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52 per cent of employers have never hired anyone with a history of mental illness
Doctors are not doing enough to help people with mental health problems return to work, according to a survey of more than 600 employers. Some 40 per cent of people claiming incapacity benefit suffer from depression or anxiety disorders. Reducing this level is essential if the government is to meet its “pledge to get 80 per cent of all people of working age into work”, finds the study by Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and KPMG consultants.
Doctors are not doing enough to help people with mental health problems return to work, according to a survey of more than 600 employers. Some 40 per cent of people claiming incapacity benefit suffer from depression or anxiety disorders. Reducing this level is essential if the government is to meet its “pledge to get 80 per cent of all people of working age into work”, finds the study by Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and KPMG consultants.
Employers were asked to rate the support provided by GPs “in helping people with mental problems return to work”. Some 40 per cent said that support was either “very poor” or “fairly poor”. Another 25 per cent said it was neither good nor poor and 18 per cent did not express an opinion.
The Department for Work and Pensions is currently investigating ways of improving the support offered by GPs.
Most employers, according to CIPD/KPMG, would like to see: sick notes to include more information on “return-to-work possibilities”; employment advisers placed in surgeries; incentives to be included in GP contracts encouraging doctors to work more closely with their patients’ employers; and better training for GPs on “fitness to work issues”.
Employers could also do more. According to the survey, 52 per cent of employers say they have never hired anyone with a history of mental illness.
This reluctance was “particularly high in the manufacturing and production sector, private sector services and among small and medium-sized firms”. Yet 61 per cent of those who had hired people with mental health problems reported a “positive experience” said CIPD/KPMG.
Caroline Flint, minister for employment, said: “Mental health problems cover a broad range of issues from stress and depression to more serious illnesses such as schizophrenia. We have to remove the stigma surrounding [bad] mental health.”
Medical Careers Advisers Network
AGCAS recently funded a new task group to help it support the work of members offering IAG to medical students and graduates. Why has the group been set up and what does it do? Fiona McNamara of University of Edinburgh explains...
AGCAS recently funded a new task group to help it support the work of members offering IAG to medical students and graduates. Why has the group been set up and what does it do? Fiona McNamara of University of Edinburgh explains... In the beginning...
When I first started working at Edinburgh University, some two and half years ago, I was given medicine as part of my caseload. Most Medical Schools have traditionally ignored their University Careers Services but rather surprisingly my overtures were successful and I was welcomed with open arms. I would like to think that this was due to my great personal charm and charisma, but the reality was that the Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) agenda had raised the profile of career management and a document ‘Career Management: An approach for medical schools, deaneries, royal colleges and trusts' had recently been published. This document emphasised the need for the introduction of a structured, professional approach to career management and by virtue of having ‘careers' in my job title - I was their woman.
MCAN is formed
Knowing very little about working with medics I looked to AGCAS for support - having previously worked with law students and being appreciative of the work of LCAN I presumed there would be something similar for careers advisers working with medicine. I was surprised to find that there wasn't anything - evidence of how little work had previously been undertaken in this field and so I decided to investigate the setting up of an AGCAS group. I had already heard a few names bandied about of AGCAS members already working in medicine, so made approaches to all of them, put in a bid to AGCAS and MCAN, the Medical Careers Advisers Network, was born.
Current activities
MCAN has evolved into a network for sharing experiences and good practice, and the simple reassurance of meeting and talking to others involved in similar work. Two years on we have the MCAN link for sharing information and updates. I am always grateful that the group is so supportive that asking questions - even if they are the ‘I probably should know this but I don't' kind of questions. Last year we held a conference, sponsored by MMC, which was one of the first conferences within the medical community to look at career management, and more recently a training day looking at working with undergraduates. Amongst other things we also have another conference planned later this year looking at quality standards as well as developing a toolkit for anyone working with medics, which will be accessible on the AGCAS website.
Working with medical students and foundation trainees
So is working with medics any different than other client groups? I put this question to other MCAN members in our last meeting and we all agreed that there are some differences.
My experiences of running sessions with medics, particularly the foundation trainees, is that they rock up to sessions still with their stethoscopes around their neck, bleeps on and always seem in a rush. I have had students ask to be excused from careers sessions early because they have to go and resuscitate a baby! One of my colleagues also tells a story of being in a meeting with a clinician who had blood dripping down his spectacles - the blood belonged to his previous patient! This work is not for the faint hearted. I have also very recently been in a session and had to bear the brunt of medical students' frustrations at the MTAS applications debacle and job market uncertainty. This was without doubt one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do - as a profession we are not used to students being nasty to us - indifference maybe, but not downright hostility. If I am making them sound like a thoroughly difficult and unpleasant group to work with, this is not really the case; I can understand their frustrations. I actually got several emails from students after my session apologising for the difficult time I'd had and several weeks later one of them even came up to me on the bus to say they were sorry. And as far as the arrogance normally associated with medical students I find that on a one-to-one basis they are amongst the most appreciative, polite and personable students I have ever worked with - as one would hope of our future doctors.
The future?
I think that the interest of medicine in ‘careers' will continue to grow. This year's problems, played out in the media, have highlighted the need for effective career management within medical schools and deaneries. Medical students, once so complacent about their prospects of getting a job, are now all too aware that getting the training job that they want will not be easy and they are forced to confront the possibility that they might not get a job at all. Research, effective planning, making good applications, an ability to reassess options and come up with a plan B - all the stuff of career management is going to be very important in helping them make their way in their careers under the new training system.
Over the past few years there have been posts advertised for careers specialists but this has been mainly to work in the postgraduate medical sector and careers work here is, on the whole, becoming well established. The Medical Schools, on the other hand, have mostly been slow to realise the help and support that they can get from their own university career services and this brings us to yet another difficult issue - most medical schools have hundreds of students and most university careers services are overstretched and under resourced as it is. It will be a challenge to see how the university careers services will be able to meet increased demand from medical students for their services - and if they are not able, or willing, to meet this demand the medical schools will go elsewhere for help and there are many private agencies out there all too willing to be involved in this work.
National Guidance Research Forum Website
The National Guidance Research Forum Website is a resource and discussion site for all those interested in Career Guidance including researchers, practitioners, trainers, managers and policy makers. If you are looking for the latest research on any aspect of career guidance, this is where you will find it - great when you are preparing strategy documents, seeking to influence academic colleagues or just trying to keep yourself up to date.
The National Guidance Research Forum Website is a resource and discussion site for all those interested in Career Guidance including researchers, practitioners, trainers, managers and policy makers. If you are looking for the latest research on any aspect of career guidance, this is where you will find it - great when you are preparing strategy documents, seeking to influence academic colleagues or just trying to keep yourself up to date. The site was initially developed in 2004 by the Institute for Employment Research (IER) at Warwick and the Centre for Guidance Studies (CeGS) at Derby in consultation with a wide number of practitioners and practitioner associations including AGCAS. Jenny Bimrose and Alan Brown from IER continue to manage the site which has recently been revamped.
The Future Trends section developed in collaboration with the Sector Skills councils provides a wide range of UK LMI. It isn't specific to the graduate market but useful nevertheless. There is also an on-line learning module ‘Using LMI effectively in Guidance' to help you get started, reflect on your current competence and further develop your skills and confidence.
There are also some good links to other resources. My favourite is to the National Library Resource for Guidance (NLRG) based at Derby. This houses the biggest UK collection of Guidance literature. Anyone can search the catalogue and download quite a wide range of reports (published and unpublished) but you get far more from paying to become a member (about £40 a year at present) including getting literature searches done for you by the library staff. I do hold an AGCAS membership and am happy to access items for you but if you think you may use it a lot, it would be worth getting someone in your service signed up. http://www.guidance-research.org/.
Reading: New AGCAS Courses and Research Opportunities
Phil McCash, director of the AGCAS Certificate, Diploma and Postgrad courses at the University of Reading, was interviewed in the latest issue of Phoenix. If you missed the article, catch up with developments here.
Phil McCash, director of the AGCAS Certificate, Diploma and Postgrad courses at the University of Reading, was interviewed in the latest issue of Phoenix. If you missed the article, catch up with developments here. Who are the current staff at Reading?
The current staff are Phil Mignot (pictured), Hazel McCafferty and Caroline Guy (pictured) and myself. Phil Mignot is overall Director of Careers Guidance at Reading and a module convenor on the Agcas programme for Theories of Career Development and Advanced Guidance Skills. Hazel McCafferty is a module convenor for the Advice and Guidance Skills and Training and Coaching modules amongst others. Caroline Guy is the new Careers Administrator and is very much looking forward to her new role.
What are the courses available?
There are three Agcas courses at Reading:
1/ Certificate in Career Education, Information and Guidance in Higher Education.
2/ Diploma in Career Education, Information and Guidance in Higher Education.
3/ MA in Career Education, Information and Guidance in Higher Education.
We are starting a new Postgraduate Certificate in September. This will be a 60 credit award as opposed to the previous 40 credit Post-experience Certificate. It will enable students to get a head start by undertaking the Diploma-level modules in Challenges of Careers Work in Higher Education and Theories of Career Development.
The MA route has also been popular this year. Some students have gained credit for their DCG or previous postgraduate qualifications. The MA enables Agcas members to engage in a piece of original research by completing a dissertation with support from us. This helps careers work become a genuinely research-based profession, which is of course good in itself, but it also gives us greater credibility and empathy with other academics in higher education
Are the Agcas courses being modernised?
Yes. We are re-writing some of the older modules. For instance, modules in Theories of Career Development and Employer Relations/Labour Market Intelligence are being re-written this summer. I think it is important that AGCAS members are able to access up-to-date versions of these modules, particularly, with regard to fast-changing labour markets. Phil Mignot is looking forward to teaching theory in ways that integrate theory and practice and make sense to practitioners. This is another good development.
What's new in training for careers professionals?
I think the field has moved on considerably since I completed a DCG 10 years ago. There have been new findings and research in lots of different areas. For example, the old favourites in career theory are still taught, but there have been several new publications, such as The Future of Career, in which traditional thinking is radically reappraised. Career education has been a very fertile field, with new publications by Tony Watts, Bill Law, Ros Foskett, Phil Hodkinson and many others. There have been several new approaches to career counselling, and labour market research has been vibrant recently, particularly with respect to the graduate labour market. So I think it is a very exciting time to be studying and teaching CEIG.
What about new course provision at Reading?
We have entered into a relationship with NASES and NCWE to offer a Postgraduate Certificate and Diploma in the Management of Student Work Experience from early next year. This is a useful development and will enable our colleagues working in job shops and placement learning to engage in bespoke CPD.
Any plans to develop course administration?
Yes. The course, in one sense, has become a victim of its own success. Since the courses started in 1992, enrolments have steadily increased, to the point where there are now 200 students enrolled on the AGCAS courses. I think it is fair to say that email usage has also increased exponentially since 1992. There are real consequences in this for a distance learning course. We have recognised that current staffing is not sufficient to keep pace with the demand and also that we need to support students through better use of Blackboard. So an experienced course administrator at the School has agreed to join us, her name is Caroline Guy (pictured). Caroline is extremely capable, friendly and experienced. I am hoping students will strike up the same relationship with her that previous AGCAS students did with Anne Hatch.
I hear that the courses will increasingly make use of a virtual learning environment (VLE)?
Yes, students on this course can be based anywhere in the UK or Ireland, so it makes sense to make use of the new technology and be less paper-based. The University will be boosting the administration to support the move to Blackboard. I am currently working on a welcoming home page for students that will provide a useful virtual presence for enrolled students, and answer most of the frequently asked questions. The distance learning modules will be moving to a blended on-line environment. Two important modules - Theories of Career Development and Employer Relations (to be retitled) - will be available on-line by October, 2007, with more to follow. I believe that these steps will improve the service that Agcas students receive and have a right to expect.
Turning to yourself, where did you start out in your career as a careers adviser?
I started the DCG in 1995, at what was then Swanley, and then worked in a sixth form college for 3 years. In 1998, I moved to a College of HE for 8 years where I was particularly involved in developing the career education programme and moving forward the employer relations and career information work. I finished the MA with Reading in 2003 and, purely for interest, entered the British Journal of Guidance and Counselling Postgraduate Student Competition in 2005 and was fortunate enough to win it. I jumped at the chance to take on the lecturing role at Reading when it was advertised in Easter, 2006.
What has been the biggest change in your new role?
One thing that has really surprised me about working as a full-time lecturer is how hard people work in academia. Some people my find this hard to believe but most academics absolutely work their socks off. In fact, I think they work a bit too hard. Careers people work hard too, but the volume of complex paperwork seems to be higher in academia.
And what about your own research and professional interests?
My own interests lie in careers service management, graduate labour markets, working with employers, career theory, career education, career counselling and psychological type. I lecture on the Reading generic DCG course in Career Education and Opportunity Structure/LMI. I am also interested in wider aspects of career including its non-work and spiritual aspects. I have recently completed articles for the British Journal of Guidance and Counselling and the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling (NICEC) on new post-DOTS approaches to career education. I am due to speak at a NICEC Seminar on this subject in September, and next year will be working on a publication for the HEA provisionally entitled Career Studies Handbook: Career Development Learning in Practice. It is designed to introduce more interesting and advanced forms of career education to academics and careers advisers. If any AGCAS members are involved in this or would just like to speak to me about it, please do so.
Final thoughts?
Thank you for the opportunity to appear in Phoenix. If you are studying by distance learning, it can sometimes feel a bit remote, so I would like to I would like to reassure AGCAS members that there are real people at Reading who do care about supporting students. The bottom line is that I am the course director, and if any AGCAS member needs help on any aspect of the course here, they are welcome to get in touch with me. My email is p.t.mccash@reading.ac.uk
Career Decision-Making: the 'class factor'
It is often assumed that working class students wanted to get a graduate level job pretty soon after graduation. A HECSU (Higher Education Careers Service Unit) funded research project at Edge Hill University might cause many people to think otherwise.
It is often assumed that working class students wanted to get a graduate level job pretty soon after graduation. A HECSU (Higher Education Careers Service Unit) funded research project at Edge Hill University might cause many people to think otherwise.
With more students from working class backgrounds (defined here as unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled manual occupations) entering HE, there is mounting evidence to suggest that such students do less well in the graduate labour market. From February to May 2007, we examined how working class students make career decisions. With a focus on the rationale behind the approach they adopt, we wanted to find out how this may contribute to their disadvantage in the labour market. An initial survey of final year students from a range of subject areas resulted in the return of 165 questionnaires. This was followed by in-depth interviews with 30 students. A payment of £20 per interview ensured an unprecedented 100% attendance rate.
Existing research had indicated that working class students: have limited financial resources; lack ‘useful networks'; lack a future orientation; value informal rather than formal information and have low aspiration levels. These factors influence career decision-making. Our study found that the decision-making process is complex and nuanced, and that differences and ambiguities exist within the working class sector. For example, one might expect that all the students would be doing part-time work throughout their degree; however, in our study one third of students had never worked during term-time or had suspended their term-time jobs in their final year.
What did we find?Despite discovering that working class students are not as homogenous a group as may be assumed, we did identify common themes, shared by two thirds or more of the students in the study.
- The powerful influence of role models, drawn from a limited range of contacts including teachers and family members, e.g. older siblings, parents or cousins. This was manifested in terms of their decision to enter HE, degree subject and university, as well as in career objectives.
- Students felt that their parents lacked the knowledge to help them but did not seek help from the Careers Centre. They felt they did not know the Careers staff and also: felt embarrassed at not having a clear career focus; were unaware of the services offered or were not signposted by academic tutors - all of this despite our very best efforts!
- Few students had started to apply for jobs. Students did not aspire to getting a graduate level job soon after graduation. Rather, they were actively planning to ‘take a break' by getting or continuing in a lower level job for anything between 6 to 18 months.
- Contrary to other research we found that most students had realistic career aspirations in terms of level, salary expectations and appropriateness to degree subject.
- Students' career choices were limited to options that would allow them to use their degree subject or to jobs that they knew people doing, e.g. several students hoped to join the Police because they had family or friends in this job.
- Limited geographical mobility - few students were willing to move out of the region or even their home-town, most preferred to stay close to family, friends and other social networks.
- Students lacked an understanding of the nature of the graduate labour market. This lack of awareness applied to the importance of the status of universities and to the level of competition for jobs created by ever-increasing numbers of graduates.
- Whilst students had often gained useful skills and work experience during their degree, this was rarely a deliberate attempt to develop their employability. For example, most sports students had acquired coaching experience via their clubs but did not see how this might enhance their CV.
What does this mean for Careers Services? We found scant evidence of the rational approach to career decision-making (e.g. Law and Watts' DOTS analysis) often advocated, so should we compel all undergraduates to undertake career planning modules?
To what extent should we ‘educate' our students about the nature of the graduate labour market and the barriers they may face?
Is the heterogeneity of the working class an argument against targeting particular groups and offering them ‘extra' help?
Well, these are questions that we hope to answer during the next academic year as we implement ‘action research' into our practices. We will of course share the results of this research with you.
Sue Hepworth, Senior Careers Adviser and Paul Greenbank, Reader in Educational Development, Edge Hill University
For further information please contact: hepworts@edgehill.ac.uk
Graphic design interview on DVD - A Careers Adviser’s View
The AGCAS DVD Making an Impact: the graduate job interview includes a chapter showing two students being interviewed for a Junior Designer's post. Jackie Hartley of Staffordshire University watched the filming from a guidance practitioner's perspective.
The AGCAS DVD Making an Impact: the graduate job interview includes a chapter showing two students being interviewed for a Junior Designer's post. Jackie Hartley of Staffordshire University watched the filming from a guidance practitioner's perspective. In the beginning....
I got involved in helping with the new AGCAS DVD on INTERVIEWS when my colleague Kathy England, as a member of the task group, volunteered to help find an employer and students to film the ‘arty' type interviews. Luckily I am good friends with Les Jones, the Creative Director of ‘Winning Moves', a local management consultancy specialising in innovation and design. He kindly agreed to help and Kathy then invited students from our Graphic Design course to apply for a fictitious job as a Junior Designer. Several students applied, two where chosen and a third was lined up as back up, in case either of the first two were ill on the day. Thankfully that did not happen and at the end of a very busy day, orchestrated very efficiently by Peter Phillips, we had 2 interviews and 4 debriefing sessions on tape.
My role
Having decided we would not prepare the students for the interview beforehand, I was unsure about what my role should be. However, Peter asked Kathy and me to watch the interviews via a monitor and headsets (from a separate room) and then give guidance on points to raise in the debriefing. It was fascinating. It quickly became apparent that, with a little bit of interview preparation, both candidates could have significantly raised their game. In fact at the end of each interview I made a point of taking each candidate aside to work through the ‘things I need to do now to ace my next interview'.
The candidates
Both candidates had very strong portfolios of work but seemed to the think that the work ‘speaks for itself'. Well it does and it doesn't. As Les pointed out, the work has to be good. Even if a candidate interviews brilliantly, if the work is average they will not get any further. However, Les was also keen to point out that design is about communication and anyone looking to work in design has to be able to explain the ideas and processes behind their work. Clients pay for design because they cannot do it themselves. Sometimes clients are not even sure what good design is, so a designer has to be able to educate the client and this requires the ability to explain a design concept. Clearly time spent practising explaining your portfolio, and the ideas and processes used around individual pieces of work, is time well spent.
One of the candidates struggled to answer questions about the role of design in business and in particular, how design can impact on business revenues. It is clear, from an employer's perspective, that developing some degree of commercial awareness is crucial to those young designers hoping to use their creative talents in a business context.
What I learnt from the experience
For me one of the most interesting observations was that, in my opinion, one of the candidates was very enthusiastic, had a clear vision of where they would like to be in the future, had developed a certain way of working that felt right for them and how they wanted to use their creative talents - and was a so NOT right for this job with this company! If students are going to survive and thrive in graduate jobs it is essential that they join companies that have an ethos and style of working and clients and work briefs, that resonate with who they are and who they want to be in the world of work. Getting them to recognise that, especially when they say things like "I'm just new out of university and I don't have a choice. I just have to take any decent job I can get" is not easy.
So, an exciting day all round. I felt that I was able to make some useful observations and catch the candidates at the end to reinforce some of the learning. I am sure that, if the whole DVD is as thought provoking as the ‘arty interviews' bit, it will be much loved and much used by university careers adviser colleagues for many years to come.
Courses for Adults at Career Crossroads
How does an adult change career and plot a life course that they can look back on with some satisfaction? Paul Dowson, Senior Lecturer in Professional Development at Leeds Metropolitan University, was commissioned to develop a course to help.
How does an adult change career and plot a life course that they can look back on with some satisfaction? Paul Dowson, Senior Lecturer in Professional Development at Leeds Metropolitan University, was commissioned to develop a course to help. How it all began
In 2006 I was approached by Phil Marsland, Head of the Career Development Service at Leeds Metropolitan University to construct and pilot a short course aimed at graduates in the region as part of the Yorkshire Forward-funded Graduates Yorkshire project. The initial motivation was to develop a course which could be used by H.E. Careers Services as a strategy for income generation and regional retention. The target audience were individuals who had been working for a number of years and were facing some sort of ‘career crossroads'.
LifePlan is born!
The name LifePlan was adopted because at the heart of the course was the development of a personal development plan (PDP). LifePlan was born from a straightforward yet often overlooked notion that it is the complete person who goes to work. The vision of the LifePlan course is to assist individuals in moving towards a more satisfying combination of life commitments, reflected not only in a job that matches their interests and values, but realising that that a fulfilling job is only one of a number of life domains requiring resources of time and energy. The message of LifePlan is that no-one will create a life and career plan for you, that it is the individual's responsibility, and that it is better approached consciously and deliberately (rather than informally and neglectfully) through crafting a plan.
An early partner in the development of LifePlan was Engage Mutual Assurance who not only hosted the first ever LifePlan in Harrogate but requested an adaptation of the course to suit their staff development that became known as ‘Lifeplan - Developing the Professional'. In addition Peter Hawkins and his Windmills team kindly agreed to the incorporation of some of their trusted materials in the LifePlan course.
Developing the LifePlan Project
In 2007 I secured a secondment to develop the LifePlan Project and to roll out the course across the Yorkshire region, offering it as a free pilot to universities in the region. Two Leeds Metropolitan University LifePlan courses were followed by courses at York St John University, Sheffield Hallam University, the University of Sheffield and the University of Huddersfield. Further courses at the University of Bradford and at other Universities are planned for the next academic year. LifePlan was delivered in conjunction with the respective University Careers Service, who took responsibility for publicising it, arranging a venue and in most instances partially facilitating in its delivery.
What's involved?
LifePlan has two formats: the original and highly reflective five session version and another shortened three session version which seeks to compress the LifePlan experience. Each session is 2½ hours long and allows for exercises and group discussion as well as tutor input. The themes covered in the course include self awareness, lifelong development, the work life balance, networking and self presentation. The course is ideally run with a group of twelve participants and the motivation to sign up includes the feeling of being at some sort of ‘career crossroads' and a loss of meaning in an existing job. Others are attracted to the input on work-life balance and some admit to a lack of confidence in relation to the rigour of the competitive job-market.
The benefits of LifePlan
There are huge benefits of structuring some time to look at life and career management in a group of a dozen adults. Meeting with others to consider life or career changes affords many advantages: a sense of perspective; a discovery that others face similar challenges; and the opportunity to learn from one another. In a course with much content - including exercises in self awareness, in taking a lifespan view of development, on work-life balance, on the significance of relationships, and on self-presentation - the process of what happens on a LifePlan course is just as important.
How does an adult change career and plot a life course that they can look back on with some satisfaction? These were the central challenges which I sought to address through developing LifePlan. Whatever choices are made they need to be made with care, and consideration to all those that matter to the individual. LifePlan will not change people's lives, but for those who choose to embrace its emancipatory approach anything is possible!
For more information about LifePlan contact Paul Dowson, LifePlan Project Leader on p.a.dowson@leedsmet.ac.uk or visit the LifePlan web pages on www.graduatesyorkshire.info/lifeplan.
Putting Research into Practice Conference
HECSU's annual conference is an annual high point for anyone interested in research. Jane Standley, Head of Careers at Brunel University attended on the 2007 conference.
HECSU's annual conference is an annual high point for anyone interested in research. Jane Standley, Head of Careers at Brunel University attended on the 2007 conference. I should spend more time in the shower - it's good for ideas. On June 12th I'd attended this conference in Manchester which addressed the perceived separation between careers research and practice by showcasing research (much of it HECSU funded) undertaken by careers practitioners and by researchers working in a practice setting. It had a rich agenda with keynote speeches from luminaries of the careers world, most of whom are reported here, and with a wide array of research-informed workshops. Workshops topics were as diverse as coaching, term time employment, using virtual learning environments, the retail sector and the employability of philosophers. Faced with spending a Saturday morning writing this article a couple of weeks after the event, I decided to ignore my conference notes and focus on the topics which still left a strong impression. With apologies to those who also ran wonderful sessions that I could not attend, this is what really stood out for me.
The recurring agenda item of ‘water available' was what first sprang to mind. It actually signified refreshment breaks, but took on a different significance when Peter Hawkins started hurling wet sponges at his audience. Who wouldn't remember Peter's infectious energy and enthusiasm? When you are trying to ensure students are realistic, it is all too easy to demoralise them, but Peter makes career planning aspirational and interesting. His ‘STAR' DVD must surely make students feel capable of moving mountains and it is backed up by hard copy materials that are equally motivational. I was glad that I had also opted for the workshop on the new ‘JOBSHOPPING' materials based on earlier research such as ‘Graduate Skills for the 21st Century'. No post-lunch snooze for us; we were on our feet trying out the exercises. Some advisers will prefer a more formal and ‘academic' approach but, for me, there is also added value in materials like these that make careers more entertaining.
Real people make things memorable and I next recalled the case studies which Paul Greenbank and Sue Hepworth of Edge Hill College gave us from their research into working class students. They brought to mind the challenges these students faced because their parents knew relatively little about the options available to graduates. The students had to create their own networks for careers research but often the ‘obvious' source of advice and guidance (i.e. us) wasn't that obvious to them. Equally vivid was our group discussion about labour market information and whether or not to ‘hit students with the facts'. My conclusion, and that of some colleagues, was that a good dose of something sweeter is needed to help down the bitter pill of realism. Appropriate introduction and handling of LMI is essential.
Kate Purcell's most interesting presentation on the Futuretrack2006 research clearly demonstrates that the prime motivation for most students coming to university today is career related. This made me think about the $64,000 dollar question our VC once asked me: ‘So why don't they do anything about it?' Many students do plan ahead, of course, but we worry about those who don't. Hopefully Futuretrack2006 will provide some answers but already confirms one paradox: despite wanting a better job, a substantial minority have no idea what that job might be.
Having several friends whose teenage children no longer view university as the automatic choice, I shall also be keenly interested to find out about the career paths of those who had university potential but chose other options. So much is written about graduate training schemes that we need a reminder about alternative routes. For me, this aspect of Futuretrack will provide a useful parallel to the ‘Hidden Talent Pool' research on graduate careers outside the formal structures of training schemes.
This leads nicely on to Stephen McNair, the practical benefits of HE and changes in the interface between graduates and the labour market. Yes there is still a graduate premium, but it's shrinking and it is certainly not equally distributed. Issues of underemployment and over-qualification are real and employers have to realise that even high fliers want a work life balance. Professor McNair also suggested that while recruiters are deeply interested in graduates, they are apparently less inclined to fund the learning process than Leitch seems to indicate. And, by the way, qualifications are not the only way of developing learning.
So I now realise that what makes a lasting impression on me is information that is about people, is positive and upbeat and relates to my previous knowledge or experience. This account of Putting Research into Practice leaves a lot out - like most good conferences I often wanted to be in two places at once. But if it has whetted your appetite (pun intended) you can get some session notes from the HECSU website at www.hecsu.ac.uk and I'd strongly recommend you to attend next year's conference.
Graduate Jobs Southampton
Each year approximately 6,000 of Southampton's 40,000 students enter the labour market, with about 30% staying within the area to seek career opportunities. This gives the region's employers access to a large pool of graduate talent from a wide range of sectors. Meredith Pollock, Project Officer, Graduate Jobs Southampton describes a local initiative to support graduates and employers.
Each year approximately 6,000 of Southampton's 40,000 students enter the labour market, with about 30% staying within the area to seek career opportunities. This gives the region's employers access to a large pool of graduate talent from a wide range of sectors. Meredith Pollock, Project Officer, Graduate Jobs Southampton describes a local initiative to support graduates and employers. In the UK more than 99% of all businesses fall into the category of a small to medium sized business. Statistics predict that there will be over 2 million jobs created in this sector over the next ten years.
The Graduate Jobs Southampton website aims to raise awareness and recruit students and graduates to the excellent opportunities available within smaller, local companies.
The site is a great place for companies to raise their employer profile by including a logo and company details, seen by hundreds of employers and candidates every day.
Since the website launch of http://www.graduatejobsouthampton.co.uk/ in April, 800 graduates and students have registered with the website and 13 have found employment because of it.
Over 150 vacancies have been advertised on the site with more companies discovering this great, free service every day.
The site has been designed for any undergraduate or graduate from any university looking to locate work in the Southampton area, and SME (Small to Medium Sized Enterprises) employers in the area who want to employ students or graduates.
A winning start
The website was built and designed by Adido Solutions Limited and Director Andy Headington commented "The website allowed us to use some of the latest development technologies to create an interactive experience for both sets of users. This project shows how effective use of the Internet can save time, improve communications and positively impact on the people in Southampton"
The website uses a sophisticated system, matching jobs from a range of sectors and students/graduates according to a variety of criteria including skills and salary details. Emails are sent to users to update them of new matches and their application status, and candidates may apply directly to the employer.
Employers and vacancies are checked by the project team (based within the Careers & Jobshop at Southampton Solent University) and ‘approved' to appear on the website.
Once registered, employers may view each candidate's application, shortlist and give feedback via the ‘logged in' section of the website. Feedback is obtained from employers about how candidates can improve their CVs, interview techniques, etc., which is then fed back into the website advice section.
