Tag: future-ready graduates

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Careers programmes Future-Ready Skills

Stand Out from the Crowd with a Future-Ready Award

megan_white
megan_white

Megan White, Queen’s Pharmacy Graduate celebrating her Future-Ready Award achievement.

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.

It recognises and celebrates the experiences, skills and achievements students gain beyond their academic studies. Whether through leadership opportunities, volunteering, work experience, skills development workshops or extracurricular activities, the award helps students develop the qualities that employers are looking for while making the most of their time at Queen’s.

With over 100 accredited activities available, the Future-Ready Award is open to all Queen’s undergrads and postgrads, and with 1,045 Future-Ready Award achievers in 2025/2026, it has established itself as a valuable and worthwhile achievement across the University.

Some of our recent graduates received their Future-Ready Award at their graduation ceremony and marked the occasion with a photo at the Future-Ready Award display. As they celebrated this significant achievement, they reflected on the positive impact the award has had on their university experience and future career prospects.

Their experiences highlight the value of engaging with opportunities that go beyond lecture halls. From developing transferable skills and enhancing employability to building lasting connections and discovering new passions, the Future-Ready Award has helped students feel more prepared for life after graduation.

Here’s what some of our students and graduates had to say about how achieving the Future-Ready Award benefited them during their time at Queen’s:

“This is a brilliant award to show how employable you are in whatever career sector you decide to go into.

It’s brilliant and it’s easy to fit alongside your studies.

I would encourage any current or prospective students to definitely look into and apply.”

Megan White, Queen’s Pharmacy Graduate

“Receiving the Future-Ready Award for peer mentoring has significantly enhanced my employability skills by strengthening my communication, leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal abilities.

Through supporting and guiding fellow students, particularly international students adapting to university life, I developed confidence in providing advice, listening actively, and responding to different needs in a professional and empathetic manner.

The experience also improved my organisational and problem-solving skills, as I was responsible for helping students navigate academic and social challenges while creating a welcoming environment.

These transferable skills are highly valuable for my future career in pharmacy, where effective communication, compassion, leadership, and teamwork are essential for delivering high-quality patient care and professional practice.”

 Samalie Kayondo, Queen’s Pharmacy Student

“Receiving the Future-Ready Award has enhanced my employability skills by encouraging me to reflect more deeply on my career development and the transferable skills I have gained through the Spotlight on Life Sciences Tour. The experience improved my communication and networking skills, as I had the opportunity to speak with professionals and learn from their career journeys. Most importantly, the award has helped me become more confident, open-minded, and strategic when considering future placements and graduate roles. I now have a clearer understanding of how my degree can lead to a range of career paths, and I feel better prepared to present my skills, experience, and career interests to future employers.”

Bryan Yi Lam Tong, Pharmaceutical Sciences student.

The Master Your Leadership Programme was one of the most impactful experiences of my Masters journey at Queen’s University Belfast. As an international student, stepping into a new country and a new academic environment, I was looking for opportunities to grow not just academically but as a professional and a leader.

Being part of team and working on a real-world brief for the Irish Football Association developing our ‘United Through Sport’ initiative for the Euro 2028 Legacy Fund  gave me hands-on experience in strategic thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and presenting to industry professionals. The moment our concept was recognized by IFA representatives as aligned with their real initiatives was truly motivating.

Being invited to the Fresh Start Through Sport Celebration Event at the George Best Lounge, Windsor Park, to see the programme’s real-world impact was an experience I will never forget.

This programme has genuinely enhanced my employability  strengthening my ability to lead with purpose, communicate across cultures, and deliver results under pressure. I would encourage every postgraduate student at Queen’s to take part.


Nethra Aladahalli Rajegowda, MSc Business Analytics, Queen’s University Belfast

Applications are now open for the Future-Ready Award winter 2026 applications and close at midnight on 01 November 2026.

