Support for final year students

• Book a 1-2-1 careers meeting (either in-person at a Careers Zone or online via Teams) with a Careers and Employability Adviser to evaluate your options, identify careers that suit your strengths, skills and values, find relevant opportunities, and develop an action plan to help you achieve your career ambitions.  You can also get CVs, application forms and personal statements reviewed by our expert advisers and get help with the interview process.  
• Get support from the Start-up Hub team to explore a business idea, start or grow a business or become a freelancer.  Whatever you need from the Hub, a meeting with our friendly Business Adviser is the place to start. They will ask about your ideas and aims, and suggest a plan to move forward. Book a 30-minute meeting, which will take place either in person at the Student Life Building or online via Teams.  If the times listed don’t work for you, please provide us with your details to arrange a phone or video call at another time.  Check out some case studies of students/graduates who have started their own business.
• As well as accessing part-time, temporary or flexible jobs during your final semester, you can also work for Unitemps at LJMU for up to two years after graduating.  Unitemps offers graduate opportunities as well as short-term options that could bridge the gap over the summer before you start a graduate-level role, or to earn some spending cash for travelling or a gap year.  Call into Unitemps at the Student Life Building to speak to one of the team about the options available to you.
• If you are interested in pursuing a postgraduate qualification, check out our Progress to Postgrad page where you can find out more about the types of postgraduate qualifications available, get information about upcoming postgraduate events and funding options, and search the postgraduate courses available at LJMU.  The page also features information about LJMU's 20% Alumni Discount Award, how it works and eligibility criteria.
  
  

  Visit the Progress to Postgrad page

Graduate Advice:  "I went to the Start-up Hub to get some support and advice to help launch my coaching business. The team are really approachable and practical and helped me work through all the things I needed to do. The pitch preparation and access to funding really helped me. They have really helpful training sessions and webinars and a great network to refer you to. I recommend you pay them a visit!"  
Jack Jenkins, MSc Sports Psychology Graduate

Life after LJMU

Part of the Student Futures team, our Graduate Futures team are available to support current final year students and recent LJMU graduates to make the transition to a graduate career.  The team offer a range of support as you start to plan your next steps for life after LJMU: 

Graduate Job Search Café

Graduate Job Search Café takes every Wednesday (unless otherwise stated), from 1-2.30pm at the Student Life Building Careers Zone.  No booking is required, just drop-in at any time between 1-2.30pm to talk to the team about:

• Uncovering the hidden jobs market
• Targeted job search strategies
• LinkedIn and your online presence
• Building confidence and motivation
• Finding grad level roles that aren’t labelled ‘graduate’
• Making the most of careers fairs, events and careers platforms

The next Graduate Job Search Café takes place on Wednesday 6 May, followed by Wednesday 29 May.  Note: because of Grad Academy (see below), there will be no Graduate Job Search Café on 13 May and 20 May.  Further dates will be confirmed shortly for June and July, so keep an eye on our booking website for details.

Grad Academy

The Grad Academy programme is designed to empower current final year students (graduating in 2026) and 2025 LJMU graduates with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in today's competitive job market.  

The programme consists of a full day of practical workshops, interactive activities, honest conversations and expert support to help you feel confident about life after university and take the next step in your career.  You will also have the chance to network directly with employers.

Find out more and book at a place at Grad Academy

Speak to a Graduate Futures Adviser

If you would like to book a 1-2-1 meeting with a Graduate Futures Adviser to discuss your next steps and to get 1-2-1 coaching, email the Graduate Futures team for more information.

Don't forget, 30-minute, 1-2-1 careers meetings with our Careers and Employability Advisers are also available as usual, where you can talk through your career ideas and options with your degree, get advice on CVs, cover letters, application forms and interviews, or talk about any other careers-related topic.

Connect with the Graduate Futures team

For more information about the support available to you via the Graduate Futures team, email us at graduatefutures@ljmu.ac.uk.  You can also follow the Graduate Futures team on LinkedIn for all the latest news and information.