Paul Croombs ACA, Accountant, The Wow Company commented:
Ally Clements, BA Hons Marketing Management Final Year student Southampton Solent University commented:
Yes the Graduate Jobs Southampton website is great! I found it really easy to use and I liked the function that allows you to save your personal information and CV onto the site. That way it makes applying for jobs really simple - it does all the hard work for you! I received my first email on Monday, which selected 9-10 jobs that had arisen and were in the sector that I was seeking employment. The website is such a good idea - all students and graduates should take full advantage of the service.
The project is an example of the current excellent partnership work being carried out with employers within both Southampton Solent University and the University of Southampton. The Careers Services within these Universities are approached regularly by employers in the South East who want to find ways to reach our students and graduates. In addition to the GJS project, employers are invited to run workshops, attend careers events, meet course groups and run placements for the students.
The GJS project is co-ordinated by Southampton Solent University, The University of Southampton and is supported by Southampton City Council, Business Link and Southampton & Fareham Chamber of Commerce. It is supported by the Southampton Partnership using funds from SEEDA (South East England Development Agency).
For more information about Graduate Jobs Southampton please visit http://www.graduatejobsouthampton.co.uk/ or call 02380 319734
Meredith Pollock, Project Officer, Graduate Jobs Southampton
Online Career Fairs – the Staffordshire experience
In January 2007 Staffordshire University began development of a software system that enables it to set up and manage online career fairs. The intention, as with all fairs, was to bring exhibitors and graduates together at the same place and to facilitate meaningful dialogues between them. Mark Kent, Head of Careers and Employability Service, describes how it works.
In January 2007 Staffordshire University began development of a software system that enables it to set up and manage online career fairs. The intention, as with all fairs, was to bring exhibitors and graduates together at the same place and to facilitate meaningful dialogues between them. Mark Kent, Head of Careers and Employability Service, describes how it works. The reasons for going online were pragmatic: the university doesn't have lots of large employers nearby that might attend a physical fair and we can't easily attract employers from further afield. Also local, smaller employers have limited time and resources to attend physical fairs and for this reason are difficult to attract. Online fairs would potentially enable employers to engage with our fairs at a distance and allow them to slot these engagements around their busy schedules.
Staffordshire University is based on several sites and so locating a fair at one would disadvantage the others. An online approach therefore also offers advantages of accessibility for graduates and in particular for disabled graduates.
Our fairs work as follows: we set up a fair in our administrator function, with header and footer graphics and opening and closing dates. We then make it visible before the ‘opening' date and take pre-registrations of graduates and exhibitors and their vacancies. Exhibitors submit their details with their logos and vacancies for us to approve. Once they are approved they are published to the site. Fairs are free to exhibitors, who can choose to pay to have their logos prominently displayed on the front page as ‘sponsors'. In this way we can generate income from exhibitors without restricting take-up.
At this stage graduates can create their accounts and browse exhibitor details but can't communicate with them. On the opening date this communication channel is opened and graduates can pose questions. Automated e-mails notify exhibitors of waiting questions and graduates of their replies. Each then log into their accounts to read communications and make replies. At any stage graduates can upload their CVs to exhibitors. Communication is asynchronous rather than ‘live chat' so that exhibitors aren't tied to being by their computers at specific times.
The intention of our approach is to showcase exhibitors and to allow searchability by employment sector, location and occupation type. Once graduates have identified employers and vacancies of interest, they can then enter one-to-one dialogues and upload CVs to chosen employers. By opening fairs for one month, time is made available for these dialogues to take place. We have been able to monitor online conversations between exhibitors and graduates and have seen arrangements for interviews taking place.
Funding for our first fair (25 June - 20 July) was specifically targeted at graduate retention in Staffordshire. This restricted us to working with exhibitors in Staffordshire but allowed us to look to the future and to develop software that was generic and could be used to set up fairs with other target groups in mind; for example we plan to run a national fair in November.
We marketed the Staffordshire fair to exhibitors via our local Chambers of Commerce, employer networks, via mail shots and the local press. We were surprised only to register 30 exhibitors from this activity. We managed to register over 400 graduates from 65 universities and felt that this was a reasonable number considering the limited geographical coverage. Overall the level of activity helped to prove that the concept worked, although at the time of writing we have yet to evaluate exhibitors' and graduates' perceptions of the fair.
Our approach seems capable of delivering a viable version of a fair, in that it brings exhibitors and graduates together at the same place and facilitates meaningful dialogues between them. It enables exhibitors and graduates to use their time efficiently, and increases accessibility. Now that the system is set up new fairs are easy to generate and to populate, and the workload involved for the service is reduced and spread over a longer time compared to a physical fair. These features make it a powerful tool that we are keen to exploit.
The following link gives more information:
http://www.staffs.ac.uk/careers/fair
Advanced Guidance - diary of a survivor
Zoë Mitton, Careers Adviser at the University of Huddersfield, attended the AGCAS Advanced Guidance Skills residential course in Bristol in 2007. Her report is a must-read if you're considering the course.
Zoë Mitton, Careers Adviser at the University of Huddersfield, attended the AGCAS Advanced Guidance Skills residential course in Bristol in 2007. Her report is a must-read if you're considering the course. It was with a sinking heart and some trepidation that I rang the buzzer at Burwalls conference centre, Bristol University, on that first day of the Advanced Guidance Skills course. The signs weren't good, I'd seen a lone magpie on the way from the train station and, as we pulled up outside Burwalls, the ambulance on Clifton suspension bridge, spanning the glorious Avon Gorge, made me wonder if other nervous participants had felt as unable to face the week as I did at that particular moment!
When I signed up to attend the week long residential much earlier in the year, the prospect had been fairly exciting. It would be an opportunity to spend a week out of the office focusing solely on honing my guidance skills to hopefully come away feeling enthused, confident and ever so slightly smug in the knowledge that my practice from that moment on would be par excellence! In my fantasy imaginings, the two taped interviews were far too far away to cause me any anxiety ...
Luckily, the Colditz style exterior of Burwalls belied the extremely comfortable interior, made all the more alluring by the enormous amounts of delicious food forced upon us (honest!) during the week and the glorious gardens where hoards of squirrels, deer and even an unexpected peacock were wont to wander amongst us as we frequently enjoyed tea and cake on the terrace. That first day, after a hearty lunch we were straight into the classroom. Jan and David, our two enormously experienced trainers, along with Margaret, the self-styled ‘apprentice' trainer, soon had us feeling at our ease with the inevitable ‘ice-breaker' session. It became clear that we were a very diverse set of participants; there were only 8 of us but we possessed a wide range of experience and skills levels. This mixture worked really well, particularly for me, one of the more inexperienced members of the group, enabling me to really feed off the comments and recommendations of my fellow course members.
In addition to the input from the trainers, participants learn so much from one another through observation and discussion - it's a really buzzy course - and we always try to introduce something new and unexpected Jan Perrett - trainer
Pretty soon we were all traipsing across the suspension bridge to our fabulous hotel, mentally steeling ourselves for the morrow and our dreaded first taped interview session. It's ridiculous how nervous I was before my interview but David, my course tutor, was very reassuring and stressed that the sessions were there purely for our benefit to allow us to practise new techniques and skills in a interview situation. We were encouraged to be fairly experimental and try approaches that we'd not used before, aware that this was supportive learning environment.
My first interview went extremely well, mainly because my client literally didn't stop talking for half an hour and so I had ample opportunity to practise reflecting, just managing to interject one word reflections when I could get one in! I did have a bit of trouble with restating, paraphrasing and summarising, however my attempts were highly praised by David and the rest of my tutor group and I felt buoyed up and really encouraged by the end of the session. One lighter moment came when a fellow course member, so determined to practise her reflecting skills, responded to the statement, ‘I don't want to work in an office again just making cups of tea,' with, ‘cups of tea?' This, though, was indicative of the course as a whole, I think that we all felt supported enough to try new things and really put ourselves out of our comfort zone secure in the knowledge that our efforts would be appreciated and we would only gain from these attempts, as David points out, ‘On Advanced Guidance Skills we don't push a "right" way of doing guidance; it's all about giving participants a lot more options. We aim to help practitioners become aware of a wider range of skills and approaches so that they can deal with a wider range of client needs and issues.'
This environment of mutual support and community meant that we bonded really closely and quickly, which is perhaps why we could be found enthusiastically exploring the local hostelries on only the second evening of the course. Our diligence was rewarded however when we unexpectedly won £39 the local pub quiz - an ideal prize to fund further outings for the rest of the week. The locals, however, were not quite so pleased with our sweeping victory and the realisation that we were the only team who correctly answered the question, ‘What does a pteridologist breed?' (answers on a postcard please!) was met with the viciously muttered aside, ‘freaks!'
From this point on the rest of the course passed in a whirl of role play, group participation and exercises all designed to encourage us to enhance our self awareness and develop our guidance practice. My own particular lightbulb moment came during my second taped interview when it became really clear that the theory could be put into practice and more to the point - I could do it and it made a difference! This was something that occurred to all of us over the course of the week with, luckily, none of us ever in any danger of becoming, as one participant expressed it, a ‘slanty heed.'
Many of us were initially trained in a way which put theory and practice into separate boxes and maybe we don't get the chance often to reflect on the connection between the two. I love this aspect of our training. David and I are both enthusiastic about theory - and I think it's infectious! Jan Perrett
At the end of a long and exhausting, but seriously confidence building week we all felt relieved to be going home but sad to leave each other (and the food!) It was a very steep learning curve but definitely worth it! As one attendee summed it up, ‘A winning combination - profound learning, supportive and experienced tutors, great fellow participants and excellent food.' The application of the counselling guidance approach has really changed my thinking and practice and I would certainly recommend it to anyone keen to get a fresh perspective on what is possible when working with clients in a dynamic, enthusiastic and supportive environment. A final word from David, There's no doubt it is a demanding course for the participants. And for the tutors! I'm usually in a semi-comatose state by the end of the week. But I love training on this course! I love those lightbulb moments. I love seeing people having their horizons expanded and their enthusiasm engaged.
Jan says Me too - with knobs on!
Museums - research shows up inequalities
Maurice Davies, Deputy Director of the Museums Association, spent 2006 researching entry to the museum workforce, with the help of a fellowship from the University of East Anglia and support from Creative and Cultural Skills.
Maurice Davies, Deputy Director of the Museums Association, spent 2006 researching entry to the museum workforce, with the help of a fellowship from the University of East Anglia and support from Creative and Cultural Skills. One of the difficulties for new entrants is that there's a wide variety of jobs, with requirements and job titles varying from museum to museum. A specialist curator in a large national gallery has little in common with an educator in a local museum.
A bigger difficulty is that museums and galleries tend not to see entry-level training as their business. One museum manager in the West Midlands observed: ‘the abundance of candidates for museum jobs has led to complacency in the sector about recruitment, professional development, pay and retention.' Like much of the cultural sector there are few traineeships and museums expect individuals to take responsibility for preparing themselves to start museum work.
During my research I heard heart-breaking tales of people who had effectively wasted their twenties failing to find a decent job, even though they spent several years (and several thousands of pounds) volunteering and funding themselves through a postgraduate museum-studies qualification. Many were under the mistaken impression that a museum-studies masters would lead to a job. To quote just one of them: ‘I am still very angry with the university for taking on so many students of museum studies each year and never once mentioning to us that it was unlikely we would get a paying job in a related field at the end of it.'
My research found that one to four years after graduating about 75% of museum-studies postgraduates were working in the sector, but only half of these (that is, about 40% of all students) had jobs that reasonably required a postgraduate qualification. This suggests that around half of postgraduate students might be dissatisfied with the outcome of their course.
My research also found that in 2005/6 only 16% of full-time UK museum-studies postgraduates were male. Students from minority-ethnic backgrounds were underrepresented too and, interestingly, only about 30% of UK minority-ethnic students paid their own fees, whereas about 85% of white students paid their own fees.
The minority-ethnic students were mainly part of the Diversify positive-action scheme which offers traineeships for underrepresented groups, combining post-graduate study with paid work experience. Unsurprisingly, the combination of work-based learning and academic study means that Diversify participants have greater success at securing reasonable jobs than other museum-studies students. (More information on the Diversify scheme, which is largely funded by the government's Renaissance initiative to revive regional museums in England can be found at www.museumsassociation.org/diversify.)
Museums still find it hard to recruit enough minority-ethnic staff and also say they want more men, more disabled people - and more people with degrees in subjects other than humanities. There appears to be a particular shortage of natural scientists and people with knowledge of the history of science and technology. Few social scientists enter museum work.
My research found that career progression is haphazard. Remarkably, even though museums can be overwhelmed with applications for entry-level jobs, they often find it hard to recruit middle managers, as people aren't developed enough in their first five to ten years in post. This lack of structure can give opportunities for people who are ambitious, self-starting and flexible to progress quickly - although unfortunately the more common experience is that people get stuck in a low-level post.
Ruth Smith of Cambridge University Careers Service told me: I think the principal defects of museum work in university-student eyes are, in descending order of significance:
Competition for jobs
You have to pay for your own training
Probably no income for at least a year after graduation
Pay is dire at entry and throughout
No qualifications or training that make you attractive in another sphere (unlike, say, law or accountancy or teaching)
Short-term contracts
Lack of career path and progression
Nevertheless, many people have happy careers in museums and work in the sector for their whole career, in many cases keeping the same job for decades. Intriguingly, many of the happy and successful people seem to have arrived in museums after an unconventional route. Indeed, my research suggests that perhaps half of all people entering professional museum jobs don't in fact have a postgraduate museum-studies qualification.
I don't know if I'd advise people to try for a museum career or not. If they weren't bright, flexible and highly motivated I think I'd probably encourage them to consider other, more supportive sectors. And I'd advise everyone to think twice before embarking on the frustrating and often long process of trying to get a museum job - and to think three or four times before taking a postgraduate museum-studies course.
More advice on the ins and outs of museum-studies courses and a full report of my research can be found at www.museumsassociation.org/entrylevel
Student Entrepreneurship – will the Brown era be Golden in East Anglia?
The University of East Anglia's knowledge transfer activities receive significant funding from the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) programme. Owned by the DTI (until the recent re-shuffle in Government gave birth to the new Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills) HEIF funding is what has enabled the UEA to get serious about the promotion of entrepreneurship as a genuine alternative career path over the years. Firstly, however, it may be worth spending a moment thinking about just a few of the reasons why this might be a good thing.
The University of East Anglia's knowledge transfer activities receive significant funding from the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) programme. Owned by the DTI (until the recent re-shuffle in Government gave birth to the new Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills) HEIF funding is what has enabled the UEA to get serious about the promotion of entrepreneurship as a genuine alternative career path over the years. Firstly, however, it may be worth spending a moment thinking about just a few of the reasons why this might be a good thing. First up is HEBCIS, otherwise known as the Higher-Education Business and Community Interaction Survey, hence the welcome acronym. All universities are now called to report their support for enterprise and entrepreneurship and, in particular, their numbers of invention disclosures and spin-off activities, including both staff and graduate start-ups, with approximations of turnovers and their survival prospects. Thus future funding of all universities is, in part, linked to a measure of success in stimulating enterprise amongst the staff and student bodies.
At a national level this is reflected in the foundation of the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE), formed in 2004 by (then) Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown with the aim of raising the profile of entrepreneurship as a career choice amongst students and graduates. By understanding the circumstances in which graduate entrepreneurship can flourish, working in partnership with university KT offices, NCGE aims to inspire an increase in the number of students and graduates who give serious thought to self-employment or business start-up, plus understanding, developing and promoting a culture of entrepreneurship within universities through research, education and facilitation.
A third, local factor for Norfolk is that the University of East Anglia suffers from a deficit of local, graduate-level employment opportunities. Some 60% of UEA students stay in or close to Norwich for up to a year after graduation, but after 4 years almost all have left the county. This robs the local economy of much of the benefit of the University's core product - bright, talented, enthusiastic and employable young people. The University of East Anglia thinks that by being more enterprising in its education a higher proportion of graduates, previously lost to Norwich, can be retained through business start-up, and UEA can have a direct influence on the low-aspiration culture of Norfolk.
Enterprise activity
The University of East Anglia's location in the knowledge-intensive, R&D-heavy economy of the eastern region of England means enterprise is an easy message to sell to students and staff - it goes with the grain, so to speak. Thus the university's Business Plan Competition, established in 2004 has gone from strength to strength in terms of the number of applicants and the institutions involved (2006's award was won by a Norwich School of Art & Design student). Grounding the competition in the real world, and ensuring it is not just a business plan writing competition, is the Professionals in Innovation (PII) group - a collaboration of Lovewell Blake LLP, HSBC and Mills & Reeve from the Norwich commercial sector, in tandem with UEA and the other players on the Norwich Research Park (NRP). Services are chiefly based around one-to-one clinics on protecting IP, business planning and identifying funding strategies, amongst others. This group and the competition are complemented by a free series of all entrepreneur-taught lectures on a Thursday evening in the autumn and spring terms, arranged in partnership with the City Council, NRP and the entrepreneurial SME business club, the Norfolk Network. Plans for 2007/8 include podcasting sessions by the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship Student Entrepreneurship Ambassador, also co-founder of the UEA Young Entrepreneurs' Society (YES).
The University also administers a Proof of Concept fund which can provide awards of between £1K and £5K to take an idea or concept generated at UEA closer to a commercial exit. The award may be used to purchase external services (e.g. market assessment) or development work which generates data required to make a patent application. The award can also be used to leverage additional funding, e.g. from our eastern region University Challenge Fund, ICENI, or the East of England Development Agency proof-of-concept awards. The ICENI Seedcorn Fund is a partnership established by the Universities of East Anglia and Essex, the John Innes Centre, the Sainsbury Laboratory, the Institute for Food Research and Plant Bioscience Ltd. to assist the process of commercialising innovation and technological development. The Fund may invest anywhere between £2,500 and £200,000 per project dependent on stage and requirements. This early investment is the riskiest stage of the venture process and the fund is designed to bridge the ‘funding gap' which prevents inventors developing their technologies to the point where their commercial usefulness can be demonstrated.
Issues going forward
With appropriate university backing and an enlightened attitude and efficient systems for the management and ownership of Intellectual Property, academic members of staff can and do demonstrate an entrepreneurial attitude. Indeed, this is the classic combination for knowledge-intensive, potentially high-growth spin-out businesses. By contrast, entrepreneurial students are more numerous than entrepreneurial academics but activity with them is likely to be longer, slower burn, less IP-rich and not necessarily to the university's ultimate benefit, e.g. if a start-up company is ‘catalysed' some years after graduation. Where is the balance to be struck going forward therefore, in engagement with the staff and student communities respectively?
Where will the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills place their emphasis - ‘germination' in the latter group, or ‘incubation' in the former?
Written by Greg White, Head of Business Development at the University of East Anglia.
This article first appeared in Phoenix - autumn 2007.
Enterprise success in Yorkshire and Humber
There has been growing recognition in recent years that regional economies will benefit not only from graduates employed within local companies, but from graduates staying in the region to work on a freelance basis or to start their own business. An Enterprise strand of the successful GraduatesYorkshire project was therefore launched last year, funded by the RDA Yorkshire Forward.
There has been growing recognition in recent years that regional economies will benefit not only from graduates employed within local companies, but from graduates staying in the region to work on a freelance basis or to start their own business. An Enterprise strand of the successful Graduates Yorkshire project was therefore launched last year, funded by the RDA Yorkshire Forward. The initial driver for success has been the appointment of Enterprise Project Officers within each of the ten HEIs across the region, coordinated by Ingrid Bale at the University of Leeds. Working part-time on this project within each institution's Careers Service, they are responsible for widening access to business start-up advice and enterprise activities on offer within and outside of our institutions, as well as embedding these activities within Careers Services. Lucy Roper, Enterprise Project Officer at the University of Sheffield, describes how she sees her remit:
Raising awareness of self-employment as a career option alongside getting a graduate job, time out or further study. Each of us for example, has created an Enterprise Information Point in our Careers Service that informs students and graduates about enterprise-related activities, as well as websites and information sheets that highlight the support available to them. We have also managed stands at careers fairs to encourage students to see business start-up and freelancing as a valid career option, and have run workshops and other events to further promote this. For example, at the University of Sheffield I organised an event featuring a panel of local entrepreneurs attended by over a hundred students.
Supporting the development of students' enterprise skills and knowledge. We have achieved this through activities such as Yomp (in the process of being re-branded as Xing), a toolkit we license from the Working Knowledge Group to introduce students to business terminology and to help them develop skills that they will need to be successful in business. A team of students from Leeds Metropolitan University, led by their EPO Debbie Adams, even progressed to the grand final of the annual ‘Yomping the Nations' competition after winning our regional heat. In addition to these extra-curricular activities, Jason Maher at Bradford has also been busy planning, writing and delivering Enterprise modules as part of the curriculum.
Providing training for Careers Advisers to build their knowledge and confidence in exploring self-employment as a career option with clients. For example, Huddersfield University Careers Service recently closed for a half day session run by their EPO Zoë Mitton where staff learned about the background to enterprise both at the university and regionally, and their role in it. Staff also took part themselves in a Yomp session which further highlighted the kinds of skills that students need to have and the gaps in their own knowledge.
Developing links between Careers Services and existing business start-up services, both within our institutions and with external agencies such as Business Link. At Sheffield Hallam for example the EPO, Judith Peel, is invited to weekly meetings with the University's Enterprise team to keep herself and therefore her Careers colleagues up-to-date with what is happening so they can more effectively signpost students to the range of services available to them. The University of Leeds Careers Centre also provides a comprehensive business start-up service for students and graduates, including incubation spaces for business start-ups.
In addition to the work that has been taking place at individual institutions, which in addition to the ones mentioned above includes York, Trinity & All Saints College, York St John, Hull and Scarborough, we have also created a strong regional network. We meet bi-monthly to discuss issues and to further develop our knowledge by inviting external speakers from organisations such as the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE). The team has also created an online forum to share information and resources. With eight months of the project remaining, we are well on our way to achieving our aim of raising the capacity of Careers Services across Yorkshire & Humber to support students and graduates in the consideration of self-employment as a career option. We have also helped to raise the profile of Careers Service activity in the enterprise arena and to develop links both within our own institutions and regionally with those organisations more traditionally engaged in enterprise activity.
This article first appeared in Phoenix - autumn 2007.
Enterprising Boris at Newcastle
Over the last five or six years, students' enterprise skills and entrepreneurial aspirations have been at the centre of a lot of development work inside and outside of the curriculum of UK universities. In June 2007, Boris Johnson, Shadow Minister for Higher Education, paid a visit to Newcastle University to find out how it had developed its provision and what changes these developments have made to the students' learning experience.
Over the last five or six years, students' enterprise skills and entrepreneurial aspirations have been at the centre of a lot of development work inside and outside of the curriculum of UK universities. In June 2007, Boris Johnson, Shadow Minister for Higher Education, paid a visit to Newcastle University to find out how it had developed its provision and what changes these developments have made to the students' learning experience.
Well, what did Boris learn?
Lesson 1: Remove barriers to enterprise by offering financial support to turn ideas into reality. So, ncl+ foundation is one way in which we aim to promote enterprising behaviour in students.
Lesson 2: Student volunteering is another, which Mr Johnson learned about on his visit. This is taken a step further at Newcastle University and is part of a suite of credit-bearing work-related modules that the Careers Service offers to students. Other modules include ‘Student Tutoring', ‘Learning from Work' and ‘Business Enterprise'. In these modules students complete a portfolio of skills and attend an assessed interview - in which the students present evidence of a range of core skills including personal enterprise in a work-related context. The students don't gain credit for the volunteering work as such, but for the reflection on their skills and their subsequent skills development. Communicating this effectively to students and university staff has been one of our biggest challenges. Mr Johnson was certainly impressed by how vital skills have been successfully implemented into the academic curriculum.
Lesson 3: Enterprising skills can successfully be developed as part of the academic curriculum. We don't only promote and assist in the development of enterprising skills and behaviour but also help students and recent graduates to create, develop and implement their enterprising ideas. To this end we have a Business Support Team, offering one-to-one advice to students. The team is made up of an in-house business start-up team, specialist business advisers, Enterprise Interns and ‘Entrepreneurs in Residence'. The last group of people are local successful business owners able to share their knowledge and practical expertise with our potential future entrepreneurs. Students also benefit from the use of free office facilities and access to start-up grants.
Once they have developed their ideas they can enter our high profile business planning competition, the ‘Enterprise Challenge' which sees students, graduates and staff compete for awards in ten categories from Business Viability, to Community Impact, to Science & Technology Achievement. The business plans are judged by a panel of experts and the winners are awarded a share of £11,000 to help kick start their idea. The awards ceremony has a firm space in the diary of regional businesses and the university, bringing together some of the best entrepreneurial talent and established entrepreneurs in the region.
But the support doesn't purely come in financial form. There is also SOUP, and no we don't mean the food here as Mr Johnson assumed, but rather our networking events: Society of University Pioneers. At these regular events budding entrepreneurs can discuss their ideas with other students, business people and entrepreneurs. The two latter groups share their expertise and knowledge and help to inspire and motivate those that still have the big step of business start-up in front of them, or have just made it and need some encouragement along the way.
Lesson 4: Rope in the business community to provide relevant and high quality business support all the way.
While in Newcastle, Mr Johnson met Roger, a Masters student of Music and member of the band Maybe Myrtle Tyrtle; he couldn't help himself and provided some business advice to Roger by telling him to register with a website that sponsors upcoming bands.
Maybe Myrtle Tyrtle has been supported by the ncl+ foundation in setting up a successful business around their band. Some background on the ncl+ foundation...it aims to support student development by offering small grants to students to turn ideas into reality. These ideas need to either have a community, social or cultural benefit, or be campus based activities and projects. Students get up to 50% (£500 maximum) of the total budget required for their project, so they will need to display some enterprising behaviour and raise the other 50% through other means, e.g. fundraising or sponsorship. The grant scheme is administered by the Careers Service.
Mr Johnson was well and truly impressed at the end of his visit - especially with our ‘enterprising' students!
Written by Katja Linssen, Communications Manager in the Careers Service at Newcastle.
This article first appeared in Phoenix - autumn 2007.
Enterprise Week
Enterprise Week (12-18 November 2007) is a national week of activities and events inspiring young people to make their ideas happen. Last year was a huge success with 3184 events attended by 445,000 people, of which 261 events were university based. This year we want to make even more of an impact! Lauren Maleh, who is responsible for the initiative's marketing strategy, website and materials, explains how you can get involved.
Enterprise Week (12-18 November 2007) is a national week of activities and events inspiring young people to make their ideas happen. Last year was a huge success with 3184 events attended by 445,000 people, of which 261 events were university based. This year we want to make even more of an impact! Lauren Maleh, who is responsible for the initiative's marketing strategy, website and materials, explains how you can get involved. About Make Your Mark
Enterprise Week is part of the Make Your Mark campaign, a national campaign to create an enterprise culture among young people in the UK by giving people in their teens and twenties the inspiration and opportunity to turn their ideas into reality. The campaign is backed by an unprecedented coalition of business, charities, education bodies and government - it's unique in being young-people focused, business-led and government-backed. It is funded by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and founded by the British Chambers of Commerce, CBI, Federation of Small Businesses and Institute of Directors.
How can I get involved?
Setting up a business and making something happen with their enterprising ideas whilst at university is a creative way for students to earn money on their own terms, pay off debts, learn new skills and make useful contacts. The Careers Service has a fantastic opportunity to promote this at university and raise the profile of self-employment as a viable career path.
There are loads of ways to get your university involved in Enterprise Week, such as running networking events, organising workshops with local businesses, and even putting on charity fundraising events. Enterprise is not just about self-employment, it's also about having an idea and making it happen - something Student Unions and societies do every day.
An overarching theme for the week is to bring the key trends that are shaping the future of enterprise to life. From globalisation to the environment, from the dot.com era to social networks, each new generation influences the direction of enterprise according to its own aspirations. To address these issues, there will be focuses on different topics during Enterprise Week, and also a one-day competition to develop young people's enterprise skills. You can tailor your activities around these themes to capitalise on the media interest generated by the week.
Make Your Mark Challenge - Monday 12 November 2007
Last year, over 20,000 young people battled it out at the same time all over the UK to be crowned Britain's most enterprising young people. The Make Your Mark Challenge is designed to bring out the very best creative, problem solving and team working skills in young people. Lots of fantastic ideas came from university students last year, and we had great feedback from everyone involved. To get your university involved this year, visit http://www.makeyourmarkchallenge.org/
Women's Enterprise Day - Wednesday 14 November 2007
In the UK, the rate of women's entrepreneurship is half that of men. So on the Wednesday of Enterprise Week, we'll be showcasing and celebrating the achievements of all the women and girls that have turned their idea into a reality, to inspire other females to make their ideas happen. For more information see: www.enterpriseweek.org/womensenterprise
Social Enterprise Day - Thursday 15 November 2007
Social enterprises are simply businesses with aims which are primarily social or environmental and whose surpluses are ploughed back into the business or community rather than for shareholders, such as Jamie Oliver's restaurant Fifteen. This year, why not focus your Enterprise Week activity on encouraging the next generation of social entrepreneurs?
"The Big Boost Elevator Event held at Bath University was the highlight of Social Enterprise Day 2006 for me. The enthusiasm, determination and passion shown by everyone who took part in this event was truly inspirational. Social Enterprise has moved far from being the buzz word it once was. Social Enterprise is here to stay!" Sarah Gwonyoma, Development Manager, The Big Boost
For more information visit http://www.enterpriseweek.org/ and to order your free Enterprise Week Action Pack please email andrew@enterpriseweek.org.
This article first appeared in Phoenix (Autumn 2007).
Award for Lancaster
In 2006, the Centre for Employability, Enterprise and Careers at Lancaster University (CEEC) saw its endeavours in enterprise and entrepreneurship provision recognised by winning the first ever AGCAS Award for Excellence in Enterprise (sponsored by NCGE). Read Director of CEEC, Paul Blackmore's account of how they did it.