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

Categories
Career planning Careers Events Careers programmes NI Grad Fair

Launch Your Career

Career Launch blog
Career Launch blog

Get Prepared in Advance of the NI Grad Fair with Career Launch

On 25 and 26 May 2026 we are hosting Career Launch, a new programme to help you to enhance your employability and boost your confidence. The programme is for those Queen’s students who are considering attending the NI Grad Fair, and / or who haven’t yet secured graduate employment. It is also open to recent Queen’s graduates who have graduated in the past two years.

The programme will be delivered in a fully accessible, hybrid and interactive context meaning that participants can join online or in person. (A Microsoft Teams link will be sent via email once participants are confirmed).

The location for anyone attending in-person is the Student Hub, Queen’s Business School. 

The programme aims to: 

  • Enhance employability helping you to develop your practical skills and providing you with tools and strategies to navigate the job market.
  • Boost confidence and resilience, helping graduates with how to deal with rejection and stay motivated, build a growth mindset, and enhance their strengths profile and skill development.
  • Improve lifelong career skills, helping you to develop transferable skills that can be applied across all career stages.

Career Launch will also prepare students for the NI Grad Fair which is on 2nd June 2026, you’ll learn how to navigate the fair, speak to employers and make a good first impression. 

Queen’s students and recent Queen’s graduates can apply via our Careers events page.

(Please note Career Launch will take place both online and in-person on Monday 25 May and Tuesday 26 May from 10:30am – 1pm and attendees need to attend the workshop on both days.)

You can register for the NI Grad Fair at www.nigradfair.org

Categories
Career planning

My experience of taking part in the Future-Ready Skills for Leader’s Programme

future-ready leadersprogramme

Queen’s University Belfast Masters student, Malavika Mahendranath, talks us through her highlights of the Future-Ready Skills for Leaders programme. Take it away Malavika…

I am more than excited to share my reflections on an incredible journey I embarked upon during the “Future-Ready Skills for Leaders 2024” competitive session in the month of March.

Over three intense and insightful days, my team and I ventured into the challenging yet exhilarating process of designing a business plan, bringing an educational app, “Mentora,” from concept to showcase at the Innovation Fair.

Our mission was to create an app that revolutionizes personalized learning. With activities spanning team formation, developing value propositions, budgeting, and marketing, our goal was to address the educational needs of a diverse learner base.

As part of this dynamic team, I delved into various roles – from brainstorming app features to strategizing our marketing approach. The experience was a profound learning curve, reinforcing the significance of collaborative decision-making and leveraging diverse team strengths.

Our success was not without challenges. Diverse perspectives often meant diverse opinions, but through open dialogue and consensus, we navigated these waters, turning potential conflicts into opportunities for growth and innovation.

The positive reception of “Mentora” at the Innovation Fair was a testament to our hard work and strategic planning. It was rewarding to see our vision resonate with others, validating our efforts and the potential impact of our project.



This journey highlighted my strengths in communication and leadership, while also revealing areas for improvement, such as contingency planning. I’ve learned the importance of adaptability and the value of having a Plan B (and C)

Reflecting on this experience, I’m motivated to further develop my strategic planning and conflict resolution skills. Embracing continuous learning, I aim to apply these insights to future projects, ensuring readiness for whatever challenges come next.

A huge thank you to my teammates, my team facilitators, the guest speakers and Queen’s University Careers service, including Emma Lennox and Becky Law. It was also amazing to be a part of a competitive program with familiar faces.

This experience was not just about developing a product but about shaping future leaders. Here’s to continuous growth and making a difference, one project at a time!





Categories
Careers programmes

Future-Ready Skills for Leaders returns for another fantastic round

future-ready skills for leaders programme 2024

2024 saw the return of our popular Future-Ready Skills for Leaders Programme in Careers, Employability & Skills.

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.

I loved meeting, laughing, creating and collaborating with all of you! Thanks a tonne, Careers Queen’s University Belfast !

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.

Find out more about the Future-Ready Skills for Leaders programme.

Categories
Careers programmes gradireland Graduate success

The gradireland Undergraduate of the Year Awards 2024

gradireland undergraduate of the year

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!