Jo became the Chief Executive of UCAS in January 2024, and was previously Chief Regulator of Ofqual from September 2021 until 2024. Jo brings a decade of experience in school leadership to UCAS.

She has been an education advisor to the government and was formerly an academic. Earlier this year Jo was awarded a CBE for services to education and has previously served as Trustee of The Brilliant Club and the New Schools Network.

Jo is delighted that UCAS is sponsoring the Careers Festival and looks forward to discussing the theme of longevity with #CareersFest2024 Creative Director

Joanne is a level 7 qualified careers professional with 15 years working in careers within HE at the London School of Economics and now in her role as Head of Guidance at Morrisby, where she leads a team of careers professionals and writers ensuring Morrisby’s online content is kept up to date, is accurate and helpful and that the platform gives good careers guidance. Prior to this she worked within various support roles in schools, HE and FE.

Careers Consultant, specialising in higher education and with a particular interest in creative industries and non-linear career paths – what *can* you do with a degree in English, Politics or Fine Art?

With 20 years’ experience offering information, advice and guidance to people of all ages, I am particularly keen to explore how new entrants to the labour market can find their place, whilst negotiating the bow waves created by “traditional” work culture, technological advancements and the effects of the pandemic.

Is there a generation gap between organisations created by boomers, managed by Gen X, staffed by millennials and now recruiting Gen Z? What does “career readiness” look like and is it different from years gone by?

Outside of careers work, I am also an occasional blogger, and run an established football podcast covering the highs and lows of supporting Nottingham Forest.

Zoe Cullingworth is a career development specialist at the BBC and the founder of Insight Career Coaching. With over 15 years experience in HR, Zoe is a key driving force behind the BBC’s ambitious career development agenda. Winning a British HR Award for ‘Culture Initiative of the Year’ for their career development work, the BBC offers a comprehensive suite of career resources and events. As a licenced career coach and chartered member of the CIPD, Zoe leverages her expertise to create career development initiatives that align individual aspirations with organisational strategy.

Zahara is EDI Business Partner at Buckinghamshire New University. She was previously a Head of English, Associate Senior Leader and Head of Equality and Diversity in Secondary Education. Zahara is also founder of the blog and podcast, School Should Be, which aims to platform a range of diverse conversations and topics about all the things we ‘should’ be learning about at school.

William E. Donald is an Associate Professor of Sustainable Careers and Human Resource Management at Southampton Business School, University Southampton (UK), as a guest of Professor Yehuda Baruch. According to the Scholar GPS Ranking Analytics 2023, Will’s research impact ranking for the last 5 years places him in the top 5.83% of scholars across all fields, the top 2.17% of scholars in the field of Career Development, and the top 2.06% of scholars in the field of Higher Education. Will’s research interests include Career Development, Employability Capital, Graduate Employability, and Sustainable Career Ecosystems. He has published nearly 100 peer-reviewed works (journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers) and has been cited 1,200+ times (Google Scholar). Will authored the book ‘Strategic Opportunities for Bridging the University-Employer Divide‘ (IGI Global, 2024), and was the sole Editor of the ‘Handbook of Research on Sustainable Career Ecosystems for University Students and Graduates’ (IGI Global, 2023).

Lucy is a Career Development Practitioner, CEO and Founder of Study Work Grow, and creator of the Career Clusters. Lucy has worked with hundreds of schools across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and elsewhere to develop innovative career education programs that help young people make smarter decisions about their future pathways.

Debbie, the founder of Northamptonshire Careers, is a celebrated CV Writer and Career Development Practitioner who collaborates with educational institutions, professional bodies and private clients across the world. With qualifications in Adult Education and Career Guidance & Development, and as a founding board member of the British Association of CV Writers, Debbie provides various guidance, training and advisory services and her business is known for its positive, empathetic and motivational approach. She is committed to developing the future talent pool in the careers sector and serves as an Assessor for the Career Development Institute’s level 6 Career Leaders and Career Guidance & Development qualifications. Debbie is proud to be the winner of the SME News Best UK CV Writing & Career Guidance Services Provider (East Mids) 2024, 2023 and 2022 and a finalist in the NNBN Micro Business of the Year 2023.