In 2006, the Centre for Employability, Enterprise and Careers at Lancaster University (CEEC) saw its endeavours in enterprise and entrepreneurship provision recognised by winning the first ever AGCAS Award for Excellence in Enterprise (sponsored by NCGE). Read Director of CEEC, Paul Blackmore's account of how they did it. More than 550 individuals engaged in the enterprise-related activities delivered and supported by CEEC with over 4,000 learning hours accrued over a 12-month period. Of more significance to CEEC and the University is that this has been achieved without compromising the core services traditionally associated with the role of careers services.
The achievement is even more significant when you consider the limited resources at our disposal as a medium sized institution. In order to develop and deliver these new initiatives without compromising more traditional core areas of provision, we have had to ensure learning opportunities meet the employability needs of as many of our students as possible. Adverse effects on core services are avoided by ensuring that all enterprise and commercial awareness activities are self-sustaining and that CEEC staff mainly take on a co-ordinating role whilst the bulk of the teaching is outsourced to recruiters and business support experts.
What do our students say?"I am writing to convey my gratitude towards your staff and their recent assistance. I have attended 1-to-1 interviews with the enterprise adviser and also had the benefit of attending the course on commercial awareness. I have never once failed to be totally impressed and gratified at how cheerful, helpful and welcoming all your staff are and continue to be surprised at just how much help they offer and how well they conduct themselves. Please keep doing whatever it is you are doing to maintain such a great quality of service amongst your staff."
2nd Year Psychology student
(creator of ‘media design & consultancy' company and ‘new media' invention)
The areas of provision fall into 3 general areas of activity:
Extra-curricular and in-curricular workshops; employer and entrepreneur presentations and talks.
- Events and networking opportunities
Including CEEC hosting the North West ‘Yomping the Nations' competition; escorting students to the En Deal Awards (Alan Sugar guest speaking), the NODE conference in Northern Ireland, taking +35 students to the NCGE Flying Start Rally at the City of Manchester Stadium and hosting a conference on creative industries for both educators and students.
- Support and business counselling
1-to-1 advice from business advisers; advertising business planning competitions; information and advice via websites and workbooks; journals and reference materials in the CEEC Information resource.
Enterprise and employability When we first canvassed the needs of our various stakeholders, it quickly became apparent that the enterprise skills we were helping to develop were not just of interest to those looking to create their own business. Discussions with recruiters in both small and large companies acknowledged that the very same skills were being sought in their own organisations and were actively being assessed in their recruitment and selection processes.
What do employers say?"The CECA course is a great development which will give Lancaster students a
head start in the competition for jobs in the business world or preparing for self-employment. An understanding of business planning combined with the skills to sell your ideas is central to the work of firms like KPMG. Anything which helps develop these skills and encourages a more entrepreneurial approach to business has to be good news." KPMG
For this reason we have worked hard to develop experiential learning activities and facilitate relevant networking opportunities. These have a number of parallel learning outcomes and appeal to all students regardless of their prospective employment context.
For example, business games and learning exercises have been developed that incorporate learning outcomes associated with gaining knowledge of:
terminology
business process
business planning
organisational business functions and how they inter-relate
how such exercises are used by large recruiters in assessment centres business
...and the acquisition of generic employability skills sought by employers such as:
teambuilding
interpersonal skills
self-awareness
problem solving
priority-setting
These can be delivered as stand-alone workshops, as part of discrete extra- curricular programmes (i.e. the Postgraduate Research Employability Skills Programme, and CECA - the Certificate for Enterprise and Commercial Awareness etc.) or as part of career development programmes within departments.
Business start-ups and self-employmentThough designed to cater for all employment destinations of Lancaster University students and graduates, it is inevitable these services are of interest to students wishing to start their own businesses.
Here are just a few examples of the kinds of business start-ups and self-employment opportunities that have been assisted:
backing tracks distribution (e-commerce); IT solutions company (prize winner!); electronic proof reading service (e-commerce, prize winner!); film festival organiser; chocolatier; and corporate-focused wine appreciation classes.
Whilst the provision offered by CEEC is relevant to students of all 3 faculties, it is encouraging to note that there has been a significant take-up by students from the Faculty of Arts and Social Science.
This is an encouraging development as many students wishing to pursue careers in areas such as the performing arts, creative and media industries (amongst others) do not always realise that they will effectively be self-employed and working as ‘freelancers' if they wish to acquire work in these sectors.
Ultimately all of these activities relate to both intrapreneurial AND entrepreneurial career paths. Even if the student or graduate has yet to decide on their ideal occupation, these skill sets will serve them well in any employment context whether it be self-employment or employment in a large or small organisation.
More student feedback...
"Educational & fun!! Not a usual combination :) "
"Never imagined it would be this interactive, informative AND enjoyable!"
"This should be a compulsory part of a degree!"
"Absolutely great! Well worth it. Great experience."
The national award was presented in recognition of developing and establishing best practice in three main areas:
the range and positive impact of activities and initiatives provided in order to encourage the development of enterprise skills, commercial awareness and entrepreneurial attitudes amongst students and graduates;
raising the profile and importance of enterprise skills and entrepreneurship across HE;
encouraging and supporting staff development in order to support the above.
This article first appeared in Phoenix (Autumn 2007).
Watch out on this website for news of this year's awards.
Enterprise Education at Reading
Becky Miller, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Manager, describes enterprise education at the University of Reading...
Becky Miller, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Manager, describes enterprise education at the University of Reading. What do you currently deliver in enterprise education?
We deliver one major cross-disciplinary course called The Practice of Entrepreneurship. This is offered to all second year and final year undergraduate students from any degree discipline and is also open to a handful of postgraduate students. The course attracts over 200 students from 13 Schools in the University. It is based on the popular ‘Enterprisers' course which was founded by Cambridge-MIT and involves ten 3-hour long sessions across one term. It is very interactive and involves many team exercises, business simulations and role plays. It also has a tremendous amount of input from local entrepreneurs and business professionals.
In what sense is it part of the curriculum?
The course currently offered is worth 20 credits so tends to equate to about one fifth of a students' work in any one academic year. Students opt in to choose the course as an elective outside of their school so we do get students from all corners of campus: philosophy, law, history, pathobiology, geography, computer science. Business students only form about 15% of the total cohort.
How is the course assessed?
Last year the course was assessed by having students write a business plan on their own business idea. The students are very creative in the kinds of ideas they come up with. This year we've seen plans for animated educational websites in China, gluten-free speciality wikipedias for Coeliacs, outsourcing of patent law to Poland, Peter Pan Nursery schools, novelty gift products, eco-friendly construction companies and security software.
What are the students' motivations for taking the course?
Students have a range of motivations: around 35% have a business idea and want to explore the opportunities associated with making it real. About 5% are already running a business. About 50% take the course because they are generally interested in entrepreneurship, though they may not have a specific idea. I imagine the last 10% take the course because they think it will be easy!
What have the students gained?
When asked what they have gained most from the course, responses from students have included:
"Independence and the idea that I can do it"
"To be open minded."
"That networking is the most important aspect of business"
"That I don't want to go into entrepreneurship - something I was undecided about prior to the course."
We have had evidence from students that they are using the course as an example in interviews and job applications and that it is being viewed very positively.
What teething problems have you experienced with the course and how have these been resolved?
Assessing the students has definitely been an issue. While the business plans are a valuable exercise, the students felt the pressure of having 20 credits of assessment riding on one piece of work. Also we felt it didn't really enable us to track the students' entrepreneurial skill development which was the primary focus of having such interactive pedagogy.
Another tension was that the students are so used to receiving PowerPoint and being talked at for hours in their lectures that when you offer them the opportunity to get stuck in and be hands on in their own learning, many students feel like they're not getting enough ‘value'.
Next year we will be changing the assessment significantly. The business plan will still form a major part but students will also have to complete reflective skills logs online and will work together in groups to market research a business idea which they will then showcase in an exhibition.
The group exhibitions will give students an opportunity to develop their sales and communication skills as judges from local companies will circulate round the room and the students will have to deliver an elevator pitch on their idea and the market research they have done to validate it.
What issues have you experienced in getting enterprise established in the curriculum?
Timetabling was a very big issue - coordinating students from different degrees and finding an appropriate time for them all to get together.
While some Schools were very receptive due to their natural closer interaction with industry, others saw the course as irrelevant and disconnected to their students. In many cases we had to create a student demand for the course so that Schools realised from the bottom-up that this was what students were looking for.
How do you get academic buy-in?
Lots of meetings and lots of relationship building! It's a case of altering the language to suit your listener and explaining the application of enterprise to their specific field of interest. This may mean innovation (particularly in science and food disciplines), or it may mean social enterprise (particularly in the humanities and social sciences). I also offered to speak to parents on their open days - a very popular offering!
What does the future look like for embedding enterprise in the curriculum?
We are planning to develop new module options in social enterprise, working in partnership with Social Enterprise Berkshire. We also need to embed the skills development and the commercial awareness as otherwise we won't reach all students - we have a limited capacity on the centrally provided modules.
We have already experimented with the embedded approach this year by writing the first in a series called ‘Entrepreneurship in Action' which can be integrated by lecturers into careers or transferable skills modules and which comes complete with an academics' guide to running the course. This is easily editable based on the nature of the case studies used so we hope it will be rolled out over the next year.
This article first appeared in Phoenix (Autumn 2007).
Enterprise at Swansea
Corina Edwards, Entrepreneurship Development Officer at Swansea University, is responsible for bringing together the range of activities on offer to students, graduates and staff at the university, as well as working with local employers and entrepreneurs. Here she describes how she and colleagues help students develop a more entrepreneurial approach to their working life.
Corina Edwards, Entrepreneurship Development Officer at Swansea University, is responsible for bringing together the range of activities on offer to students, graduates and staff at the university, as well as working with local employers and entrepreneurs. Here she describes how she and colleagues help students develop a more entrepreneurial approach to their working life. What are enterprise skills?
Entrepreneurship is not something special that a few people are born with but a way of thinking that can be nurtured. The Welsh Assembly Governments' Youth Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Strategy identified the characteristics commonly displayed by entrepreneurs as:
Attitude: If you want to succeed at anything in life, having the right attitude is vital. This dimension is about understanding yourself, your motivations and how to achieve your goals.
Creativity: You don't need to be a genius to be creative. It is about the ability to generate fresh ideas, solve problems and spot new opportunities.
Relationships: It's all about people, the ability to communicate effectively, expressing your own views and ideas, appreciating others' viewpoints and working co-operatively.
Organisation: Making it happen, it's about making informed decisions and fulfilling your objectives by planning and managing situations, resources and risk.
How do we help our students and graduates at Swansea University?
Our enterprise programme at Swansea University is partly funded by the Welsh Assembly and as such is charged with capacity building and graduate start-ups. This provides the framework for all our activity and long-term planning to build a sustainable enterprise programme to support our students.
SUbiz: the Swansea University/Students Union Business Club, a new partnership between the Department of Research and Innovation and the Students Union, to encourage students to develop or get advice on their business idea, or develop their skills. This club is student focused and student led. http://www.subiz.co.uk/
SIFE: New for 2007 at Swansea University. Our students can join SIFE which is dedicated to nurturing the entrepreneurial skills of university students in a way that is both effective for them in developing their future careers and meaningful to the community. Students set themselves up in teams to develop projects which create economic opportunity for others. The projects are based on helping to increase knowledge of entrepreneurship, market economics, personal success skills, financial literacy and business ethics. Students present their projects at competitions which are held in every SIFE country http://www.sifeuk.org/.
Dynamo Role Models: the university is also part of the Wales-wide Dynamo Programme, through which Welsh business owners provide talks, raise aspirations, talk about their experience and encourage students to consider their future. They will also deliver workshops to help students and graduates develop their creative thinking and problem-solving capabilities within an enterprise theme. http://www.projectdynamo.com/
Enterprise Week: we provide a range of Enterprise Week activities working in collaboration with local HEIs and FEIs in order to deliver themed activities.
G2E Mentoring and Seminar Programme: On-campus mentoring service for students and graduates who are considering setting up in business in Swansea. This is a scheme in operation throughout Wales and each university and college has a G2E mentor appointed to support graduate business starts. G2E also provides targeted seminars and workshops. This includes Business Start-up Week, a series of workshops run at strategic points of the year, e.g. in June, aimed at students in their final year. http://www.g2e.co.uk/ (See Holibods feature)
KEF Scholarships: KEF (Knowledge Exploitation Fund) scholarships are available through HEI/FEIs in Wales. It's not necessary to have studied at Swansea University in order to apply for a KEF Scholarship but applicants need to be a recent graduate (within the last 3 years) setting up a business based in Wales. The allocation of the Entrepreneurship Scholarship is in the form of a wage subsidy of up to £144 per week for nine months; assistance is also available for travel and childcare costs.
In addition to all of the above we also provide and encourage general awareness, support and participation in national competitions (such as Yomp). www.becauseyoucan.com/students
Enterprise skills have been identified by employers as hugely beneficial to their graduate workforce. Entrepreneurship exists in social enterprises, in the public sector, in large corporations and in other non-business contexts. Employers are now looking at these skills and qualities when recruiting in order to identify the graduates who will be able to contribute more to their company from the start. We'd like to think that we're helping to prepare our students to meet this challenge.
This article first appeared in Phoenix (Autumn 2007).
Social Entrepreneurship at the University of York
Entrepreneurial individuals are not always motivated by the prospect of becoming rich. Indeed, the University of York has found that the majority of the students coming into the Careers Service with ideas for potential ventures are actually seeking to establish social enterprises rather than commercial ones. The government's new Office of the Third Sector says social enterprises "are businesses with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners." This means that the social entrepreneur has to embody all the traits of the commercial entrepreneur, principally the ability and drive to pull together the resources to make something happen; but also has to possess a strong motivation to make a positive difference.
Entrepreneurial individuals are not always motivated by the prospect of becoming rich. Indeed, the University of York has found that the majority of the students coming into the Careers Service with ideas for potential ventures are actually seeking to establish social enterprises rather than commercial ones. The government's new Office of the Third Sector says social enterprises "are businesses with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners." This means that the social entrepreneur has to embody all the traits of the commercial entrepreneur, principally the ability and drive to pull together the resources to make something happen; but also has to possess a strong motivation to make a positive difference. As with the nascent commercial entrepreneur, advising the social entrepreneur is about asking them to reflect on and consider their idea both in terms of their own motivations and the hard practicalities of what is being proposed. In some examples from recent experience we found that potential social entrepreneurs were really expressing a desire to do something other than become an accountant or a solicitor and, through a lack of awareness of other alternatives, felt it necessary to create their own ‘dream job'. Others proposed concepts that actually looked like viable commercial enterprises but felt that somehow seeking to make a ‘profit' was unworthy of them. There are still others that believe they have spotted a genuine social need that neither the state nor the private sector is likely to address and which will only get worse if they personally don't do something about it.
With this last group our emphasis has been on getting the individuals to generate something very similar to a business plan. The significant difference between the social and the commercial enterprise plan is the inclusion of the so called ‘multiple bottom line'. Profitability alone is not enough. Will the enterprise address a real social need? It is important for the social entrepreneur to prove the reality of this need, just as the commercial entrepreneur has to prove there is a market for their product or service. There are tools and techniques readily available to help the potential social entrepreneur achieve this. The website http://www.proveandimprove.org/ is a mine of resources for this purpose.
The University of York is also keen to enable students to make more informed judgements on the viability of their ideas by acquiring insights into the skills and issues facing social enterprises through further learning and practical experience. Its personal development programme, ‘The York Award' offers an eight hour extra-curricular course on social entrepreneurship which includes inputs from local entrepreneurs and the North Yorkshire Forum for Voluntary Organisations, an umbrella group for the region's social enterprises. The course regularly attracts over 35 students and also acts as a signpost into opportunities for practical experiences.
One of the most effective ‘social enterprise' training grounds the University can offer is through its Community Development Fund (CDF). Developed using HEFCE's Higher Education Active Communities Fund the CDF offers students and staff access to sums of money to pump prime sustainable community projects in the York area. Applicants to the fund can bid for up to £5,000 but must first show that they have built relationships with community partner organisations, that there is a need for what they are proposing and that they have some strategy to enable the project to sustain itself beyond the life span of the grant. In short, all the political, project management and bid writing skills needed by the social entrepreneur.
In its five years of activity the CDF has generated over 40 projects, some of which had a short lived, if positive, impact and others that have become sustainable social enterprises. York Carnival is an annual world music festival now in its fourth year that was originally conceived of by a University of York Music undergraduate. The event now attracts over 2,000 participants and pulls together the City Council, local schools and performance groups from all over the world. It also generates enough income to put something away for next year. In another project, students worked with Year 6 children at a local primary school to launch a healthy eating tuck shop. The students used their experiences to generate full lesson plans that have been picked up by other schools looking to do the same thing, neatly allowing one generation of potential social entrepreneurs to inspire the next.
Written by Andrew Ferguson Business, Community and Enterprise Manager and the University of York.
This article first appeared in Phoenix - autumn 2007.
Occupational Classification under review
The AGCAS Occupational Classification is in the process of being revamped by a working party consisting of the AGCAS Classification Committee and members of the AGCAS Publications Team, in consultation with Graduate Prospects.
The AGCAS Occupational Classification is in the process of being revamped by a working party consisting of the AGCAS Classification Committee and members of the AGCAS Publications Team, in consultation with Graduate Prospects.
Work is ongoing and it is expected that services will be able to download the new version in Spring 2008. For further details, contact Carol Rowe.
Register of Practitioners Pilot
A model developed for the proposed AGCAS Register of Practitioners is expected to be piloted by a group of up to 30 AGCAS members early in 2008. The AGCAS Board has for some time been looking at the possibility of establishing a voluntary register as an initial step on the long road toward chartered status for the guidance profession.
A model developed for the proposed AGCAS Register of Practitioners is expected to be piloted by a group of up to 30 AGCAS members early in 2008. The AGCAS Board has for some time been looking at the possibility of establishing a voluntary register as an initial step on the long road toward chartered status for the guidance profession.
This would not be a statutory register, such as those controlling teachers and doctors, but would nevertheless demonstrate a level of professional competence and expertise.
The pilot group will help determine the final shape of the scheme, clarify processes and criteria and develop the assessment. A final decision will be taken by the Board as to whether to proceed with the establishment of an AGCAS Register of Practitioners early in 2009. For further details, contact Rose Mortenson, AGCAS Quality and Membership Manager.
Excellence Award for Heriot-Watt
Heriot-Watt University Careers Advisory Service in Edinburgh has been named as one of the recipients of a matrix Excellence Award. The awards are designed to acknowledge the achievements of organisations that have set an example for others in the use of the matrix Standard. Organised by ENTO and backed by the Department for Innovation University and Skills, the awards attract entries from all over the country and from all types and sizes of matrix-Accredited organisations.
Heriot-Watt University Careers Advisory Service in Edinburgh has been named as one of the recipients of a 2007 matrix Excellence Award. The awards are designed to acknowledge the achievements of organisations that have set an example for others in the use of the matrix Standard. Organised by ENTO and backed by the Department for Innovation University and Skills, the awards attract entries from all over the country and from all types and sizes of matrix-Accredited organisations. The Award was given to Heriot-Watt in recognition of their successful strategy to:
deliver careers education in every year of every course;
spearhead the University's PDP provision, including the production of CEIG integrated online support resources;
engage employers in the delivery of employability programmes;
provide specialist support to international students in the form of specialised advisers and tailored CEIG programmes;
enhance students’ employability by offering them a careers mentoring programme;
meet student demand for discipline-tailored web pages augmented by a range of jobhunting tools such as CV Builder and Interview Simulator.
Nick Thow, the Service's Director, said: "It's great that another AGCAS service has received recognition for the high quality maintained across the HE careers sector. We're all delighted. The award is the icing on the cake for all the hard work that goes into gaining Accreditation".
MBE for Arti
AGCAS member Arti Kumar, CETL Associate Director of the Centre for Personal and Career Development at the University of Bedfordshire, has been awarded an MBE as part of the 2008 New Year's Honours List in recognition of her services to higher education.
Arti's new book SOARing to Success: Personal, Academic and Career Development in Higher Education, published by Routledge Taylor & Francis, was launched in January. The book is particularly aimed at academics delivering employability and PDP in the curriculum, but is also a must-read for careers professionals as it's packed with theory, new models and practical exercises to undertake with students.
AGCAS member Arti Kumar, CETL Associate Director of the Centre for Personal and Career Development at the University of Bedfordshire, has been awarded an MBE as part of the 2008 New Year’s Honours List in recognition of her services to higher education.
Arti's new book SOARing to Success: Personal, Academic and Career Development in Higher Education, published by Routledge Taylor & Francis, was launched in January. The book is particularly aimed at academics delivering employability and PDP in the curriculum, but is also a must-read for careers professionals as it's packed with theory, new models and practical exercises to undertake with students.
Heads in Harrogate
Over 100 AGCAS heads of service gathered in Harrogate in January for their annual conference. Speakers included Professor David Eastwood, CEO of HEFCE, and Yorkshire entrepeneur, Barry Dodd of GSM Group.
AGCAS President, Graham Nicholson, expertly delivered edited highlights of a Bill Rammell speech when the minister had to reluctantly send his apologies the day before the conference.
It wasn't all passive listening - there were eight diverse workshops and, perhaps most important of all, lots of opportunities for networking, before the final speaker, Richard Reeves closed the conference on a high with an entertaining and thought provoking presentation on the subject of happiness at work. Research has apparently proved that money isn't everything but if you bump into a colleague in the garden centre next Sunday, ask them why they're smiling.
Over 100 AGCAS heads of service gathered in Harrogate in January for their annual conference. Speakers included Professor David Eastwood, CEO of HEFCE, and Yorkshire entrepeneur, Barry Dodd of GSM Group.
AGCAS President, Graham Nicholson, expertly delivered edited highlights of a Bill Rammell speech when the minister had to reluctantly send his apologies the day before the conference.
It wasn't all passive listening - there were eight diverse workshops and, perhaps most important of all, lots of opportunities for networking, before the final speaker, Richard Reeves closed the conference on a high with an entertaining and thought provoking presentation on the subject of happiness at work. Research has apparently proved that money isn't everything but if you bump into a colleague in the garden centre next Sunday, ask them why they're smiling.
Junior Doctors DVD coming soon
AGCAS has joined forces with the South West Peninsula Deanery to produce a resource which aims to help junior doctors shine in their selection tests. The difficulties that many experienced in the first year of the new procedure have been well-publicised but it's hoped that they will be better prepared this time round.
The new DVD will be distributed to every junior doctor in the South West via the deanery and will be made available to other deaneries and HE careers services by AGCAS. It is due to be released at the end of February 2008.
AGCAS has joined forces with the South West Peninsula Deanery to produce a resource which aims to help junior doctors shine in their selection tests. The difficulties that many experienced in the first year of the new procedure have been well-publicised but it's hoped that they will be better prepared this time round.
The new DVD will be distributed to every junior doctor in the South West via the deanery and will be made available to other deaneries and HE careers services by AGCAS. It is due to be released at the end of February 2008.
New Website at Reading
Have you seen the University of Reading's new CEIGHE course website? The new website will provide you with lots of information on administrative issues, the structure and content of the various modules and about other courses in the new Careers Studies department. Definitely one for your favourites folder!
Have you seen the University of Reading's new CEIGHE course website?
The new website will provide you with lots of information on administrative issues, the structure and content of the various modules and about other courses in the new Careers Studies department. There are, as always, small changes and additions in the pipeline but the bulk of the information is there and available to those considering registering and for existing registrants.
Do you see yourself as a student of the University of Reading?
If you haven't up to now we soon hope you will! All registrants should contact Caroline Guy, the course administrator, to get their Reading university student username and password. This will give you access to the new Blackboard eLearning site where the AGCAS students' Home Area is to be found. Facilities include an area for announcements, a FAQ section, all the forms you are likely to want, as well as the course handbook and a staff/student liaison section. Best of all is an excellent section on Resources for Study including study skills, advice in referencing and how to get access to the electronic journals held by Reading library.
New eLearning programme
The first of the distance learning modules has been rewritten as an eLearning programme. Graduate Employers and Labour Markets replaces the old Employer Relations distance learning pack. Also housed on the Blackboard site, this new course will be available at both certificate and diploma level. Reports from those already enrolled are very positive and we hope this new way of providing a learning experience will interest, engage and support students. The theories module will hopefully also be available in this format later in 2008.
Support for residential courses
Residential courses will also be supported via Blackboard. This is where you will find your pre-course tasks, reading lists and resources. After the course, the presentations - and even some materials - will be there for you to refer to.
Definitely one for your favourites folder!
Graduate Employers and Labour Markets - new eLearning programme
A distance learning module of the AGCAS/Reading Qualifications has been rewritten as an eLearning programme. Graduate Employers and Labour Markets replaces the old Employer Relations distance learning pack.
A distance learning module of the AGCAS/Reading Qualifications has been rewritten as an eLearning programme. Graduate Employers and Labour Markets replaces the old Employer Relations distance learning pack. Housed on the University of Reading's Blackboard site, this new course will be available at both certificate and diploma level. Reports from those already enrolled are very positive and we hope this new way of providing a learning experience will interest, engage and support students.
The Theories of Career Development and Models of Guidance module will hopefully be available in this format later in 2008.
AGCAS/Reading Qualification residential courses will also be supported via Blackboard. This is where you will find your pre-course tasks, reading lists and resources. After the course, the presentations - and even some materials - will be there for you to refer to.
If you want to know more about current and future developments, contact Rose Mortenson, AGCAS Quality and Membership Manager. Or go to the University of Reading's qualification website.
Career Education, Information and Guidance in Higher Education (CEIG HE) Qualifications
Becoming properly qualified is an important professional and personal achievement. People working with undergraduates, postgraduates and graduates in the fields of employability, work readiness and transition to work will often have a wide range of previous qualifications and experience.
Becoming properly qualified is an important professional and personal achievement. People working with undergraduates, postgraduates and graduates in the fields of employability, work readiness and transition to work will often have a wide range of previous qualifications and experience.
AGCAS, together with the University of Warwick, provide a set of in-service postgraduate programmes at certificate, diploma and MA level. These qualifications are geared to reflect your role, whether that be information provision, employer liaison, advice, coaching and guidance or academic teaching. Courses are modular, delivered through a mix of e-learning and short residential courses and assessed largely through work-based assignments.
It is not essential to be an AGCAS member to undertake these qualifications but it does lower the cost considerably. Non-members need to be working in a suitable environment or arrange appropriate placements in order to complete the assignments.
To find out more about the courses and to apply, go to the University of Warwick website.
International students - what do employers think and do?
More details from the PMI survey into the attitudes and practices of UK employers with respect to international students have just been released. A summary of employer comments on the issue of work permits is now available.
More details from the PMI survey into the attitudes and practices of UK employers with respect to international students have just been released. A summary of employer comments on the issue of work permits is now available.
In 2007 AGCAS, HECSU and NASES were awarded funding under the Prime Minster's Initiative Phase 2 for International Students to conduct a survey of UK employers in relation to employing international students for periods of work experience or for substantive posts beyond graduation.
AGCAS Chief Executive, Margaret Dane, says:
We know that international students can make a valuable contribution to the UK economy, bringing qualities such as foreign language skills and knowledge of overseas markets and cultures, and that many of these students wish to gain relevant work experience during their time at university, and to work in the UK after graduating. We are also aware that some employers may not be aware of current visa and work permit arrangements or that they may offer work experience or employment to international students and that the job market for international students is very mixed. This survey provides a useful picture of employer practice, views and needs in this important area.
AGCAS members who have registered with the site and signed in can view the areas addressed by the survey, and the full results, including a summary of employer comments, in the documents below.
International students - survey of provision and needs
An AGCAS/NASES survey into careers service, student employment and job shop provision for international students and into the needs of those providing the above service has just been published.
In 2007 AGCAS, HECSU and NASES were awarded project funding under the Prime Minster's Initiative Phase 2 (PMI 2) for international students to conduct a survey to establish a baseline of what is currently available and to identify priorities for providing further support.
AGCAS members can view the areas addressed by the survey and also view the results in the attached document. Please make sure you are logged in to be able to access this file.
AGCAS CEO in Parliament
Margaret Dane, AGCAS Chief Executive, was invited to make a presentation to the Skills Commission at the House of Commons in December.
Margaret Dane, AGCAS Chief Executive, was invited to make a presentation to the Skills Commission in December. The text of Margaret's presentation can be found below.
China invite for AGCAS CEO
AGCAS Chief Executive, Margaret Dane, was invited to Beijing in January to speak at the first meeting of the new China-UK Employability and Entrepreneurship Forum.
AGCAS Chief Executive, Margaret Dane, was invited to Beijing in January to speak at the first meeting of the new China-UK Employability and Entrepreneurship Forum. The invitation came in recognition of her involvement with the ESECT Employability Project, NCGE and PMI 2 developments for international students.
Margaret's report is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
Employability model from UCLAN
Staff at the University of Central Lancashire Centre for Employability have developed a new model of graduate employability.
Staff at the University of Central Lancashire Centre for Employability have developed a new model of graduate employability. Writing in Phoenix (Winter 2007), Senior Lecturer, Peter Sewell,says:
We have thought for some time that the term ‘employability' has been used in Higher Education without any real consensus about the meaning of the concept. It is often used carelessly and interchangeably with ‘enterprise', which in turn is often confused with ‘entrepreneurship'. Although there were a number of existing models of employability, we felt these to be either too elaborate to be practically useable or too simple to do justice to this multi-faceted issue. We thought there was a real necessity for a clear definition and a practical, coherent model of graduate employability that would embrace this complexity but still be understandable for students, their parents, academics, careers practitioners and anybody else with an interest in employability issues.
Read the full article below.
Graduates Onward at Manchester Met
The Centre for Social Inclusion at Manchester Metropolitan University is in the process of completing an ESF-funded project, ‘Graduates Onward!' (GO!), which aims to develop employability amongst students.
