Feeding Futures: Can a small-group career guidance workshop improve undergraduate and postgraduate students’ career confidence, knowledge, and goals?

Objectives: This study investigated the effectiveness of a series of small-group student-staff engagement lunches (known as ‘Supper Club’) in fostering undergraduate and postgraduate participants’ career awareness and readiness (i.e., self-efficacy, career intention and motivation, and sense of belonging). Design: A mixed-method semi-structured interview study was conducted to uncover reasons behind participants’ career readiness and awareness pre- and post-Supper Club participation.Methods: 67 undergraduate and postgraduate students (M = 21.58, SD = 2.69 years, Female = 88.1%) from a London Psychology Department participated in Supper Club to discuss career journeys. Participants completed a pre- and post-questionnaires, followed by a focus group interview on changes to career awareness and readiness and the impact of participation. Responses were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.Results: Thematic analysis identified five themes on the impact of Supper Club participation: 1) Career Realisations, 2) Translating Insight into Career Action, 3) Knowledge around career journeys, and 4) Feelings, with a cross-cutting theme of Career Self-Efficacy.Keywords: Career awareness, Career Readiness, Self-efficacy, Career Intention, Motivation, Sense of Belonging, University, Thematic analysis