Dr. Candy Ho is an international award-winning career development educator and scholar whose expertise is recognized globally through keynotes, consulting, and other engagements. Her insights have been featured in prestigious media outlets including BNN Bloomberg, The Globe and Mail, Financial Post, Canadian Business, National Post, and CTV News. Originally from Hong Kong, she currently serves as Chancellor’s Research Chair at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), while also teaching in KPU’s Educational Studies department and in Douglas College’s Career Development Practitioner Program. Candy is Past Chair of CERIC, a Canadian charitable organization that advances education and research in career counselling and career development, in order to increase the economic and social well-being of Canadians.

Kate Nash OBE founded PurpleSpace in 2015. It is the world’s only leadership development membership hub for disability employee resource groups [ERG] / networks.

PurpleSpace delivers leadership know-how to disability employee resource group leaders who want to accelerate the pace of cultural change for employees with disabilities. The global community now stands at 5,000+ leaders across 175+ organisations who together employ 1.5 million employees with disabilities. The community was born by demand following the publication of her first book ‘Secrets & Big News’ in 2014.

PurpleSpace leads #PositivelyPurple (formally #PurpleLightUp) – a global movement to celebrate the economic contribution of disabled employees as part of the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3^rd December each year. In 2021, the movement reached 253 million connections with content viewed over 186 thousand times.

She is External Advisor to LSEG’s EDI Global Council and member of the UK Government’s Minister’s Disability Confidence Business Leaders’ Group.

In 2007 she was awarded an OBE for services to disabled people.

Her second book ‘Positively Purple: build an inclusive world where people with disabilities can flourish’was published in October 2022 by Kogan Page.

With over 30 years of career specialist experience, is currently a Careers Hub Lead partnering with The Careers and Enterprise Company, dedicated to empowering students and improving career provisions. With a background spanning the USA and UK, including roles as an Employability Lecturer and community service as a School Governor and NHS volunteer, Ladi’s expertise is vast. Managing a team in Surrey, she connects schools with businesses to prepare students for their futures. A recent trip to Finland profoundly impacted her approach, inspiring innovative methods now integrated into her work and life. Ladi’s passion for sharing these practices led to planning a 2025 trip for fellow educators. Her dedication to excellence and international collaboration makes some call her a leader in the field. She’s looking forward to sharing insights from her Finland journey at The Careers Festival 2024, illuminating the potential of global educational exchanges.

Liane has over 30 years of experience in career development as a coach, trainer, university lecturer and author. She is co-author of Creative Career Coaching (Routledge 2019), a best-selling book for career practitioners, and works with organisations worldwide to strengthen the confidence and skills of their practitioners. Whilst delivering keynotes and workshops worldwide, she continues to run her own career coaching and supervision practice.

Chris is RCDP currently working in the higher education sector, with experience of delivering CEIAG in schools, colleges, universities and adult guidance settings. A member of the Career Development Institute, AGCAS and the Careers Writers’ Association, and is a freelance careers writer, blogger and podcaster. He co-hosts the CDI’s regular #WeAreCareers livestream show, and publishes a popular weekly careers newsletter via LinkedIn; ‘The Week in Careers’.

Danny is an AI/Tech-Savvy Careers Professional, a ChatGPT Trainer for CIAG and Co-Chair Midlands International Group and member of AGCAS student & Graduate Engagement task group. He is also a personal branding enthusiast and LinkedInCredible mentor who provides career rocketing advice and guidance to University students. His special area of expertise include international students, AI X careers, virtual reality for CIAG, and student engagement.

Caroline is a committed RCDP with over 18 years’ experience supporting clients to fulfil their career dreams through guidance, coaching and CV writing. She’s also a Learning and Development professional, taking the Careers sector by storm to improve practice, mentor those new to the profession and with the support of The Talent Cycle team, she aims to #savethecareersector by raising visibility, improve understanding and pay and conditions, and encourage a future talent pipeline.

