Emma Moore

Employer Engagement Manager, University of Liverpool

‘I was convinced that we would come out of the process with a well-informed, well-written, innovative document to guide our work with employers over the next five years - which we have. What I didn't foresee was the huge impact this project would have on our whole careers team and our wider profile within the institution. As part of the process Mike worked with the careers advisers to identify and address areas of conflict with the employer engagement function. We are now able to articulate shared goals and approach our stakeholders as 'one team.’

Mike worked with senior stakeholders from across the institution. This achieved three things for us: helped to reinforce our position as the University's employability experts offering so much more than traditional advice and guidance; enabled us to get honest feedback on how we are currently performing; and helped us identify priority areas and key partners for future work. 

Mike is constantly quoted in high level University meetings and the appetite from across the University to engage appropriately with Careers to deliver meaningful employability activities has never been higher.’

Mike Grey, winner of the Outstanding Contribution Award

National Undergraduate Awards

Mike Grey, our Senior Consultant, won the Outstanding Contribution Award at the National Undergraduate Employability Awards 2016. It was presented to him by Levi Roots, of Reggae Reggae Sauce fame, at the awards event in London (February 2016) attended by 450 delegates from the world of placement and graduate recruitment.

This award was in recognition for his achievements across a decade working at Nottingham Trent University, Brunel University and Coventry University. The judges also recognised the significant contribution he has made to supporting the employability agenda in the UK through his work with PlaceNet and across Europe working with organisations such as EURASHE.

Before joining Gradconsult, most recently Mike launched and developed EC Futures at Coventry University, this specialist STEM employability unit won a range of awards including a Teaching Excellence Award for Employability and Best Placement Service in the UK 2015.

The judging panel were extremely impressed that there were over 30 testimonials from employers, colleagues and students, they felt this extract summed up why he was such a deserving winner of the award:

"Mike is results oriented; pro-active; understanding of the interests and priorities of business and academics, whilst also being strongly focused on the needs of students." Andrew Ward, Director of Corporate Relations, Brunel University

Richard Bowden

Internships Manager at De Montfort University

"Gradconsult made us consider what it is that makes us and our students unique and why employers would want to work with us. This has allowed us to work much more efficiently and set challenging but realistic targets with employers who have recruitment needs and social mobility targets that match our own agenda.

The needs-led, account management style approach they helped us develop has provided a commercial approach to how we operate and sets us apart from other similar teams in other institutions. We have received great feedback on how we work from key employers who have themselves benefitted tremendously from our new methods of working. We are already starting to see great results which has allowed me to demonstrate impact.

The Introduction to Employer Engagement session was so useful that I arranged for Gradconsult to come on to campus to deliver the session to colleagues working across the Careers service. It provided a great insight in to what employers look for when engaging with universities and it allows you the opportunity to take a step back and assess your services and profile in order to identify areas of improvement.

It also gives you the confidence to recognise what you already do well! I couldn’t recommend this session enough, even for those who are experienced in employer engagement activities as its much more than an ‘introduction.'"

Nell Farrell 

Project Manager, The Practice Learning Consortium 

"Kylie is creative and diligent, produces high quality work and is open to feedback from others. She contributes to any task with acuity and honesty.
She is emotionally intelligent, warm and highly socially adept, with a dynamic and positive presence."

Paul Gaunt 

Head of Careers and Employability at University of Liverpool

"I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Rebecca for over a decade, during which time we have both had a number of roles. Most recently Rebecca did some excellent consultancy work with the team I led at the University of Chester, looking in particular at employer engagement strategy and promoting our widening participation/employability initiatives. I am already planning to make use of Rebecca's expertise in my new role at Liverpool.

Rebecca is creative, energetic, empathic, and passionate about helping her clients think in new and productive ways about what they can achieve. She understands graduate recruiters, she understands graduates, and she understands careers services, and I cannot think of anyone who is able to combine those perspectives in such a fresh and inspiring way."

Richard Harradine

Director, Meva Formwork Systems Ltd 

"Kylie has worked on several projects with us now and although the subject
and products fall outside her field of expertise she has shown total
professionalism in her returned documents, with the attention to detail far
exceeding our 'in-house' team."

Rebecca Fielding Nominated for Outstanding Entrepreneur

Northern Power Women Awards

We are delighted to say that the judges have reviewed Rebecca's tremendous work and she has been shortlisted for the Outstanding Entrepreneur category of the Northern Power Women Awards. 

When setting up the Northern Power Women Campaign, it was about creating a community of role models from across the Northern Powerhouse, across many different fields of business from corporate, social enterprises, public sector, educational sector and many more. I hope you will feel very much part of Northern Power Women, and on behalf of the panel I would like to thank you for being a role model.

Northern Power Women is a campaign to accelerate gender balance from the North and we have enjoyed every moment of your support in driving this agenda. We are so glad you can continue to be involved as a shortlisted nominee, we are so happy to be able to showcase exceptional individuals like you and organisations across the North.

The Northern Power Women awards will take place at Hilton Deansgate, Manchester on 3 March, 2016. Why not join in the conversation on Twitter @NorthPowerWomen #NPW and even Facebook.

 

Judith Baines

Head of Careers, Employment and Enterprise Service at University of Hertfordshire

"Rebecca's experience of having worked in graduate recruitment, for AGR and with careers services means that her insights into how to improve a careers service employer strategy are invaluable.