The Centre for Social Inclusion at Manchester Metropolitan University is in the process of completing an ESF-funded project, ‘Graduates Onward!' (GO!), which aims to develop employability amongst students. Lisa Price, Careers Adviser at MMU, says:
The project (which draws on expertise from the MMU Careers Service) recognises the enormous effect that academics, employers and the wider community can have on student employability. The project therefore has a number of initiatives which seek to raise awareness of this issue amongst these key parties, whilst also directly providing opportunities for students to develop their employability. Some of the project's initiatives are described below:
The full article in Phoenix (Winter 2007) can be found below.
Npower asks for Passion
Utility giant, npower, puts passion high on its list of requirements for graduate recruits. Bob Athwal, head of graduate recruitment and development at the company is also delighted to see how passionate careers professionals are about their work...
Utility giant, npower, puts passion high on its list of requirements for graduate recruits. Bob Athwal, head of graduate recruitment and development at the company, says:
Of course we need ability and aptitude, but the passion is what makes people stand out. The key is to find something students are passionate about. Putting theory into practice through a sandwich placement, internship, project or other related work experience is probably the easiest way to convey both enthusiasm and relevant skills but we are also open to those who have used casual jobs as a learning opportunity and who can articulate what they have gained.
Bob also welcomes the passion he finds in careers services:
I was encouraged recently at the AGCAS Biennial Conference to see the passion of all involved, from the CAS and beyond, to help students become better equipped for work.
Supporting researchers? Book your conference place
AGCAS's conference, Working to Support Researchers - Effective Collaboration and Developing Good Practice, takes place on 29 April 2008 at the University of Warwick, and is sponsored by Research Councils UK.
AGCAS's conference, Working to Support Researchers - Effective Collaboration and Developing Good Practice, takes place on 29 April 2008 at the University of Warwick, and is sponsored by Research Councils UK.
The overall conference aim is to provide a thought provoking day during which participants can develop their professional practice in delivering career management training, information, advice and guidance effectively to research staff who wish to continue their academic career and for those seeking alternative career options.
The conference is aimed at those involved in supporting the career development of early career researchers from careers services, staff development and training units and graduate schools and centres. It will also be of interest to academic staff interested in developing their understanding of providing careers support to early career researchers.
You can view the conference programme and details of workshops and book your place here.
Careers Services in England - government announces changes
The government has published white papers outlining its plans for careers provision in England for young people and adults respectively.
The government has published white papers outlining its plans for careers provision in England for young people and adults respectively.
Every Child Matters: Next Steps requires children's trusts to be set up in each local authority area. Funding which currently goes directly to 47 Connexions partnerships will, by April 2008, go directly to all 150 local authority areas. The proposals are intended to provide a balance of opportunity, support and challenge to ensure a successful transition for every young person to adulthood.
World Class Skills announces plans to reinforce support for individuals to improve their skills and progress in work. A new, universal careers service for adults, fully operational in 2010-11, will provide labour market focused advice on learning, work and careers.
INGRADA - plans for the future
AGCAS continues to play a central role in the development of INGRADA, the international network of national associations involved in the business of graduate recruitment and careers development.
AGCAS continues to play a central role in the development of INGRADA, the international network of national associations involved in the business of graduate recruitment and careers development.
As the world gets smaller, we are working together with similar organisations to AGCAS and AGR across the globe to discuss effective ways of sharing and tapping into each other's expertise, contacts and resources. At this stage, the network mainly involves the leaders of the various organisations involved, but it is hoped that over the next 12 months we can develop a website which you as AGCAS members can use to link more effectively with colleagues and networks in other countries.
Sector Briefings - latest news
Sector Briefings, recently updated by AGCAS writers on Hospitality, Sport and Leisure, Bank, Investment and Insurance, Legal Services, Manufacturing, Publishing, Science, Social Care, are now live on Prospects.
The following Sector Briefings have been updated and are now live in the 'Explore job sectors' section of the Prospects website:
Hospitality
Sport and Leisure
Banking, Investment and Insurance: (formerly existing 'City Markets' and 'Financial Services' titles - now merged)
Legal Services
Manufacturing
Publishing
Science
Social Care
Thank you to all the writers for their work on these publications. The Sector Briefings are now completely web-based (no longer produced in hard copy with covers).
The full list of AGCAS Sector Briefings updated during 2007-08 is:
Advertising, Marketing and PR (renamed title - formerly 'Advertising and PR')
Banking, Investment and Insurance (formerly existing 'City Markets' and 'Financial Services' titles - now merged)
Construction
Creative Arts (renamed title - formerly 'Creative and Cultural Arts')
Education
Hospitality
Legal Services
Manufacturing
Publishing
Science
Social Care
Sport and Leisure
There are new titles:
Human Resources and Recruitment
Property
We will be recruiting writers to update the remaining Sector Briefing titles later this year. If you have any questions regarding Sector Briefings, please contact: Ryan Offutt, AGCAS Editorial Assistant
Postgraduate Toolkit
AGCAS's Postgraduate Students Task Group is currently reviewing its Postgraduate Toolkit particularly in the light of the development of the Research Staff Toolkit.
AGCAS's Postgraduate Students Task Group is currently reviewing its Postgraduate Toolkit particularly in the light of the development of the Research Staff Toolkit. The group will, in due course, be drawing on the goodwill of AGCAS members to donate suitable workshops, session plans, website recommendations, etc, but if you have any specific requests or any strong views on the content, then please feel free to contact the group via Julie Blant, the group's Chair.
Teaching and Related Professions Task Group Bulletin
The latest edition (May 2008) of the Teaching and Related Task Group's Bulletin is now available in Resources.
The latest edition (May 2008) of the Teaching and Related Task Group's Bulletin is now available in Resources.
New faces in the AGCAS Publications Team
AGCAS recently welcomed three new members to its PublicationsTeam. They introduce themselves here...
AGCAS recently welcomed three new members to its PublicationsTeam. They introduce themselves here...
David Neale, Editorial Assistant
I studied English Literature at Sheffield University, followed by an MA in Film Studies. My last job was as a Research Assistant, and prior to that I worked on a variety of projects in the local film and media industry. I have also done some voluntary work organising events and running a writers' workshop for the South Yorkshire Filmmakers Network. Outside of work I enjoy playing guitar and going for long walks, and I also do martial arts and yoga.
Ryan Offutt, Editorial Assistant
I am originally from Baltimore, Maryland. In 2002 I graduated with an English degree from the University of Maryland. I completed an MA in English Literature at the University of Sheffield in 2004. My work experience stretches across several industries, including journalism and recruitment. In my free time I enjoy playing music, writing, and exploring the Peak District outside Sheffield.
Kerrie Barnett, Editorial Assistant.
I am an English Studies graduate from Sheffield Hallam University and I went on to work there for one and a half years before joining Ufi (Learndirect) for just under a year. I am very happy that this job role now allows me to combine my interests in the careers advice field with my love for writing and editing. In my spare time I hold the position of city editor for the Sheffield Itchy Guide which reviews venues in Sheffield. I also enjoy traveling and taking short breaks to European cities
New Skillset ALO
Marie O'Flaherty, Careers Adviser at the University of Bedfordshire, is the new AGCAS Liaison Officer for Skillset.
Marie O'Flaherty, Careers Adviser at the University of Bedfordshire, is the new AGCAS Liaison Officer (ALO) for Skillset. Marie will keep AGCAS members up to date with the latest news from Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the media industry. She takes over the role from June Kay, to whom we extend a big thank you for her hard work over the past four years.
Disability Task Group on Prospects Forum
The AGCAS Disability Task Group will feature in a dedicated Disability Graduate Chat Forum to run on Prospects throughout February. The forum will be attended by a panel of experts in different fields.
The AGCAS Disability Task Group will feature in a dedicated Disability Graduate Chat Forum to run on Prospects throughout February. The forum will be attended by a panel of experts in different fields.
The panel consists of representatives from Employment Opportunities, Blind in Business, RNIB, Employability and Remploy. It will also be attended by members of the AGCAS Disability Task Group - this group includes Careers Advisers and a University Disability Adviser, which will hopefully ensure that the information/guidance provided is as wide ranging as the questions we receive!
Visit the Forum and watch how the chat develops. The Disability page is split into ‘threads' so that you can further specify the particular issues you may be interested in. Please highlight this forum to any students you feel may be interested.
Postgraduate Students Task Group seeks new member
The AGCAS Postgraduate Students Task Group is looking for a new member. It is a a very active group with a number of ongoing projects and some exciting new projects planned.
The AGCAS Postgraduate Students Task Group is looking for a new member. It is a a very active group with a number of ongoing projects and some exciting new projects planned.
Its remit covers taught and research students and it is looking for a new member who has experience of working with either or both types of postgraduates. The group meets two to three times per year to stay up to date and plan our work. As well as updating the Postgraduate Toolkit, future activities include a re-write of the AGR Briefing Employer's Guide to Postgraduate Qualifications.
If you are able to commit to two or three days and can devote additional time to develop resources/share good practice (with the support of your Head of Service/Manager) then please send your CV and a supporting statement via email to Julie Blant by Friday 22 February. If you would like to discuss the work of the Task Group further, please contact Julie on 0115 846 6478.
Putting Research into Practice (PROP)
Putting Research Outcomes into Practice (PROP) is part of the HECSU Career Making Research Project and has the remit to create a forum for practitioners and researchers to collaborate on the development and dissemination of practice in careers education and guidance (CEG) in higher education in the UK. It was founded on the consensus that work must be undertaken to bridge the research/practice divide.
Putting Research Outcomes into Practice (PROP) is part of the HECSU Career Making Research Project and has the remit to create a forum for practitioners and researchers to collaborate on the development and dissemination of practice in careers education and guidance (CEG) in higher education in the UK. It was founded on the consensus that work must be undertaken to bridge the research/practice divide.
At present there are around 25 regular PROP participants, the majority of whom are AGCAS members. However, the group is by no means an exclusive one and other participation is always welcomed. Three residential events have been held since its inception in July 2006 and a number of interesting projects have emerged.
A parallel initiative is also being funded by HECSU to stimulate practitioner research. Here, small amounts of funding may be bid for to undertake local (context-specific) research projects. One example covers research into working class students and the career decision making process and combines the expertise of a researcher and careers adviser working together to deepen their understanding of (in this case) the needs of students from 'widening participation' groups.
Other recent projects have included the development of Jobsearch On-line by Strathclyde and a project exploring the pathways for students/graduates entering the voluntary or community work sectors. For further information on PROP go to the HECSU website.
ICT Advisory Group's First Meeting
AGCAS's new ICT Advisory Group held its first meeting in January. The group's first task was to consider its remit and it would like members' views on what that should be.
AGCAS's new ICT Advisory Group held its first meeting in January. The group's first task was to consider its remit and it would like members' views on what it should be.
The group exists to advise AGCAS on how it can best help members use ICT to deliver careers education, information, advice and guidance.
Among the groups first ideas were to bid for AGCAS funding to allow a Wiki to be set up on the AGCAS website. Members of the group also suggested that AGCAS guidance on the use of podcasts and RSS feeds might be helpful - and that AGCAS itself could podcast some of its conference sessions. It will carry out a formal survey later in the spring but in the meantime, members are invited to comment below this article (You must log in first) or contact Chris Jackson.
What do you think?
Careers coaching - join the debate
Coaching is the hot topic of the moment. AGCAS members posted more than twenty messages to our new email discussion list, AGCAS-coaching, on its first three days. It's a place to debate the issues and share information, ideas, experiences and approaches.
Coaching is the hot topic of the moment. AGCAS members posted more than twenty messages to our new email discussion list, AGCAS-coaching, on its first three days. It's a place to debate the issues and share information, ideas, experiences and approaches. Any AGCAS member can join by emailing AGCAS from here.
You can also use our new comments facility to tell us what you think. Are we seeing an entirely new approach that will change the fundamental way we work in future? Or is it really just rebranding? How else would you like to see AGCAS respond? Have you ideas for training, guidelines or resources? If you are an AGCAS member and are signed in, you can comment below.
New AGCAS website launched
AGCAS's new website was launched on February 9th 2008. It is aimed at AGCAS members, members of the wider careers education, advice, information and guidance community, graduate recruiters and anyone who is interested in the graduate labour market.
AGCAS's new website was launched on February 9th 2008. It is aimed at AGCAS members, members of the wider careers education, advice, information and guidance community, graduate recruiters and anyone who is interested in the graduate labour market.
Chris Jackson, AGCAS's Communications and Marketing Manager, hopes that the site will be easy to use and says that there are also lots of new features:
Have a look, in particular, at the new Communities section, which will allow users to see in one place all the articles, events, resources and jobs related to specific areas of interests or regions. There are already over 30, but there will be even more in the coming months.
Chris reminds users that to see all the content to which they have access, they'll have to register with the site and sign in each time they use it.
It will only take a minute. If you don't bother, you'll still see most of the site but nothing which has any permissions restrictions attached to it. Usernames and passwords are individual - and you can choose your own.
Content Developer, Gemma Green, says:
We have gone live at the earliest opportunity, so if you can't find something that you'd expect to be there, do get in touch. We're constantly adding new features and content, as well as material from the old site, and will try to prioritise anything that users tell us they need.
At first, access will be mostly read-only, but AGCAS members will soon be able to submit job vacancies, news items and details of events and resources. However, even now, some articles invite AGCAS members to post comments on topics raised. Comments will only be seen by other AGCAS members. If this facility is popular, it will be extended.
The site also offers many sponsorship and advertising opportunities. Graduate Prospects is the main sponsor, but there are lots of opportunities for other organisations to raise their profile with the site's users. Mark Nuttall, AGCAS's Marketing and Events Assistant, is the person to contact.
The site was developed by AGCAS Website and ICT Support Officer, Jingyu Qi with technical consultants, Transcendit, and design consultants, the B Group.
Email Gemma or Chris with any comments about the content and Qi if you have any technical problems, eg with registering and signing in or accessing any part.
Local news round up
As well as a general newsfeed covering media items to do with careers education, information, advice and guidance, AGCAS now has specific newsfeeds covering London and Scotland. Both are updated daily and can be found in the News section of the AGCAS website.
As well as a general newsfeed covering media items to do with careers education, information, advice and guidance, AGCAS now has specific newsfeeds covering London and Scotland. Both are updated daily and can be found in the News section of the AGCAS website.
The new feeds are there as an experiment. If they are well used and AGCAS members find them helpful, they will be retained.
Nominate an employer for new award
Updated: Nominations for the award outlined below are now closed for 2008. Watch out for news of the shortlist.
AGCAS is seeking nominations for one of GTI's TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards.
The AGCAS-supported award is The Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum and will be awarded to the employer or organisation that has demonstrated best practice in this area, made a real difference to the work of careers services and directly benefited students. The new award reflects the growing interest in employability and the recognition that employers are making a positive contribution to skills development in the curriculum.
Updated: Nominations for the award outlined below are now closed for 2008. Watch out for news of the shortlist.
AGCAS is seeking nominations for one of GTI's TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards. The AGCAS-supported award is The Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum and will be awarded to the employer or organisation that has demonstrated best practice in this area, made a real difference to the work of careers services and directly benefited students.
The new award reflects the growing interest in employability and the recognition that employers are making a positive contribution to skills development in the curriculum.
AGCAS is asking each member service to nominate an organisation which has demonstrated commitment to working with them to add value to programmes relating to skills development, employability, career management or preparation for work. It could be of any size and from any sector.We are particularly interested in learning about employers who have worked closely with careers service in designing, developing and delivering sessions, who have received excellent feedback from students or who have shown innovation in their materials or delivery.
Any member interested in making a nomination, but would like to discuss these criteria in more detail, please give Myfanwy Ford a call on 01970 622381.
To nominate an organisation, members should send brief answers to the following questions by email to Myfanwy Ford.
What has been the nature of this organisation's involvement with your service and your students?
How has this organisation demonstrated excellence in the contribution they have made to developing skills and employability in the curriculum?
The closing date is Friday 22nd February. The award ceremony is at the Hilton, Park Lane, London on May 15th. Nominations will be considered by a panel nominated by the AGCAS Board.
Careerswebushka blog
Struggling to get to grips with ICT in a careers context, looking for inspiration or to share ideas? Helen Pownall, Careers Consultant at the University of Manchester and a member of the AGCAS ICT Advisory Group, has started a blog on all matters ICT and careers.
Struggling to get to grips with ICT in a careers context, looking for inspiration or to share ideas? Helen Pownall, Careers Consultant at the University of Manchester and a member of AGCAS's ICT Advisory Group, has started a blog on all matters ICT and careers.
Helen says:
My passion for the web and new technology and how they're used, or can be used, in careers inspired me to set up my own blog especially for fellow careers practitioners on "all things web and new technology". I've only just started it, so there are just a couple of posts on there at the moment but it would be great if you had a chance to have a look!
I'd really appreciate feedback and comments. As I'm just starting out, I also need to improve my stats and comments and make the blog look well visited, so please pass the link on to colleagues or anyone else you think might be interested too.
It's at: http://careerswebushka.wordpress.com.
If you're registered with this site, signed in and are an AGCAS member, you can comment on the blog and any related matter here.
(You will find more articles on similar topics in the AGCAS ICT Community.)
New website helps grads shine at interview
Recruitment specialist Hobsons has teamed up with Jobsite to bring graduates a new way of preparing for that all-important interview!
Recruitment specialist Hobsons has teamed up with Jobsite to bring graduates a new way of preparing for that all-important interview!
BeMyInterviewer (www.bemyinterviewer.co.uk) is an interactive video website from Jobsite which will help jobseekers practise and improve their interview skills, and banish interview jitters.
It features videos of well known business CEOs and MDs asking their top interview questions, including advice on what these questions are looking for and what an ideal response would include.
Launched on February 14th, BeMyInterviewer.co.uk lets users select from over 100 streamed videos of job interview questions from:
• Ruth Badger (Apprentice finalist and MD of Ruth Badger Consultancy)
• Duncan Bannatyne (entrepreneur and panellist on BBC2’s Dragon’s Den)
• Jacqueline Gold (CEO of Ann Summers and KnickerBox)
• Andy Hart (MD of Associated Northcliffe Digital)
• Kirsty MacCulloch (Project Manager at graduate recruitment specialist Hobsons)
• Keith Potts (CEO of Jobsite.co.uk)
New interviewers will be added regularly to ensure that the site covers a wide array of industries.
Killer questions
Each interviewer also asks a ‘killer question’ – designed to make interviewees think on their feet! Examples include: ‘Tell me a secret you’ve never told anyone before’ (Andy Hart), and ‘Tell me about your biggest success… now tell me about your biggest failure’ (Ruth Badger).
Questions for graduates
BeMyInterviewer contains a series of interview questions specifically for graduates, which can also be accessed through Hobsons’ graduate recruitment website, GET at www.get.hobsons.co.uk.
Together with GET’s extensive careers information and advice, BeMyInterviewer looks set to become an invaluable tool for graduates.
"Altogether different " website
The Co-operative Group has a new website, which aims to make life easier for careers staff.
The Co-operative Group has a new website, which aims to make life easier for careers staff. The site's Careers Advisor Zone has everything that careers professionals need to know about the group's "altogether different" graduate programme.
The group believes that you will find everything you need, all in one dedicated and concise section. You can print off literature, see the business summarised in ten quick points, get answers to frequently asked questions, and even contact the Co-operative Group directly.
Hannah Slaney, Group Graduate Programme Manager for the Co-operative says:
You know The Co-operative Group is proud to offer a graduate programme that is "altogether different", but did you know that we are also proud supporters of AGCAS and sponsors of their Innovation Award? We’ve also recently been voted one of the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers.
Visit the site directly from here.
Social bookmarking careers information
How do you keep track of the many websites and web pages which might be of interest to yourself, your colleagues and your students? Like an increasing number of careers services, LSE uses social bookmarking.
How do you keep track of the many websites and web pages which might be of interest to yourself, your colleagues and your students? Like an increasing number of careers services, LSE uses social bookmarking.
Of all the many ideas, web technologies and phrases associated with this second generation of the internet, social bookmarking is perhaps one of the easiest concepts, with the most evident implications for careers information.
If you like a website and use it a lot, you may have saved or ‘bookmarked' the site's address to the favourites folder in your web browser. In 2002, several websites started to appear, which allowed you to save these bookmarks onto a website instead of just onto your PC, meaning that you could refer to one, personal webpage, to view all your favourite links no matter where you were.
By applying your own tags to a bookmark, you can categorise your list of favourite websites in a way that makes sense to you. The social aspect of bookmarking websites, comes through the sharing of these bookmarks with other users. If you are curious to know what kind of websites other users are storing under the same tags as you, you can browse a list of websites tagged in the same way, by other users on sites such as Del.icio.us. Results are ranked according to popularity by the users; the people who actually understand and make use of the website's content.
Kezia Richmond of LSE explains how social bookmarks are used in her service:
At LSE, we have started our own account: Del.icio.us/LSECareers. When a member of the careers team mentions a web resource it can be added simply by clicking the ‘post to del.icio.us' button, easily installed on a toolbar, and then classified with tags that we hope will correspond with the many different ways students approach careers information. It has been particularly useful as a way of storing news articles. The BBC, The Guardian , The Times - and now the AGCAS - websites now have the links to various social networking websites at the end of many of their articles.
AGCAS members are invited to go into the LSE account site and see how articles have been tagged. For example, you'll find a list of relevant website and articles about Social Bookmarking under the tag ‘Web2.0' .
Read a longer article by Kezia Richmond of LSE in Phoenix - Winter 2007
AGCAS members, who have registered with this site and are signed in, can add comments and ideas below and also read comments left by other members.
Final AGCAS service achieves quality mark
Trinity College Carmarthen has been awarded matrix Accreditation, becoming the final AGCAS service in Great Britain to achieve the quality mark. Trinity had been waiting for a Welsh-speaking assessor to be trained by EMQC, the awarding body.
Trinity College Carmarthen has been awarded matrix Accreditation, becoming the final AGCAS service in Great Britain to achieve the quality mark. Trinity had been waiting for a Welsh-speaking assessor to be trained by EMQC, the awarding body.
Higher aducation careers services in England, Scotland and Wales are eligible for matrix Accreditation, which is a quality mark for organisations offering information, advice or guidance. All eligible AGCAS member service have now been Accredited at least once, with some already having been successfully reassessed.
Technophobe or technophile? Conference date for your diary
The Impact and Influence of Technology is the theme of the first collaborative conference between the AGCAS Careers Information and Employer Liaison Specialist Groups, which takes place in Nottingham 30 June to 2 July 2008.
The Impact and Influence of Technology is the theme of the first collaborative conference between the AGCAS Careers Information and Employer Liaison Specialist Groups, which takes place in Nottingham 30 June to 2 July 2008. Workshops will focus on getting the best out of DLHE, virtual careers fairs, handling vacancies the legal way, and online psychometric testing, to name just a few. There really is something for everybody!
Booking for the conference will be available shortly. Further information will be posted here.
Changes to Prospects interactive services
This article has been removed pending further clarification from Graduate prospects about their new service.
This article has been removed pending further clarification from Graduate prospects about their new service.
New resource for would-be social entrepreneurs
The Social Enterprise Toolkit supports staff working with would-be social entrepreneurs and reflects the growing importance of social entrepreneurship in the UK economy.
The Social Enterprise Toolkit supports staff working with would-be social entrepreneurs and reflects the growing importance of social entrepreneurship in the UK economy. The toolkit was commissioned by the NCGE to enable careers advisors and enterprise officers to better understand the increasing opportunities for graduates in this area and answer questions such as 'Who is a social entrepreneur?' and 'Why would anyone want to be a social entrepreneur?'.
The Toolkit is available from here.
Writers wanted for Occupational Profiles
The AGCAS Publications Team is looking for writers to update a number of Occupational Profiles, covering a wide variety of employment areas. Anybody interested in updating a title should send an application to Kerrie Barnett by Tuesday 18 March.
The AGCAS Publications Team is looking for writers to update a number of Occupational Profiles, covering a wide variety of employment areas. Anybody interested in updating a title should send an application to Kerrie Barnett by Tuesday 18 March.
The deadline for completing the profiles is 23 May. Payment is £230 for profiles written in Word or £285 for profiles submitted on the database (full instructions are provided).
Please give brief details of your interest in the title(s) you're applying for and any experience or contacts you have already in the field, as well as information about your previous writing experience. If no titles leap out at you, but you'd be interested in researching and looking for case studies in an area where you have no particular expertise, please let Kerrie know, as there are sometimes titles that don't attract specific applications.
The titles are:
1. Aeronautical engineer
2. Animal nutritionist
3. Armed Forces officer, training and education
4. Art therapist
5. Banker
6. Community education officer
7. Corporate treasurer
8. Counselling psychologist
9. Educational psychologist
10. Haematologist
11. Health and safety adviser
12. Health promotion specialist
13. Investment banker (operations)
14. IT trainer
15. Management consultant
16. Musician
17. Podiatrist/chiropodist
18. Printmaker
19. Quality assurance manager
20. Quantity surveyor
21. Radiographer/therapeutic
22. Solicitor, Scotland
23. Systems/business analyst
24. Urban general practice surveyor
25. Youth worker
Medical student and junior doctor new DVD
Advising medical students or junior doctors? Unsure of just what they can expect at interview? AGCAS and South West Peninsula Deanery have collaborated on a dvd which provides support for medical students and junior doctors preparing for assessment stations.
Using genuine assessors and candidates, the new DVD shows what may happen in several different assessment stations and also includes feedback from the assessors and the candidates’ reflections, together with narration emphasising the key learning points. The new DVD is being distributed to every junior doctor in the South West via the deanery. AGCAS services, deaneries and others can buy it from AGCAS.
Advising medical students or junior doctors? Unsure of just what they can expect at interview? AGCAS and South West Peninsula Deanery have collaborated on a dvd which provides support for medical students and junior doctors preparing for assessment stations.
Using genuine assessors and candidates, the new DVD shows what may happen in several different assessment stations and also includes feedback from the assessors and the candidates’ reflections, together with narration emphasising the key learning points. The new DVD is being distributed to every junior doctor in the South West via the deanery. AGCAS services, deaneries and others can buy it from AGCAS.
Click here to view the product page and download the booking form. If you are an Associate member of AGCAS, make sure that you are signed-in so that you can open the booking form which gives discounted prices.
Vacancies on the AGCAS Board of Directors
AGCAS is now recruiting motivated and enthusiastic volunteers to join the Board of Directors from 1 August 2008. Do you want to get involved in the management of AGCAS and making key decisions about its future development? Have you got ideas about what AGCAS should be and what it should be able to provide for its staff, members and stakeholders? As a professional body, a company, a charity and an employer, AGCAS needs to be represented at the highest level by a diverse group of committed individuals. As a director you will be making a difference to the future of AGCAS.
AGCAS is now recruiting motivated and enthusiastic volunteers to join the Board of Directors from 1 August 2008. Do you want to get involved in the management of AGCAS and making key decisions about its future development? Have you got ideas about what AGCAS should be and what it should be able to provide for its staff, members and stakeholders? As a professional body, a company, a charity and an employer, AGCAS needs to be represented at the highest level by a diverse group of committed individuals. As a director you will be making a difference to the future of AGCAS.
Nominations are invited from Associate Members for the three positions below. All positions are for three years (1 August 2008 – 31 July 2011). Please note that candidates may be nominated for one or more of the posts.
1) Vice-President
The Vice-President is a Director of AGCAS the Company, a Trustee of AGCAS the Charity and a Company Law Member. The Vice-President normally also has a specific portfolio of responsibility in addition to this role. There is no standard set of duties attached to this post and the role of the AGCAS Vice-President has tended to change as the officers themselves have changed. In broad terms, however, the role includes: deputising for the President as necessary; policy-making – playing a key role in strategic planning and development; representing AGCAS externally as required; and other specific tasks as agreed.
2) Company Secretary
The Company Secretary is a Director of AGCAS the Company, a Trustee of AGCAS the Charity and a Company Law Member. Responsibilities include conducting AGCAS business and liaising with Directors, staff and members in administrative and strategic roles. The Company Secretary has specific responsibility for making annual returns to Companies House, the Charity Commission and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator. A detailed role description is available.
3) Director (Products and Services)
The Director (Products and Services) is a Director of AGCAS the Company and a Trustee of AGCAS the Charity. The Director (Products and Services) chairs the Products and Services Advisory Group (which is co-ordinated by the Training and Publications Manager). The role of the group, led by the Director, is to promote, develop and monitor AGCAS products and publications, make strategic recommendations to the Board, commission and monitor task group and project activity as appropriate.
For more information about the activities of Board members, please see the document Roles and Responsibilities of the AGCAS Board, available below. You are also welcome to contact Wilma Martinelli (AGCAS President-Elect), Margaret Dane (AGCAS Chief Executive) or the Board member currently filling the role in which you are interested. Candidates will need to complete and return a Nomination Form and a Charity Trustee Declaration, available below.
We all rely on AGCAS and the important work it is doing. These are challenging times and you can make a difference. It is vital that we have a full and capable team to lead our association.
The closing date for nominations is 25 April 2008.
New website hits record figures
The new AGCAS website is being used by more people than ever before - our record number of users in a single day stands at over a thousand. Since going live in early February, there have been a number of changes made in response to user feedback. If you haven't used the site recently, take another look!
The new AGCAS website is being used by more people than ever before - our record number of users in a single day stands at over a thousand. Since going live in early February, there have been a number of changes made in response to user feedback. If you haven't used the site recently, take another look!
Problems reported by some users with the right hand column have been addressed. For example, everyone should now see a search engine there. If you don't, please contact Qi.
If you haven't already registered with the site, please have a go. (Remember that you register as an individual now - don't use your old service password.) And if you have registered, don't forget to sign in. You'll be able to use most of the site without signing in, but some resources and facilities are only available to AGCAS members - and you'll need to be registered and signed in for the site to recognise that you are a member. If you have any problems registering or signing in, again contact Qi.
If you are signed in, you'll see that some articles invite you to post comments. These comments will be visible only to other AGCAS members who are signed in.
Do you want to promote a job vacancy in your service? Soon you'll be able to post your own, but in the meantime, contact Mark.
