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UEL students join Doreen Lawrence and Ken Livingstone at opening of Stephen Lawrence Centre

Monday 11 February 2008

University of East London (UEL) students joined Doreen Lawrence, Mayor of London Ken Livingstone and hundreds of local dignitaries, professionals and young people to celebrate the official opening of the Stephen Lawrence Centre in Deptford on Thursday February 7.

Designed by award-winning architect and UEL honorary graduate David Adjaye, the centre contains business development suites, educational resources, and state-of-the-art design and audiovisual facilities.

Over thirty UEL students took part in special employability workshops, part of a range of activities and displays showcasing the centre’s potential to inspire young people to achieve their career ambitions.

Femi Bola, Head of UEL's Employability Team, said: “We feel very lucky and proud to be able to use this wonderful new centre. Like the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, we are totally committed to inspiring people to reach their full potential.

“With top employers increasingly using lengthy assessment processes to cherry-pick graduates, it’s crucial for our students to get a strong sense of what skills they’re expected to show.”

94% of UEL students are in work or further study within six months of completing their degrees. In November 2007, UEL’s Employability Team organised a series of simulation assessment events at the Stephen Lawrence Centre. All final-year students were invited to apply to take part in the tests and increase their understanding of what graduate employers are seeking.

Riccardo Lambertini, a final year student on UEL’s BA (Hons) degree in International Business, took part in both last year’s assessment centres and this week’s employability workshops, which featured Q & A sessions with leading bankers, solicitors and graduate recruitment managers.

Riccardo said: “These employability sessions have been a brilliant idea. When you apply for a job, employers rarely have time to give feedback, so it’s extremely eye-opening and confidence-boosting to receive such personal and reliable advice.”

Ken Livingstone's connection to UEL dates back to 2000, when he opened the Docklands Campus on his very first day in office. Before cutting the new centre's ribbon with Stephen Lawrence’s mother Doreen, Mayor Livingstone said: “It is absolutely wonderful to be here and see this dream turned into reality. The students connected to this building represent the future of London.”

The Stephen Lawrence Trust fund a unique bursary for UEL Architecture students from ethnic minorities, as Stephen himself was planning to train as an architect.

Moni Rahman (28), of Leytonstone, was awarded a Stephen Lawrence Bursary in 2002. Moni said: "Being awarded the bursary totally changed my life; it enabled me to study at UEL and go on to achieve my ambitions. By June, I'll have completed my diploma, overcome all my obstacles, and be well on my way to life as a professional architect."

UEL’s Employability Team works with leading employers, including Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, EDF Energy and the Financial Services Authority, to organise a wide range of innovative events and activities aimed at increasing students’ awareness of the skills needed to succeed in today’s increasingly competitive job market.

For further information, visit www.uel.ac.uk/employability

For details and pictures contact Daniel Cherry: 020 8223 2194

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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