Careers event to help students prepare for energy roles

Students are to be given the opportunity to receive advice from professionals working in the energy sector in order to give them an advantage when seeking graduate roles.

Transition – a programme organised by AFBE-UK Scotland – takes place at Woodbank House, North Deeside Road, Aberdeen on Saturday, October 12 (2019).

The day-long event aims to give students and recent graduates practical careers advice to prepare them for the move from academic studies to the world of work. AFBE-UK Scotland promotes engineering as a career among young people from various backgrounds and under-represented groups.

The workshops will feature activities geared towards helping undergraduate and postgraduate students enter the sector, with mock interviews, assessments, CV reviews and networking. In a first for the event, the Institution of Chemical Engineers will present an award to the student who performs the best.

Transition will also include presentations from Lynn Willacy, community and STEM ambassador at Air Products, and Kola Akintayo, human resources and talent acquisition leader at Oceaneering. The event is supported by the Shell BAME Network (Black,Asian and Minority Ethnic Network).

Dr Ollie Folayan, chairman of AFBE-UK Scotland, said: “Transition events offer an opportunity for students to learn directly from professionals. These are individuals with years of experience who can provide vital insights that help students secure a job. The opportunity to receive feedback and gain experience through mock interviews will make the day incredibly rewarding for those who attend.”

The previous Transition event was held in Edinburgh in March. AFBE-UK Scotland was established in Aberdeen in 2011 and is part of the London-based AFBE-UK. It is a not-for-profit organisation that encourages diversity, inclusion and young people, particularly those of black and minority ethnic (BME) origin, to consider a career in science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

The organisation has two other engagement programmes: its schools programme, NextGen, in which industry professionals give up their time to highlight engineering as a career choice to school children, and Real Projects, a series of technical lectures delivered by seasoned engineering professionals on their area of expertise.

Transition is open to students and recent graduates of the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University. The event is free but pre-event registration online is essential:https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/transition-aberdeen-tickets-70344039917