Can't find something? If you're having trouble locating something that you expect to be there, contact Gemma.
UK-China Graduate Work Experience Programme Extends Contract
Recruitment specialist Hobsons will act as managing agent of a high-profile Government project for a further two years, following the success of the project’s first year.
Recruitment specialist Hobsons will act as managing agent of a high-profile Government project for a further two years, following the success of the project’s first year.
The UK-China Graduate Work Experience Programme – an initiative from the Department for Innovation, Universities & Skills – aims to foster cultural links between the UK and China through its young people, giving Chinese university students the opportunity to experience life in the UK through 12- to 52-week salaried internships.
Hobsons was appointed managing agent in May last year. Since then, 85 Chinese students have been accepted onto internships with organisations including Accenture, Somerset County Council, Tesco, Halcrow Group and JP Morgan.
The Programme’s success is largely due to the candidates, who have quickly adjusted to life in the UK, and have impressed employers with their academic and language skills, positive attitude and flexibility.
UK companies have been keen to get involved in the Programme. Paula Quinton-Jones, Graduate Resourcing & Development Manager for Europe at Standard Chartered Bank, who have taken on four interns, comments: ‘We’re delighted with the calibre of our interns – they are already making a fantastic contribution to our business. The interns have delivered a very high quality of work and have developed strong relationships in their teams that have contributed to a better understanding of life in present-day China among their colleagues.’
Paul Clark, Director at Hobsons, says:
"We have found the project fascinating – the quality of the candidates has been outstanding. We are currently securing internships for the next intake of students, and would like to hear from companies – from small businesses to blue-chips – who are interested in getting involved."
Shortlist for employer award announced
The shortlist has been announced for an award for graduate recruiters.The AGCAS Award is for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum and is one of GTI's TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards.
The shortlist has been announced for an award for graduate recruiters. The AGCAS Award is for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum and is one of GTI's TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards.
The six employers still in the running are:
DMH Stallard (Brighton and Gatwick offices)
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
JP Morgan (Bournemouth Office)
Oliver Wyman
RMT
Thorntons Solicitors
All were nominated by AGCAS member services and shortlisted by a panel nominated by the AGCAS Board of Directors.
The winner will be announced at the fourth TARGETjobs Awards evening to be held at the Hilton on Park Lane, London on Thursday 15 May 2008.
Ticket discounts for AGCAS members
GTI are offering AGCAS members reduced price tickets to the event at £95 per person (instead of £175). There will be a champagne reception, meal, the awards ceremony, a charity auction, a casino plus the usual dancing and drinking.
The audience will be comprised mainly of senior recruiters from graduate recruiting companies, so it will be an excellent networking opportunity, as well as a great night out.
Please email Chris Phillips at GTI if you'd like to be one of the 800 guests.
More about the shortlist
Watch out for more information about the shortlist and the winner, once the announcement has been made.
Managing student work experience - new qualification
A new Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma in Managing Student Work Experience is now open for business. A modular professional qualification run and accredited by the University of Reading's Careers Study department, this new qualification will stand alongside the existing AGCAS qualifications.
A new Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma in Managing Student Work Experience is now open for business.
It is a modular professional qualification run and accredited by the University of Reading's Careers Study department. It will stand alongside the existing AGCAS qualifications - the PG Certificate, PG Diploma and MA in CEIG HE - and it is expected that there will be links and routes between the two qualifications.
The qualification is aimed at anyone whose role it is to organise, promote and support students to gain work experience, including job shop staff, placement officers, work experience co-ordinators, volunteer scheme co-ordinators and work-based learning staff.
The first module, The Recruitment Process, will start on 14 April 2008 as a VLE, distance learning programme.
You can find out more about the qualification here.
Enterprise in AGCAS - opportunity to get involved
AGCAS is planning a new task group on entrepreneurship and is seeking expressions of interest from members who would like to become involved. If you are involved in entrepreneurial initiatives within your own service or work with groups most likely to become self employed such as art and design students or have other relevant interests and experience, the group could be for you.
AGCAS is planning a new task group on entrepreneurship and is seeking expressions of interest from members who would like to become involved. If you are involved in entrepreneurial initiatives within your own service or work with groups most likely to become self employed, such as art and design students, or have other relevant interests and experience, this group could be for you. We hope to have representatives from a range of institutions and geographic regions.
It is envisaged that the group will carry out a range of activities and ensure that the wider membership is kept informed.
Task groups, with the support of AGCAS staff, typically undertake tasks such as monitoring governmental, national and regional perspectives and actions, organising the sharing of good practice through events and/or toolkits or resources, collecting data, monitoring research, etc.
There is already a member prepared to act as chair and there will be support to get the group started.
If you are interested and feel you have something to offer in this area, contact Rose Mortenson.
Business game win for Warwick
A student business game from recruitment specialist Hobsons been won by the Warwick Bears, a team from the University of Warwick. The winners of the Global Management Challenge were awarded £3,000 in prize money.
A student business game from recruitment specialist Hobsons been won by the Warwick Bears, a team from the University of Warwick. The winners of the Global Management Challenge were awarded £3,000 in prize money.
Student teams have been competing since October 2007, with over 1,000 students taking part in the competition. The Global Management Challenge is an online business game, whereby student teams run their own virtual company, making decisions about key areas of their business. These decisions are analysed by sophisticated software, determining which teams progress to the next round.
The eight teams who reached the final were from the University of Warwick, the University of Manchester, Nottingham Trent University, and the University of St Andrews.
The Warwick Bears will now play against 27 other countries at the International Final in Bucharest, Romania on 15-16 April.
The skills agenda
The Global Management Challenge is a significant initiative to address the soft-skills shortage employers are experiencing, such as risk taking and commercial awareness. ‘
Employers have been quick to recognise the competition as a new way of interacting with students. Key graduate recruiters including Watson Wyatt, KPMG and RM have mentored teams through the competition.
Nilesh Dosa from KPMG comments: ‘Mentoring the Invulnerable team (from the University of Warwick) all the way to the final has been an incredibly fulfilling and beneficial experience. Using skills and competencies developed in the fast world of M&A to advise and coach a team of undergraduates has been an interesting challenge. I am glad that KPMG encouraged and supported my involvement.’
Sean Russell, Director of Student Development and Enterprise at the University of Warwick, is delighted that a team from the University will be competing internationally: ‘The initiative and enterprise shown by these students by entering the competition and following it thorough to the final has been remarkable. They have demonstrated the initiative and tenacity highly sought after by all employers. It’s also a testament to their ability to juggle the competing demands of this high-flying event with the requirements of their studies.’
Skills Commission launches IAG report
The Skills Commission has completed a six-month inquiry into information, advice and guidance (IAG) services in England, culminating in a final report entitled Inspiration and Aspiration: Realising our Potential in the 21st Century. A copy of the full report (and an Executive Summary) can be downloaded from the Skills Commission website.
The Skills Commission has completed a six-month inquiry into information, advice and guidance (IAG) services in England, culminating in a final report entitled Inspiration and Aspiration: Realising our Potential in the 21st Century. A copy of the full report (and an Executive Summary) can be downloaded from the Skills Commission website.
Careers Education Task Group seeks new member
The AGCAS Careers Education Task Group is looking for a new member. The purpose of this working group is to provide a focus within AGCAS for the exchange and dissemination of information on the development of careers education activities of member institutions, to raise awareness of relevant external developments and to liaise with other relevant organisations. The group would particularly welcome applications from members with an interest and background in IT or web development. Applications are by CV and covering letter to Chris Little by 2 May 2008.
The AGCAS Careers Education Task Group is looking for a new member. The purpose of this working group is to provide a focus within AGCAS for the exchange and dissemination of information on the development of careers education activities of member institutions, to raise awareness of relevant external developments and to liaise with other relevant organisations. The group would particularly welcome applications from members with an interest and background in IT or web development. Applications are by CV and covering letter to Chris Little by 2 May 2008.
Universities compete for entrepreneurial award
Nominations have opened for the Times Higher Awards, the largest annual award competition in UK higher education. The Entrepreneurial University of the Year Award 2008 will be awarded to institutions for, amongst other things, providing a supportive environment for student enterprise and graduate entrepreneurship, and will be sponsored by The National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE). The full criteria is available from the Times Higher Education website, including details of how to apply. The deadline for entries is 12 June 2008.
Nominations have opened for the Times Higher Awards, the largest annual award competition in UK higher education. The Entrepreneurial University of the Year Award 2008 will be awarded to institutions for, amongst other things, providing a supportive environment for student enterprise and graduate entrepreneurship, and will be sponsored by The National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE). The full criteria is available from the Times Higher Education website, including details of how to apply. The deadline for entries is 12 June 2008.
More resources for international students planned
AGCAS, HECSU and NASES have been awarded further funding under the Prime Minister's Initiative Phase 2 (PMI 2) to develop a number of resources for international students and graduates seeking work in the UK and overseas, and for student advisory staff on matters relating to careers and employment.
AGCAS, HECSU and NASES have been awarded further funding under the Prime Minister's Initiative Phase 2 (PMI 2) to develop a number of resources for international students and graduates seeking work in the UK and overseas, and for student advisory staff on matters relating to careers and employment.
Resources planned include a database of employers, a virtual learning environment, a programme of staff training events and international visits, and an online web community.
AGCAS will also be closely involved in the development of a NASES project for students seeking part-time work.
Report published on destinations of disabled graduates
AGCAS's Disability Task Group has produced its annual report, What Happens Next? The report compares the employment outcomes of disabled and non-disabled university leavers six months after graduation and draws upon the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey.
AGCAS's Disability Task Group has produced its annual report, What Happens Next? The report compares the employment outcomes of disabled and non-disabled university leavers six months after graduation and draws upon the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey.
The report focuses on graduates who left university in the 2006/07 academic year. Changes to the economic climate in late 2008 have not impacted on the survey.
Key findings
- The number of disabled graduates has increased by 1,540 (10%) since 2006, with just under 9% of graduates identifying themselves as disabled.
The outcomes for disabled graduates are varied, for example:
- 7.8% of disabled graduates were unemployed compared with 5.6% of non-disabled graduates. This marks the fifth year in succession of improved fortunes for disabled graduates in this regard.
- Just 49.9% of disabled graduates were in full time employment compared to 55.6 % of non-disabled graduates. This is the first widening in this gap for four years.
- Whilst the highest number yet of disabled graduates entered graduate-level employment, the gap between disabled graduates and non-disabled graduates widened, at 65.8% and 67.2% respectively. This is the widest gap since 2006 and reverses the previous trend.
- Some types of disabled graduates continue to perform better than others, eg dyslexic graduates and leavers with unseen disabilities fared relatively well, whilst those with mental health disabilities and wheelchair users/leavers with mobility difficulties performed significantly less well.
Download What Happens Next?
University of Reading to host careers research events
All AGCAS colleagues are invited to a series of talks, seminars and workshops designed to highlight new ideas and research-based practice in careers work. Sessions will feature speakers from the university careers service, the centre of excellence in teaching and learning, and the postgraduate career education and guidance centre.
All AGCAS colleagues are invited to a series of talks, seminars and workshops designed to highlight new ideas and research-based practice in careers work. Sessions will feature speakers from the university careers service, the centre of excellence in teaching and learning, and the postgraduate career education and guidance centre. The series is aimed at past, current or potential students of the University of Reading/AGCAS courses. In particular, there is a research workshop designed to support students following or considering the Reading/AGCAS Special Study or Dissertation modules.
Sessions are free, open to all, and will take place at the University of Reading during May and June 2008. Each session will be followed by the opportunity to talk with speakers.
Bookings are requested by 25 April 2008. The full programme, including session content, speaker details and information on how to register, is available here.
International Entrepreneurship Educators Conference
The third International Entrepreneurship Educators Conference (IEEC), to be held in London from 8-10 September 2008, will be of interest to many careers practitioners. It is now open for bookings and a call for abstracts will be issued shortly.
The third International Entrepreneurship Educators Conference (IEEC), to be held in London from 8-10 September 2008, will be of interest to many careers practitioners. It is now open for bookings and a call for abstracts will be issued shortly
The event will provide anyone involved in entrepreneurship education, including careers professionals, with the opportunity to engage with an international line-up of speakers and to participate through workshops, poster presentations and a live competition.
The conference is again led by the NCGE and Enterprise Educators UK (formerly UKSEC).
Get more information, including a booking form, from the conference website.
NCGE services for careers community
Does the AGCAS Enterprise Community leave you wanting even more on this topic? Did you know that the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) now produces a blog, a news feed and an intelligence bulletin for its careers community?
Does the AGCAS Enterprise Community leave you wanting even more on this topic? Did you know that the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) now produces a blog, a news feed and an intelligence bulletin for its careers community?
To receive the Careers Community Intelligence Bulletin by email, go to the NCGE website's Careers Community and register your details.
The NCGE blog provides regular comment on entrepreneurship and enterprise in higher education, entrepreneurship research and policy. The blog also includes a news feed to items of topical interest to NCGE's communities and stakeholders (typically, stories in the press and new documents). You can subscribe to the NCGE blog and news feed by RSS or email, just as you can to items of interest in the AGCAS Enterprise Community.
AGCAS CEO and member of the NCGE Board, Margaret Dane, says:
'I welcome feedback on how AGCAS and NCGE could collaborate to better meet the needs of AGCAS members, the wider HE IAG community and its clients'.
If you are an AGCAS member, registered with the AGCAS site and signed in, you can use the comments facility below. Alternatively, email Margaret direct.
Nominate someone for lifetime achievement honour
Nominations have opened for the 2008 AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Awards. Up to five awards are made each year to recognise the exceptional and longstanding contribution to AGCAS of members through their professional activities. These awards are aimed primarily at those already retired or about to retire. This is your chance to nominate someone who deserves this AGCAS honour.
Nominations have opened for the 2008 AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Awards. Up to five awards are made each year to recognise the exceptional and longstanding contribution to AGCAS of members through their professional activities. These awards are aimed primarily at those already retired or about to retire.
This is your chance to nominate someone who deserves this AGCAS honour.
Nomination criteria
Nominations may be submitted by any current (including retired) AGCAS member for those individuals considered to have made an exemplary and outstanding contribution to AGCAS through membership of committees, training, writing of materials or other work for AGCAS.
Nominations should include:
- Clear contact information for the nominee and the proposer(s)
- The name(s) of the careers service(s) where the nominee has worked
- A summary of the nominee's main contribution to AGCAS, with dates where possible, and the reason for their nomination
- A clear statement of recommendation by the proposer
Nominations should be submitted electronically (no nomination form will be issued) to Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO, by 31 May 2008. Successful nominees will be notified as soon as possible after that date.
Presentation
The awards will be presented at the 2008 AGCAS annual retired members' reunion. Full details of the winners will be publicised in Phoenix and on this website.
Further details, including the background to the awards and a list of previous winners, are available here.
Encouraging engineers to get off to a Flying Start
Advising enterprising engineers? The National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) has recently launched two programmes aimed at engineering students and graduates interested in starting their own business.
The National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) has recently launched two programmes aimed at engineering students and graduates interested in starting their own business.
The Flying Start Programme for Engineers is offered in conjunction with the Royal Academy of Engineering to final year students and graduates who plan to launch engineering-related businesses in the UK. The scheme will provide the support and training needed to turn engineering business ideas into a reality. The programme involves a 3-day residential followed by mentoring and support for 12 months. The deadline for applications is 16 May 2008, although it is expected that the 30 places offerd will be filled before this date. For further details see the NCGE website.
The Flying Start Global Fellowship takes the best entrepreneurial talent from UK universities and links them with the entrepreneurial environment in America. The scheme is offered in collaboration with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to students and graduates of science, technology, engineering and maths disciplines and involves six months spent in the UK with the sponsor university and six months in the US as an intern in leading innovative companies. The deadline for applications from university-sponsored students and graduates is 9 May 2008. For further details, including full guidelines (for both applicants and universities), see the NCGE website.
Vacancies on the AGCAS Board of Directors
Nominations are invited from Associate Members for the two remaining positions on the AGCAS Board of Directors: Company Secretary and Director (Quality and Membership). Both positions are for three years, from 1 August 2008 to 31 July 2011.
Nominations are invited from Associate Members for the following two remaining positions on the AGCAS Board of Directors.
1) Company Secretary
The Company Secretary is a Director of AGCAS the Company, a Trustee of AGCAS the Charity and a Company Law Member. Responsibilities include conducting AGCAS business and liaising with Directors, staff and members in administrative and strategic roles - far more than taking minutes. The Company Secretary has specific responsibility for making annual returns to Companies House, the Charity Commission and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.
2) Director (Quality and Membership)
The Director (Quality and Membership) is a Director of AGCAS the Company and a Trustee of AGCAS the Charity. The Director (Quality and Membership) chairs the Quality and Membership Advisory Group (QMAG), co-ordinated by the AGCAS Quality and Membership Manager, which will include representatives with expertise from within and outside of the AGCAS membership as required. The purpose of the role is to promote, develop and monitor quality standards in AGCAS services and to advise on AGCAS membership criteria, make strategic recommendations to the Board, commission and monitor task group and project activity as appropriate. The operational aspects of the remit of QAC will be carried out by small task groups, each led by a QMAG member.
Both positions are for three years (1 August 2008 – 31 July 2011). Candidates may be nominated for one or both posts. Candidates will need to complete and return a Nomination Form and a Charity Trustee Declaration.
For more information about the activities of Board members, see the document Roles and Responsibilities of the AGCAS Board. You are also welcome to contact Wilma Martinelli (AGCAS President-Elect), Margaret Dane (AGCAS Chief Executive) or the Board member currently filling the role in which you are interested.
We all rely on AGCAS and the important work it is doing. These are challenging times and you can make a difference. It is vital that we have a full and capable team to lead our association.
The closing date for nominations is 16 May 2008.
AGCAS website - three months on
Since we launched in February, we've added lots of content and made a number of changes which we hope will make life easier for users.
Since we launched in February, we've added lots of content and made a number of changes which we hope will make life easier for users.
Registering and signing in There is now a box for you to tick if you'd like the site to remember you (when using the same computer). If you have any problem at all registering, signing in or opening locked documents, Qi is here to help.
Communities Lots of the communities have new content , so if you're interested in, say, issues to do with international students, employability or enterprise, take a look. The careers advice and guidance community contains a wealth of information - and comment. You can find a full list of communities here. If you want an email alert when content has been added to a community, click the link in the purple box. You can also subscribe to an RSS feed to keep you up to date.
Events We are adding new information on conferences and training courses almost every day. At the time of writing, there are twelve different AGCAS courses taking place this month alone. Browse or search Events.
Resources Lots more added, including a video trailer for the Making an Impact DVD on interviews.
Jobs is the most popular section of the site. Contact Mark to find out how to advertise posts in your service. You can find a full list of current vacancies here. You can also subscribe to job-alert to receive details of vacancies by email.
People should help you contact whoever you're looking for. There's a directory of individual members or you can search by service or task group. Remember, to see personal contact details you'll need to be registered and signed in.
About AGCAS now contains AGCAS's strategy for 2008-11, information on professional development such as our qualifications, the mentoring scheme, a training needs analysis and how to arrange AGCAS bespoke training for your service.
Coming soon - a facility to allow AGCAS members to submit jobs, events and news to the site direct, and workspace areas for AGCAS task groups.
NAGCAS study: Work experience and career development learning
The National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS) is conducting a study aimed at identifying activities or initiatives that provide university students with work experience incorporating elements of career development learning.
The National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS) is conducting a study aimed at identifying activities or initiatives that provide university students with work experience incorporating elements of career development learning. The study, which is part of a project running at Australian universities, invites careers service staff, university staff and businesses/employers worldwide to complete an online survey. The aim is to collect examples of good practice in order to develop models, guidelines and resources to support the employability of university graduates.
The survey deadline is 12 May 2008. Further details, including access to the survey, are available from here.
GTI acquires Hobsons division
The careers publisher Group GTI has agreed to purchase the UK and German graduate recruitment divisions of Hobsons plc.
The careers publisher Group GTI has agreed to purchase the UK and German graduate recruitment divisions of Hobsons plc.
Chris Phillips, Group GTI's UK and Ireland Publishing Director, says:
“We are now working on integrating Hobsons’ businesses into our operations. This acquisition is part of our long term commitment to providing the very best graduate careers and recruitment products and services across Europe.”
The transfer of services is scheduled for 23 May 2008.
Research into placement and work experience
AGCAS's Placement and Work Based Learning Task Group is undertaking research on behalf of AGCAS into work based learning related topics. If you have a specific interest in this area, or your institution is currently undertaking a project in this field and would like the task group to contribute ideas and information, please contact the group's Chair, Michelle Kavan.
AGCAS's Placement and Work Based Learning Task Group is undertaking research on behalf of AGCAS into work based learning related topics. If you have a specific interest in this area, or your institution is currently undertaking a project in this field and would like the task group to contribute ideas and information, please contact the group's Chair, Michelle Kavan.
And the winner is ...
JPMorgan (Bournemouth office) was presented with the AGCAS Award for Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum at the 2008 TARGETjobs award ceremony at the Hilton Park Hotel.
JPMorgan (Bournemouth office) has been presented with the AGCAS Award for Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum at the 2008 TARGETjobs award ceremony at the Hilton Park Hotel.
AGCAS members from HE careers services throughout the UK and Ireland nominated employers for the award, before a panel of judges made the final choice. JPMorgan was nominated by Bournemouth University Careers and Placement Service.
The judges commended the company's ongoing commitment and its wide range of activities, which incuded workshops, mock interview and assessment centre days, games, work shadowing/taster courses and a termly student newsletter. It was especially praised for working closely with both academic and careers service staff to tailor skills sessions to meet student needs.
The award ceremony took place on 15 May 2008.
Find out more about the awards and all the winners and shortlisted organisations here.
Careers Information and Employer Liaison Conference: Book your place
Bookings are now open for the joint AGCAS Careers Information and Employer Liaison Conference: The Impact and Influence of Technology. The conference takes place at the University of Nottingham from 30 June to 2 July 2008.
This is the first joint conference between the AGCAS Careers Information and Employer Liaison Task Groups. The conference will offer something for everyone, whether you are a technophobe or technophile, inlcuding workshops on a wide variety of topics and opportunities for informal networking.
The conference takes place at the University of Nottingham from 30 June to 2 July 2008.
Click here to view programme and workshop details, and to book your place now.
Bookings will close on Monday 2 June 2008.
Careers services more popular than Facebook
New research reveals that students and recent graduates are far more likely to use their careers service than Facebook for careers information and advice.
New research reveals that students and recent graduates are far more likely to use their careers service than Facebook for careers information and advice.
The research shows that, while 77% of students and graduates have accounts with Facebook, only 13% ever use social networking sites for careers information and advice. On the other hand, 86% of students and recent graduates have used their careers service website, with 53% of them regular users. Over 1,700 students and graduates from universities across the UK were questioned for the survey, carried out by Barkers for AGCAS and Graduate Prospects.
A question of trust
When questioned further about their reasons for not using Facebook for careers information, many said they didn't trust the accuracy of the information they would find there. Others were more concerned that social networking sites were not secure.
Students and graduates seem to gravitate to websites they believe they can trust. Besides careers service websites and general careers sites, such as Prospects, the BBC was frequently mentioned as being authoritative.
Interestingly, despite the move towards electronic information and advice, 84% of respondents do not subscribe to podcasts and just 2.8% of the sample said they would download careers podcasts if made available. There was also concern about being overwhelmed by unwanted texts and emails, with 23% of respondents claiming never or rarely to read the emails they receive.
Moving with the times
AGCAS Chief Executive, Margaret Dane, welcomed the research:
'It shows the important role careers services have in providing impartial, up-to-date careers information and advice, which students know they can trust. Web-based resources are increasingly important - and careers service websites are clearly successfully moving with the times - but it's interesting too that 72% of those questioned had made use of their careers service at least once face-to-face.
We know that many more will have used their careers services indirectly, through employability training as part of their course, attending recruitment fairs or employer talks etc, all of which are often organised by their careers service.
Students are a diverse body with a lot of different needs - and careers services are facing many challenges in trying to meet them all. It's great that this research indicates that they are on the right track.'
The full report is available below.
AGCAS members can post comments, which can be viewed by other members. Sign in to the site to use this facility.
Careers provision in HE not good enough?
A new DIUS report claims that information, advice and guidance for undergraduates in England is not good enough. AGCAS is preparing a response and invites members to comment.
A new DIUS report claims that information, advice and guidance for undergraduates in England is not good enough.
The report, Higher Education at Work - High Skills: High Value, sets out the English government's aims to increase the number of people with high-level skills in order to increase the country's productivity and competitiveness.
It also covers issues in relation to the need for good guidance and refers briefly to the new proposed Adult Advancement Careers Service, as well as the inadequacy of IAG available for young people making choices at 14, for potential university students.
It also states that IAG for undergraduates is not good enough, based on the results of the student juries set up by DIUS to capture the student voice.
Download Higher Education at Work - High Skills: High Value report from the DIUS website.
Consultation on the report ends 7 July 2008. The draft AGCAS response is below this article. Please send comments to Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO, as soon as possible.
If you are an AGCAS member and signed into this site, you can also post your comments about the report below for other AGCAS members to read.
You can see more AGCAS responses in the Responses to Consultations area of this website.
League tables - how does government rate them?
A report has been published examining league tables and their impact on higher education.
A new report examines league tables and their impact on higher education.
The report, Counting what is measured or measuring what counts?, commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) naturally focuses on England, but the five league tables covered all include institutions across the UK and many of the findings are relevant across the HE sector.
There is a critical analysis of league tables and their shortcomings but, nevertheless, the report demonstrates their strong influence on HE institutions and on prospective students, not to mention governments, despite some serious methodological limitations. The impact of league table ranking on institutions' ability to recruit and potentially charge higher fees is also addressed. The report also argues for more and better sources of information about HE to be easily available.
Download the full report from the HEFCE website.
If you are an AGCAS member and signed into this site, you can post your comments about the report below for other AGCAS members to read.
Survey to explore career paths of creative graduates
The Institute of Employment Studies (IES) is to undertake a study to explore the career paths of art, design and media graduates. The study, Creative Graduates - Creative Futures, will focus on their experiences of HE, preparation for the labour market, current activities and future aspirations.
The Institute of Employment Studies (IES) is to undertake a study to explore the career paths of art, design and media graduates. The study, Creative Graduates - Creative Futures, will focus on their experiences of HE, preparation for the labour market, current activities and future aspirations.
From autumn 2008, 25-30 HE institutions, over half of which are AGCAS member services, will contact their art, design and media graduates from 2001-2004 via a postal survey. A follow-up email survey and interviews will take place in spring and summer 2009. The final research report will be available at the end of 2009. Analysis will focus on the issues facing graduates during their early careers and the experiences of graduates from different disciplines.
The study has been commissioned by the partnership of HE institutions, with the support of the Council for Higher Education in Art and Design (CHEAD) and the University of the Arts, London. It is intended as a follow-up to the Destinations and Reflections report completed in 1998.
Further details about the study are available from Linda Ball, the project director, or Emma Pollard, the project manager.
New internationalisation resources launched
AGCAS has launched the first of several new resources to help careers services provide better services to international students and graduates.
AGCAS has launched the first of several new resources to help careers services provide better services to international students and graduates. The resources have been made possible by AGCAS's successful bid for government funding under PMI (Prime Minister's Initiative) 2.
Already live is the International Students Community, aimed at any careers professional with an interest in providing careers education, information, advice or guidance to international students. It's a place to share news and information, access resources and find out about relevant events, including AGCAS's own training and conferences. Anyone with an interest in the internationalisation agenda can sign up for email alerts or RSS feeds so that they can be sure of being kept up to date with new items of interest.
The International Media Round Up is a daily update of news stories from the media related to the internationalisation of HE. It enables careers professionals, and others, to monitor the coverage of internationalisation and international labour markets in the national and specialist press.
A workspace for members of AGCAS's Internationalisation Task Group has also been developed. This is an area that members of the group can use when developing new products and services for the use of the wider AGCAS membership.
Coming later in 2008 is a facility to allow AGCAS members in universities and colleges around the UK and Ireland to share teaching and training resources.
Work permits and immigration - free AGCAS events announced
AGCAS is running two free events this autumn to help careers staff who work with international students develop a better understanding of immigration and work permit regulations.
AGCAS is running two events this autumn to help careers staff who work with international students develop a better understanding of immigration and work permit regulations.
There will be a one-day course in London on 3 September 2008 and another in York on 2 December 2008. Both are free because they are funded under the Prime Minister's Initiative (PMI) 2.
Find out more about the event in London.
Find out more about the York event.
There is much more information relevant to anyone offering careers education, information, advice or guidance to international students on the International Students Community page of the AGCAS website.
'Radical changes ahead for careers services' NICEC report
A new report concludes that radical changes already taking place in some institutions will have significant implications for the roles and continuing professional development of higher education careers staff.
A new report concludes that radical changes already taking place in some institutions will have significant implications for the roles and continuing professional development of higher education careers staff.
In the report, Break-Out or Break-Up? Implications of Institutional Employability Strategies for the Role and Structure of University Careers Services, Tony Watts and Val Butcher examine the role of four HE careers services in relation to their institutions' strategies for employability, enterprise, employer engagement and PDP. They conclude that the radical changes taking place in some quarters are a sign of things to come and have significant implications for the roles and continuing professional development of HE careers staff.
The universities examined are Birmingham, Central Lancashire, Lancaster and Liverpool John Moores.
The report was funded by HECSU for PROP (Putting Research Outcomes into Practice).
The full report can be downloaded from below this article.
Contact AGCAS CEO, Margaret Dane, with any comments. AGCAS members who are registered with this site and signed in can also comment on the report's findings via this page.
Race Equality Task Group seeks new member
AGCAS's Race Equality Task Group is looking for a new member/Chair. The group works collaboratively with other diversity task groups and would like to hear from anybody with an interest in developing this important area of AGCAS work.
AGCAS's Race Equality Task Group is looking for a new member/Chair. The group works collaboratively with other diversity task groups and would like to hear from anybody with an interest in developing this important area of AGCAS work.
