New Possible’s British Training Awards sets out to discover and celebrate the organisations that are truly passionate about L&Ds role in building a thriving workforce.
In our ‘Sharing Success’ series, we interview British Training Awards Winners to shine a light on the inspiring projects that are improving workplaces across the UK and beyond. In this article we talk to Hristina Ivanova at Birkbeck, University of London, who were Winners of both the 2024 ‘Early Careers Initiative of the Year’ and ‘Not for Profit Initiative of the Year’ categories.
Introducing Hristina Ivanova
Hristina is in the Birkbeck Careers and Enterprise Team as a Careers and Placement Consultant. Her role consists of managing the Access to Digital Skills and Careers Programme and their Micro-Placement Module.
About Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck was set up over 200 years ago to provide access to education to anyone who had the ability and drive to succeed, regardless of their circumstances or background. Today, they provide flexible and part-time higher education courses which meet the changing educational, cultural, personal and career needs of people of all ages. They enable adult students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds to participate in education and build successful careers.
Widening Access to Digital Skills & Careers
Birkbeck, University of London, a top-five university for social mobility, has launched the Access Programme to support students from less-privileged backgrounds in overcoming barriers to successful careers. Recognising challenges such as poor digital literacy, limited digital skills, and lack of professional networks, the programme aims to create a level playing field for all students.
When asked why improving social mobility is important to the University, Hristina commented: “The university has a unique student cohort and a good portion of our students come from less advantaged backgrounds and are often the first in their families to attend university. Our project funders, The Access and HG Foundations, are very keen to support our students into employment and provide them with tangible opportunities and exposure to the tech industry. Given that any skills obtained on the programme are highly versatile and can be used widely across a variety of sectors, it really puts our students at a greater advantage in comparison to other graduates.”
The Access Programme is a three-part strategic learning and development initiative that has supported over 700 students, 70% of whom are from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds. It includes the following components:
- Career Accelerator: Monthly workshops with industry leaders and recruiting experts to improve employability skills such as personal branding and interview techniques. Over 300 students have participated, leading to a 22% increase in career confidence.
- Tech Bootcamp: Partnering with Microsoft, this component offers free courses in Microsoft Office, data, AI, and cloud technologies. More than 200 students have benefited, with 97% passing official Microsoft certification exams, enhancing their employability by up to 40%.
- Micro-placements: Short-term, flexible, paid internships with trusted employer partners, allowing students to gain practical experience. Over 70 students have been placed, providing them valuable industry exposure.
When asked which initiative has had the biggest impact on students, Hristina mentioned: “All parts of our programme have had a profound impact on our students. Some of the events were life changing, exposing our students to industry experts, who they would have never had the chance to meet and speak to otherwise. Some have secured job opportunities from the events they attended.
Our tech skills stream, providing Microsoft Certifications has been one of the most popular options among our students for its versatility and wide application. At this stage close to 500 students have taken advantage of this opportunity. According to Microsoft, obtaining one of their certifications increases the chances of a graduate to get noticed by employers by up to 40%. In such a competitive graduate job market, any advantage is essential.
Finally, our placements with tech businesses have given our students much-needed practical experience. A few of them have already secured roles in their desired industry on the back of their placement. Our aim is for the placements to improve the graduate outcomes of the students and, make them stand out in the job market.”
The programme has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, showcasing its effectiveness in improving career readiness and employability for students from less-advantaged background.
Hristina also commented on the success of the programme: “About 10% of our students have continued working for the employer they took a placement with, after the formal conclusion of their placement. All the positions have been paid and some are permanent too. These are the results we achieved before the programme ends in August 2024. We will have even more achievements by January 2025, when we conduct the follow-up survey to all participants.”
What advice would Hristina give to other Universities looking to implement a similar initiative?
“Being clear on the goal at hand is important, researching and understanding the industry you are looking to support is also valuable. We took into consideration the practicality of our current activities, and benchmarked them for the future, the current needs of our students and their abilities. Our student cohort ranges from established professionals looking to further their careers, to recent college leavers, to the parent looking to upskill themselves. We have made our programme with accessibility in mind, so we can provide a fair chance for everyone to get involved.”
The Access Programme underscores Birkbeck's commitment to levelling the playing field in higher education and beyond, ensuring all students have equitable access to lucrative career pathways. With its holistic approach and measurable impacts, Birkbeck's initiative stands out as a cornerstone of social mobility and educational excellence.
Overall, the Judges praised the initiative for having ‘clear purpose and impact'.
About New Possible
New Possible is the people insight platform that’s committed to your success. We work across a range of sectors to provide clear, actionable, and benchmarkable insights across the employee lifecycle. Our NP360 survey helps leaders gain meaningful insight into the broader people experience, measuring 7 themes, including satisfaction, culture, and wellbeing.
Read about our mission, or book a demo to learn more.
