Business chief praises 'first class' careers support
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Published
04 October 2022
The chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry paid a visit to the University of East London to explore how the institution was preparing students for the world of work.
Richard Burge explored the University Square Stratford campus where a number of simulated work environments have been created to give students a real-world experience.
These include the trading floor, a mock courtroom and the Marketing and Analytics Lab, developed with AWS. All these environments are available to students of the Royal Docks School of Business and Law.
The University's work in providing high-level training in financial and legal skills, strong mentorship programmes and supporting students in the first few years of employment has never been more important and directly aligns with LCCI's own work in enhancing diversity and skills.
Mr Burge was particularly keen to hear about the University's initiatives to diversify the talent pipeline, with programmes such as Diversity of Thought which brings together students from under-represented communities and blue-chip companies seeking alternative global perspectives. He said the chamber looked forward to supporting the programme more prominently in the future.
Elsewhere, the hosts told Mr Burge about the extensive mentorship programmes and support for alumni, who can call on the resources of the university long after they had graduated, including financial help to pursue their education further.
In turn, Mr Burge said he wanted to explore how the LCCI could help organisations such as UEL to fully benefit from its location in the capital, with its diverse workforce and unique opportunities as a global city.
Mr Burge said, "One of the privileges I have as chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry is meeting businesses all over our remarkable global city.
"However, it is important to remember that this exceptionally diverse range of businesses would not exist without first-class institutions like the University of East London that nurture and encourage the next generation of business people.
"UEL prepares students for the world of work, including in simulated work environments that give students real-life work experience, supports their entry into the workplace and continues to support post-graduates in their first few years of work.
"Institutions like UEL are the engine rooms of London's education and skill base and help to enhance London’s reputation as one of the best places to study in the world. LCCI looks forward to working closely with UEL to support their championing of students and their entry to the world of work."
Greta Paa-Kerner, head of employer partnerships and apprenticeships at the University, said, "It was a great pleasure to welcome Richard Burge to the University of East London. He was able to experience our new suite of work simulation environments, seeing at first-hand how we are blurring the line between study and work with real-world challenges.
"We hope to strengthen our relationship with the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and leverage our links to ensure our students have the best chance to build a sustainable career."
Under the 10-year transformation strategy, Vision 2028, the University of East London aims to be a careers-first institution, with pioneering initiatives including a Mental Wealth and Professional Fitness programme that embeds into every degree the soft skills that employers of the future will be seeking. These include critical thinking, emotional intelligence and resilience. These run alongside practical know-how, such as cloud computing.
Images:
Main, Nurun Choudhury, left, and Olubunmi Onafuwa introduce the benefits of the mock court room to London Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Richard Burge.
Above, lecturer Michael Harrison explains how the trading terminals offer students real-world challenges with up-to-the-minute information from the markets.