Chris is a career development professional who has worked in the education sector for over twenty years, he is a passionate advocate of people having all their options made available to them. He is a published author, illustrator, fine artist, and the current chair of the Careers Writers Association. He was named the CDI UK Careers Adviser of the Year 2021. He loves career theory and turning ideas into practice, as well as making information, advice, and guidance accessible and inclusive, to as many people as possible.

Emily helps purpose-led organisations understand themselves better, so they can get on with changing the world, for good. Over the course of the last two decades, she’s headed up brand and marketing at the iconic, family-run wine and spirits merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd and worked with many other fascinating organisations, including Fairtrade pioneers Cafédirect, Woodland Heritage, The Pelorus Foundation, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Somerset House and The Telegraph. She is now an independent brand and culture consultant based in Winchester, Hampshire. Emily cares deeply about the role that business plays in creating a better future. She is a TEDx speaker, an awards judge and host of the Year-on-Year podcast, dedicated to long-term thinking in business.

A multi-award-winning career and life coach, TEDx speaker, non-exec director, podcaster and author of ‘Change Your Story,’ Carolyn Parry is the immediate past President and Fellow of the Career Development Institute. Her background includes a pivotal mid-life shift from a successful, but soul eroding 17-year management career across property, software, and publishing into career development work. After 15 years at Aberystwyth University, progressing from a careers adviser to careers and employability director, Carolyn founded Career Alchemy, her career and life coaching practice, specialising in supporting early and mid-career professionals through career change, business start-up, and career development. A member of the Careers Writers Association, her expertise and interests include career change, values, purpose, confidence and motivation, entrepreneurship, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the impact of AI on careers, and career well-being. She serves as a Trustee Director on the Board of Antur Cymru, a £4M social enterprise that helps Welsh businesses start and grow and until recently, was also on the Board of Ceredigion Citizens Advice, part of the UK-wide network of Citizens Advice charities.

Jake Richings is a young entrepreneur creating careers education content for schools. After struggling to find work that he was good at or enjoyed, Jake started experimenting and sharing his learnings about different jobs. Now, he supports schools and businesses to engage students in their future careers using video and lesson plans.

Paula has been a RCDP for 8years having previously been a senior leader in secondary education and also worked in industry for a number of years. In her current role as Managing Director at Progress Careers she oversees the wonderful service they provide to young people across the northern parts of the country whilst still retaining some levels of practice herself. Paula is a keen reader and traveler who enjoys spending time with her family – you will often find her cheering on her daughters on the football & hockey sidelines!

Dimitris Samsonidis is a career counsellor at the University of Crete #1 University in Greece and is a PhD candidate in career counselling. He is the host of the podcast “Building a Career”, which deals with career and professional development issues. He has also worked as a career counsellor at the Technical University of Crete. He has helped more than 1500 people find their passion, work at companies such as TESLA, Microsoft and the European Space Commission and get accepted on scholarship to universities such as Columbia (USA), ETH, Glasgow and Maastricht.

Raza Abbas is a global recipient of multiple career development international awards from eminent global career development associations: National Career Development Association -NCDA and Asia Pacific Career Development Association-APCDA. For more than a decade he has inspired countless people across the globe. Fortunate to be regularly invited from Pakistan to present with impact at eminent global career forums across 6 continents. Selected for the President of the General Assembly’s UN High-level Meeting on Peace-building & Sustaining Peace and UNESCO-APEID flagship meeting on Entrepreneurship Education in Asia region. He is a member of a global working group, advocating the UN for an ‘International Day of Careers and Livelihood’ at https://www.undcl.org/. He serves on the IAEVG International Board of Directors and is profiled in the global best-seller: ‘The World Book of Hope’.

Rebecca joined EngineeringUK in 2022 with a career history in Learning and Development roles in a range of industries. She diversified and began working in career development from 2019 with her most recent role having been, Head of Careers for a Multi-Academy Trust. As Careers Inspiration Manager Rebecca works a wide variety of stakeholders to develop careers resources to inspire young people from all backgrounds about careers in Engineering and Technology.

