LCF Grad Futures: Get Ready for Industry - Make Industry Connections

This session is only for London College of Fashion students and graduates. It is aligned to your Graduate Futures careers and employability journey.

This session is designed primarily for Year 2 undergraduate students preparing for placements, internships and industry experience, but open to all LCF students and graduates looking to strengthen their professional skills.

Building a professional network is one of the most effective ways to discover opportunities and develop your career. This interactive lecture will introduce practical networking strategies that feel authentic and achievable.

You'll learn:

• How to build your LinkedIn profile.
• Approach networking events with confidence.
• Connect with industry professionals and make the most of your existing contacts.

Whether online or in person, you'll gain the confidence to build meaningful professional relationships that support your career journey.

Speakers

• Melanie Mitchell FHEA, Graduate Futures Consultant (Careers): With over 20 years of experience in the fashion industry, Melanie began her career as a Buyer, creating commercial product ranges before progressing to Head of Buying, driving strategy and business growth. She later led large-scale recruitment teams and talent acquisition projects, partnering with some of the world's leading brands. Today, she brings this unique blend of experience to LCF, working to bridge the gap between education and employment. A Fellow of Advance HE (FHEA), Melanie combines her commercial experience with evidence-informed careers practice to help students and graduates build confidence, develop employability skills and make informed career decisions. Passionate about connecting talent with opportunity, she is dedicated to helping the next generation recognise their potential, communicate their value, and build meaningful careers in fashion and the creative industries.

Useful resources

In this session, you will develop the key skills of communication, connectivity, storytelling, and self-efficacy as defined by the UAL Creative Attributes Framework (My_CAF). Before attending this activity, we suggest you:

• Check out the Graduate Futures Moodle page, (or for alumni the Graduate Futures Leavers Pack), which is filled with resources, learning guides, and podcasts.
• Students should explore the Graduate Futures Careers Padlet, where you’ll find a collection of resources, links, and tips designed to help you build confidence, and grow your employability skills.

If there are any barriers to your participation in this event or you have access requirements you wish to discuss, please contact graduate.futures@fashion.arts.ac.uk in advance, we'd be happy to talk with you. If you can't sign-up as the tickets have run out or expired, please email and see if you are still able to attend.

Image credit: LCF Careers Fair 2024 with LCF Graduate Futures, UAL | Photography by India Mae Alby