A few weeks ago I represented IT Services at my first careers fair, hosted by the Computer Science Department at the University of Birmingham. Alongside a colleague from the ServiceNow University team, I talked with first years, second years, postgraduates, and a few recent graduates who came back to ask about the work.
Our purpose was to share what ServiceNow University is, the courses and certifications it offers, and the real-world skills behind them. ServiceNow is already used across the university, so we also wanted to raise awareness of the platform and what it can do.
We had banners and posters explaining both IT Services and ServiceNow University. To support our Appathon session in December, we ran a prize draw for a Lego Aston Martin Formula One car. Students signed up for the Appathon and entered the draw, and one student went home with the prize.
Roughly 50 to 60 people visited our stand. Current University of Birmingham undergraduates and postgraduates have free access to the ServiceNow University platform and its on-demand training. Students who pass the exam can earn free ServiceNow certification to add to their CVs and personal development. Recent graduates are not covered by this offer.
The Appathon gives students the chance to build with ServiceNow and tackle a real business problem. We are also in early discussions with the student hackathon club run by computer science students about joint opportunities.
Learning from an early careers panel
I also attended an early careers panel on software engineering, where students on graduate placements, including Capital One’s programme, shared how they got started. Two things stood out: students were assigned buddies and mentors, and the panel stressed the value of “super connectors” and networking.
The students also shared advice for anyone heading to a careers fair: prepare and research beforehand, think about the projects you’re working on (accessibility, user experience, customer focus), keep building your coding skills, and think about your longer-term career path. Several graduates who started on these programmes have since moved into leadership roles, one rising to chief executive.
What’s next
This is about starting small and scaling up. We’re beginning with computer science, but ServiceNow has real potential in business studies, business process consultancy, testing and research.
If you’re interested in ServiceNow or in giving students real-world experience, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
