Natspec’s National Conference was busier than ever before, with two hundred delegates visiting us over the two days to attend workshops and network. To help us out, we invited six students from RNIB Loughborough and Homefield College for work experience.
Here at Natspec we know how important work experience is to help students thrive and move into employment after college. To help them prepare for the day we invited them to look around the venue beforehand so they could get used to the space and discussed with them which tasks at the conference they felt were of most interest to them.
The students got involved with a wide range of duties. They helped welcome delegates to the conference, giving out directions and information when delegates had questions about where to be. At the lunch break they guided delegates to the seating areas. Throughout the day they were cheerful and welcoming, happy to speak to delegates about their experiences at college and at the Natspec conference.
Laura from RNIB Loughborough said “the whole day was really fun. I really enjoyed working on the reception, greeting people and giving them their lanyards. It gave me confidence to speak to new people which I really enjoyed.” Niah, also from RNIB Loughborough, said “it was really good and a great experience. I really enjoyed helping the delegates with their luggage and showing them where to go, I enjoyed the whole day! The staff were amazing and helpful.”
Gina Hufford, Work Placement Officer at RNIB Loughborough said: “The opportunity for our students to work at the Natspec conference was a great experience and they all thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt that each of the students flourished in the roles they were given and it really boosted their confidence as well as giving them the opportunity to see different roles in the work environment that they could possibly do in the future once they leave College.”
Charlotte Dobson, Employability Advisor at Homefield College, commented that “It was a great event, through careful planning it was perfectly executed. The students had the opportunity to speak with delegates about their experience at Homefield College and gain a better understanding of the purpose of a conference and the types of environments they are held in. Also, by highlighting the skills such as communication, organisation and time management they have identified key parts of the role they enjoyed and their strengths during the experience.”
Additionally, students from RNIB Loughborough and Homefield College provided beautiful table decorations for the Tuesday dinner. Homefield College provided a wide range of wonderful flowers that brightened up the tables whilst RNIB Loughborough created artistic sculptural pieces inspired by Natspec’s values. These brightened up the tables and created a wonderful atmosphere for our dinner, making the room look lovely and very special. We are very grateful to all the students who were involved in making the decorations.
Having the students involved in the Conference was a great experience for all of us and Natspec is keen to make sure students are involved in future events.