For further details, email Annette Baxter or tel 0114 225 3744.
AGCAS report explores first destinations and ethnicity
AGCAS's Race Equality Task Group has produced a new report, which outlines the destinations of graduates from different ethnic groups. What Happens Next? compares the employment outcomes of first degree black and minority ethnic graduates with their white counterparts.
AGCAS's Race Equality Task Group has produced a new report, which outlines the destinations of graduates from different ethnic groups. What Happens Next? compares the employment outcomes of first degree black and minority ethnic graduates with their white counterparts, drawing on data from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey.
Download What Happens Next? A Report on Ethnicity and the First Destinations of Graduates.
Research reveals IT sector too 'boring' for students
New research exploring the career intentions of undergraduates reveals that the main reason preventing students from entering the IT sector is their perception that working in IT would be boring.
New research exploring the career intentions of undergraduates reveals that the main reason preventing students from entering the IT sector is their perception that working in IT would be boring.
The study, Do undergraduates want a career in IT?, conducted by CRAC, is based on nearly 2,000 responses from undergraduates. Although the majority consider the IT sector to have a bright future with good prospects, over 60% cited boring work as the main reason they would not join the sector. The study also explores the main influences on career choice and the differences in the choices and motivations of male and female students.
Download the full report from the CRAC website.
CRAC Development Director, Robin Mellors-Bourne, welcomed the research:
'If the UK IT sector wants to remain competitive it needs to harness the best talent. It is already doing a lot right but we have identified a few key areas in which some decisive change could be really effective'.
Trainee teachers with disabilities on the rise
The number of people with disabilities training to become teachers has increased for the fifth year running, according to new research by Durham University. Survey results also show an increasing diversity in the types of people entering the teaching profession.
The number of people with disabilities training to become teachers has increased for the fifth year running, according to new research by Durham University. Survey results also show an increasing diversity in the types of people entering the teaching profession.
Application rates into Initial Teacher Training (IIT) schemes by disabled teaching trainees has doubled in six years. Outside of ‘unseen disabilities’, the greatest number of people entering teacher training are dyslexic, followed by people with hearing or visual impairments. The majority of those surveyed said that they did not see their disability as a barrier to becoming a teacher when they first considered joining the profession.
The research has been announced just as the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) has launched Able to Teach, which offers guidance for providers of IIT on disability discrimination and fitness to teach as part of their campaign to recruit more people with disabilities into teaching.
Do you work with landscape architects?
AGCAS has been asked to provide a liaison officer (ALO) for the Landscape Institute, the chartered body for landscape architects.
AGCAS has been asked to provide a liaison officer (ALO) for the Landscape Institute, the chartered body for landscape architects.
The purpose of the role is to aid communication between the institute and AGCAS, and to keep the membership informed of developments in the profession by sending emails or writing articles for ARENA, Phoenix or the AGCAS website, as necessary. The majority of the work can be done remotely, although AGCAS can provide funding for you to meet with the institute's named contact once or twice a year.
In return, you can expect a higher profile within your institution and the opportunity to make contacts of benefit to yourself, your service and your students.
If you are an AGCAS member and interested in taking on the role - you don't need to be an expert in landscape architecture to apply - please contact Chris Jackson by Friday 25 July 2008 stating the reason for your interest and what you think you could bring to the role.
New Board members announced
Three new members have been elected to the AGCAS Board to replace this year's outgoing directors.
Three new members have been elected to the AGCAS Board to replace this year's outgoing directors.
They are:
AGCAS Company Secretary - John Kirwan, Oxford University
Director (Products and Services) - Martin Pennington, University of Leicester
Director (Quality and Membership) - Sharon Bristowe, University of Huddersfield
All three will take up their positions from 1 August 2008.
Find out more about the governance and organisation of AGCAS.
Sector Skills Councils launch 'time saving' careers portal
Skillfast-UK, the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for fashion and textiles, has created a careers information portal to help busy careers professionals find sector-specific careers information more easily.
Skillfast-UK, the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for fashion and textiles, has created a careers information portal to help busy careers professionals find sector-specific careers information more easily.
Just log on to the Sector Careers Info website to find a list of all 25 SSCs, which industries they are responsible for, and what they have to offer in terms of workshops, job profiles, career resources and real-life case studies. You can also link straight to each SSC's careers website, as well as other useful websites.
New liaison officers in post
AGCAS has appointed new liaison officers (ALOs) to facilitate two-way communication between three external organisations and AGCAS members.
AGCAS has appointed new liaison officers (ALOs) to facilitate two-way communication between three external organisations and AGCAS members.
Julie Hepburn, Deputy Director at Cardiff University Careers Service, is the new ALO for The Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA).
Alison Proudlove, Careers Adviser at Manchester Metropolitan University Careers Service, is the new ALO for Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK).
Margaret Holbrough, Careers Adviser at London South Bank University Careers Service, is the new ALO for The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE).
Julie, Alison and Margaret will no doubt pass on news from their link organisation to AGCAS members once they have made contact with their opposite number.
Find out more about the links AGCAS has with other organisations.
AGCAS at the ASET conference - international students and work experience
Representatives from AGCAS's Placement and Work Based Learning Task Group and Calli Amiras, International Careers Consultant at Brunel University, joined forces to deliver a workshop on the provision of work experience for international students at ASET's conference earlier this month.
Representatives from AGCAS's Placement and Work Based Learning Task Group and Calli Amiras, International Careers Consultant at Brunel University, joined forces to deliver a workshop on the provision of work experience for international students at ASET's conference earlier this month.
Calli briefed workshop participants on the work Brunel University has undertaken over recent years and shared details of new initiatives aimed at supporting international students.
Chair of the Placement and Work Based Learning Task Group, Michelle Kavan, commented:
'We invited Calli to speak at the workshop. Brunel University is actively engaged in supporting international students at all levels and some academic schools have established international task groups to encourage overseas employers to offer placements to sandwich degree students.'
Brunel University won the AGCAS Innovation Award in 2007 for its services to international students through the 'Doing Business In ...' programme of events.
New date for Heads of Service Conference 2009
The AGCAS Heads of Service Conference will take place on 7 and 8 January 2009 in Bristol. This is a change from the previously announced date.
The AGCAS Heads of Service Conference will take place on 7 and 8 January 2009 at the Ramada Jarvis Plaza Hotel, Bristol. This is a change from the previously announced date.
Details of the programme will be available from the events section of the AGCAS website shortly. In the meantime, for details of sponsorship and advertising opportunities, please contact Mark Nuttall.
NAGCAS study puts spotlight on career development learning
The role of career development learning in making a positive contribution to work-integrated learning is being explored as part of an ongoing study led by NAGCAS, the National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (Australia).
The role of career development learning in making a positive contribution to work-integrated learning is being explored as part of an ongoing study led by NAGCAS, the National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (Australia). The study aims to lead to the development of a model for career development learning, including national guidelines and benchmarks, for implementation in Australian universities. The role of career development learning in making a positive contribution to career and academic planning has also been noted.
The findings to date, revealed at the study's half-way mark, were shared at a NAGCAS conference held in Melbourne in June, attended by students, employers, professional associations and career development practitioners.
While the aim of the study is to determine best practice for higher education institutions in Australia, the findings to date will be of interest to many AGCAS members, some of whom have contributed case studies to the work in progress, and indeed any career practitioner with an interest in this area of careers work.
Download a summary of the discussion and key outcomes to date.
How to keep up-to-date with news of interest
There is a new way to keep up-to-date with news on topics of particular interest to you. Members and others can now opt to receive email alerts to news items on any of AGCAS's 20 interest and 12 regional communities as they are posted - or if you prefer, you can opt to subscribe to our RSS feeds.
There is a new way to keep up-to-date with news on topics of particular interest to you. Members and others can now opt to receive email alerts to new news items on any of AGCAS's 20 interest and 12 regional communities - or if you prefer, you can opt to subscribe to our RSS feeds.
AGCAS now has 20 interest communities, covering Advice and Guidance, Careers Education, Careers Information, Creative Industries, Diversity, Employability, Enterprise, Graduate Labour Market, Health and Medical Professions, ICT, Internationalisation, Legal Subjects, Management, Postgraduate, Psychometric Assessment, Qualification, Quality, Recruiters and Partners, Research, and Teaching Professions.
There are 12 regional communities covering nine areas of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
You can access them all via Communities. It's easy to subscribe to the email alert or RSS feed. Once you have registered with the site and signed in, you'll see the link in the purple box on each community page. Just click and you're away. If you're not sure what RSS feeds are, you'll find some useful information under the RSS link at the very bottom of any community page. (You can currently subscribe to job alerts in the same way. Just go to Jobs and click on the relevant links.)
If you'd like to add a news item yourself, or suggest a new community, contact Gemma.
New Occupational Classification launched
The AGCAS Classification Task Group has produced an updated version of the Occupational Classification which, it is hoped, will ensure the continued relevance of the scheme and meet the classification needs of member services.
The AGCAS Classification Task Group has produced an updated version of the Occupational Classification which, it is hoped, will ensure its continued fitness for purpose. It was arrived at through extensive consultation with AGCAS members, Graduate Prospects and AGCAS Liaison Officer (ALO) links with Sector Skills Councils.
While the classification and the total number of major and minor occupational profiles change regularly as a result of comments from writers and the feedback they receive when researching occupations, this is the first major overhaul of the classification since its introduction in 1985.
The new version, launched on 1 August 2008, addresses the many occupational changes that have taken place over the years. From this date, the old classification will cease to appear on the blue band of all newly updated versions of occupational profiles. There will be a transition period when Prospects will be introducing its new taxonomy, after which the new version of the classification will be instated.
Download the new AGCAS Occupational Classification.
A database is currently being developed to hold all occupational classification information. This database will be loaded with the aforementioned listings and will be used for future maintenance of the classification system and for report production.
If you have any queries, contact the AGCAS Classification Task Group.
Senior appointment at AGR
Gary Argent, formerly UK Graduate Recruitment Manager at Logica, has been appointed Operations Manager at AGR (The Association of Graduate Recruiters).
Gary Argent, known to many AGCAS members from his time as UK Graduate Recruitment Manager at Logica, has been appointed Operations Manager at AGR (The Association of Graduate Recruiters).
Read the press release on the AGR website.
Discussion lists - time to review your membership?
More than 2,700 messages were sent through AGCAS's discussion lists in the year ending July 2008. The busiest by far was AGCAS-servicelink, with over 1,500 subscribers sending or receiving over 600 messages, but many more specialist lists were also very well used.
More than 2,700 messages were sent through AGCAS's discussion lists in the year ending July 2008. The busiest by far was AGCAS-servicelink, with over 1,500 subscribers sending or receiving over 600 messages, but many more specialist lists were also very well used.
Did you know, for instance, that there are lists for members with a particular interest in enterprise, MBAs, PDP, psychometric assessment, research and work experience?
With so many lists, it can sometimes be difficult to keep up-to-date. Have you subscribed to the most appropriate lists? Find out more about what's available. To join a list, or if you have a query, simply email lists@agcas.org.uk.
Eleanor bags student of the year award
The University of Reading has awarded the 2008 John Roberts Memorial Prize for the Student of the Year to Eleanor Donoghue, careers information officer at University College Cork.
The University of Reading has awarded the 2008 John Roberts Memorial Prize for the Student of the Year to Eleanor Donoghue, careers information officer at University College Cork, for her work on the Postgraduate Diploma in Careers Education Information and Guidance in HE, one of the qualifications offered by AGCAS and the University of Reading.
The prize is one of two AGCAS awards presented in 2008.
AGCAS awards encourage, reward and share good practice amongst higher education careers practitioners by promoting high quality, creative, innovative and collaborative projects and high professional standards across the full range of HE careers work. Find out more about the range of awards available, along with details of previous winners.
Website winners
Congratulations to the Open University, the winners, and the University of Bedfordshire, the runners-up in this year's AGCAS/HECSU Careers Service Website of the Year competition. Oxford Brookes University was commended.
Congratulations to the Open University, the winners, and the University of Bedfordshire, the runners-up in this year's AGCAS/HECSU Careers Service Website of the Year competition.
Oxford Brookes University was commended.
All three were presented with their awards at the AGCAS Careers Information and Employer Liaison Conference held at the University of Nottingham at the end of June.
This award is judged by students against the following criteria: good design and ease of navigation; links to existing high quality resources; use of original material; imaginative marketing; and regular evaluation.
The prize is one of two AGCAS awards presented in 2008.
AGCAS awards encourage, reward and share good practice amongst higher education careers practitioners by promoting high quality, creative, innovative and collaborative projects and high professional standards across the full range of HE careers work. Find out more about the range of awards available, along with details of previous winners.
New points-based immigration system - how much do you know?
The first phase of the Home Office's new points-based system (PBS), Tier 1, was launched on 30 June 2008. Jo Holliday, international student adviser at the University of Sheffield, has compiled an overview of the new immigration system for AGCAS members.
The first phase of the Home Office's new points-based system (PBS), Tier 1, was launched on 30 June 2008. Full implementation of the new system will result in a huge number of changes to the way that international students will be able to come to work and study in the UK.
Jo Holliday, international student adviser at the University of Sheffield, has compiled an overview of the new immigration system and its five-tier framework to help AGCAS members faced with the task of guiding international students and graduates through the immigration maze.
Task group hail dyslexic training event a success
AGCAS's Disability Task Group held a successful training day in June, which covered a range of issues around dyslexia and the transition to employment. Delegates included staff from careers services and dyslexia support departments.
AGCAS's Disability Task Group held a successful training day covering a range of issues around dyslexia and the transition to employment. The event took place in June at the University of Glamorgan and included delegates from careers services and dyslexia support departments.
The day included personal reflection by speakers Nicola James, an occupational psychologist, and Andi Sanderson, a dyslexic consultant, with each giving accounts of their own experiences of dyslexia. Helping students understand how dyslexia support can be managed in a work situation using skills developed whilst studying was part of the session run by Mark Ingle, an occupational psychologist and dyslexia support tutor.
For those who were unable to attend, the key points from Nicola James' presentation are available as part of her e-bulletin on the Lexxic website.
Top speakers lined up for Biennial 2009
Two prestigious speakers have been confirmed for AGCAS's next Biennial Conference. Dame Julia Cleverdon and Richard Reeves will both deliver keynote speeches at the event, which will be held at Brunel University in September 2009.
Two prestigious speakers have been confirmed for AGCAS's next Biennial Conference. Dame Julia Cleverdon DCVO, CBE and Richard Reeves will both deliver keynote speeches at the event, which will be held at Brunel University in September 2009.
Dame Julia Cleverdon
Dame Julia Cleverdon is vice president of Business in the Community, a movement of 800 companies across the UK committed to improving their positive impact on society. Julia was previously chief executive and has been listed by The Times as one of the 50 most influential women in Britain.
Dame Julia also serves as chair of Teach First, whose mission is to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields. She has recently been invited to join the National Council for Educational Excellence to lead a review for the prime minister on how education-business partnerships can contribute to educational excellence, and is a member of the Prime Minister's Talent and Enterprise Taskforce Advisory Group.
Richard Reeves
Richard Reeves is a writer, commentator and speaker. His interests include the economics and politics of wellbeing; trends in British politics; and the future of the workplace. He regularly writes for the New Statesman, Management Today, The Guardian, The Observer and Prospect magazine. In 2005, he was a presenter of the four-part BBC2 series, Making Slough Happy. His books include: Happy Mondays - Putting the Pleasure Back into Work; CoCo Companies - Work, Happiness and Employee Ownership; and Papering over the Cracks? Rules, Regulation and Real Trust.
Richard is a director of Demos, a former Director of Futures at The Work Foundation, society editor of The Observer, principal policy adviser to the Minister for Welfare Reform, economics correspondent and Washington correspondent of The Guardian, research fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research, one of the UK's premier think-tanks, and a postgraduate researcher at the University of London.
Find out more about the AGCAS Biennial Conference 2009.
AGCAS honours lifetime achievers
We are delighted to announce this year's winners of the AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Award: Val Butcher, Lesley Knaggs, Wendy Llewelyn and Brian Read. The awards were presented at the very successful AGCAS Alumni Reunion in Oxford at the end of August.
We are delighted to announce this year's winners of the AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Award:
Val Butcher
Lesley Knaggs (pictured left)
Wendy Llewelyn (pictured right)
Brian Read (pictured centre)
The awards were presented at the very successful AGCAS Alumni Reunion in Oxford at the end of August. Unfortunately, due to ill health, Val Butcher was unable to join the other recipients at the presentation. Congratulations to all the award winners.
Read the biographies of the deserving winners and find out more about the award.
Faith in the graduate labour market
What impact does religion and belief have on graduate employability? Are particular faith groups more disadvantaged than others? How are employers and institutions addressing this complex area of diversity? Monira Ahmed, Careers Adviser at the University of Liverpool, explores these issues further.
Over the last few years we’ve witnessed a growing number of initiatives, forums and research addressing issues of ethnicity, disability, age and gender in relation to employment. But what about religion and belief? What impact does it actually have on graduate employability? Are particular faith groups more disadvantaged than others? How are employers and institutions addressing this complex area of diversity?
What the research shows
Some research has been conducted to look at how graduates from certain religious backgrounds are faring in the labour market. In 2005, the Department for Work and Pensions in partnership with the DfES examined the participation and outcomes of Muslim graduates in higher education and the labour market. The report highlighted a number of key issues, one of which was that Muslim graduates were less likely than the average graduate to be in employment; in fact, there was an 11% gap in the percentage of Muslim graduates in employment compared with the overall graduate rate. However, this only focuses on a particular faith group. The extent to which religion impacts on the employment outcomes and career choices of graduates is still generally poorly understood. It’s also difficult to compare the performance of different faith groups in the job market after they leave university since data on religion is not collected as part of the DLHE survey. Nevertheless, we do know that religious discrimination and addressing the needs of faith groups still remain a challenge, so what is being done to support the religion and employment agenda?
Positive initiatives
Beyond the legislation, some employer-led ground breaking work is taking place in this area. The Employers’ Forum on Belief (EFB is one such example. The Forum was founded in 2004 by some of the UK’s leading employers. It has become an influential independent network and in January of this year it was re-launched and is currently facilitated by the Employers’ Forum on Age. EFB supporters include high profile organisations such as Accenture, BT, BBC, HSBC, The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Shell. The EFB offers employers practical guidance and shares good practice around issues such as dress codes, religious holidays and prayer facilities. With the re-launch it has set out to extend its activities to include religion and belief equality training via seminars and workshops, an annual conference which took place in February to explore emerging workplace issues on religion and belief, as well as regular information, briefings and legal updates for employers.
What HE careers services are doing
Sheffield Hallam University Careers and Employment Service, through the Impact Programme, has been offering their students a Faith and Work session for the last three years in conjunction with a multi-faith adviser. It started out as an event specifically for the Islamic Society in response to concerns a few students raised about suspected 'Islamophobia' following interview experiences. Now it is open to all and case studies have been used to reflect issues from different faiths. Events have generated interesting discussion promoting respect and flexibility, the need to recognise one's needs and entitlements and also positive attitudes and actions that can prevent problems arising.
The Careers and Student Employment Service at the University of Westminster is also introducing a practical diversity workshop for students and will include faith and employment matters. Some service websites include links to Handling Discrimination: Religion and Belief on the Prospects website, a useful resource for students and graduates which includes information on the law, finding positive employers and case studies.
Where do we go from here?
Addressing faith and employment specifically could be discussed further in AGCAS via networks and email discussions lists. Currently there is no specific task group on religion and belief. Perhaps establishing one could examine issues specific to faith and irrespective of ethnicity? It could forge links with bodies such as the EFB and even lead on research. Such initiatives could certainly help us to develop a better understanding of this highly topical yet under-researched area of diversity. What do you think?
AGCAS members who are registered with this site and signed in can comment below.
This article first appeared in Phoenix (September 2008).
Careers education case study (1): Integrating careers into a media module at a new university in north-west England
This is the first of a new series of careers education case studies produced for the AGCAS Careers Education Community. The case studies are intended to give a flavour of how HE careers education is being developed across the UK. We hope they will give you ideas, help you to avoid 'reinventing the wheel', and give you an overview of the type of work going on in other universities.
Working in the media is both the title of a final year 20-credit module and the aim of most of the students on TV, radio and commercial music production, journalism, film studies and media studies degrees. Jointly delivered and assessed by Careers and Employability and the Department of Media at the University of Chester, it aims to raise awareness of the availability and demands of jobs in a highly volatile market. Students develop and synthesise knowledge and understanding about the media sector, and self-assess and map their own capabilities against specific job criteria.
Module structure
Taught sessions and guest lectures from industry professionals help prepare students for three assignments:
1. Job study (30%)
2. Job application and group presentation (30%)
Part one: application for a vacancy, assessed by a BBC recruiter.
Part two: interview-style group presentation on a topical media issue, eg the opportunities presented by the ‘newspaper' telephone (recently launched in Sweden).
3. Personal employment strategy (40%) requiring a review of the requirements and developments in their intended employment field. This has to include a viable fall-back position and rationale with a targeted CV and personal statement.
Real-world context
This module provides students with a real-world context for research, planning and presentation. The fall-back position is a reminder that this is a highly competitive world that requires hard work, total commitment and a modicum of luck; and if they don't succeed at first, they will be able to use their very transferable skills to seek alternative employment in the short or even long-term.
For further information on this case study, please contact Jean Knowles, Careers Adviser, Careers and Employability, at the University of Chester.
What are careers education case studies?
These case studies have been compiled by members of the AGCAS Careers Education Task Group, building on the good practice developed in the Careers Education Benchmark Statement. They aim to show the diversity of practice and how careers education is developing as a discipline within HE. We hope they will inspire other practitioners to share their experience by drafting case studies that we can publish during 2009. If you have any comments about this section, or would like to submit a short case study summarising your own experience, please contact Iwan Griffiths.
Read all case studies in the series.
NCWE awards - nominations open for best work experience provider
Careers advisers and placement tutors throughout the UK are invited to nominate employers for the Best Work Experience Provider Award as part of the annual National Council for Work Experience (NCWE) awards, which recognise employers for their good practice in work experience provision.
Careers advisers and placement tutors throughout the UK are invited to nominate employers for the Best Work Experience Provider Award as part of the annual National Council for Work Experience (NCWE) Awards, which recognise employers for their good practice in work experience provision.
The awards showcase the very best of the undergraduate work experience on offer and aim to encourage and reward employers for their contribution to positive workforce development by offering students in HE the opportunity to develop key employment skills before graduation.
To nominate an employer, visit the NCWE website and complete the nomination form. Entries are open until 12 December 2008.
AGCAS ambassadors - new liaison officers appointed
AGCAS has established formal links with three external organistions - the Institue of Biology, the Financial Services Skills Council and the NHS - with the appointment of three new liaison officers (ALOs).
AGCAS has established formal links with three external organistions with the appointment of three new liaison officers (ALOs).
Jane Pooler, Careers Adviser at Imperial College London, is the new ALO for the Institute of Biology (IOB).
Seema Shoor, Placement Officer at Brunel University, is the new ALO for the Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC).
Brenda Jacques, Business Development Manager at the University of Lincoln, is the new ALO for the NHS.
ALOs fulfil an important role by linking AGCAS and its members with external organisations and promoting two-way communication. Facilitating the flow of information and reporting on developments in the organisation's sector and HE careers community are key features of an ALO's remit. Often, the ALO acts as an ambassador for AGCAS, which may involve representation at conferences or professional meetings.
Find out more about the links AGCAS has with other organisations.
Enterprise Week 2008 - a national celebration of enterprise
Enterprise Week 2008 will run 17-23 November. Events and activities are planned for the whole of the UK, aimed at unlocking the UK's enterprise potential and inspiring people to have ideas and make them happen.
Enterprise Week 2008 will run 17-23 November. Events and activities are planned for the whole of the UK, aimed at unlocking the UK's enterprise potential and inspiring people to have ideas and make them happen.
Last year, 130 universities ran events and activities as part of the celebration of enterprise.
Find out more about Enterprise Week 2008, including ideas for events and activities. Or contact Sarah Summers to order your free Enterprise Week Guide.
AGCAS Publications Team welcomes new addition
AGCAS recently welcomed a new member to its Publications Team. Amy Newton, originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, has joined the team as editorial assistant.
AGCAS recently welcomed a new member to its Publications Team. Amy Newton, originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, has joined the team as editorial assistant.
Amy introduces herself here:
'I moved to Sheffield from New Orleans, Louisiana in May, where I most recently served as assistant director in the Career Development Center at Loyola University, New Orleans. I have continued working for the career office at Loyola from a distance, developing content for their newly restructured and reorganised website. I graduated from Drury University in 1999 with a degree in English and religion and received my Master of Education in Counselor Education (with an emphasis in Higher Education) from the University of New Orleans in 2005. I am excited that this opportunity combines my experience with the world of careers and my love of writing and editing. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking, writing, art, and reading. I am also looking forward to traveling around the UK and exploring all it has to offer.'
Getting started with career education
AGCAS's Careers Education Task Group has produced a new guide to career education. Getting Started with Career Education offers tips and a recommended course of action to staff new to career education in higher education.
AGCAS's Careers Education Task Group has produced a new guide to career education. Getting Started with Career Education offers tips and a recommended course of action to staff new to career education in higher education.
Find out more about Getting Started with Career Education.
Ethnicity and degree attainment - can your institution contribute to research?
HE institutions are invited to share details of initiatives aimed at improving the degree attainment of black and minority ethnic students as part of wider research into the degree attainment of different groups.
Following the publication of their joint report into the degree attainment variations of different groups, the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) and HE Academy have begun further work to take forward its recommendations by inviting HE institutions to share details of initiatives aimed specifically at improving the degree attainment of black and minority ethnic students.
The original report, Ethnicity, Gender and Degree Attainment, made a number of general recommendations to help address the gap in degree attainment between different groups. The next stage is to understand the work HE institutions are already undertaking to reduce this gap for black and minority ethnic students. It is hoped that the data supplied will help to identify institutions which may be interested in participating in a pilot action learning project planned for 2009/10.
Find out more about the research.
Download the Ethnicity, Gender and Degree Attainment project final report.
Careers education case study (2): Developing a generic careers module for use across subject areas at a ‘plate-glass’ university in north-west England
This is the second case study published as part of the careers education case study series, which aims to give an overview of the type of work going on in other universities and highlight the diversity of careers education practice across the UK.
The challenge
To develop a generic, credit-bearing second year careers module for implementation across the university curriculum. Challenges included the diverse nature of the degrees covered (ranging from physics to history) and the need to customise for each subject area.
The solution
Using various resources, a module was put together, roughly based around the DOTS model. This involved mapping existing career and personal development learning and identifying any shortfalls. The original module consisted of five two-hour workshops, with course work usually comprising an occupational study, a presentation and a CV (with covering letter and advert). Course work requirements varied by subject area. Departments were charged according to hours worked by the careers adviser and time spent on course work marking (including second marking).
Outcomes
Over the last three years, seven departments have adopted the programme, with more coming on board each year. Department ownership of the module suits both the department and careers service, allowing the module to be adapted within the curriculum. It usually sits within professional development and its presence has enhanced university performance in quality audits. The credit-bearing nature of the module means automatic enrolment by the department, focused student participation and improved outcomes in terms of employability development in line with the university’s aims
For further information on this case study, please contact Chris Little, Career Development and Guidance Coordinator, Centre for Employability, Enterprise and Careers, at Lancaster University.
What are careers education case studies?
These case studies have been compiled by members of the AGCAS Careers Education Task Group, building on the good practice developed in the Careers Education Benchmark Statement. They aim to show the diversity of practice and how careers education is developing as a discipline within HE. We hope they will inspire other practitioners to share their experience by drafting case studies that we can publish during 2009. If you have any comments about this section, or would like to submit a short case study summarising your own experience, please contact Iwan Griffiths.
Read all case studies in the series.
IPA launch 'diagonal thinking' test
A new kind of psychometric test has been launched by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA). The Diagonal Thinking Self-assessment Test has been designed to aid recruitment into the advertising and communication industries.
A new kind of psychometric test has been launched by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA). The Diagonal Thinking Self-assessment Test has been designed to aid recruitment into the advertising and communication industries.
Diagonal Thinking is an online tool designed to test the hypothesis that the most successful advertising and communication professionals are both linear and lateral thinkers. The test explores the combination of left and right brain thinking. Designed by a team of occupational psychologists and tested on industry professionals, the IPA has launched the test as a free career guidance tool.
Find out more about Diagonal Thinking.
Prospects virtual fairs – a creative way to find a job
Graduate Prospects will be holding a series of virtual fairs in 2008/9. These innovative careers fairs allow students and graduates, recruiters and course providers to interact within a unique online environment.
Following the success of the Virtual Fair Programme in 2007, Graduate Prospects will be holding another series of virtual fairs in 2008/9. These innovative careers fairs allow students and graduates, recruiters and course providers to interact within a unique online environment.
The virtual environment removes the stresses often associated with traditional recruitment events and allows even the most remote students and graduates to access employers and careers information from the comfort of their own computer.
Last year’s virtual fair events allowed a range of graduate employers to meet over 3,000 potential employees. Since then, the virtual fairs archive has received a mammoth 40,000 page views from over 20,000 users. Laura from Maxxima Group explains why she feels the virtual fair is a creative and effective alternative to traditional recruitment:
'The event was a great success for us, much busier than we expected and we gained some great feedback in terms of what graduates are looking for. This is something that we would not normally have gained from simply placing online adverts and was much appreciated. In addition, we received a number of applications, eight of which were of very high quality. We have used Prospects successfully in the past and the virtual fair confirmed our faith in Prospects to continue to provide us with highly skilled, motivated graduate candidates.'
Around 10-20 graduate recruiters or course providers exhibit at each virtual fair, with each expecting to attract up to 2,000 visitors a day. Students and graduates have access to five key zones, including exhibitor information, vacancies, chatroom events, CVs and interactive careers guidance. For the sector job fairs, each registered student will also be invited to upload their CV to a special database, available only to participating recruiters for the duration of the virtual fair.
