LJMU Graduate Futures
Connecting SMEs to Graduate Talent
About us
LJMU Graduate Futures is a £2.4m project funded through the European Social Fund, providing opportunities to increase graduate retention through collaboration, joint-working and knowledge transfer partnerships across the Liverpool City Region eco-system.
We work with SMEs (under 250 employees with an annual turnover under 50m euros) to deliver funding solutions by talent matching them to our students and graduates. We support businesses via two routes:
- Student internships – helping you to solve a particular problem through either:
- 100% funded, 200-hour project delivered over a 10-week duration with various start dates, or
- 50% funded, 5-month summer internship – helping you solve a particular problem over a longer period from mid-May 2023 until the student returns to university at the start of the new academic year.
- Graduate placements – employing a recent graduate who completed their studies from 2020 onwards. Our funding contributes 50% salary costs. We can support placements for the following duration:
- 9-month graduate placement delivered between February to October 2023
- 6-month graduate placement delivered between March to August 2023
- 6-month graduate placement delivered between May to October 2023
How it works
At Liverpool John Moores University we recognise the considerable value our students and graduates bring to the Liverpool City Region economy. By retaining this talent, we can support businesses, at all scales and in all sectors, whilst fostering a network of collaboration and shared-opportunity.
If you are an SME operating in the Liverpool City Region you can find out more and book an appointment to speak with us.
For student and graduate opportunities, you can find out more and book to join one of our events.
To find out more contact GraduateFutures@ljmu.ac.uk
Download our flyer for employers
Download our flyer for students
Connect with us on social media
Meet the team
Shulah Jones
Shulah has been working in industry supporting SMEs and other partnership organisations for nearly 25 years, enjoying careers with National Museums Liverpool, The Mersey Partnership, Oldham Council and others.
Shulah became a Chartered Marketer in 2002 whilst working in the arts and cultural sector. She led many high-profile campaigns supporting the visitor economy in the years leading up to Liverpool becoming European Capital of Culture in 2008. Whilst Campaign Manager at the Mersey Partnership (the Destination Management Organisation for the Liverpool City Region) she travelled the world extensively, generating new partnerships and leading campaigns to position the region as one of the UKs most profitable and popular visitor destinations.
Before moving into successive Head of Marketing roles across the Northwest, she gained an active interest in education and whilst a freelance Marketer and Business Development Director, spent two years as a sessional lecture at the Liverpool Business School, part of Liverpool John Moores University. Successive Fellowships with the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Chartered Management Institute and Institute for Leadership and Management, allowed her to combine her professional interests with education. She also sat on the NW Board of the Chartered Management Institute, NW Federation Board, Merseyside Board of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and remains a member of the NW Port Welfare Committee (part of the Merchant Navy Welfare Board).
Before joining LJMU in 2021 on a full-time basis, Shulah spent 8 years working in the Further Education sector, supporting economic growth around the maritime sector where she founded Port Academy Liverpool, located at Hugh Baird College in Bootle. She also conceived and wrote a degree in Event and Festival Management which was validated by the University of Central Lancashire in 2015.
Shulah leads the LJMU Graduate Futures project and works across the university to ensure LJMU students and graduates have the best possible chance of employment with SMEs located in the Liverpool City Region.
Email: s.f.jones@ljmu.ac.uk
Mobile: 07815 012275
Keith Brady
Keith is the Project Officer for SMEs responsible for developing long lasting and sustainable relationship with SME’s within the Liverpool City Region. Having graduated from LJMU, Keith completed a Master’s degree at Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh before returning to Liverpool in a part time lecturing capacity.
Keith has also enjoyed a 20-year Sales and Marketing career within the pharmaceutical industry working for companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Astra Zeneca, and Pfizer. During this time, Keith has worked on global brands within the dental and health sectors and liaised with National and International key opinion leaders to achieve successful outcome for both customers and company.
Keith has also delivered Sales and Marketing courses to students within a local Chamber of Commerce Business school, achieving 100% success rates across both courses. Prior to joining LJMU in 2021, Keith had his own online educational business, developing a range of entrepreneurial skills and knowledge around digital technology and online marketing.
Shinear Dickson
Shinear is the Project Officer for Students and Graduates. Shinear graduated from LJMU in 2010 receiving a BA Hons in English and Electronic Creative Technology. During her gap year she volunteered for Platform2 spent six months in Nepal teaching English, Shinear then went on to secure roles within the education, training and recruitment sector within the civil service, private and public sectors. This leading on projects that were part funded by Liverpool City Council, the European Social Fund, Liverpool Vision and HAF.
As the Project Officer Shinear is responsible for the recruitment process for students and graduates to undertake internships, and graduate placements. This involves planning and delivering a programme of engagement, coaching and leadership development that supports the students and graduates within their work placements. In liaison with the wider Student Advancement team, Shinear ensures student and graduate participants in the project have ready access to high quality, personalised advice – whether face-to-face, online or by telephone. By building collaborations and relationships with academic colleagues and professional service colleagues across the university Shinear can promote the project while helping erode practical, financial & attitudinal barriers that students and graduates face in accessing work experience opportunities. Shinear will regularly evaluate the students and graduates experience throughout the Project, against the LJMU Employability Skills and Mindset framework ensuring that their needs are met and expectations managed, while also building a student employability community in the LJMU virtual learning environment.
Emma Lyon
Emma is the Project Administration Officer for the LJMU Graduate Futures team. She graduated from LJMU with a degree in Business Studies (BA Hons) and during her time as a student was selected to represent LJMU in Shanghai, at the ‘Better Futures Summer School’.
She has studied and holds work experience in the sectors of HR, Recruitment, Marketing, Project Management, Business Law, Data Analytics, Business Consultancy and Accountancy and Finance.
Additionally, she has worked for companies such as the Financial Times, Randstad and Centerplate UK and, previously in another role at LJMU, in the School of Leadership and Organisational Development.
Emma is responsible for the operational support within the project, including marketing and communications, procurement, participant documentation and management of the project mailbox and social media profiles.
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