Jamie set up MYPATH shortly after COVID to increase access to high quality, engaging careers education for all students. Jamie’s background is in youth work and education and he loves the opportunity to get creative with the work that he does. Jamie is a L6 qualified Careers Advisor with over 10 years experience, working in the careers education sector.

Antony Adams is a Level 7 qualified Careers Adviser and Coach. He has over 15 years of experience working across a range of careers education and guidance settings in the UK and abroad. As the Founder of the Careers Calendar, he works with schools and colleges to deliver meaningful engagement and career development masterclasses.

Cerys Evans, Careers Lead at Into Film and RCDP, has over twenty years’ experience as a careers adviser, careers writer and careers leader working in schools and colleges. She now leads the development of Into Film’s careers strand to ensure that young people across the UK, and the professionals who support them, can access the information, industry encounters and inspiration they need to explore a career in the exciting screen industries.

Cerys’s authorship includes work on higher and degree apprenticeships, study abroad, study in the UK and choosing post-16 options. She studied media at university, couldn’t possibly narrow her favourite film down to just one, and loves a great festival and exploring off the beaten track.

With over 25 years of experience as a careers adviser, Jo has supported thousands of students in making their transition from school/college to university, apprenticeships and work.  She has managed successful employer partnerships creating activities for students to explore career pathways.  Her focus has always been to create meaningful experiences for students that both inform and strengthen applications to university and apprenticeships.  

Jo is currently the Schools and Colleges Lead for Springpod, an innovative careers platform which has opened up access to impactful work and university virtual experiences to students across the UK.

She is a strong believer in widening access to opportunities to create a fair admissions process whether this is for university or work.  

I am a Registered Career Development Professional with 15+ years of experience across secondary schools, sixth forms, FE, HE and SEND. I’m currently using my careers education expertise as a Senior Strategist at We Are Futures, working on lots of exciting projects and helping to shape education programmes for big brands that want to make a difference to young people. I also work freelance as a career consultant, working with a diverse range of clients. I LOVE my career in careers, I am so proud to be a part of this sector and to be an ambassador for the Careers in Careers Festival 2024.

After 25 years in Human Resources and Learning & Development with Barclays Bank, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and freelancing, Judith retrained to focus on Career Development, completing her Masters in Career Development with Nottingham Trent University in 2023 to become a Level 7 qualified RCDP. She feels it a privilege to both work with young people within secondary schools within Northamptonshire and in private practice but also to be part of the Careers community. Judith strives to engage and inspire her students often finding inspiration from others in the community, which is why she wanted to support #CareersFest2024 to acknowledge and celebrate the great work taking place in Careers.

Jess is a Level 6 qualified Careers Advisor with experience of working in schools, sixth forms and alternative provisions in Wiltshire and London. She runs The Careers People who run guidance as well as several products that over 150 schools nationally are now using. Alongside this, Jess works as a consultant helping employers and education companies to reach schools and students.

Alyce is both a qualified Level 6 Careers Leader and Careers Guidance practitioner and is the Pathways and Employability Lead at a MAT in the South East. A passionate advocate for the profession and the impact that the sector can make on both the lives of our clients and the economy, Alyce has presented at the National Careers Leaders conference and written for Careers Matters.

Winner of the 2023 Upreach award for developing a CEIAG programme that enables social mobility, Alyce is also an ambassador the South East Midlands Careers Hub, supporting schools within the region to deliver CEAIG best practice.

A qualified careers leader, Keely works with career changing adults predominantly in the tech sector. Following starting work with Northcoders in 2021, Keely has further developed her passion for the careers sector.  Recognised on the Northern Power Women Future List 2024, Keely likes the holistic approach to careers – not only looking at goal setting, CV writing and interview skills but also with developing mindset and resilience when it comes to job searching.

Laura is a Masters qualified Career Development Professional, with diverse experience supporting adults through the National Careers Service, NEET young people, students in schools and colleges, and young people with SEND. Laura is a self-confessed UCAS and higher education nerd, currently working in schools in Dorset and coordinating a project supporting NEET and at risk of being NEET young people. Laura was a CDI Regional Rep for the South West for one year, and has recently completed CDI Career Leader training.