University of Exeter Business School (Penryn Cornwall Campus) students enjoyed a co-hosted PRME event featuring local employers in a panel discussion, followed by an employability-related masterclass.
The event was hosted by Dr Costa Manolchev (Co-Lead of the UKI South West network and Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Futures) with the Careers Team. Dr Karen Cripps (Senior Lecturer in Responsible Management and Leadership and UKI Committee Secretary) delivered the newly launched version of ‘SDG career storytelling for the Sustainable Development Goals’ workshop. This was originally developed through PRME UKI ‘Developing Innovative Pedagogic Approaches and teaching practices in PRME’ 2022 with Cathy d’Abreu (Oxford Brookes University) and Dr Milena Bobeva (University of Bournemouth).
Having been delivered to over 19 universities, the revised and updated resources and testimonials can be found on the project site. This includes an instructor session plan mapped to the PRME ‘Impactful Five’ (I5) pedagogy, which forms the theme of local networks events this year.
This special event for students on the University of Exeter Business School’s BSc Business and BSc Business and Environment programmes, began with an employer panel in which local Cornish businesses discussed sustainability values and practices from the perspective of how this enhances career satisfaction and meaning. Emma Fashokun, ESG Strategy Lead, of Cornish Gems and Sarah Walker Sustainability Manager, Origin Coffee Roasters shared personal insights into what brings their careers meaning. This provided students with a first-hand learning experience. It enhanced their understanding of sustainability/SDGs in practice, how it can inform personal purpose in shaping careers, and industry-informed tips on what recruiters are looking for.
Following the panel, students could immediately put what they had heard into practice through the masterclass. The interactive workshop design invites students to develop a career narrative focused on one of the SDGs of personal interest. Students could be seen to deep dive into exploring their own and others’ values and an eye-opening perspective on how this can shape career aspirations and recruitment behaviours. Costa and Karen were joined by colleagues from across the careers and other academic teams, paving the way for further collaboration.
Karen emphasises the immense value of this two-part event in “literally living PRME values through partnership both educational institutions alongside bringing together educators, career professionals and students with industry leaders”. She is thrilled that it is already leading to new knowledge exchange collaborations. Costa describes the “truly impactful and radically open discussion from the panel led so well into the masterclass that enabled holistic learning about a sense of self in relation to careers” and “the importance of connections and collaborations that the PRME community enables”.
The event was a resounding success as a pioneering project featuring industry voices on sustainability skills and attitudes, leading directly into how students can communicate their own ‘sustainability story’. It illustrates the great relationships that can be formed through our PRME network, and both Karen and Costa would be happy to discuss ideas with others.
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