The community for today’s
early talent leaders

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Research Corner

Champions of Change

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Welcome to Illuminate community

The world is changing faster than ever before. For today’s students and graduates, they are entering a changing job market, for which many feel unprepared. Employers are tasked with finding the best, most relevant candidates, to build their future, diverse workforces. Illuminate shares insight, research and stories from the country’s leading employers, as well as the voice of today’s students and graduates to help you drive forward effective hiring strategies.

Have a look at the video to the right to find out more.

Three pillars of the Illuminate Community

Advocacy

If you’re responsible for early talent, you are positioned to be an enhanced DEIB advocate: passionate about the space and equipped with the skills to lead a strategic shift in your organisation.

Innovation

Technological advances, new strategies and data-led insights are the toolkit of today’s DEIB leaders. Together, we can accelerate our growth and transform how we support the next generation.

Belonging

Creating and developing a culture that is authentically inclusive: an environment where each and every employee can bring their authentic selves to work.

DEIB in action

Discover the insights, experiences and journeys of today’s leading employers, alongside today’s students and recent graduates.

DEIB in action

Discover the insights, experiences and journeys of today’s leading employers, alongside today’s students and recent graduates.

DEIB in action

Beyond the 'BAME' tick box: What inclusive language looks like moving forward

The language we use to write about ethnicity matters, and although it can be uncomfortable to ask difficult questions, getting it right is crucial to attracting diverse early talent.

What did we discuss at the Illuminate Summit?

What did we discuss at the Illuminate Summit?

Back in 2018, Bright Network’s Illuminate community was launched, with just 20 employers.

The pandemic and Gen-Z

The pandemic and Gen-Z

The pandemic has changed the very meaning of the word normal across industries and organisations globally. Graduating during a pandemic...

Gen Z 101

Hear directly from Bright Network’s members – their ambitions, concerns and expectations of employers.

Gen Z 101

Hear directly from Bright Network’s members – their ambitions, concerns and expectations of employers.

Gen Z 101

Graduates experience with digital recruitment strategies

When asked what an amazing digital candidate experience looks like to them, our members said...

Representation

Representation

We asked our members what effective representation in the workplace looks like.

Salary transparency

Salary transparency

We asked our members how important salary transparency is to them when applying for a role.

Concerns about the application process

Concerns about the application process

We asked our Gen Z members what concerned them the most about the application process for graduate schemes and graduate jobs.

Mental health in the workplace

Mental health in the workplace

We asked our members what mental health support looks like to them, and how employers can best support employees in the workplace.

Flexible working

Flexible working

We asked our members whether flexible working is a key requirement in their first graduate role.

Encouraging authenticity

Encouraging authenticity

We asked our members how employers could encourage them to be their most authentic selves in the workplace.

What members think about authentically inclusive applications?

What members think about authentically inclusive applications?

When asked what phrases make them feel an organisation is being authentically welcoming, our members said...

Graduate jobs in the new normal

Graduate jobs in the new normal

When asked what an ideal graduate role looks like in the ‘new normal’, and what benefits and responsibilities they are looking for, our members said...

Which DEIB initiatives resonate with students

Which DEIB initiatives resonate with students

When asked what type of Inclusion & Diversity initiatives would encourage them to research into a firm further and apply, our members said...

The importance of Job Descriptions

The importance of Job Descriptions

When asked why the language used in a job description is important to them, our members preferred...

Barriers to Success

Barriers to Success

We asked our members what the biggest barriers are to pursuing their desired career path...

Research corner

Data-led insights from over half a million students and recent graduates.

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Data-led insights from over half a million students and recent graduates.

Bright Network Festival 2019 236

What do graduates want? 2022/23

In the report, you'll discover the perspectives of over 14,000 Bright Network members as they share their critical insights to help you shape...

Race, diversity & inclusion report

Race, diversity & inclusion report

The murder of George Floyd brought the conversation around systematic racism to the forefront of every HR professionals agenda.

What do graduates want? 2021/22

What do graduates want? 2021/22

The past year has been like no other for students and recent graduates - youth unemployment is high, graduates' confidence is low...

Campus and careers research September 2021

Campus and careers research September 2021

Students are back on campus, there are more opportunities than ever for graduates and employers are exploring new ways to engage potential hires.

A bold vision for the future of graduate careers

A bold vision for the future of graduate careers

The Bright Network Manifesto is the roadmap to ensure that today’s students and recent graduates can flourish in their early career and the UK’s leading employers...

How leaders can drive social mobility

How leaders can drive social mobility

Discover the 10 key actions for today's employers in order to support and drive social mobility in early careers.

Advocacy in action

Advocacy in action

This report seeks to understand the opportunities that employers have to support and engage with the LGBTQ+ community in the post-pandemic world.

Champions of change

Members of the Illuminate community share their stories, learnings and advice.

Champions of Change

Members of the Illuminate community share their stories, learnings and advice.

Pauline Brandt hero

Pauline Brandt

Pauline was part of the first ever diversity and inclusion recruitment scheme at the BBC, created by Dame Jocelyn Barrow. Now working as a media relations executive...

Katie George talks about the inclusive workplace

Katie George talks about the inclusive workplace

Katie George is a talent and inclusion advisor, with extensive industry experience.

Championing change, with Clyde & Co

Championing change, with Clyde & Co

Bright Network and Clyde & Co’s award-winning partnership started 5 years ago, and in that time...

Ensuring equity of opportunity, with Macquarie

Ensuring equity of opportunity, with Macquarie

Macquarie has a longstanding commitment to their D&I strategy and creating equal opportunities for...

Hiring diverse talent: A ‘business imperative', with EY

Hiring diverse talent: A ‘business imperative', with EY

Over the past 7 years, we have been working with EY to support our joint mission to find diverse talent, with particular focus on...

Setting the Stage with Gowling WLG

Setting the Stage with Gowling WLG

Bright Network’s partner organisation, international law firm Gowling WLG, share how they are championing diverse candidates from pre-application through to...