates Manager – Environmental, Queen’s University Belfast.

It was a busy, and fulfilling programme for the students who took part, and it gave them a chance to use their critical thinking skills to come up with some positive solutions to an important topic and an opportunity to interact with a broad range of students from across Queen’s.

Big thanks to everyone who took part!

Hitesh Gidwani, MSc Finance Student Queen’s University Belfast.

Had an eye-opening experience at the Real-World Challenge hosted by PwC, where we tackled climate change solutions alongside industry experts and students from across Queen’s!

One of the most thought-provoking tasks? Creating “The Best & Worst Newspaper Headlines of 2050.”

 “Are you breathing or gasping for air? It’s official—humanity is ending… (Pay $5000 to read full article)”

A dark yet satirical take on how human greed persists even when survival is at stake. Will we let our planet deteriorate to a point where clean air becomes a luxury? Or will we take action today?

Gained valuable insights from expert speakers.

 Collaborated with an amazing team to brainstorm real-world solution.

Realized how even small daily actions can create a massive impact.

3 Simple Steps YOU Can Take Today to Fight Climate Change:

1️. Ditch plastic bottles – Carry a reusable one!

2.  Rethink fast fashion. The fashion industry causes 10% of global carbon emissions. Buying 1 second-hand outfit instead of new reduces waste, pollution, and guilt. (Plus, vintage is cooler anyway.)

3. Sort your waste like your life depends on it. Because, well… it kinda does. Landfills release methane, which is 25x worse than CO₂. Proper recycling = less toxic air = fewer “gasping for air” headlines.

The future is still in our hands. Will we change the headline before it’s too late?

Big thanks to PwC UK, Careers Queen’s University Belfast, and all Lynsey Foster for this incredible opportunity! Looking forward to more impactful experiences ahead.

Lynsey Foster, Employer Engagement Team, Careers, Queen’s University Belfast

We  hosted our Real-World Challenge, Climate Change event in PwC’s beautiful Merchant Square offices. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, the students considered what is currently being done in NI to reduce emissions and become a greener place to live.

We welcomed several external speakers who joined our discussions and shared what their organisations are currently doing to tackle the climate emergency.

It was a very inspiring day with a lot of great takeaways! Thanks to each of our speakers for joining us and having some great discussions with our students – John Barry, Amy Bell, Melanie Thrush, Jason Calvert, John McCann, and Claire Shortt.

A big thank you to Abigail Darwent and the PwC team for hosting us and to Climate Northern Ireland, Arup, Belfast City Council.

Find out more about the Real-World Challenge Climate Change. https://go.qub.ac.uk/realworldchallenge

Categories
Careers programmes Global Opportunities Go Global ambassadors Study abroad

Experience life studying abroad in Utrecht

utrecht

Hear from Queen’s student, Liana Mac Intyre about her study abroad opportunity in Utrecht. Take it away Liana…

‘Spending a summer studying in Utrecht was one of the best decisions I made during my time at Queen’s. If you’re thinking about a short-term study abroad programme, I can’t recommend it enough.’

“You get to experience life in a new city, meet people from all over the world, and develop a deeper understanding on your chosen course topic. Looking back, my time in Utrecht gave me a deeper appreciation of Europe and the EU, not just as a political project, but as a space shaped by shared history, culture, and ideas.”

“I took part in the European Politics and Economy summer school at Utrecht University. Given my interest in politics and history and my desire to pursue a career in diplomacy, I wanted to better understand how the EU functions, especially from the perspective of a country that has deep historical ties to it. The course was an intense but rewarding mix of lectures, debates, and excursions. We covered everything from the institutional structure of the EU to its economic policies, and we had the chance to apply our knowledge in discussions on real-world issues like Brexit, trade agreements, and the future of the European Union.”

“One of the highlights was visiting The Hague, where we discussed the role of institutions like the International Court of Justice. Furthermore, we had the chance to visit the Mauritshuis Museum where we saw the famous Girl with a Pearl Earring painting!”

Beyond the academic side of things, Utrecht itself was an incredible place to live for a few weeks. The city has a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere, and cycling everywhere quickly became second nature.

“Afternoons were spent by the canals, and evenings often ended in one of the city’s many bars, chatting with other students from across Europe. The international mix of people on the course made for some fascinating conversations- everyone brought their own perspective, and it was refreshing to step outside of the UK and see things through a different lens. Due to its close proximity, my new friends and I were able to take a trip to Amsterdam at the weekend which was a great bonus to this amazing trip!”