This year’s programme of virtual fairs kicks off in November with seven one-day, sector-specific fairs. Confirmed exhibitors include Capital One, NHS Scotland and Camp America, to name but a few. Jayne Rowley, Publishing Director at Graduate Prospects, explains the programme of fairs for 2008/09:
'After taking on board the feedback we received from careers services, we decided to hold a series of sector-specific events. The fairs will cover seven sectors and conclude with a Postgraduate Fair attended by course providers. We are also holding a Gap Year and Work Experience Fair in December, so there really is something for everyone.'
Careers services can also choose to host their own virtual fair, inviting the exhibitors of their choosing to attend. The system is easy to use and can be customised to fit with existing systems. Fairs can run for any duration and hosts can decide on the scheduling of chatroom events.
If you are interested in promoting the Prospects Virtual Fair Programme at your institution, or would like to find out more about hosting your own virtual fair, please contact Jo Denye, Channel Marketing Executive at Graduate Prospects, on 0161 277 5341.
Full Virtual Fairs Programme
Prospects Sector Spectacular Fairs: 17-25 November 2008
- Public and Voluntary Sector and Education (17 November)
- Professional Services, Banking and Management (18 November)
- Engineering, Science and Technology (19 November)
- Sales, Publishing, Media and Marketing (20 November)
- Law (21 November)
- Retail, Tourism and Leisure (24 November)
- IT and Information Services (25 November)
Prospects Postgrad Extravaganza Fair: 26 November 2008
Prospects Virtual Work Experience Fair: 1-5 December 2008
Prospects Virtual Gap Year Fair: 1-5 December 2008
You can view further details of these events on the Prospects website.
Teaching and Related Professions Task Group Bulletin
The latest edition (October 2010) of the AGCAS Teaching and Related Professions Task Group Bulletin is now available.
The latest edition (October 2010) of the AGCAS Teaching and Related Professions Task Group Bulletin is now available.
Teaching and Related Professions Task Group Bulletin
UKRC launch training grants scheme for women in SET
The UK Resource Centre (UKRC) is offering technical grants to help women progress in science, engineering and technology (SET). The focus of the new grants scheme is to support progression at professional and technical levels and increase retention at key stages in SET careers.
The UK Resource Centre (UKRC) is offering technical grants to help women progress in science, engineering and technology (SET). The focus of the new grants scheme is to support progression at professional and technical levels and increase retention at key stages in SET careers.
The first grant period runs 20 October 2008 - 5 December 2008. Full details of the awards available and eligibility criteria are available on the UKRC website.
The UKRC for Women in SET works to significantly improve the participation and position of women in SET occupations in industry, research, academia and public service to benefit the future productivity of the UK and the lifetime earnings and career aspirations of women.
Heads of Service Conference 2009 - booking about to close
There is still just time to book for AGCAS's 2009 Heads of Service Conference, which will take place in Bristol on 7 and 8 January 2009. The conference gives heads and deputy heads of AGCAS member HE careers services the opportunity to meet with colleagues from across the UK and Ireland, as well as graduate recruiters, academics, guidance professionals and other interested parties.
AGCAS's 2009 Heads of Service Conference will take place in Bristol on 7 and 8 January 2009. The conference gives heads and deputy heads of HE careers services the opportunity to meet with colleagues from across the UK and Ireland, as well as graduate recruiters, academics, guidance professionals and other interested parties.
Find out more about the conference and download a booking form.
NASES launch training programme for 2008/9
The National Association of Student Employment Services (NASES) has released details of a number of training and professional development opportunities, which may be of interest to AGCAS members.
The National Association of Student Employment Services (NASES) has released details of a number of training and professional development opportunities, which may be of interest to AGCAS members.
The NASES training programme is open to student employment practitioners working in a variety of HE and FE settings, including careers services, placement offices and employability units. Full details of the training programme are available below.
AGCAS members will receive a discounted rate on all advertised courses by quoting 'AGCAS member' at the time of booking. All bookings are handled by NASES. Contact NASES directly for further details.
TARGETjobs Awards night - win free tickets
The TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2009 takes place in May and once again AGCAS is supporting one of the awards. The university that provides the greatest number of student/graduate votes will receive two free tickets to the event.
The TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2009 takes place in May and once again AGCAS is supporting one of the awards. The university that provides the greatest number of student/graduate votes will receive two free tickets to the event.
Voting has opened so you can encourage students to vote by directing them to the survey. Last year, around 25 careers professionals attended the event and GTI hopes to grow that number in 2009.
New step-by-step guide to making careers podcasts
A recent ICT survey by AGCAS shows that while 38% of HE careers services are currently making use of audio podcasts, at least as many again are considering doing so. But many services are held back by a perceived lack of technical expertise and have asked AGCAS to help them.
A recent ICT survey by AGCAS shows that while 38% of HE careers services are currently making use of audio podcasts, at least as many again are considering doing so. But many services are held back by a perceived lack of technical expertise and have asked AGCAS to help them. We asked James Mears, ICT Officer at the University of Warwick, to write an easy to understand step-by-step guide to podcasting for AGCAS members.
Vacancy on the AGCAS Board of Directors
Nominations are invited from Associate Members of AGCAS for the position of Director (Quality and Membership) on the AGCAS Board of Directors. Responsibilities of the role include promoting, developing and monitoring quality standards in AGCAS services and advising on AGCAS membership criteria.
Nominations are invited from Associate Members of AGCAS for the position of Director (Quality and Membership) on the AGCAS Board of Directors. Responsibilities of the role include promoting, developing and monitoring quality standards in AGCAS services and advising on AGCAS membership criteria.
If you would like to get involved in the strategic management of AGCAS and making key decisions about its future development, or you have ideas about what AGCAS should be able to provide for its staff, members and stakeholders, then this role could be for you. As a professional body, a company, a charity and an employer, AGCAS needs to be represented at the highest level by a diverse group of committed individuals.
The Director (Quality and Membership) is a Director of AGCAS the Company and a Trustee of AGCAS the Charity. The Director will liaise closely with the AGCAS Quality and Membership Manager, a senior member of AGCAS staff, who co-ordinates day-to-day operational matters.
This role provides a great personal development opportunity. Full training will be given. The position is for a period of just under three years, until 31 July 2011.
For more information about the activities of Board members, please see the document Roles and Responsibilities of the AGCAS Board (available below). You are also welcome to contact Peter Rankin (who held the role until 31 July 2008), tel: 01772 892 584/585, or Rose Mortenson, Quality and Membership Manager, tel: 01444 410038, for further information.
Candidates will need to complete a Board of Directors Nomination Form and a Charity Trustee Declaration, available below.
The closing date for nominations is Friday 5 December 2008.
New university networks launched to boost entrepreneurship
A series of University Enterprise Networks (UENs) has been launched by the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE), aimed at encouraging students and graduates to develop world-class skills as entrepreneurs and business leaders.
A series of University Enterprise Networks (UENs) has been launched by the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE), aimed at encouraging students and graduates to develop world-class skills as entrepreneurs and business leaders. The first UENs will focus on the areas of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), innovation and the nuclear sector.
Led by regional development agencies and supported by employers, universities will provide training, advice and encouragement to students and graduates wishing to develop their business ideas or become innovative employees. The universities involved so far include Cambridge, Central Lancashire (UCLan), Coventry, Cranfield, Hertfordshire, Oxford, Reading and Southampton.
The establishment of UENs follows a commitment made by the government in its Enterprise Strategy to further promote and support the development of enterprise by establishing stronger links between business and higher education.
Find out more about UENs on the NCGE website.
Vacancies on the AGCAS MCAN task group
The AGCAS Medical Careers Advisers' Network (MCAN) is seeking new members to join their task group, which is aimed at careers professionals who work with medical students and doctors in training.
The AGCAS Medical Careers Advisers' Network (MCAN) is seeking new members to join their task group, which is aimed at careers professionals who work with medical students and doctors in training.
MCAN meets three times a year to share best practice, discuss changes in medical training and organise networking events and occasional conferences. The group includes both HE careers advisers and those who work for deaneries.
The group currently has two vacancies for full members, plus one vacancy for a co-opted member. Furthermore, the position of chair is also available. Information about the remit of all of these roles, and the terms of reference for MCAN, are available from Laura Brammar, the group's current chair.
If you are interested in applying for any of these roles, please forward a brief CV and covering letter, explaining what you feel you could contribute to the group, to Laura by Thursday 18 December 2008. New members will be invited to the group's first meeting of 2009, most likely Monday 16 February 2009 in London.
If you have any queries or questions regarding MCAN and its membership, please feel free to contact Laura on 020 7866 3634 or Charlene Binding on 0115 846 7129.
'Work with careers services to improve efficiency', says AGR
AGR has published new advice to graduate recruiters, suggesting that they consider ways of working more closely with a wide range of careers services during the economic downturn. The advice comes in a briefing paper, which outlines how graduate recruiters can improve their efficiency in the areas of marketing and attraction, assessment and selection.
AGR has published a briefing paper advising graduate recruiters on how to improve their efficiency in the areas of marketing and attraction, assessment and selection during an economic downturn.
The paper aims to help recruiters by providing insights from those who have experience of previous recessions. Among the suggestions are for recruiters to try to get maximum value from the budget they have available by:
- placing advertisements on university websites, which are often extremely cost-effective;
- offering work placements, which can provide a source of enthusiastic prospective recruits for the future;
- considering less-targeted universities, as over 30,000 students with four or more As now attend non-traditional institutions;
- getting involved with AGCAS activities, to maintain a high profile and build good will across the HE sector.
The paper was welcomed by AGCAS CEO, Margaret Dane, who said:
'AGCAS is committed to helping employers weather the storm and will be working closely with AGR over the coming months to show how careers service-recruiter partnerships can benefit both parties, and ultimately students and graduates.'
AGR was formerly known as The Association of Graduate Recruiters.
Careers education case study (3): Embedding careers education within a three-year business studies degree at a research-focused university
This is the third case study published as part of the careers education case study series, which aims to give a flavour of how HE careers education is being developed across the UK and allows careers professionals to read about the type of work taking place at other universities.
Lancaster University’s BSc (Hons) Business Studies course includes a core module with careers education embedded across all three years. This module was developed jointly by academic and careers service staff to provide targeted careers intervention and employer involvement with a view to increasing student numbers in work experience and in ‘positive’ graduate destinations.
Rationale and objectives
The development was driven by the understanding that employability and effective learning are closely aligned (Yorke & Knight, 2004) and the belief that the most effective learning and positive outcomes would be achieved by enabling individual students to reflect and develop over years rather than weeks. After much discussion, it was decided that the learning objectives for careers education could be achieved without formal assessment.
Key objectives for the module include: raising student awareness of the need for work-relevant skills; preparing students for the graduate selection process and the expectations of employers; and equipping students with the skills and knowledge needed for life-long career management. Critical to achieving these has been enabling students to engage with the ambiguity and uncertainty of the business environment and fitting subject understanding into the broader context of student learning.
Programme structure
- Year 1 focuses on the graduate labour market, employer expectations, self-awareness and the action planning process using a mix of lectures, workshops, one-to-one PDP work and employer visits, business games and case studies.
- Year 2 focuses on organisational roles and opportunities with exploration of networking, decision-making and job search strategy. It incorporates employer visits and one-to-one networking.
- Year 3 focuses on the graduate selection process and job applications with an intensive two-day programme incorporating mock assessment centres, practice psychometric testing and mock interviews.
For further information on this case study, please contact Louise Briggs, Employability Enterprise and Careers Manager at Lancaster University Management School.
What are careers education case studies?
These case studies have been compiled by members of the AGCAS Careers Education Task Group, building on the good practice developed in the Careers Education Benchmark Statement. They aim to show the diversity of practice and how careers education is developing as a discipline within HE. We hope they will inspire other practitioners to share their experience by drafting case studies that we can publish during 2009. If you have any comments about this section, or would like to submit a short case study summarising your own experience, please contact Iwan Griffiths.
Read all case studies in the series.
Graduate Jobs South - a regional graduate retention initiative
Graduate Jobs South (GJS) is a collaborative project between Southampton Solent University, the University of Southampton and the University of Winchester aimed at retaining graduate skills for the local economy in partnership with small to medium-sized employers in the region.
Graduate Jobs South (GJS) is a collaborative project between Southampton Solent University, the University of Southampton and the University of Winchester. The focus of GJS is to try to retain graduate skills for the local economy by encouraging students and graduates to consider and apply for graduate opportunities and placements in the region.
For further details about the scheme, visit the GJS website or contact Meredith Pollock, Project Manager.
Second longitudinal survey of graduate destinations under way
Work has begun on HESA's second longitudinal survey to track the careers of graduates three and a half years after leaving higher education. It is anticipated that the survey will reveal to what extent the recession is affecting graduate choices.
Work has begun on HESA's second longitudinal survey to track the careers of graduates three and a half years after leaving higher education. It is anticipated that the survey will reveal, among other things, to what extent the recession is affecting graduate choices.
The survey has been sent to a sample of leavers who graduated in 2004/05. As well as asking about graduate activities, the survey also asks about career satisfaction.
The survey is being carried out by IFF Research Ltd on behalf of HESA, with help from all higher education institutions in the UK.
Find out more about the 2008/09 survey on the HESA website.
Call for proposals for HECSU-funded practitioner research
HECSU is inviting proposals from AGCAS colleagues for small-scale practitioner research projects, which will be funded by HECSU as part of the Putting Research Outcomes into Practice (PROP) project.
HECSU is inviting proposals from AGCAS colleagues for small-scale practitioner research projects, which will be funded by HECSU during 2009/2010 as part of the Putting Research Outcomes into Practice (PROP) project.
Projects are generally funded to a maximum of £5,000. The deadline for proposals is December 14 2008. Download the proposal form from the HECSU website. Completed forms should be submitted to Jane Artess, HECSU Director of Research.
Read about HECSU's practitioner research to date.
New face in the AGCAS Publications Team
AGCAS recently welcomed another new member to its publications division. Francesca Bauer has joined the team as editorial assistant.
AGCAS recently welcomed another new member to its publications division. Francesca Bauer has joined the team as editorial assistant.
Francesca introduces herself here:
I am delighted to be joining the team at AGCAS where I can further my editing skills and immerse myself in the world of graduate services. I came to Sheffield to complete a postgraduate masters degree in print journalism and have spent the last three and half years writing and editing for a local magazine group. Prior to this, I worked for the Sevenoaks Chronicle, a weekly newspaper in Kent. I also hold a masters degree in Hispanic studies, which I obtained from the University of Aberdeen and spent a year out at the University of Granada, which was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Away from my desk, I am a voracious reader and enjoy travelling.
Careers education case study (4): Embedding work-related learning in the HE curriculum at a university in north-east England
This is the fourth case study published as part of the careers education case study series, which aims to give an overview of the type of work going on in other universities and highlight the diversity of careers education practice across the UK.
Newcastle University Careers Service has developed a careers module with a focus on enhancing student employability and benefiting the local community. It evolved from a student tutoring programme and has now been extended to include students engaged in volunteering and part-time term time work.
Key features
- Students work within the Newcastle University Graduate Skills Framework and undertake reflective self-improvement that introduces them to learning cycles applied to a work-based context.
- Students use structured learning logs, learning materials available on Blackboard and attend workshops, tutorials and seminars to learn how to become more effective learners and how to apply their learning in practice.
- Ten and 20-credit modules are available to second and final year students. All students attend an assessed, competence-based interview and receive a placement supervisor evaluation of their placement performance. Students on 20-credit modules undertake an additional assessed task (formal presentation or action research report).
Outcomes and benefits
Student feedback indicates that they find the module challenging, enjoyable, valuable and good preparation for when they apply for jobs. Future development includes linking more explicitly with electronic PDP systems and liaising with academic schools interested in extending access to this type of module.
For further information on this case study, please contact Jim Wood, Assistant Director (Curriculum) at Newcastle University Careers Service.
What are careers education case studies?
These case studies have been compiled by members of the AGCAS Careers Education Task Group, building on the good practice developed in the Careers Education Benchmark Statement. They aim to show the diversity of practice and how careers education is developing as a discipline within HE. We hope they will inspire other practitioners to share their experience by drafting case studies that we can publish during 2009. If you have any comments about this section, or would like to submit a short case study summarising your own experience, please contact Iwan Griffiths.
Read all case studies in the series.
Applications to the public sector on the rise?
AGCAS is aware of the current media interest in the suggestion that more graduates are turning to the public sector as a result of the economic downturn - and would like your help.
AGCAS is aware of the current media interest in the suggestion that graduates are increasingly turning to the public sector as a result of the economic downturn - and we would like your help.
The issue is highlighted in the following articles, published towards the end of 2008:
Credit crunch brings switch from private to public sector jobs (The Guardian)
Graduates turn to public sector jobs as recession deepens (The Telegraph)
AGCAS would be interested in hearing either statistical or anecdotal evidence from its members, public sector employers or others. Contact Chris Jackson. Or you can add your comment below (this facility is open to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and who are signed in).
Postgraduate study report published
A new HECSU report will interest AGCAS members who offer careers education, information, advice and guidance to postgraduate students. It has been produced for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
A new report on postgraduate study in the UK will interest many AGCAS members. The report, Higher Degrees: Postgraduate Study in the UK 2000/1 - 2005/6, has been written for DIUS by Jane Artess, Charlie Ball and Pearl Mok of HECSU.
It comprises three sections: the first considers demographic change between 2000/1 to 2005/6; the second concerns ways in which postgraduate study is funded; and the third is concerned with destinations for mainly masters and PhD qualifiers. It is essentially a 'mapping' study of the current postgraduate situation in the UK and provides a useful overview, which will be of interest to careers practitioners, particularly those working with postgraduate students.
Download Higher Degrees: Postgraduate Study in the UK 2000/1 - 2005/6.
My approach to guidance? Well, it depends ...
David Winter, Careers Adviser at the Careers Group, University of London, outlines his personal approach to guidance.
The title of this article is a phrase I use a lot when I am asked for my opinion. I always use it when asked about my approach to guidance.
Starting out
I started my guidance career, as many new advisers do, with an ‘information approach’. This reflects the attitude of many students who see us as a source of expert information. This put me under a lot of pressure, as I was acutely aware of my deficiency in this commodity.
The next obvious path for me to take was a ‘matching approach’. Sometimes this worked, but often I failed. Unfortunately, my brain didn’t come with a built-in Prospects Planner module.
Eventually, the holy text of Ali and Graham was revealed to me and I became, for a while, a devotee of the ‘counselling approach’ and reflective exploration. I struggled to master the mysteries of restating and challenging. I learnt the usefulness of contracting and summarising (1).
After a period of devotion to the orthodoxies of the four-stage model, I was drawn towards stranger practices. For a while, I would have described myself as having a ‘learning approach’. I had discovered career learning (2) and social cognitive (3) theories and become focused on developing appropriate career and life management skills in my clients. Nowadays, this might be called a ‘coaching approach’, but I wasn’t cool enough to call it that at the time.
Subsequently, I became intrigued by personal construct theory (4) and my guidance approach leant towards helping clients to understand their construing of themselves and the world around them. Shifting someone’s perspective of their situation could enable them to see different ways of solving their own problems. This led to a dabbling with ‘narrative approaches’ (5) — exploring how clients build stories about their past and future selves.
Of course, I didn’t stay there. Because I was dealing a lot with mature career changers, I began to see the applicability of an ‘existential approach’ (6). It was useful to have a ready-made framework with which to explore bigger issues of meaning and authenticity in relation to life as a whole.
Recently, I have been pondering a ‘linguistic approach’, which looks at how the actual words a client uses can limit their perceived options for change. Possibly, this is linked to NLP in some way, but I’m reluctant to admit it.
Too many options?
All these changes of direction may lead you to make a number of assumptions about me. You might conclude that I am the sort of person who can’t focus on one thing for long before getting distracted by something else. This is true. You might also suppose that, each time I have adopted a new approach, I have cast off the old ones. This is not true. Each new approach has merged with the previous ones; they all surface at different times and in different combinations. Occasionally, it will depend on what mood I am in, but most of the time it depends on the person sitting in front of me: if they seem to be missing a crucial bit of information, I’m in information mode; if they appear to need an opportunity to reflect, I slip back into a counselling approach; if they are re-evaluating their whole life purpose, I’m an existentialist.
The client as individual
My problem with adopting only one approach is that no single approach can possibly deal with all client issues. Some might say that we should follow an approach which seems to deal most effectively with the majority of clients. But what about the minority for whom this approach doesn’t help as much as something else might? Do we just say ”like it or lump it”? I believe that, as the professional, I am the one who should adapt my approach to the personality and the needs of the client rather than expecting the client to adapt to my preferred style. This is hard work because there is no magic formula. I have to spend a certain amount of time trying to understand the specific nature of my client’s needs — even in a 15 minute drop-in — but this often means that I can focus on the approach that will have the biggest impact on this individual. As a rule of thumb, if I have taken the same approach with the last three clients then I begin to suspect I’m being lazy.
David Winter, Careers Group, University of London.
References
1. Ali, L & Graham, B (1996) The Counselling Approach to Careers Guidance
2. Law, B (1996) A career learning theory. In Rethinking Careers Education and Guidance: Theory, Policy, and Practice (ed. Watts, AG, Law, B, Killeen, J, Kidd, J & Hawthorn, R)
3. Lent, RW, Brown, SD & Hackett, G (1994) Towards a unifying social cognitive theory of career and academic interest, choice, and performance. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 45 79–122
4. Fransella, F & Dalton, P (2000) Personal Construct Counselling in Action
5. Gibson, P (2004) Where to from here? A narrative approach to career counseling. Career Development International, 9(2) 176-189
6. Cohen, B (2003) Applying existential theory and intervention to career decision-making. Journal of Career Development, 29(3)
This article first appeared in Phoenix (January 2009).
Lancaster plugs nuclear gap
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has awarded Lancaster University £2.3m to help run the most comprehensive graduate programme the nuclear industry has ever seen.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has awarded Lancaster University £2.3m to help run the most comprehensive graduate programme the nuclear industry has ever seen.
The NDA is responsible for the safe decommissioning of 20 former nuclear industry sites and needs graduates of all disciplines to help project-manage this complicated process.
The programme is backed by more than 20 leading companies - from Rolls-Royce to BAE Systems and Toshiba - and aims to plug a nationwide skills gap in decommissioning. The industry faces a shortage of not only qualified engineers but also graduates in finance, communications and marketing, HR and environmental science.
'Excellent opportunity'
Twelve graduates from a variety of backgrounds have already been recruited for the first programme cohort of three, with placements organised through Lancaster University's Centre for Employability Enterprise and Careers (CEEC). The Director of CEEC, Paul Blackmore, said the contract is an excellent opportunity for Lancaster:
"This will enable CEEC to gain a unique insight into the skills requirement of major recruiters. It will also provide networking opportunities with leading companies and enable us to ultimately increase employment opportunities available to Lancaster University students and graduates."
Carl Dawson, NDA's National Graduate Programme Manager, said:
"Lancaster University has been awarded the contract due to CEEC's impressive 10-year record of providing similar student and graduate-focused employer services. As a service which has regular contact with a vast range of graduate recruiters and other university careers services, it is also able to provide a unique perspective on what makes graduate development schemes attractive to today's graduates."
Programme overview
The graduates will be employed by the university on a two-year fixed-term contract and placed in three 6-month placements at nuclear installations across the UK, as well as one 3-month international secondment in the United States, Japan, France or Sweden.
There will also be 480 hours of training with the aim of turning graduates into chartered professionals. This will involve a blend of behavioural and technical training offsite at the NDA's nuclear graduate training facility where subjects will range from team communication to commercial awareness.
Graduates will be supported by a directorial sponsor, training mentor and personal sponsor, as well as individual project mentors and line managers. There will be the chance to work across the entire nuclear sector in decommissioning, energy supply, defence, nuclear processing and logistics. A tenth of the time will be spent on corporate social responsibility, supporting local businesses, community groups and schools.
A nuclear careers counsellor will support graduates at the end of the programme and their CV will be sent to each of the 20 organisations involved.
A career for life?
Regarding the longevity of careers in the decommissioning sector, Paul comments:
“The word ‘decommissioning’ may suggest to some that this is not a career for life as it may prompt the question “What do graduates do for work when the sites have been decommissioned?”. With many plants having a forecasted decommissioning timeframe of over 100 years, this is unlikely to be an issue for this generation of graduates entering the sector. And like many chosen career paths, graduates are not forced to remain in just one sector. The skills generated in one sector of the nuclear industry are directly transferable to others.”
This article first appeared in Phoenix (January 2009).
Students evaluate Leicester Medical School careers module
Leicester Medical School has introduced a Career Development Special Study Module for all fourth year clinical students. Students were involved in the evaluation of the workshops.
Leicester Medical School introduced a Career Development Special Study Module (SSC) for all fourth year clinical students in summer 2008. The SSC gave over 200 students the opportunity to explore their career aspirations in more depth through choice of three-week placements offered in a wide range of medical specialties, and to attend one of nine career workshops. As a deanery, it has a licence agreement with Windmills (from the University of Liverpool) and so some of the Windmills resources were used during these workshops to introduce career management skills, while also offering time for students to focus on effective preparation for application to the UK Foundation Programme.
Formative assessment of the entire career development SSC included the completion of a 'mock' foundation programme application and a career related task, such as a reflective essay, case study, literature review or career information interview related to the student's specialty placement, which was reviewed by a supervising senior clinician.
Some students with an interest in medical education were approached to analyse the feedback specifically from the careers workshops and it is this element of the SSC that the article below primarily focusses on.
Study China - government funded opportunity for undergraduates
Do your students know about the Study China programme? The closing date for 2009 is 16 January.
Study China is a government-funded three-week study programme in China. It's an opportunity to learn about China, its language and its culture, and it's open to undergraduates in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
You can find out more about the programme here.
Nottingham launches new award for students
The University of Nottingham's Centre for Career Development has launched a new product to help boost the employability of its undergraduates. Students can now gain credit for a range of extra-curricular activities and career planning, and will be rewarded with the Nottingham Advantage Award.
The University of Nottingham's Centre for Career Development has launched a new product, the Nottingham Advantage Award, to help boost the employability of its undergraduates. Students can now gain credit for a range of extra-curricular activities – including volunteering, committee work and student ambassador schemes – and career investigation and planning.
Students need 30 credits to complete the award, normally spread over two or three years. The award is included in the transcript of their degree, although is not assessed as part of their final marks.
Jan Perrett, Acting Director of the Centre for Career Development at the University of Nottingham, says:
"This is new ground for us and we are very excited. It is injecting new life into our careers programme."
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2009).
Newcastle evaluates start of semester campaign
Newcastle University Careers Service took a different approach to raising awareness of its services amongst students at the beginning of the academic year. The staff team descended on campus, armed with branded stationery, in an attempt to increase service usage. And the result?...
Newcastle University Careers Service decided to take a different approach to raising awareness of its services at the beginning of the academic year. The staff team descended on campus, armed with branded stationery, in an attempt to increase service usage.
Following student feedback, the careers service decided the best way to get noticed and increase student awareness of career planning was to be out and about on campus during induction week and the first week of term. This involved motivating a large staff team and distributing 12,500 wall planners detailing careers events, 3,000 branded highlighters and 3,000 branded post-its over two weeks at busy locations on campus for two hours each day.
The result? Attendance at careers workshops and the number of students visiting the service increased by over 30% compared to the same time last year.
Katja Linsenn, Marketing and Communications Manager at Newcastle University Careers Service, said:
"It was hard work, but lots of fun - and a good start to the year."
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2009).
Exeter researches students' perceptions of guidance
The Careers and Employment Service at the University of Exeter recently ran a series of student focus groups as part of wider research into students' perceptions of guidance.
The Careers and Employment Service at the University of Exeter recently ran a series of student focus groups as part of wider research into students' perceptions of guidance.
Students were asked about their previous experience of careers services and their present use of the careers service at Exeter.
Mark Armitage, Senior Careers Adviser, reflects on the research findings - and the demands of Generation Y - in the report below.
New website explores life beyond arts and humanities PhDs
The Centre for Career Management Skills (CCMS) at the University of Reading has launched a new web-based careers resource tailored specifically for arts and humanities PhD researchers. Beyond the PhD brings together audio interviews, video discussions and articles aimed at making visible what happens to postgraduate researchers after they graduate.
The Centre for Career Management Skills (CCMS) at the University of Reading has launched a new web-based careers resource tailored specifically for arts and humanities PhD researchers. Beyond the PhD brings together audio interviews, video discussions and articles aimed at making visible what happens to postgraduate researchers after they graduate.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2009).
Disability Task Group enters the political arena
The AGCAS Disability Task Group (DTG) was recently invited by SKILL, the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities, and the Employers Forum on Disabilities to attend round-table discussions on the topic of accessing skills and employment at each of the three main political party conferences.
The AGCAS Disability Task Group (DTG) was recently invited by SKILL, the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities, and the Employers Forum on Disabilities to attend round-table discussions on the topic of accessing skills and employment at each of the three main political party conferences.
Eddie Tunnah represented the DTG at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham; Marina Matosic attended the Labour party conference in Manchester; Paul Barnes and Margaret Dane attended the Liberal Democrat Conference in Bournemouth.
Each of the discussions were designed to enable politicians, employer representatives and various other professionals with an interest in supporting disabled people to share ideas and information with a view to informing - and hopefully influencing - policy makers.
A full report of the discussions, including the DTG's response to questions distributed in advance, is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article first appeared in Phoenix (January 2009).
Warwick announces new service for medical students
The University of Warwick has developed a model of careers provision for medical students and junior doctors in collaboration with Warwick Medical School and the Coventry and Warwick Foundation School.
The University of Warwick has developed a model of careers provision for medical students and junior doctors in collaboration with Warwick Medical School and the Coventry and Warwick Foundation School.
