Enterprise and Employability Executive Officer Role Approved
On Tuesday, the Board of Trustees approved the full time role of Enterprise and Employability Executive Officer to the sabbatical team highlighting the growth and LSU’s commitment to these two crucial aspects of what we provide to our students.
Both Enterprise and Employability work at LSU have been steadily growing over the past 5 years, initially supported by staff. This year’s Executive team has included a part-time Development officer to specific focus on these areas. While adding this role to the Executive has been incredibly successful, it has highlighted the volume of work needed was too much for the limited hours a week a Development Officer can give to the role.
LSU are incredibly excited about this ground breaking role – not only will it be the first Sabbatical Officer in the UK with this remit, it also responds to the University’s continual drive in both Student and Graduate Enterprise and Employability, especially Career Development. Enterprise especially is one of the 4 pillars of the University Strategy and LSU are proud to play a small part in helping support that vision through our effective partnership with relevant staff and departments. In addition, work in the past 3 years through partnership with Loughborough College has engaged passionate students in a number of activities.
This role will set the direction of both the Enterprise and Employability activities of the Students’ Union, The LSU Enterprise Hub already has over 600 students engaged through competitions, events, workshops and much more. It was even award winning in 2016. Employability activity include LSU Employability week as well as working with Careers on supporting and promoting what they do.
The future and scope of this role is enormous, changing the perception that setting up a business is a career pathway as respected as any other, making sure Loughborough Students’ realise the skills they develop from the activities they already undertake and helping identify and provide those missing skills to help our students progress in the future they aim for. This includes leading student committees, liaison with Key University Senior Management, and being the driving force behind new and exciting initiatives to help drive this area to the next step.
This role could not have been possible without the ongoing support of Loughborough University and we thank them for helping us build an opportunity like no other in the UK.
The position will be open in the upcoming exec elections so if this is something you think you want to run for talk to myself, or Matt Gill, our Union Affairs Executive Officer.
-Jonathan Ako, Union President
