From left to right: Careers & Employabilty team members Vanessa Freeman, Andrew Wright and Rachel Kershaw at the targetjobs Awards.
King’s Careers & Employability (KC&E) has been awarded Higher Education Careers & Employability Team of the Year at the 2026 targetjobs National Emerging Talent Awards.
The award celebrates teams demonstrating excellence through innovation, partnership and sustained impact. Judges praised our Careers & Employability team for their services to students, graduates and early-career researchers, and for the way they work across the University and with external partners to support student employability.
The Careers & Employability team work to ensure our students can access high‑quality, expert support throughout their studies and gain transferable skills valued by employers. This involves bringing together specialists from a range of areas, including careers education, employer engagement, researcher development, and inclusive practice.
An example of this is our King's Undergraduate Research Fellowship (KURF) scheme, offering students the chance to build research skills and explore research careers by working closely with academics at the University. The Fellowship combines hands‑on research experience and structured development, and students who take part consistently report gaining increased confidence and research capabilities.
As someone who’d never done much research outside of modules, and whose family did not go to university, it was daunting to even approach academia despite wanting to engage in it more. KURF gave me a great introduction into that world and helped build the confidence necessary to set me on the path.– King's Undergraduate Research Fellowship participant
The Careers & Employability team also bring their collaborative approach to their international work in strengthening ties between our students and the global job market. This includes the Careers in China Fairs, delivered with The London School of Economics and Imperial College London, which connect our students and graduates with employers across Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Team members also contribute to higher education leadership through representation on national boards and networks, including the Graduate Futures Institute and Institute for Student Employers. Sharing evidence‑based practice and expertise in this way is helping to shape the future direction of careers and employabililty work in UK higher education.
Ways to connect with your Careers & Employability team
Whether you’re figuring out your first steps, exploring new ideas or ready to put your plans into action, our award-winning team is here to guide and support you every step of the way.