Photo from Ruben Ulset

At the beginning of the year I wrote a blog about how valuable the online-learning platform Coursera can be for your career. And now for what might be an even bigger love-in: Lynda.

Oh, Lynda. How did I ignore you for so long? I guess I was too busy, too caught up in my own world. But then right when I needed you, you were there.

Ok. I’m getting ahead of myself. Who or what is Lynda? Lynda is a website containing online tutorials from experts in lots of useful stuff – especially, but not limited to, software skills. UCL has bought a subscription to it, so anyone with a UCL login is able to access the site.

I’ve recently started working through some Lynda tutorials myself, and they’re great! So practical and well made, and each session is broken into bite-size chunks to make them easier to follow.

In terms of up-skilling to further your career, Lynda is a wonderful tool to have. Employers are often keen that their new recruits can hit the ground running. So if you think your target job will require skills you’re currently lacking – maybe coding skills, Photoshop skills, or anything really – Lynda may be able to help you fill those gaps. And even employers who are ready and willing to train you up from scratch will appreciate the motivation demonstrated by starting your learning early.

But what if you’re not sure which skills you’ll need? Lynda has created ‘learning paths’ for different roles. These are playlists of tutorials to work through, starting from the basics upwards. So whether you want to become an Agile project manager or a music producer, it’s worth seeing if Lynda can help you get there.

You can even put together your own learning lists. Handily, UCL’s digital education team have already made some for you, including this fab one on careers skills, ranging from CV-writing, to pitching projects and products. So if you’ve got some spare time over the summer, why not check them out, and see if you love Lynda as much as I do!

Every year The Careers Group runs a series of webinars for international students from across the University of London. Don’t miss this summer’s series, which will cover finding work in the UK and overseas. To participate in the webinar you need to register your place.

> Wednesday 10th June, 3-4pm: Writing UK CVs and Application Forms

Advice on how to write a CV that has impact and complete the motivation and competency sections on an application form

Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2507537789035604225

> Thursday 11th June, 12.30-1.30pm: Finding full time work and work experience in the UK

An overview of the different ways of securing work experience and full time work and relevant resources

Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2004515617308448258

> Monday 15th June, 12-1pm: Marketing your degree overseas

Top tips on how to promote your UK degree at home or in a third country, networking internationally and resources for a global job search

Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4992748528069351426

> Wednesday 17th June, 1-2pm: Using LinkedIn for a global job search

See how LinkedIn can transform your job search. Looking at how to build a strong profile, utilise your networks and the LinkedIn functions to enhance your international job search. Register here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1052097754675648514

For more about International Futures: http://international.gradsintocareers.co.uk/

All webinars will be recorded and up loaded to Careers Tagged

Careers in the Creative Industries Webinar: Wednesday 03^rd June, 1-2pm

Ever considered working in film, gaming, editing, motion graphics, design, scriptwriting or presenting? Or setting up your own company?

When? Wednesday, 03^rd June, 1-2pm

How? Register using this link:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3860209767852398594

Join our webinar to listen and contribute to a Q&A session with Ash Denton, Creative Director of Explosive Alan Productions.

More about Ash…

Since graduating from the New York Film Academy, where he produced 16 shorts and worked on well over 100 others, Ash has worked in technology and gaming media for some of the biggest brands in the field, including CNET, Gamespot and Xbox.

At Gamespot, Ash was pivotal in the creation of Start/Select, a light-hearted videogames news digest show. It rapidly became the site’s flagship sub-brand, hitting the number one spot in the iTunes gaming podcast charts.

During this time, Ash kept his toes in filmmaking waters, writing and directing mind-bending short The Hollow Men which was bought by Shorts International and went on to be screened worldwide.

In 2010 he was recruited by Xbox, and picked up a Games Media Award in 2011 for the mailbag-show-with-a-difference SentUAMessage. In 2012, he co-founded Explosive Alan Productions with former Inside Xbox members Dan Maher and Gareth Wild.

Organised by the Careers in the Creative Industries team for students from across the University of London, this webinar will give you the chance to learn about careers in film, gaming, editing, motion graphics, design, scriptwriting and presenting and will give you insight into the world of work in the creative industries.

Ever considered going freelance?  Getting a job in the arts?  Working in theatre?

Join our webinar to listen and contribute to a Q&A session with Jethro Compton, Writer, Director, Independent Theatre Producer and co-Artistic Director.  Jethro will be taking your career questions.

When? Wednesday, 22^nd April, 1-2pm

How? Register using this link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3226718446927832322

More about Jethro…

Jethro Compton is a writer, director and independent theatre producer. His most notable productions to date have been the world premiere of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance in London and the internationally acclaimed WWI triptych, The Bunker Trilogy.

As the Producer and co-Artistic Director of Belt Up Theatre, Jethro has worked on The Boy James, Outland, A Little Princess, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Metamorphosis, The Tartuffe and The Trial.

In 2010 Jethro received a bursary from Stage One to support his development as a commercial producer. He was Associate Producer of Southwark Playhouse for three years from the start of 2011.

Organised by the Careers in the Creative Industries team for students from across the University of London, this webinar will give you the chance to learn about careers in theatre, including advice for writers and actors, and will give you insight into the world of work in the creative industries.

Emma House, Director of Publisher Relations at The Publisher’s Association tells us why Publishing is an important sector.

Book and Journal Publishing: one of the UK’s largest creative industries. It generates almost £5 billion for the UK economy; it brought us book-to-screen phenomena such as Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and Paddington Bear. If you have ever considered a career in publishing, you would likely have been attracted to the glitz and glamour of trade publishing and working with famous authors – or the delights of working in children’s publishing. You would likely have considered bringing your skills in marketing, publicity and editing to a career in publishing. Yet this is only a small insight into an innovative, forward-thinking, global, and creative industry with a strong and exciting present – and future.

The UK’s publishing sector can be divided into 5 sectors: trade/consumer (fiction and non-fiction including children’s); education (school books); higher education textbook; English Language Teaching and dictionaries; and academic journals. All aspects of publishing have been and are going through considerable change. The internet, Amazon, government policy and changing consumer tastes and needs have all driven change in the way we consume content and publishing is building its own pathway through these changes.

Publishing will always require the traditional roles that it takes to run a business in this sector. A good eye for writing talent, strong editorial acumen, and knowledge of the various ways to take content, to curate and market it and finally deliver it to the consumer, are key skills that the industry values. The industry prides itself on having the very best these roles in order to add value to the author and the consumer. Non-traditional “publishing” process roles such as Legal, HR, Finance and IT are all essential to the industry and anyone studying these disciplines could do far worse than consider bringing their skills and qualifications to publishing.

What is little known however is the range of new roles and new skills that publishers now seek to bring to the industry. Over the last 5 years, digital has become fully embedded in publishing and we are now seeing a need for people with strong skills in data analytics, digital marketing, digital production and design. Consumer insight teams have grown, as have departments looking to transform book IP into other multimedia. The industry has never been more international and “sales” roles encapsulate the need for export sales, translation rights sales and skills in building global partnerships. The academic book and journal industry is crying out for scientists, researchers and engineers to bring their knowledge and talent to the industry and the education publishing industry values those with a strong background in the education sector – especially teachers. Entrepreneurism, imagination and a passion for content are attributes which are attractive to employers and a demonstration of innovation and flair long way.

So if you thought you knew publishing, or thought it was only for English literature graduates…….think again! Our industry needs YOU.

Hear more from the Publishers Association in a free webinar available to all University of London students on Wednesday 25^th March, 1-2pm.  Register here.