Graduate Advice: 
"My advice going into your final semester is to stay calm, breathe and remember there are so many amazing services at LJMU to support you as you embark on the transition from student to new graduate. Student Futures can offer advice and knowledge and help you to choose the career path that best suits you. You don’t have to have it all worked out straight away, explore different opportunities and most importantly chase your dreams".  
Sam Scragg, International Relations and Politics Graduate

• Final year students can apply for a paid Discovery Internship during your final year.  There are 3 rounds of internships during the academic year; the first round is at the start of semester 1 in mid-September, the second round opens for applications in late-November and the final round is in late-February/March of semester 2.  There are typically between 50 and 60 opportunities available in each round and they are a great way to get experience before you graduate.  You must be registered with Unitemps at LJMU to apply so sign up to receive notifications about the opportunities.  Hear from LJMU students who have completed a Discovery Internship.
• LJMU students or new graduates have exclusive access to opportunities for flexible, part-time, paid work through Unitemps at LJMU - our very own on-campus recruitment agency. As well as boosting your finances, assignments strengthen LJMU graduates’ CVs, their employability skills and their organisational awareness.
• Consider volunteering for a local organisation during your final year.  Volunteering is a great way to get experience while also giving something back to the local community and is viewed favourably by employers. 
• Search for graduate-level roles on our jobs board in Careers Zone 24/7 and access opportunities from local, national and international employers.  The jobs board pulls in opportunities from across the internet, plus our employer partners post opportunities specifically for LJMU students and graduates.
• Check out the most popular websites that post graduate-level jobs, graduate schemes and (in some cases) information about postgraduate study, including Prospects, Target Jobs, LinkedIn Jobs, Milkround, Guardian Graduate Jobs, Reed Graduate Board, GraduateJobs.com.  Hear from LJMU graduates who have secured a graduate role or undertaken a graduate scheme.
• Over 47% of employed LJMU graduates go on to work in the Liverpool City Region so if you are considering working locally, check out the jobs board and other resources on the Liverpool City Region Be More website. 
• The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers is another handy resource, as it the 'What can I do with my degree' on Prospects.

What is a graduate scheme/programme: 
A graduate scheme is a type of job opportunity and structured training programme offered mainly by large companies and organisations. Lasting 1-2 years they’re exclusively for graduates straight out of university. Companies who run these schemes know it’s important to invest in their graduates, so they also provide high-quality in-house training and many also offer opportunities to gain a recognised professional qualification. Many schemes are open to graduates from any degree background. Graduate schemes generally open in October for final year students, with deadlines ranging from November to January for starts in Autumn of the following year. Some schemes recruit year-round, so check deadlines carefully on company websites.

Graduate Advice: 
"In my view, the best way to align yourself with the values of an employer is to evidence how you share those values or why those values are important to you. It is easy to say an employer’s values are important to you, I think it is evidencing why they are important to you that makes you stand out. When applying to the CPS, I used both work experience and personal experiences to evidence that."  
Emily Thorbjornsen, LLB Law, Graduate

After you graduate from LJMU, you have:

• Lifetime access to personalised advice or career support at any time, supporting you from securing your first graduate role to getting that promotion to changing career direction.
• Support from our Start-Up Hub team should you wish to start a business, grow a business or thrive as a freelancer, for up to five years after graduation.
• Access to Careers Zone 24/7 tools and resources, including the LJMU job board. Set up ‘Graduate Access’ before you leave or contact us after you graduate for an account.
• Free access to annual events and our wider programme of events, workshops and recruitment fairs.  Events, which focus on the needs and aspirations of our alumni, will take place both before and after graduation.

Taking part in the Graduate Outcomes survey is an essential part of your higher education journey. As the biggest UK annual social survey, the collective graduate voice is powerful and will Directly impact the future of education for prospective students. So join your fellow graduates and be part of the picture of education today.

• Share your graduate success with us and with others through the new Graduate Outcomes Survey and by staying in touch through LJMU Connect, Student Futures LinkedIn and LJMU LinkedIn.
• You’ll be sent an invitation to complete the Graduate Outcomes survey 15 months after you graduate. It captures what you’re doing with your career, what you’re getting out of it, and your thoughts on how LJMU supported you.

Your input will help inspire others, help us tailor our support to you and your fellow alumni so we make a bigger difference and improve teaching and learning for the graduates of the future.

The best way to stay in touch is to register for LJMU Connect and follow the Student Futures team and LJMU on LinkedIn.

• Join LJMU Connect, the home of our alumni community.  Stay in touch with friends, boost your professional network, find out about social and networking events and reunions, and share your experiences with current students and future graduates.
• Follow the Student Futures LinkedIn page and the LJMU LinkedIn page and stay in touch. Get all the latest updates about LJMU, make connections to help develop your career and search for job opportunities from around the world.