By Jack Derbyshire

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend an MIBT Alumni event hosted by the Marketing, International Business and Tourism department at Manchester Metropolitan University. As part of the IBM Horizons initiative, and entitled ‘Fulfilling Futures’, the event brought together current students, alumni and staff to share experiences and provide insight into life after graduation.

One of the most valuable aspects of the event was the opportunity to move between different discussion areas and have individual conversations with alumni and university staff. This created a really open and informal environment where students could ask questions about a wide range of topics, including graduate schemes, career pathways, postgraduate study options and how the university’s careers service can support students during the transition from university to work.

For me personally, one of the most insightful parts of the event was the roundtable discussions with alumni about their transition from university into full-time roles. Hearing about how they navigated the early stages of their careers, adapted to the expectations of the workplace, and approached decisions after graduating made the discussions feel very relevant as a final-year student preparing for the same transition.

It was particularly interesting to hear how different everyone’s journeys were after leaving university. Some alumni went straight into graduate schemes, others explored different industries or further study, and many emphasised how their paths developed over time rather than following a single linear route. This perspective was reassuring and highlighted that there are multiple ways to build a successful career after university.

Events like this are a great reminder of the value of the MIBT community and the willingness of alumni to give back by sharing their knowledge and experiences. It was a really useful and engaging session for students beginning to think more seriously about their future after university.

“It’s always inspiring to see so many of our final-year IBM students actively engaging with such an incredible event as they begin shaping their post-graduation pathways. Through a mix of practical advice and real-world insights, students gained a clearer understanding of the support available to them and explored networking opportunities with alumni, offering a realistic glimpse into careers within IBM and related industries. Students left with a clearer sense of direction and confidence in their next steps. As educators, seeing students leave with renewed confidence and actionable insights is a reminder of why these events matter. They bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world application, helping students transition from university to industry with clarity and purpose.”

Jenny Warburton, Module Leader for ‘Developing the Early Career Professional’ module | j.warburton@mmu.ac.uk