Hi everyone! My name is Beth Porter and I am a first year Law with Criminology student and also a GROW Your Future student. I am not too sure what I plan to do after graduating, therefore I am utilising opportunities from GYF to explore my options.

I joined Capital Connections because I knew I needed to gain some exposure to the world of work. I thought I knew what career path I wanted to follow; however, I felt like I hadn’t fully explored other possible options. I knew that there was an application process to receive a place on Capital Connections, and I saw this as an opportunity to refine my skills on written application forms and video interview techniques before I apply for jobs in the future. The application process which simulates a real job/grad scheme application was extremely useful for me, because the GROW Your Future team provided individual feedback which I can apply in the future, and it took the pressure off the uncertainty which I often felt around application processes. Upon receiving my place on Capital Connections Manchester, there was plenty of support from the GROW Your Future team, who ran a briefing session, where we were able to meet other students attending Capital Connections, and gain a better understanding about what would happen on the trip. For me, this was great because on the day of the trip I already knew some of my peers, many of whom did similar degrees or had shared interests with me, which made the trip much more enjoyable.

Whilst on the Capital Connections trip, I was given the opportunity to apply skills I already possess, develop new skills, and learn about different career paths. Our visits to Deloitte and Forvis Mazars were very beneficial, since I’d never considered a career in finance or accounting before, but now I consider this sector to be one of my main contenders for careers after university. The interactivity from both firms was particularly useful, since there was Lancaster alumni present and other staff who were able to answer our questions and provide personal insights into their work. Experiencing a group exercise task which is commonly used in assessment centres at Forvis Mazars was a highlight of the trip for me, trying out the tasks ourselves demystified the application process completely and made me feel more confident that applications for jobs or schemes aren’t truly as difficult as they seem, you just need to practice.

Our second day visits to McCann Manchester and THG focused on marketing and ecommerce. I found these to be great fun and very intriguing, and I learnt ways to apply my thinking style to different job opportunities and how to present my personal brand effectively online, especially through LinkedIn. Given that personal branding is so important for students and graduates today, I found this beneficial because I know that the tips which I learnt will be useful in helping me to gain a job after university, and they have already helped to grow my professional network.

Another great part of the Capital Connections experience was the alumni networking event. For most university students, including me, the word “networking” can be terrifying. It is a skill which is necessary to gain a professional network and supports in achieving career goals, yet it feels so daunting. The alumni networking session changed my perspective on networking, something which has often felt like a stress or a chore for me, suddenly felt quite easy, natural and comfortable. Each alumnus I spoke to has their own story and tips to share, many shared their LinkedIn details with me to allow further connection, and most importantly, everybody was friendly, approachable and not the scary image of networking I had in my head! The main thing I learned from the alumni networking was not to be scared, and if you feel worried, find a partner or a few peers who you can talk with, since they may be more confident and may take the lead, giving you some new questions or methods of networking and supporting you along the experience.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Capital Connections to any students considering getting involved, it was an eye-opening and knowledge-enhancing experience. I will carry the lessons that I learnt through this trip with me for a long time!

If you are interested in attending Capital Connections 2026, please register your interest here - https://lancasteruni.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9QSzwiZfRrLworc

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The opinions expressed by our bloggers and those providing comments are personal, and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lancaster University. Responsibility for the accuracy of any of the information contained within blog posts belongs to the blogger.