LinkedIn in the Educational Environment: From Career Navigation to Environmental Awareness

On December 5, 2025, within the framework of the pedagogical practicum of Master’s student of the UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Development, an educational (value-oriented) session was conducted for third-year undergraduate students majoring in Ecology on the topic: “LinkedIn as a Tool for Professional Growth and Environmental Awareness” by Baizakova N.T., a Master’s student. The lesson was conducted in the presence of the curator K.K. Khamitova.

The purpose of the event was to demonstrate to students the opportunities offered by a digital professional platform for building a personal brand, career development and promoting ideas of sustainable development.

At the beginning of the session, Baizakova N. T. explained why LinkedIn is currently the world’s number one global professional network, what problems it helps solve for students and young professionals and how passive presence on social media differs from the conscious and strategic management of a professional profile.

During the session, the following issues were discussed:

• what a personal brand is and why it is important to develop it already during student years;
• which sections of a LinkedIn profile are key and how to complete them correctly;
• how the platform helps users find internships, projects, and professional contacts;
• why LinkedIn is an effective tool for environmental education and the promotion of sustainable development ideas;
• examples of international organizations and internships in the field of ecology and sustainable development represented on LinkedIn.

Special attention was paid to the topic of networking as the ability to build professional relationships, exchange knowledge, and form a community of like-minded professionals.

The session was held in an interactive format and included mini-exercises, audience questions, and discussions of students’ personal experiences. Participants shared their expectations regarding their future profession, reflected on the role of digital platforms in career development, and emphasized the relevance of the topic in the context of the modern labor market.

At the end of the session, students concluded that maintaining a professional LinkedIn profile is a strategic tool that enables individuals to:

• consciously build a career trajectory;
• develop self-presentation skills;
• become part of a global professional and environmental community.