Poster Competition - closed

Career practitioners and students engaged in research of any type were invited to present a poster at this conference. There were many benefits for a researcher in doing this:

• Tell people about your research
• Gain interest and feedback
• Engage in useful discussion and maybe collaboration
• Share your findings and prepare for wider dissemination

Participants could be at any stage of the research process. Posters ranged from early plans for the methodology or literature review through to findings and analysis of a near-complete research project. The aim was to inform and inspire other potential practitioner researchers.

How to produce a research poster

• Further information on producing a poster and presenting at the Conference
• How to produce a research poster

If you would like a conversation with someone to help you to develop your poster, please contact Claire Toogood at [email protected]. 

Prize

The award winner was announced during the closing session of the Conference and received all of the following: a pair of career-focused textbooks, a credit voucher worth up to £125 towards any of the Graduate Futures Institute training or conference within the next calendar year, two complimentary tickets to the National Conference 2026 and one year of NICEC membership.

*The poster session at the conference provided a space for dialogue: practitioner researchers presented summaries of their work, and delegates gained an overview of a wide range of current or recent research projects.

Please email your entry to [email protected].

Poster submission deadline: Friday 30 January 2026. 

2026 programme

Our programme was intended to be largely presented by practitioners and aim to encourage those who have an interest in and enthusiasm to undertake research but perhaps lack the confidence. The Conference was held online and we invited international colleagues to join us.

The online programme included:
•    A keynote presentations on research relevant to career development
•    Two panels of practitioner researchers
•    A range of seminars aligned to the conference theme
•    An online poster session*

Schedule

09:30 – 10.00 Helpdesk, networking and poster viewing

10.00 – 10:10 Welcome

10:10 – 10:40 Keynote: Emma Bolger

10:40 – 11:20 Panel 1: Routes to Publication

• Chair: Dr Joanne Caldwell (University of Salford / Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education) 
• Rish Baruah (University of Stirling; Phoenix, the AGCAS journal)
• Dr Oliver Jenkin (CDI / Career Matters)
• Dr Fiona Christie (NICEC)  

11:20 – 11:40 Poster viewing & short break

11:40 – 12:10 Parallel seminars (session 1)

• Parallel Seminar 1 Option 1-: How Do You Turn a Dissertation into an Award-Worthy Submission?

(Valerie Rowles- Independent Career Development Professional, Gemma Smith- Careers Adviser, Natalie Freeman- Skills Award Manager University of East Anglia, Stephanie Kenyon-Careers and Education Adviser Lancashire County Council)

• Parallel Seminar 1 option 2: Collage and conversations - developing a creative methodology

(Simon Abbott-Work-based Learning Advisor City St George's, University of London, Clare Tyrer-Senior Lecturer in Educational Development)

• Parallel Seminar 1 option 3: Playing the Game: Why Some Students Don’t Engage and What Practitioners Can Do About It

(Jo Ellard)

12:10 – 12:15 Transition between parallels

12:15 – 12:45 Parallel seminars (session 2)

• Parallel Seminar 2 option 1: Such a difficult conversation to have- Exploring the perceived impact of perinatal baby loss on women's careers

(Francesca Harvey- Career Coach FH Career Coaching)

• Parallel Seminar 2 option 2: Exploring Collaborative Pedagogies in Employability: An Action Research Study of Careers, Academics, Students and Employers Partnership

(Huyen Le- Careers and Employability Advisor University of the West of Scotland, Ghiwa Dandach- Visiting professor Kyungsung University in Busan, South Korea)

• Parallel Seminar 2 option 3: Building Our Futures: Embedding Evidence-Informed Careers Learning in Primary Education through Strategic Employer Engagement

(Jacqui Hutchinson, Careers Professional)

12:45 – 13:30 Lunch

13:30 – 14:00 Parallel seminars (session 3)

• Parallel Seminar 3 option 1: The Employer Perspectives Project: Supporting PhDs to Explore Careers Beyond Academia

(Lindsay Parker- specialist careers consultant for researchers King's College London)

• Parallel Seminar 3 option 2: Careers Impact in Focus: Learning from National System Reviews

(Elizabeth Phillips-Rennie- Education Manager, Development & Standards The Careers & Enterprise Company)

• Parallel Seminar 3 option 3: Innovating Quantitative Practice: The Diamond 9 Model

(Sarra Jenkins Director of Future Pathways Loughborough Grammar School)

14:00 – 14:40 Panel 2: Achieving impact with your research

• Chair: Chris Webb (University of Huddersfield)
• Michele Palmer (London College of Communication)
• Antony Adams (Career Blueprint) 
• Sarah McLusky (Sarah McLusky Ltd)

14:40 – 15:00 Poster winner announcement & closing remarks

Why attend?

Many people see research as something undertaken by academics, however, we want to inspire all career development practitioners to develop their confidence, undertake research, develop the evidence base and contribute to the professionalisation of the sector. We want you to celebrate your research and to talk about how this has informed your own and others' practice.

Cost

CDI, the Graduate Futures Institute and NICEC members or Fellows                            FREE

Non - members                                                                                                              FREE

Student Members of iCeGS, CDI, the Graduate Futures Institute and NICEC                FREE