Rebecca asked insightful questions of my team in a supportive environment leaving the team ready to tackle a new strategy. Looking forward to working with her in the future."

Sarah Wise

Manager, TeamStudio 

"Kylie worked with us at TeamStudio for three months on a fixed term project. From the outset she was highly efficient, a quick learner and very adaptable. She came up with solutions to problems without being prompted, saw ways to change things and executed the changes with accuracy. A pleasure to be around, a person that others gravitate towards, an asset to any team."

Jon Davies

Partner at Chatter - specialising in HR technology, social media and employer brand.

"I've worked with Charlie on various projects since 2010 and always found him a pleasure to collaborate with. Professional and detail focussed he's always keen to explore new technology and work together as a partnership to get the best out of any project.

He's a passionate advocate for graduate and early entry careers programmes with great experience of engaging with colleagues at all levels to make things happen and a great source of insight and experience."

Seema Tailor-Bulsara

Employer Engagement Manager at Coventry University

"Mike Grey joined Coventry University in 2011 and has in this time demonstrated excellent leadership skills, strategic direction, drive and enthusiasm for the Placement Unit within the Engineering and Computing faculty. With this passion Mike now leads the Placement Unit which successfully supports hundreds of students into high profile placement opportunities. Mike also demonstrates outstanding employer account management capabilities as well as working with students in a one to one capacity and large scale presentations. Mike is a pleasure to work alongside and consistently brings energy and fresh ideas to any given task."

Martin Perfect

Employer Relationship Manager, University of Leicester

"I have worked with Mike for a number of years and have seen first-hand both the knowledge and passion he has in the area of Graduate Recruitment.

Mike has a unique ability to craft long-term relationships that deliver real benefits to all parties. Mike clearly understands the challenges that students face in this fiercely competitive market and I have seen him coach and mentor hundreds of talented graduates into global organisations, across a variety of different sectors. He is a strategic thinker who innovates to overcome organisational and cultural challenges with practical  and enterprising solutions." 

Susan Stevens

HR Project Manager at Redington Ltd

"I originally approached GradConsult as I had been impressed by Rebecca’s knowledge of graduate recruitment at a recent AGR training event that I attended.

At Redington, we wanted to take a more robust approach to our graduate recruitment with the introduction of assessment centres, rather than relying on interviews alone.  We were keen to ensure that our selection methods were able to help us measure capability as well as characteristics.  We designed most of the assessment centre in house but decided to outsource the design of a group task to GradConsult.  GradConsult responded very quickly to our request for help and were able to accommodate the work with our budget parameters.   Following an initial conference call with the business, HR and some existing grads, GradConsult came up with a great idea for a group task that was really relevant to our business, from there they developed the idea into a task which they tested with some local university undergraduates and then delivered to a us a packaged group task which we can run ourselves.  We have found the team task easy to use, the candidates have enjoyed completing the task and more importantly it has enabled the business to observe behaviours and help with selection decisions.  Mike was on hand to deal with any questions I had about the task.  We are very pleased with what GradConsult has created for us."

Holly Prescott

Postgraduate Employer Engagement Officer, University of Birmingham

‘’Mike is an excellent facilitator who speaks with real authority on employer engagement. His 'Introduction to Employer Engagement' for AGCAS offered a great insight into meeting the needs of recruiters and organisations of various scales, allowing an openness to learn from others in the group. The session sent me back to the office with new ideas, new contacts and new energy.’’

Adele Brown

Interim Head of Careers and Employability, De Montfort University

‘Mike has worked with us on several occasions at De Montfort University over the past year. He has provided a level and quality of consultancy, in tune with the ethos of Gradconsult, that has been vastly superior to any previous consultancy I've experienced. Extremely knowledgeable, up to date, inspired by the subject matter and generous with information, Mike's sector insights and contextual awareness have taken us forward significantly in our thinking. Mike has also been an expert sounding board for me in relation to placements management, his advice really sitting on my mind and helping shape my approach to certain tricky institutional challenges.

As well as pure consultancy, Mike willingly supported us by addressing our Technology Faculty on the critical importance of placements for graduate outcomes and university business development, a message I was struggling to get across to this group. His presentation had the impact I'd hoped for, generating significant follow-up enquiries and suggestions for improved collaboration, as well as heartfelt thanks from the Faculty for putting on the event. Mike's delivery of this presentation was particularly deft considering the sensitivity of the situation and unpredictable audience, reflecting his consistent professionalism coupled with adaptability. In this regard, he has always readily adjusted his visits and his work around the pressures of our own day jobs, making the consultancy work best for us as clients. I couldn't recommend him more highly.’

Tonia Galati

Talent Development and Employability Manager, Kingston University

‘Mike has been instrumental in supporting me and the work of my team over the last year. He is professional and very easy to work with and always gives an honest view as well as providing helpful considerations for new initiatives. Mike is one of my 'go to people', whenever I need a fresh perspective. I find him to always be very well informed and up to date with industry developments, and it is great that he 'gets it' - he completely understands the challenges we are facing, which means I have been able to save a lot of time in not having to explain everything, which has been particularly helpful during a period of change and upheaval.’

Karl Zegarac

Student Recruitment Coordinator, KPMG

‘Mike is an excellent tutor, passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience. His first-hand experience of working in Universities makes him the ideal person to help recruiters like myself understand the graduate marketplace. Mike's course was not only informative but also fun and engaging and a good networking opportunity.’