The impact of the SYP on the publishing industry has reached far and wide across the UK and Ireland. We strive to support all our members as they begin to establish their careers, and progress further into the industry. But we couldn’t do this without the vital support of our members, and the steadfast dedication of our committee. We remain forever grateful to all our Alumni, who have volunteered countless hours of their time to build and develop the SYP for our members. Read our Alumni testimonials below to discover what it is like to volunteer with the Society of Young Publishers.
“The SYP was instrumental to me in my early career in publishing, without it I feel I would have struggled to meet my peers in Manchester and across the North more broadly. Those who I met during my time volunteering on the committee had a real influence on me, and have since helped me find jobs, or given me sage advice. Being on the committee also helped me develop my networking, communication and leadership skills in my own time too. I have been recommending the SYP to young and early career publishers ever since!”
“Being a part of the SYP has been invaluable to me, giving me opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I’ve met so many incredibly talented people across functions, teams, and companies during my three years on the committee. Leading SYP Oxford during the year we put on the annual conference in 2019, with my co-chair Kate McNamara, was an incredible experience, managing a team of 17 people to deliver not only the conference, but also regular industry events, mentorships schemes, newsletters, and more. I am SO grateful for SYP!”
“The SYP is an invaluable resource for publishers of all ages at the early stages of their publishing careers. The heart of the SYP to me is true passion for publishing, and a dedication to never pulling the ladder up behind you. I have seen this embodied in my fellow past committee members and other members I met along the way and I believe this is so very important.”
“The SYP was invaluable to me in the first few years of my career – it helped me make connections and friendships that lasted beyond the years I was on the committee, and gave me a much better understanding of the publishing landscape than I would have had otherwise.”
“Joining the SYP was definitely one of the best decisions in my publishing career. It allowed me to meet so many amazing people across the publishing industry, build my network, and organize and participate in lots of fantastic events – including lots of socials, an SYP Conference, and a 24hr book project.”
“The SYP gave me an invaluable chance to learn new skills and to network at a crucial point in my career. I have very fond memories of SYP events and the drinks during and after them, and it comes recommended as a way to turbo-charge your start in the world of publishing.”
“I very much enjoyed my time with SYP London, learning about the publishing sector and looking for my first opportunities to get into the industry! It’s always been a diverse and vibrant community, and it’s great to see it continuing to grow and evolve. It offered a great start to get involved in committees with like-minded people, and the experience encouraged me to get involved in other industry bodies too once in post. Shows that you get out what you put in!”
“As a young publisher/marketer, the SYP helped me make both formal and informal connections and make progress in my career. As an older one, I’ve appreciated the many opportunities the SYP has given me to share my insights and learn from younger members.”
“Being co-editor of Inprint with Sarah Minty was a highlight of my time with SYP. It was a challenging project that gave us ample opportunity to sharpen our skills across the board, as well as collaborate with our peers with creative freedom. I look back at my time with SYP very fondly.”
“Getting involved with SYP was a great opportunity to meet others working in the industry and get a better understanding of different types of companies and roles. Volunteering for the committee gave me the chance to develop transferable skills too, such as collaboration, communication, and organization – that have been invaluable in my career. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone early in their publishing journey.”
“I learned so much from my SYP membership. Publishing can be very siloed, both within the industry and within companies. From the SYP I learned lots about most of the different aspects of publishing and quite a bit about different publishing fields. Most of this I wouldn’t have learned without the SYP. This broad education has really helped me in my career as I’ve been involved in all aspects of publishing.”
“The SYP provided me the opportunity to connect with those already working in publishing while studying for my MA at Oxford Brookes. This in turn led to work experience at Heinemann Library, which turned into my first job as an editorial assistant. Through the committee, I enjoyed meeting people working for different publishers and organizing the annual conference in Oxford. Being part of the SYP was a great way to find out about different roles and functions and gave me the opportunity to gain leadership experience. In turn, I was able to help others with work experience opportunities and their first roles in publishing.”
“The SYP has been such a good source of industry knowledge for outsiders. It has been hugely helpful to me in getting my publishing career started. Its many local networking opportunities and events make you truly feel like part of the publishing industry – even if you’re not based in or around London! I highly recommend joining them as a member or as a volunteer!”
“The SYP is a fantastic organization that afforded me countless opportunities to learn more about the publishing industry, read insights from publishing experts and gain valuable skills. Everyone at the SYP is so passionate and it is such a vital resource for so many.”
“The SYP was my first step into the social world of publishing and was incredibly helpful when it came to understanding how the network within publishing worked. It was also where I met my wife!”
“The SYP was my first step into publishing, a helping hand all the way through from finding out more about the industry, applying for entry level roles, and managing those first steps of a publishing career. Often touted as an industry where it’s all about ‘who you know’ the SYP gave me the opportunity to meet people, make connections, and form a support network who are still here for each other years later.”
“I was an SYP member for three years, an officer for one, and that year happened to be 2020: a tough, trying, and difficult time for everyone. Luckily, the committee members were all very ambitious and hardworking, and they showed me the determination and grit needed to work in publishing. Everything I learned from the SYP was essential to understanding the industry and my place in it. My mentorship experience was also one of the most valuable experiences I’ve ever had, and I highly recommend all SYP members apply!”
“The SYP was invaluable in my career. I met wonderful friends, learned so much, and I truly believe it opened so many doors to me. I don’t think I would be where I am now without it and I’m very proud of the work I did there.”
“From networking, to insightful talks, to social events, the SYP does so much to help those at the start of their publishing journey.”
“During my time as Treasurer and Secretary for the Society of Young Publishers North, I was the key point for financial related queries, and helped to monitor the committee spending. Alongside my key responsibilities, I was asked by the Chair to help run the SYP North mentorship scheme which I found extremely rewarding, especially getting to be part of the process of reading through all the amazing applications, and getting to see the range of talent that is wanting to pursue a career in publishing. I also had the opportunity to represent SYP North at a number of publishing events in the North, such as Pathways into Publishing at the Portico Library, and The Northern YA Literary Festival hosted by UCLan Publishing. I would recommend volunteering for the amazing SYP North committee to any publishing hopefuls based in the North, I gained a lot of transferable skills to bring into the industry, as well as having the opportunity to network with other publishing professionals.”
“Being the Co-Chair of SYP Scotland was one of the biggest and most exciting challenges of my early career. The Scotland cohort was small and funding was sparse but the volunteer committee worked hard and built the beginnings of what is now a thriving region for the SYP. We also ran the first ever SYP Scotland Conference, which was a massive learning curve for us all, and we started the mentoring scheme, which we’re delighted to see is still benefiting members today. The committee and I learned a great deal of skills that set us all up for our careers, and I can’t speak highly enough of the opportunity it offers anyone who is willing to take it on.”
“My time at the SYP was instrumental for my career progression and my confidence. The SYP felt like a safe space to explore who I am and want to be as a professional, try new things, and work and learn from people I’d never meet otherwise. I had a wonderful time!”
“The SYP has been good to me in so many ways: it has given me a 360* understanding of the industry, introduced me to so many people from all areas of publishing (some who are now good friends!) but also allowed me to gain significant and relevant experience as a committee member and co chair which I was able to use in my first job. The SYP is the friendliest place to learn all about publishing and meet a ton of amazing people!”
Do you want to build your skills, make lasting connections, and help to make a difference in the publishing industry? Then why not volunteer with your local SYP branch? Apply here to join our regional committees!