My experience of the GBSH Careers Festival

On Wednesday 22 February 2023, I was privileged to attend UCL’s Global Business School for Health (GBSH) Careers Festival at the UCL East campus. This event was successfully run and provided fantastic opportunities for students to meet and engage with industry leaders and potential global employers recruiting healthcare management roles, including digital start-ups, consultancies, charities and biotech firms. Facilitation to build a network with other aspiring healthcare professionals was especially beneficial for our next career move.

The festival featured various activities, including employer stands, workshops, changemakers networking sessions and keynote speakers. At the employer stands, we had the chance to meet with representatives from some of the most prominent healthcare organisations in the UK, including Acacium Group, HBSUK, Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), ABHI, Life Arc, Pfizer, Remap, Deloitte, Windrose Consulting, PostOP, Philips, and Advanced Wound Care UK & Ireland. It was an excellent opportunity for us to learn more about these organisations and their work to discuss career opportunities and job prospects. I enjoyed my conversations and learned a lot from their anecdotes, not to mention getting inspiration for my business project in the following term.

The keynote speeches were held in the cinema room on the 2nd floor of the UCL East campus and featured some of the most distinguished healthcare professionals from different industry sectors. The first panel discussion focused on healthcare leadership and industry trends, and it was an insightful discussion. The panellists, including Kate Barclay, Dr Linda Harris, Karen Prins, Professor Shafi Ahmed, Bernard Aryeetey and Anthony Bruce, shared their valuable insights on approaching the industry and offered useful advice to the next generation of healthcare leaders.

A few takeaways from my personal experience of the panel talk were to research the employers before landing an application; get to know people we meet in the interview; keep a good attitude; negotiate and collaborate to bring people in; be open-minded, humble, hungry and enthusiastic; lead changes; be willing to work hard and, reflect and rebuild our brand to be outstanding. What I remember the most was the message that building a career is a marathon, not a sprint!

Following the panel discussion, Chris Hamilton and Peter Mason took to the stage to deliver an engaging presentation on crafting outstanding resumes and approaching the industry as new talent. They emphasised the importance of fresh talent in the healthcare industry and how it can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes for job seekers and prospective employers. Their presentation was insightful and gave us practical tips on how to succeed in the healthcare industry, including connecting with potential employers.

After the Careers Fairi, there was a Health Leaders Voices seminar with a talk from Sam Roberts, the CEO of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), on leading a large healthcare organisation during difficult times. Sam shared her journey of becoming a leader in such a prestigious organisation and offered valuable tips on becoming real changemakers in healthcare. She emphasised the importance of collaboration, innovation and leadership in the healthcare industry, and encouraged us to pursue our passion for healthcare with dedication and determination.

Overall, the GBSH Careers Festival was an incredible event that gave us a unique opportunity to learn from some of the most distinguished healthcare professionals in the UK. The festival was well-organised, and the activities were informative and engaging. Meeting with representatives from different healthcare organisations was precious, and the keynote speaker's talks were insightful and inspirational. Therefore, I highly recommend that you attend one yourself!