April saw a first for Innovate Educate. With considerable support from Professor Liz Mellor and Hayley Jenkins, Karen delivered her first co-authored paper at an academic conference: The Research in Music Education conference at Exeter University. The research paper explores the use of eportfolios as a way of preparing music undergraduates for life after university.

It is increasingly likely that young people who have studied the arts at university will have portfolio careers. The good news is that studying the arts provides young people with many of the skills they require for success in this way of working. Through the arts young people develop communication skills, creativity, confidence and the ability to work flexibly. This is a very different way of working and something that perhaps the more conventional careers service need to take into account.