LEVEL-UP! – A WEEKEND OF SKILLS DEVELOPMENT MADE FUN
Ylva von Wright participated in the LEVEL-UP! -conference on the 13th and 14th of February in order to enhance her employability skills and hear from professionals out in the real world. Today we hear the 3rd year Biomedical Science (Physiology) student tell us about her experience of the conference:
Did you know that women tend to point to their eyes and hair when they are feeling flirty? And men try to turn invisible by covering up their crotch when feeling defeated or sad? That the way someone crosses their legs and points their toes can reveal whether they wish to stay or shy away? These were things that I learned during Mike Carter’s talk about Body Language and Voice Management, along with actual practical tips on how we can use our voice and the language of your bodies to come across as confident, reliable and – importantly – employable.
The range and variety of speakers at the LEVEL-UP! conference on February 13th and 14th was phenomenal. Some true breath-taking and motivating stories were told – among them the story by Jamie Andrew, a mountaineer and amputee who is now preparing to once again climb the mountain that nearly took his life in 1999 – and some hardcore hints for developing skills were shared. And yes – at one point we did all get up to dance and sing about trains.
For the workshops, there was a choice between 4 or 5 themes for each slot. On Saturday, I decided that it was time for me to learn about Mindfulness from Graeme Nixon in order to combat stress and increase focus and presence in every moment, and to hear about the power of words from Rosie O’Hara, practicing to choose the correct words to grab the attention of a person you wish to motivate, adapting your language to their personality type. On Sunday, I got advise on pitching from Thor Holt and learned about etiquettes for approaching people in a professional manner during his interactive Q&A session, followed by 21-year old CEO Bruce Walker’s phenomenal story on how he built up his business, emphasising that one’s failures can be turned into motivation, as long as one’s mindset is on point, and that there is always a way of solving a problem to get where you want to be.
In between the talks and workshops, there was time left to mingle and get to know the other delegates. We participated in a fun lunch break activity organised by Elevator UK on Saturday, where our networking skills were put into practice. The atmosphere at the conference was very positive and I got to know students in their honours year of my degree and they gave me some invaluable information and tips for the future.
Unfortunately, I missed out on the chance to drink beer and learn to dance salsa on Saturday night, but rumours say that the groove was great.
Aberdeen students need more events like LEVEL-UP!. The event was a success in every way and considering the astonishing price of £5 it suited almost every student budget (and I certainly stuffed my face with sandwiches from the all-you-can-eat selection at lunch for that cost).
A big thank you to all organisers and speakers at the event – I hope that this was the first LEVEL-UP! conference of many to come!
Ylva von Wright
3rd year student
BSc in Biomedical Science (Physiology)
University of Aberdeen
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