EFEC is building a partnership with the Arise Innovation hub for business in Harlow. This partnership fits with a number of EFEC initiatives.
On Thursday, the next step was taken, when Arise hosted the EFEC webinar for Chinese students, “Navigating the Job Market: A Career Planning Webinar for International Graduate Students in the UK”.
The webinar was supported the Cambridge Chinese Migration Studies Group and featured presentations from Beverley Vaughan, Director of Arise; Richard Foskett, an employer with long experience in recruiting talents; and Julien Sample, Head of Career art the Harlow College.
The aim was to help Chinese nationals who have graduated from UK Universities to understand and overcome the employment challenges of getting good jobs in the UK, by providing them with guidance on career planning, job search strategies, and networking.
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Richard covered what employers want to see in their candidates and how to make sure you are seen as a strong candidate for a job. Julien covered the practicals of CV, applications and interviews.
EFEC CEO Lily Lin shared the insights from her own successful journey into working in the UK, and related these to the opportunities in Harlow.
These are significant. Harlow is central to the ‘M11 Corridor’, the 50-mile direct motorway link between the future industries sectors of London ad Cambridge.
The corridor is shaping up to be a cash flow highway for high growth life science companies and Harlow is an important part of this, with enterprise zones and a science park with life sciences industries prioritised.
The Development Plan encourages both major life sciences employers (e.g. major NHS Agencies) and innovation though start-ups and SME business growth – hence the Arise Innovation Hub.
Arise Innovation Hub is supported by a community of scientific minds, connecting with entrepreneurs and innovative businesses on the newly built Harlow Innovation Park.
All of which brings us back to skills and employment – needed to create further advantage of locating in Harlow. And this is where Harlow College comes in.
This is a technical education college, providing the full range of courses to equip students with the skills needed to prepare for the workplace.
The teaching staff have industry expertise, matched by industry-standard facilities, including specialist workshops, classrooms with the latest technology and string links with industry and local employers.
And, through her success as a businesswoman, Lily Lin, EFEC CEO, was invited onto the board of governors of the College as a business governor and is now Vice-Chair of the board.
Her position here is a key to increased collaboration in Harlow, both to make new opportunities for business work better through skills, and to attract more Chinese students to take up these opportunities.