BRIGHT FUTURES FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

‘Bright Futures’ is the new name for the Student Industrial Society (SIS), a national student body with a 32-year history. But it’s not just the name that’s changed. The not-for-profit Society has been given a huge overhaul and will now work much harder for both its student and corporate members.

What makes Bright Futures different is the student involvement. It’s run on-campus, by students, for students, but with the support of a national team. This enables positive partnerships between proactive students and many of the UK’s most dynamic graduate recruiters. The team also manage a newly created website, with massive social networking capabilities, including a blog, wiki and forums. This will be home to a vast online community, giving members the chance to really sell themselves to potential employers.

Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters, comments: “AGR congratulates the Society on its re-launch. It is most encouraging to see a student initiative that is designed to provide individuals with the opportunity to take control of their personal development and employability. The use of the latest technology to ensure a truly national communications network is an exciting and attractive feature of the new brand. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with the organisation and predict a very bright future for Bright Futures!”

The whole ethos of Bright Futures is to give students the opportunity and ability to take control of their own development. Academic achievement is no longer a differentiator; employability is now the key. This is where Bright Futures delivers real value for students. The Society offers fantastic opportunities to enhance employment & job-hunting skills and to network with top employers.

Similarly, employers are constantly looking for smarter ways to target top-tier students. With a saturated online marketplace, there’s a trend to move back on campus and get closer to undergraduates. Bright Futures enables employers to talk directly to the most work-savvy talent, through local and national events, online interaction and a bespoke email service to target sector-specific students. Employers can provide a realistic picture of what life is like in their sector and what it’s like to work within their organisation. Students can then make an informed decision, so although fewer applications will be made, they are likely to be of a much higher quality and more suited to the company.

Bright Futures Director, Simon Reichwald, comments: “This is a crucial time for employers to get on board, as we really drive Bright Futures forward. The student membership, from 1st Years to Finalists, represents some of the most able, motivated and work-savvy students in the country, and by becoming a corporate member, companies can interact with this unique talent pool.”

Employers can promote their own events, internships, placements and jobs via the website, as well as increase awareness through a range of sponsorship and co-branding opportunities. Bright Futures also offers companies the chance to test campaigns, products and services in this hard-to-reach market, through focus groups, surveys and online dialogue.

For more information, visit www.bright-futures.org.uk

Ends 29 March 2007

Notes to Editors

Bright Futures was formerly known as The Student Industrial Society (SIS), a professional body with graduate employability at the fore, focussed on enhancing direct collaboration between industry and the student population. Formerly run by CRAC, the Society has now been taken over by Simon Reichwald, Managing Director of Graduate Success; a specialist graduate-recruitment company.

Having been re-branded and repackaged, it’s now an even more attractive proposition for UK businesses. As a not-for-profit organisation, it invests monies directly back into events and services to benefit its student and corporate members. The society offers genuine value and appeal to students, due to the close partnerships between student committees and members, corporate members and the national Bright Futures team.

For further media information contact:
Andrew Lacey
apt marketing & pr
Email: andrew@aptmarketing.co.uk
Tel: 01242 250692
Mobile: 07813 890818