Spotlight on careers
This has been a difficult year for everyone, and sometimes it can be difficult to look to the future while plans are still being thrown into such chaos by the Covid-19 pandemic.
30 November 2020
It was heartening, then, to see more than 650 people attend our Careers in Psychology event recently – the first time that we've ever held it virtually.
I hope that everyone who joined us enjoyed the five fantastic speakers and the panel discussions, and that you went away even more enthused about the prospect of a future career in psychology.
Holding the event virtually made it more accessible for people, and I was delighted to see that 99% of feedback that we've received following the event was positive.
As I've outlined in this blog over the last couple of months, there are lots of positive changes in the society as a result of our member journey project and change programme.
One of the key priorities that members highlighted to us during the course of the member journey project was a lack of clear careers information, guidance and support.
The virtual Careers in Psychology event, as well as our undergraduate one which is coming up early next year, is early progress in this area, as is our newly updated careers booklet.
Alongside this, we are doing a more in-depth review of our careers offer, which includes looking at the data we have around current careers pathways, as well as the emerging routes into psychology.
We want to work more closely with schools and colleges to contribute to conversations about the value of a psychology education and future career options at an earlier stage.
We will also be recruiting a careers manager in 2021, who will bring together the various careers initiatives from around the society under one person for the first time. This will mean our approach is more coherent and joined-up, benefiting the psychologists of the future.
Elsewhere, work on the membership grades review, and the member networks review, that I have mentioned in previous blogs is ongoing.
Alongside the careers work, these are key priorities that came out of the engagement work that we have done with members throughout the last 18 months, and I hope that you are starting to see us deliver on the priorities that you gave us.
Our membership numbers remain stable despite the challenges that Covid-19 has posed for everyone, and I really want to thank all of you who have renewed your membership for the coming year.
We really appreciate the support and will continue to deliver positive changes that enhance your membership into 2021.