AT ICHEME, we spend a lot of time planning Employer Partner meetings around the workforce challenges facing our profession. Rather than asking employers to discuss the next generation of chemical engineers, we invited them into the room. Students spoke about seeking placements, graduates reflected on transitioning into industry, and researchers described navigating careers spanning academia and industry. Around every table there were conversations about how closely those experiences reflected what organisations were already seeing, alongside a genuine willingness to share ideas and learn from one another. The session was a timely reminder that IChemE’s role isn’t simply to facilitate conversations between employers.