Bridging the Gap
The reality is that many of the skills employers value most, from project management and communication to teamwork and critical thinking, are rarely covered in depth at university. Bridging the Gap is a new in-person event from the IOM3 Student & Early Career Group, bringing together students, early career professionals and industry to build connections and explore career opportunities.
The evening will include talks from companies and apprentices who will speak candidly about the skills they look for and the lessons they have learnt along the way. There will also be a dedicated soft skills session covering a key topic to help you feel better prepared for life in industry: project management as well as the opportunity to network with professionals and peers across the materials, minerals, and mining disciplines.
Whether you are still studying, just starting out in your career, or looking to make your first connections in industry, this event is for you.
Timetable
| 17:00 | Networking |
| 18:00 |
Company presentations on student internships, graduate schemes and skill shortages |
| 19:00 | Soft skills development session on project management skills Neil Horner | Director, P34B |
| 20:30 | End |
Speakers
Director | P34B
Neil Horner
Director | P34B
Neil Horner
As Business & Projects Director and Sponsor, Neil applies his strategic and hands‑on experience to help organisations understand, own and deliver their projects with confidence. He provides adaptive project support to executives, portfolio leaders, project teams and emerging professionals, meeting each group where they are and shaping the conditions for them to succeed. With over 27 years of cross‑sector experience, Neil has become known for designing and delivering scalable project models, guiding teams through full lifecycles, sponsoring complex initiatives and enabling individuals to take progressive ownership of their work. His calm, balanced perspective brings structure, clarity and momentum to organisations navigating change. Day to day, Neil blends strategic guidance with practical support—facilitating direction‑setting conversations, coaching capability and helping businesses act on their opportunities with purpose and confidence.
Neil Horner’s personality reflects a calm, grounded and credible leadership style, characterised by thoughtful decision‑making, strong personal values and a high level of resilience. He brings structure and clarity to complex environments, balancing analytical thinking with an openness to challenge and new perspectives. Neil is naturally comfortable operating at senior levels, combining confidence with humility and a strong sense of responsibility for outcomes. His profile aligns with leaders who create trust quickly, provide steady direction, and enable others to perform at their best through clarity, purpose and proportionate challenge.
- Website:
- www.p34b.co.uk/
Event Chair
Chair, Student & Early Career (SEC) Group
Dr Michael Kenyon MIMMM
Chair, Student & Early Career (SEC) Group
Dr Michael Kenyon MIMMM
Positive Planet
Michael studied for a PhD in Advanced Metallic Systems at the University of Manchester, investigating the evolution of dispersoids in Al-Mg-Si based automotive alloys with varying impurity levels; a project sponsored by Novelis. He now works for Positive Planet as a Principal Sustainability Consultant specialising in Life Cycle Assessments. Positive Planet believe businesses can be a catalyst for environmental and social change that lasts. With professional services including measurement, compliance, training, engagement and more across the sustainability spectrum, Positive Planet help businesses take real action to reduce their environmental footprint. Combining a career in both quantitative sustainability assessment, and materials science and research, Michael is supporting many businesses understand and reduce their environmental footprint.
Michael previously worked for Innoval Technology as Group lead for Sustainability & Knowledge transfer, a consultancy to the global aluminium industry, and has worked across many different material industries delivering LCAs for complex systems. He has worked across the automotive, aerospace and packaging sectors extensively among others. Working alongside universities and commercial partners, Michael finds collaborative projects particularly rewarding. Michael has been involved with many multi-year large scale publicly projects with the objective of improving the sustainability of materials.
Outside of work, you’ll find Michael with a camera in his hand, focusing on landscape, animal and astrophotography. Michael has been a keen Table Tennis player for many years, playing across the country.