What Is Futureproof? Everything You Need To Know

We’re here to help you feel empowered and confident with your working life after university.

Here at Student Beans, we’re all about helping students to save, strive, and thrive. And we care about your future after university, too.

That’s why we’re launching a brand new initiative – Futureproof – to help you guys thrive no matter your background or situation.

Futureproof aims to develop the confidence of students and help them to find work they love — which is something many students struggle with. And we get it, life after uni is daunting. You may have been dodging the ‘What’s your plan for after graduation?’ question, but as graduation is around the corner for some of you, it may be time to start thinking about jobs and actually having to be an adult (boooo!).

The Futureproof vision

Leaving university can be scary after the comfort of the last three or four years. Or, you might even be looking forward to it; no more exams, no more annoying housemates, and hopefully on your way to earning some money.

Finishing university has its highs and lows, so we want to ensure we’re supporting you in the best way possible. We want you to leave university feeling confident in yourself and your future, as well as empowering you to make decisions regarding your career choices.

Why Futureproof?

Industry research shows that career confidence diminishes throughout university. 33% of students say they feel very confident about their career prospects during their first year of uni, but this number drops to just 17% in the third year.

But, why aren’t students feeling more confident?

27% of students say the biggest obstacle to their future career success is not knowing what field to go into.

We can’t say we blame them. With the rise of AI, students are second-guessing careers within creative industries due to the unpredictability of job stability further down the road. And with professions in medical or educational sectors facing low wages, it’s understandable why students are apprehensive about their future careers. 

The impacts of the pandemic are still being felt for many students with many having experienced years of disruption during their A Level studies and into their first years at uni. Unsurprisingly, this has had a negative impact on students’ confidence and educational outcomes.

For some students, the lack of mentoring or access to career support can hinder their confidence. At the same time, some may only engage in career preparation and services too late, leaving them feeling less confident about life after uni. 

There are also other barriers that can prevent career confidence. Lack of networks, bias, or backgrounds may be considered worries for some students.

But we’re here to make sure students feel comfortable and supported towards their careers.

Our Futureproof aims

This is a long-term initiative to help thousands of students to feel more confident and to help them find work they love. 

We’ll be using the Futureproof platform to share career advice and content tailored to the skills and experiences students need in order to thrive. That means career guides, interview and application advice, links to the best jobs and internships and much more.

We’ll also be sharing the stories of people who are thriving in their careers and want to help you take the next step in our Futureproof YouTube series. Listening to people’s career stories can be a super powerful way to understand what different jobs entail and what steps you can take to get there. 

We’re also proud to be launching the Futureproof Fund which will enable students to access extracurricular activities. Whether it’s volunteering abroad or joining the university hockey team, these experiences are vital for students’ personal growth and future employability. Our goal is to bring these benefits to students by connecting them to brands that can help open the door to the right opportunities.

We want to empower students to be their authentic selves and to guide them to their careers in a world where it can be challenging to find work that both respects them and pays and treats them fairly and equally.

Ultimately, we aim to have a positive impact on students’ career confidence and employability.

Futureproof your career with Student Beans. Want to get ahead with your career? Read our guide on everything you need to get your dream job.