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Talent and Career Network U.Porto

Initially created under the name of the Employability and Career Working Group, the U.Porto Talent and Career network is now made up of the Talent and Career Centre and representatives and professionals from the faculties' talent and career services.

The services located in U.Porto's various Faculties play a fundamental role in promoting the academic and professional success of its students. Each service has its own way of working, but all of them aim to help students with their career guidance, as well as to make contact with organizations interested in setting up partnerships and getting to know U.Porto talent. The Talent and Career Center seeks to work closely with each service to reflect on the challenges and emerging trends in the job market and in the area of career development and life-design and to co-construct (strategic) guiding principles for this area. Find out more about each service here.

Although this network is mainly limited to the services mentioned above, projects are beginning to be carried out with the participation of other services within the U.Porto, including:

  • The Inclusion Support Centre;
  • International Relations Services;
  • Academic Services;
  • U.Porto Innovation.

Driven by the Talent and Career Centre, this network is a shared space for building and sharing practices, considering the dynamics of each faculty, and as the basis for building a wider career community, seeking to consolidate relationships of trust and commitment.

Objectives

The main objectives of this network include:

  • The creation of a common agenda for sharing information on initiatives and events in the area of employability and careers;
  • The co-creation of differentiating and customisable initiatives based on the good practices already developed in some of the faculties and the needs of others;
  • The definition of a coherent and consistent strategic and operational plan for the talent and career area and its articulation and connection with the "world" and the labour market.

A shared vision and objectives enable more effective and efficient collaborative teamwork and mutual benefits such as making the most of human and financial resources, developing new areas of expertise and projects and publicising them.

Co-creation projects

The co-creation projects developed within this network make it possible to respond to the needs of the faculties, their students, alumni and services to promote employability and career development and to level the playing field in promoting employability and sustainable career development throughout U.Porto.

These co-constructed projects include:

  • UPgrade skills development program (with the support of FPCEUP's Psychology and Education Sciences Unit) and Peer2Peer program (with the support of the Inclusion Support Center);
  • Professional Mentoring at U.Porto for all students, including PhD students;
  • UP Doctoral Careers Platform to support the career development of PhD students and PhD graduates (with the support of FPCEUP's Work Psychology Consulting Service and i3S);
  • Design and/or teaching of Curricular Units and Courses within U.Porto related to promoting employability, career development and transversal skills.

Network reinforcement

In addition to these projects, the Talent and Career Centre seeks to strengthen this network through:

  • Holding frequent meetings with a view to listening to and identifying needs in each of the faculties in these areas; reflecting on emerging challenges and trends in the labour market and the area of career development; sharing initiatives, partnerships and collaborations between the faculties and; co-constructing (strategic) guiding principles for the area of talent and career;
  • Participation in certified training and team-building activities for U.Porto staff and teachers working in the area of career development and employability;
  • Integrating members of this network into other national and international networks and projects.

The existence of a Talent and Career Community at U.Porto enables a better understanding of new market dynamics, future trends, the skills valued by employers and recruiters, new forms of work and emerging professions, as well as contributing to the growing and recognised importance of projects that promote career and skills development, and services that work in the area of Talent and Careers.

Although this network is mainly limited to the services mentioned above, projects are beginning to be carried out with the participation of other services within U.Porto, including:

  • The Inclusion Support Center;
  • The International Relations services;
  • Academic Services and Continuing Education Services;
  • U.Porto Innovation.