This Project explored the job hunting experiences of nine graduates 18 months to 3 years after leaving the University. The overall aim was to help to fill the gap in the current literature and make an addition to a more holistic exploration into graduates’ perspectives on a variety of topics related to their transition from university to work.
In order to inform the curriculum and the development of supportive structures to support the work-related wellbeing of trainee social workers, this research project had several aims. It examined the key motivators to enter social work, together with the sources of social support and the coping strategies that students draw on to help them manage the demands of study and placement experiences Several emotional and social competencies (i.e. emotional intelligence, reflective ability, empathy and social competence) are also investigated as potential predictors of resilience.
In designing a Psychology curriculum, educators need to ensure that students are taught the core subject specific areas of Psychology as specified by accredited bodies such as the British Psychological Society, or national quality assurance bodies such as the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) in Britain. However, it is also important to provide opportunities to foster students’ personal development planning (PDP) skills to support their future employment and lifelong learning. This report details the findings of a three stage study to explore the skills students gain during their degree that would support their future career.
During 2009 and 2010, Employability
Fellows from a range of subject disciplines worked on
small
scale Bridges CETL funded projects to further embed employability within their
curricula. View the Employability Fellow Projects poster presented at the Bridging the Gaps 2010 Conference (view PDF). Read more about the projects:
Department of Applied Social Studies
This Project ran four half days of simulated assessment centres for non-professional
courses in the Department. The Project leaders used examples of best practice and worked in partnership
with Centre for Personal and Career Development (now Careers and Employment Service), employers and the Psychology Department (who already had experience in
this area). A variety of activities were included, for example:
elevator pitch, employer interviews, group problem-solving activities
and, peer observation and feedback.
Division of Media Arts and Production
Both projects, Mediatrain and Going Professional, brought vocational awareness and employability into the academic curriculum. Special emphasis was placed on understanding how a sense of enterprise and entrepreneurship could contribute to students’ personal development, production work and professionalism.
Division of Psychology
This Project aimed to enhance the employability skills of Psychology students. It developed an employability action plan, which aimed to deliver
an Assessment Centre to enhance and build on current good practice in
preparing students for employment.
Department of Computer Science and Technology
The focus of the Project was the integration of Technical and Soft Transferable Employability Assets (TEA) in the curriculum to create a set of ‘Technisoft’ skills relevant to employers. Development of this skills-set was embedded in units at Level One and Level Three. The progress on students acquiring these skills has been monitored and recorded.
Division of Journalism and Communication
Through this Project, awareness of fast changes in the multimedia industry has been evidenced through giving students opportunities to share their practice internally and externally. An internal platform - the eseen (operating name of the E-zine) is only for students and lecturers to see; whilst an the external platform gives the opportunity to share experiences with peers and employers.
Division of Tourism, Leisure & Sport Management
The
Project supported and underpinned the Personal Academic Development
(PAD) Unit, affected all Level One students undertaking Leisure,
Travel and Tourism and Events Management Programmes. It centred around
an employability 'Industry Insights' event, planned and developed by the staff and employers from the industry, for students.
Sport (Polhill) Department of Physical Education and Sport Studies
The Project aimed to make Sport, Leisure, Adventure and Recreation students more employable. The methodology utilised a pre-review audit of courses and units and a
comparable post-review audit. In between, activities were undertaken in
the form of meetings, discussions and dissemination of key ideas about employability in order to enhance staff awareness of employability and how the necessary skills and attributes can be developed in students.
School of Education
The Project involved the undergraduate teacher and PGCE programmes and developed an audit tool for the personal and interpersonal skills which employers of newly qualified teachers said they required. A one-day interactive soft skills workshop enabled students to identify practice and evaluate a key range of interpersonal skills for teaching and to develop an action plan for change; going forward, the action plan would be supported by each student's teacher/mentor.
Two Employability Fellows came very late to the process and worked with Careers (CPCD) staff on the delivery of their small employability projects. They did not carry out an audit or wrote a final report. To support students' employability within their departments, Hakeem Seriki, from the School of Law, developed a Team Competition: a Simulated Assessment Centre Day and Tim Priestman, from the Bedford's School of Business, established a MBA Personal and Professional Development Module.
Read more in the Employability Fellow Project report (view PDF).