“If you’re on the fence about doing a summer school, my advice is: go for it!

“It’s a brilliant way to broaden your academic and personal horizons, all while having a great time in a new city. Utrecht, with its mix of history, culture, and student-friendly vibe, is the perfect place to do it.”

Find out more about study abroad opportunities at Utrecht https://go.qub.ac.uk/utrechtsummerschool

Categories
Careers programmes Stock Market Challenge

Real-World Experience Gained at the Stock Market Challenge 2025

Our annual Stock Market Challenge Careers programme took place on 29 January 2025, offering students an opportunity to gain real-world experience of analysing markets and making investments.

Our students got to simulate the excitement of the stock market and compete for top prizes including industry insight opportunities.

Congratulations to our Stock Market Challenge 2025 winners Michael McCormick and William Parr! You played a great game! And congratulations also to the runners up and everyone who took part in the popular competition.

We want to give our thanks to the Employers that took part First Derivative, FinTrU, Fund Axis and Grant Thornton NI LLP and to our delivery partners at SolutionSim.

Here is what some of the people involved had to say about this year’s programme.

As a law student, this was my first time participating in the Stock Market Challenge, and thus it was an incredible experience with Rachel Lyle. We generated profit and secured a top 12 finish, making the experience even more rewarding. It was a competitive challenge but truly exciting, and I’m looking forward to the next one!

Additionally, the Employer Panel Q&A provided great insights into what employers are looking for. After the competition, we also had the opportunity to network with each other and connect with representatives from Deloitte, FinTru, First Derivative, Funds-Axis, and Grant Thornton NI LLP.

A big thank you to Careers Queen’s University Belfast for hosting such an amazing session!
Charmyn Woon 

LLB Law Student at Queen’s University Belfast

It was impressive to see so much talent on display at QUB’s Stock Market Challenge earlier this week. Congratulations to all the students who took part and gained the real-world experience of analysing markets and making investments.

We look forward to welcoming QUB students Richard and Jahed from the competition to our Summer Insights programme this June.

FinTrU

50+ students worked in teams to beat a stock market simulation, with 4 teams performing so well that they won a Work Shadowing / Careers Insight Day with one of our brilliant guest employers, or as part of our upcoming Work Shadowing Week 2025, plus a nice gift voucher to spend however they want!

 We’re so grateful to our Guest Employers representatives who joined us, answered our questions in the Employer Panel, and even tried their hand at beating the stock market alongside our students: FinTrU, First Derivative, Funds-Axis Limited, Grant Thornton (NI) LLP.

A final, massive thank you from myself and my event co-coordinator Becky Law to our Delivery Partners at solutionsim.net for making this possible year after year, and in particular to Liam Barnes, for joining us as game host on the night (and for all the work that came before!).


Ludovica Piccinini, Careers Consultant

https://go.qub.ac.uk/stockmarketchallenge

Categories
Careers programmes

The Future is Bright with a Queen’s Future-Ready Award!

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.  

Find out all about the award at go.qub.ac.uk/futurereadyaward  

Categories
Careers programmes

Q&A with Queen’s Graduate, Tom Smith of Allstate

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.

To find out more about Careers at Allstate visit their website: https://www.allstateni.com/careers.aspx

Allstate NI are sponsors of the Queen’s Autumn Careers Fair 2024 – to find out more about Queen’s Careers Fairs visit https://go.qub.ac.uk/careersfair

Categories
Careers programmes

Students Tackle Real-World Problems Using Design Thinking

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
Categories
Careers programmes

Top Law Programme back for 2024

Our popular Spotlight On Law programme made a return in semester 2 of 2024.

Comprising two-days of in-person workplace visits to local and global law firms based in Belfast, the programme gave students an opportunity to:

  • Take part in case studies, workshops, panels and legal skills sessions
  • Hear from barristers and solicitors from a variety of practice areas
  • Get tips from recruiters on getting hired by a top law firm
  • Practical career knowledge on internships, placements, vacation schemes and training contracts.
  • Gain a Future-Ready Award.

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.

After the Law firm visits, the programme culminated with a Panel Event and Networking Session at One Elmwood, where students heard from more experts across the legal field who gave insights into their own career journeys, including, Arthur Cox NI, Departmental Solicitors Office, Herbert Smith Freehills, The Law Society of Northern Ireland of NI, Phoenix Law (Human Rights Lawyers), and TLT LLP.
 
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.

Rebecca Carlin, Queen’s LLB Law student

Find out about the Spotlight on Law Tour at https://go.qub.ac.uk/spotlightonlaw