AGCAS member Witty Sandle, Careers Consultant at the University of Warwick, outlines the range and scope of careers information, advice and guidance provided to medical students and junior doctors at the University of Warwick and the Coventry and Warwick Foundation School, arguing that a seamless service is a model of good practice.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can access the full report below.
Employability and emotional intelligence - new UCLan module
The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has launched a graduate employability module with an emphasis on developing emotional intelligence. Lorraine Dacre Pool, AGCAS member and Lecturer in Employability at UCLan, provides an overview of the CareerEDGE model and asks whether we can teach students to be more emotionally intelligent.
The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has launched a graduate employability module with an emphasis on developing emotional intelligence. The elective module was piloted with a small group of undergraduates during the second semester of the 2007/8 academic year.
Lorraine Dacre Pool, AGCAS member and Lecturer in Employability at UCLan, provides an overview of the CareerEDGE model and asks whether we can teach students to be more emotionally intelligent. AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Lorraine's report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2009).
Derby reflects on first year of new award
The Award for Employability, Leadership and Management was launched by the University of Derby in 2007. Celia Beizsley, Career Development Centre Manager, reflects on its first year of operation.
The Award for Employability, Leadership and Management was launched by the University of Derby in 2007. Celia Beizsley, Career Development Centre Manager, reflects on its first year of operation.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Celia's report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2009).
Sheffield develops re-usable employability resources
The University of Sheffield Careers Service has developed a series of re-usable learning objects (RLOs), digital-based employability resources which can be modified and re-used on different courses.
The University of Sheffield Careers Service has developed a series of re-usable learning objects (RLOs), digital-based employability resources which can be modified and re-used on different courses.
Supported by Teaching Quality Enhancement Funding, the aim of the project is to embed RLOs within modules delivered within the curriculum, tailored to the needs of individual departments and subject disciplines and, in doing so, promote employability as an important element of all degree programmes to both academic staff and students.
Nine RLOs were developed during the pilot stage of the project. This will be extended during Phase 2 of the project in 2008/9.
Read more about the project in Hilary Whorrall's report, which is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2009).
Research resources reviewed
Phil McCash, a member of AGCAS's Research and Innovation Advisory Group, provides a critique of recently issued research publications, which will be of interest to many AGCAS members.
Phil McCash, a member of AGCAS's Research and Innovation Advisory Group, provides a critique of recently issued research publications, which will be of interest to many AGCAS members.
Understanding Careers: the Metaphors of Working Lives (Kerr Inkson, 2007) is unusual in that it has been written for students, not just careers professionals. It is an innovative and exciting contribution, and could feature as a course reader on an undergraduate career education module.
The Handbook of Career Studies (Gunz and Peiperl, 2007) is a more advanced work that will be of interest to career professionals and researchers.
The Encyclopedia of Career Development (Greenhaus and Callanan, 2006) is weighty at two volumes, but could be of value to students and staff.
Look out for longer reviews of these publications in future editions of Phoenix.
Interested in graduate destinations? Invitation to join AGCAS task group
The AGCAS Education Liaison Task Group currently has three vacancies and invites AGCAS members with an interest in graduate destinations to join their group.
The AGCAS Education Liaison Task Group currently has three vacancies and invites AGCAS members with an interest in graduate destinations to join their group.
The task group meets three times a year and much of the work involves the production of What Do Graduates Do?. Discipline sections of the publication are allocated to different members of the team who work on compiling lists of destinations, as well as writing editiorial. View the latest edition of What Do Graduates Do?. The group also produces an annual bulletin, Link-Up, which offers advice to schools, colleges and careers/Connexions services in the UK. View the latest edition of Link-Up.
So, if you'd like to contribute to the production of these publications (and see your name in print), or have a passion for DLHE, you may be the person the group is looking for. The group wishes to recruit members who will be able to bring expertise, contacts, and a fresh perspective to advise and inform their activities.
To apply, email the task group's chair, Janet Willis, with a brief outline supporting your application. It is important that you have the backing of your head of service, as providing input to What Do Graduates Do? requires additional commitment outside meeting times.
The deadline for applications is Friday 30 January 2009.
Recession, graduate recruitment and the media
Media coverage of the impact of the recession on graduate employment has intensified in recent weeks. While not suggesting that graduates are going to have an easy ride in 2009, AGCAS feels it has a responsibility to put some of the coverage in perspective.
Media coverage of the impact of the recession on graduate employment has intensified in recent weeks. While not suggesting that graduates are going to have an easy ride in 2009, AGCAS feels it has a responsibility to put some of the coverage in perspective.
More targeting?
The Times, for example, on 10 January 2009 claimed: 'Big companies have already narrowed their search to five elite universities as they cut back on recruitment'. It offered no evidence.
The Guardian, on the same day, quoted Malcolm Grant, provost of University College London and chair of the Russell Group, as saying: 'Firms are already narrowing their search to a small number of universities - Oxford, Cambridge, the LSE, UCL and Imperial - and I think that's a shame'.
The Daily Telegraph on 14 January 2009 chipped in with: 'The study (an annual survey by market research company, High Fliers) suggested that companies were still concentrating their recruitment drives on an elite group of institutions, including Manchester, Warwick and the London universities'.
Most AGCAS members know that some recruiters have always targeted particular institutions and that the High Fliers survey covers the graduate recruitment schemes of only a hundred or so companies. Even before the current recession, they accounted for a very small number of graduate jobs. Twenty thousand or so of almost half a million HE leavers get jobs on schemes covered by the survey. A decrease of 20% in the number of places available is, of course, bad news for those interested in applying but in fact would mean 3-3.5% of HE leavers joining them rather than 4% or so. The same percentage decrease is not necessarily expected across the graduate labour market as a whole. Some sectors are even predicted to grow.
Employers still 'in touch'
However, it can be hard work getting the media interested in facts like these or in putting across messages that will help students rather than cause panic.
Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO, in a letter published in the Guardian (14 January 2009) said:
'Graduates, students, prospective students and their parents should be assured that all sensible recruiters will try to attract the best talent they can and know that it is to be found at a wide range of HE institutions across the whole UK. HE careers advisers around the country will confirm that many employers, SMEs as well as the biggest recruiters, are still in touch with campuses around the country, taking part in events for students and advertising the opportunities they do have widely'.
The letter was edited - they missed out completely the paragraph that read:
'HE careers services and employers are already working together across the country to provide extra help to students and graduates, encouraging them to start early, develop their skills, use the support services available, consider a range of options and to think long-term'.
But we'll keep trying.
Your experience?
In the meantime, we'd appreciate any information that you can provide (qualitative data or anecdotal evidence) about changes in the behaviour of recruiters or students and about anything HE careers services are doing differently. AGCAS members who are registered and signed into this site can comment below. Or email Chris Jackson, AGCAS Communications and Marketing Manager.
You can keep up-to-date with media coverage of issues relevant to HE careers professionals via the media round up on the this website.
Work-life in balance?
Carol Wilson is a self-employed careers consultant who specialises in working with career changers. In 2007, Carol conducted research into work-life balance, viewing it from the perspective of the individual and using careers advisers as case studies.
Carol Wilson is a self-employed careers consultant who specialises in working with career changers. In 2007, Carol conducted research into work-life balance, viewing it from the perspective of the individual and using careers advisers as case studies.
The article below focuses on the implications of her research for the work of careers advisers and illustrates the level of skill and experience required to engage effectively with career changers, using the issue of work-life balance as an example.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2009).
How to make a podcast - part two published
The second part of the step-by-step guide to podcasting, produced by James Mears, ICT Officer at the University of Warwick and a member of AGCAS's ICT Advisory Group, has been published.
James Mears, ICT Officer at the University of Warwick and a member of AGCAS's ICT Advisory Group, has published the second part of his step-by-step guide to podcasting, How to make a podcast, an easy to understand resource offering technical expertise and guidance to AGCAS members interested in learning about digital media.
AGCAS plans China visit
AGCAS has secured funding as part of PMI2 for a short visit to China. AGCAS representatives will be visiting Beijing and Shanghai during the period 13 - 23 March 2009.
AGCAS has secured funding as part of PMI2 for a short visit to China. AGCAS representatives will be visiting Beijing and Shanghai during the period 13 - 23 March 2009.
Members of the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group and AGCAS Chief Executive and PMI2 project leader, Margaret Dane, will be meeting with Chinese employers, representatives of HR associations, Know About Business centres, HE careers professionals and some UK alumni.
Margaret Dane outlines the aims of the visit:
'We plan to produce a visit report including some case studies, useful contacts for all AGCAS services to share, and updates on the Chinese labour market. Our main aim is to help inform and support all AGCAS services in an aspect of their work which is challenging all services, but where the resources available are even more disparate than elsewhere.'
What is PMI2?
Launched in April 2006, the Prime Minister's Initiative for International Education, commonly referred to as PMI2, is a five-year strategy to secure the UK's position as a leader in international education and sustain the managed growth of UK international education delivered both in the UK and overseas. Read more about PMI2
Be a winner - enter now for AGCAS Awards for Excellence 2009
AGCAS invites members to apply for its 2009 Awards for Excellence - and, for the first time, encourages members to nominate employers for two new awards. Employers can also nominate themselves for the awards, the winners of which will be chosen by the full AGCAS membership. Also new this year are awards for marketing and for staff recruitment and development, making 13 categories in total.
AGCAS invites members to apply for its 2009 Awards for Excellence - and, for the first time, encourages members to nominate employers for two new awards. Employers can also nominate themselves for the awards, the winners of which will be chosen by the full AGCAS membership. Also new this year are awards for marketing and for staff recruitment and development, making 13 categories in total.
The prestigious national awards, encourage, reward and disseminate good practice. Winners will receive a trophy to show off, a certificate to display, a logo to use on their website and in print, and will be featured in a special supplement to this autumn's issue of Phoenix. And they can expect lots of spin off benefit too. Hear what some previous winners have to say:
'If you get fed up with commercial organisations that over-promise and under-deliver, fight back by getting national recognition for real achievement. Winning a prize rewards team effort and is a great morale booster while senior managers seem to place increasing value on the PR value. And how pleasing to write a job advert that starts with "Join an award-winning team"...'
Jane Standley, Director of Careers and Student Employability, Brunel University
'We've been lucky enough to win a number of awards including AGCAS ones. I can't over-emphasise the positive impact that this has had on our reputation within the university, with prospective and current students and with prospective staff, too.'
Nick Keeley, Director, Newcastle University Careers Service
'AGCAS members working together achieve some excellent outcomes for careers services and their clients, but the significance of these achievements is not always recognised in our own institutions where we are a minority profession. Gaining an AGCAS award is an indication that our hard work is really valued by other guidance practitioners. The fact that it is a national award is also a signal to our institutions that they have excellence in the careers service on their doorstep.'
Barbara Graham, Director, University of Strathclyde Careers Service
'Winning the award was great because it raised our profile in the university but also showed how we were working with a local charity and our sister universities in the local region.'
Bridget Millmore, Deputy Director, University of Sussex Career Development and Employment Centre
'Winning an AGCAS award felt special because it is an acknowledgement from your professional colleagues of something achieved - being professionals in the field they know for sure whether something is good or not! The things we receive awards for are things we are doing to enhance our services anyway so it is not an additional pressure on time or resources to make a submission. Winners then have great opportunities to secure some publicity around the university through the staff magazine and Students' Union, for example, and by including it as an achievement in the annual report and other formal papers, it helps send a serious message to senior managers about the commitment and competence of their careers service.'
Audrey McCulloch, Deputy Director, University of Strathclyde Careers Service
What are you waiting for? Check out full details of the awards and how to apply. The closing date is 15 May 2009.
Careers education case study (5): Expanding an existing first year careers module to accommodate more students from more disciplines at a university in the West Midlands
This is the fifth case study published as part of the Careers Education Case Study Series.
The challenge
To deliver a generic, credit bearing first year careers module in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) at Aston University. Challenges include the increasing numbers of students from an ever wider range of subjects.
The solution
The original module consisted of five two-hour workshops, with course work including group poster presentation and an individual action plan and summary of learning. When the numbers exploded from 40 students to 120, the delivery of workshops and course work marking began to mount. The load was shared between academics in SEAS and the careers service, with workshops delivered simultaneously to groups of 30/40 students. It was decided that lectures 2-5 would be delivered as audio files on WebCT to save repeating lectures and to guarantee consistency of delivery. In 2008/9 SEAS changed its VLE to Blackboard 8, so the decision was made to update lectures. This time it was decided to record lectures as video files using Mediasite. There are four virtual lectures in total.
Outcomes
This academic year we have 250 students enrolled on the module. They can access the lectures and supporting materials on Blackboard 24-7. The module continues to be credit bearing and part-owned by the careers service and SEAS. We still use group poster presentations as an assessed task with the individual assessments done as a 40-minute on-line test at the end of the module. An additional benefit of using Mediasite and Blackboard is that the virtual lectures are open to any students enrolled on a Blackboard module. At least one other course is advising students to access the materials on the open resource part of Blackboard.
For further information on this case study, please contact Steve Thompson, Senior Careers Adviser, Aston University Careers Service.
What are careers education case studies?
These case studies have been compiled by members of the AGCAS Careers Education Task Group, building on the good practice developed in the Careers Education Benchmark Statement. They aim to show the diversity of practice and how careers education is developing as a discipline within HE. We hope they will inspire other practitioners to share their experience by drafting case studies that we can publish during 2009. If you have any comments about this section, or would like to submit a short case study summarising your own experience, please contact Iwan Griffiths.
Read all case studies in the series.
Are you receiving all the information you need from AGCAS?
AGCAS's recent ICT survey told us that one of the things members value most from AGCAS is 'being kept up-to-date on things I need to know'. On the other hand, 53% found it difficult to deal with email overload. To give members more control over the volume and sort of information arriving in your inbox, we offer a range of discussion lists to which you can subscribe.
AGCAS's recent ICT survey told us that one of the things members value most from AGCAS is 'being kept up-to-date on things I need to know'. On the other hand, 53% found it difficult to deal with email overload. To give members more control over the volume and sort of information arriving in your inbox, we offer a range of discussion lists to which you can subscribe. In addition to AGCAS-servicelink and agcas-network on which you can pick the brains of fellow AGCAS members, check out the following:
If you want to be kept up-to-date with all professional development conferences, networking and training days and resources being developed by AGCAS services and partner organisations, make sure you subscribe to AGCAS-ALERT;
To find out about what events and resources for students, member services and others are developing, subscribe to AGCAS-STUDENTALERT;
To be kept up-to-date with job vacancies for careers professionals, subscribe to AGCAS-JOBALERT.
We also have a wide range of specialist lists to cater for special interests such as research, careers education, art and design, awards and PDP and many more. Check out the full list and subscribe to those of interest by emailing us.
And we have a range of LinkedIn groups, which can help you connect to wider networks.
And don't forget that you can also subscribe to RSS feeds and email alerts from various parts of our website, including our many communities. It's very simple to do but if you're stuck, AGCAS's ICT team will be happy to help you.
Recession - careers services' response
AGCAS has asked heads of university careers services around the UK what impact the recession appears to be having on their students and graduates, the employers they work with and on the services they offer.
AGCAS has asked heads of university careers services around the UK what impact the recession appears to be having on their students and graduates, the employers they work with and on the services they offer. The survey was carried out in January and February 2009. Twenty heads replied. This article summarises their responses.
Student reactions
Q: Are you seeing an increase in student or graduate approaches which appear to have been driven by the current situation? What sort of concerns are students and graduates expressing?
A: Most respondents reported some changes to student behaviour - more students seem worried but few appear to be panicking; fewer are showing an interest in banking; more are applying to the public sector, including teaching and nursing; more seem to be considering postgraduate study; law was also reported to be more popular this year; one head reported a decrease in students wanting to start a business; one mentioned an increased interest in gap years.
Some heads reported that more students appeared be planning early as shown by increased attendance at workshops on topics such as creative job hunting; attendance at some (but not all) fairs; demand for one-to-one interviews.
Employer activity
Q: Have you heard of any employers who have said they will not be recruiting graduates, who expect to significantly reduce the numbers they take on or who will be recruiting from a smaller range of institutions? Or, conversely, any who expect to recruit at the same levels as last year or even take on more graduates?
A: Some services reported more vacancies in autumn 2008 than in 2007 but there was no widespread expectation that the trend would continue into spring. Most respondents report that there are fewer jobs in many sectors, including the media, retail, and pharmaceutical, not just banking, property and construction, which seemed to be the case when the survey was last carried out in October. However, there were also reports that some recruiters are reporting a reduction in applications, which they perceive to be as a result of the impact of media coverage on students. Consequently, while some recruiters have brought their deadlines forward, others have extended them. There were some reports of redundancies affecting a small number of placement students as well as graduate jobs. Healthcare, education, the armed forces and other public sector employers and some engineering and utilities firms, on the other hand, were reported by some to be recruiting at or above their normal levels.
In addition, some heads reported that fewer employers were participating in their events programmes such as career management and skills development training; one head reported that some employers seem to be converting some of their graduate equivalent jobs to sit outside of graduate training schemes (ie, positions exist but they are no longer considered graduate positions - a cheaper way to afford the resource); one said that some employers were targeting more narrowly in order to reduce the cost of recruitment.
Extra services
Q: Do you anticipate doing anything differently yourselves - any new services or change of emphasis?
A: Respondents mentioned new publications such as staff and employer newsletters, briefings and flyers; more use of technology such as RSS feeds to which students subscribe for regular updates; a director's blog, podcasts; short videos for students; sessions on topics such as creative job hunting and coping with the recession; ongoing monitoring of the labour market; more presentations and closer contact with academics; more proactive vacancy-seeking including the use of alumni; extra physical and virtual fairs. One respondent mentioned 'a big push on the subjects of volunteering and mentoring programmes, KTP and gap year opportunities'.
Messages
Q What messages would you like to see AGCAS get across via the media to students and to other audiences?
The main messages you asked us to communicate to:
Students - be proactive and positive, target applications, prepare well, continue with your studies; be flexible; understand that some sectors may be affected more than others; don't believe all media coverage; don't panic; and use your careers service.
Employers - think long term; be honest; continue to recruit from a wide range of institutions; and make use of and communicate with careers services.
The media - acknowledge that some sectors may be affected more than others and give more balanced coverage.
Government and HE managers - invest in careers and employability services.
A further survey will be carried out in a few months' time.
AGCAS welcomes new staff member
AGCAS recently welcomed a new member to its Marketing and Communications Team. Adam Gleeson has joined as Website and ICT Support Officer.
AGCAS recently welcomed a new member to its Marketing and Communications Team. Adam Gleeson has joined as Website and ICT Support Officer.
Adam introduces himself here:
'I recently joined AGCAS after completing a postgraduate course in animation for computer games at Sheffield Hallam University, where I also did my undergraduate degree in computing. My role is to maintain the AGCAS website and to provide ICT support. My main interests lie in technology, which is how I have found myself working with computers. Other interests I have include 3D animation and motorsport.'
Adam is covering Qi's maternity leave and usually works on Mondays and Thursdays. Please contact Adam about any technical issues with the AGCAS website.
Nominate an employer for a TARGETjobs Award
AGCAS member services are invited to nominate an employer for the AGCAS Award for Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum, part of GTI's annual TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards.
AGCAS member services are invited to nominate an employer for the AGCAS Award for Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum, part of GTI's annual TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards.
The award reflects the continuing interest in employability and in employers making a positive contribution to skills development in the curriculum. It will be awarded to the employer or organisation who has demonstrated best practice in this area.
We are asking each member service to nominate an employer or organisation - of any size and from any sector - who has demonstrated commitment and expertise in working with your service to add value to any or all of your programmes relating to skills development, employability, career management or preparation for work.
We are particularly interested in learning about employers who have:
- worked closely with you in designing, developing and delivering sessions;
- received excellent feedback from students;
- shown innovation in their materials or delivery.
For each nomination, please briefly answer the following questions:
1. What has been the nature of the organisation's involvement with your service and students?
2. How has the organisation demonstrated excellence in the contribution they have made to developing skills and employability in the curriculum?
Please email nominations to Chris Jackson by Friday 13 March 2009. They will be considered by a panel nominated by the AGCAS Board.
The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony at Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London, on May 21 2009.
Postgraduate Toolkit re-launched
The AGCAS Postgraduate Students Task Group has re-launched their Postgraduate Toolkit. Now in its sixth year, this is a useful resource recently updated to include key reports, books and web links for those working with both research and taught postgraduates.
The AGCAS Postgraduate Students Task Group has re-launched their Postgraduate Toolkit. Now in its sixth year, this is a useful resource recently updated to include key reports, books and web links for those working with both research and taught postgraduates.
Download the Postgraduate Toolkit
AGCAS shares recession experiences at GTI breakfast meeting
Anne-Marie Martin of the Careers Group at the University of London has spoken, on behalf of AGCAS, to an audience of graduate recruiters and careers service heads. The occasion was a GTI Breakfast News meeting. Anne-Marie summarised research carried out amongst AGCAS members about the impact of the recession on campus and she told the audience what careers services are doing to help students.
Anne-Marie Martin of the Careers Group at the University of London has spoken, on behalf of AGCAS, to an audience of graduate recruiters and careers service heads. The occasion was a GTI Breakfast News meeting. Anne-Marie summarised research carried out amongst AGCAS members about the impact of the recession on campus and she told the audience what careers services are doing to help students.
Anne-Marie also used the occasion to encourage employers to get involved with HE careers services and with AGCAS, and especially to use the AGCAS Biennial Conference in September 2009 to network with careers practitioners.
Latest insights
This was AGCAS's first invitation to nominate a speaker for GTI's well-established series of early morning meetings, designed to offer the latest insights into the state of the graduate recruitment market.
Other speakers included: Bryan Finn of Business Economics, whose slides showing the state of the economy made really interesting if scary reading; Neil Harrison of TMP Worldwide who talked about student confidence levels and the role and promotion of internships; and Carl Gilleard of AGR who gave a snapshot of current graduate recruiter confidence.
AGCAS will provide speakers for future meetings.
The presentation slides from the meeting are available below to AGCAS members who have registered with the site and signed in. Careers services wishing to use the data supplied in the slides should acknowledge TARGETjobs Breakfast News from GTI as the source.
HECSU announces new practitioner research projects
HECSU has confirmed that it will fund further practitioner research during 2009/2010. Six research proposals submitted by AGCAS members will be funded as part of PROP (Putting Research Outcomes into Practice).
HECSU has confirmed that it will fund further practitioner research during 2009/2010. Six research proposals submitted by AGCAS members will be funded as part of PROP (Putting Research Outcomes into Practice).
Topics planned include identifying the trends and influences in the take up of employer placements, exploring patterns of graduate retention in the English regions, and analysing the value of careers education modules. The full list is available below.
The research will be published on the HECSU website. Read about HECSU's practitioner research to date.
PROP projects during 2009/2010
On course for placement will identify the trends and influences in the take up of employer placements - led by Jane Standley, Brunel University.
Consequential transition: learning between university and the world of work will investigate the relationship between the two learning contexts (university and work) - led by Natalie Lundsteen, University of Oxford.
Graduate retention in the regions will explore patterns of graduate retention in the English regions and provide labour market information about graduate transitions - led by Chris Packham, University of Birmingham.
Assessing, evaluating and utilising new technologies will explore best practice for delivering careers information in a small institution - led by Rita Kapadia, Buckingham New University.
The value of credit bearing careers education in HE: a quantitative study will provide statistical evidence of the value of intensive careers education modules - led by Graham Nicholson, University of Dundee.
Digital Industries: bridging the gap will explore how to align employers' needs with graduates' skills and HE courses - led by Nicola Critchlow, Manchester Metropolitan University.
Graduate recruitment and the recession - a Scottish perspective
AGCAS Scotland has been asked by advisers to the Scottish government for its observations, given the current economic climate, on the state of graduate recruitment north of the border.
AGCAS Scotland has been asked by advisers to the Scottish government for its observations, given the current economic climate, on the state of graduate recruitment north of the border.
The reaction of graduate employers and the response of current students to the recession have been outlined in a report prepared by Linda Murdoch, Convenor, AGCAS Scotland.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download the report below.
How to make a podcast - final part published
The final part of the step-by-step guide to podcasting has been published. How to make a podcast is designed to offer technical expertise and guidance to AGCAS members interested in learning about digital media.
James Mears, ICT Officer at the University of Warwick and a member of AGCAS's ICT Advisory Group, has published the final part of his step-by-step guide to podcasting, How to make a podcast, an easy to understand resource offering technical expertise and guidance to AGCAS members interested in learning about digital media.
Sharing resources - how to make your own contribution to the AGCAS website
All AGCAS members can now upload resources direct to the AGCAS website.
Are you an AGCAS task group member who’s itching to make your group’s resources more widely available to the membership? Or perhaps you're an individual AGCAS member who has come across a resource recently that you feel the AGCAS community shouldn’t live without?
All AGCAS members can now upload resources direct to the AGCAS website.
After you have signed into the site, go to Resources and then ‘Add a new resource’ from the User Options menu. You can manage a list of your resources and update details at any time via the My Resources link at the top of the page. If you get stuck or would like more details on how to use this facility, contact Gemma Green.
(This facility is only available to AGCAS members who have registered with the website.)
PWC economist booked for AGCAS conference
Alex Baker, an economist at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, has agreed to give a keynote speech at the AGCAS Biennial Conference in September. Alex advises on and analyses macroeconomic trends and forecasts for individual countries and regions, and regularly gives presentations to clients on key macroeconomic issues.
Alex Baker, an economist at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, has agreed to give a keynote speech at the AGCAS Biennial Conference in September. Alex advises on and analyses macroeconomic trends and forecasts for individual countries and regions, and regularly gives presentations to clients on key macroeconomic issues. He also undertakes a large amount of tailored economics consultancy projects for both public and private sector clients. Alex's qualifications include a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford and an MSc in Economics from Birkbeck College, University of London.
The working title of Alex's presentation is University challenged? The impact of the recession on students and their employment prospects.
AGCAS's Biennial Conference will be held at Brunel University, 8-11 September 2009. The theme will be: The future of graduates, the future of guidance. Find out more about the conference.
Careers education case study (6): Developing career management skills and enterprise awareness with computing and engineering students at a midlands university
This is the sixth case study published as part of the Careers Education Case Study Series.
This module (a core module at Level 2) requires students to look at how undergraduates are selected and recruited into placements from an employer’s perspective, using a context case study. I produced the case study (involving a fledgling company manufacturing robotic equipment) after attending a training session run by Pauline Kneale from Leeds University and after seeking help from our local council’s Inward Investment Team. This learning then has to be demonstrated via a group presentation and applied in an individual context via a personal placement hunting project.
Programme structure
The students attend lectures that introduce them to the case study and different aspects of the selection and recruitment process from an employer’s perspective. They then have to work in groups to create a series of recommendations for the company, which are then given to tutors, for marking, in the form of a group report and presentation. All the lectures and case study materials are available in Blackboard, which also contains a host of links to useful sites and sources of help and information.
In seminars, the students have to discuss what they have learnt from the case study and then reflect on the implications of this for their own career plans. They then have to produce an individual folder of work containing a suitable placement vacancy, a rationale for why the vacancy would be suitable for them, a covering letter and CV targeted at a placement vacancy, and a list of sources of possible placements.
Outcomes
In spite of initial questions from students along the lines of ‘What has this got to do with computing and engineering?’, evaluations at the end of the module are very positive every year. Student traffic into the careers centre during the teaching time is high and we continue to see a significant number of these students when they return from placements. I also run a linked support group via Facebook and this attracts around 40 members every year and is used a lot during the teaching slot.
For further information on this case study please contact Jackie Hartley, Careers Adviser, Staffordshire University.
What are careers education case studies?
These case studies have been compiled by members of the AGCAS Careers Education Task Group, building on the good practice developed in the Careers Education Benchmark Statement. They aim to show the diversity of practice and how careers education is developing as a discipline within HE. We hope they will inspire other practitioners to share their experience by drafting case studies that we can publish during 2009. If you have any comments about this section, or would like to submit a short case study summarising your own experience, please contact Iwan Griffiths.
Read all case studies in the series
New employability report published
A new report has been produced jointly by the CBI and UUK. Future fit: Preparing graduates for the world of work outlines the importance of employability skills both to the economy and to individual students and graduates.
A new report has been produced jointly by the CBI and UUK outlining the importance of employability skills both to the economy and to individual students and graduates. Future fit: Preparing graduates for the world of work defines employability, includes the findings of research and makes recommendations for universities, government and employers, as well as students and graduates themselves. Minister of State for Higher Education and Intellectual Property, David Lammy, has written the foreword.
The report is certain to be influential inside and outside of HE.
Download Future fit
If you are an AGCAS member and signed into this website, you can leave comments about the report below. If you're interested in writing a review or a short letter for Phoenix, contact the editor, Chris Jackson.
Employers shortlisted for curriculum work with careers services
Six employers have been shortlisted for the AGCAS Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum. They were all nominated by higher education careers services. The award is one of the prestigious annual TARGETjob awards.
Six employers have been shortlisted for the AGCAS Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum. They were all nominated by higher education careers services. The award is one of the prestigious annual TARGETjob awards.
The shortlist
AXA - nominated by the University of the West of England
BT - nominated by the University of Westminster
Matchtech - nominated by the University of Bournemouth
Metropolitan Police - nominated by Thames Valley University
PricewaterhouseCoopers - nominated by the University of Manchester and City University
Unlocking Cornish Potential - nominated by University College Falmouth
Commitment and collaboration
AGCAS asked each service to nominate an organisation who, in their experience, has demonstrated commitment and expertise in working with them to add value to programmes relating to skills development, employability, career management or preparation for work. The shortlisted employers have worked closely with the careers service who nominated them in designing, developing and delivering sessions. The judges were particularly looking for evidence of positive feedback from students and innovation in materials or delivery.
The winner will be announced at the TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards dinner at Grosvenor House, Mayfair in London on 21 May 2009.
In the meantime, AGCAS members are invited to nominate employers for two AGCAS Awards for Excellence, further opportunities for careers services to show their appreciation of employer partners, and raise their own profile and standing in the process. The closing date is 15 May 2009.
AGCAS representatives return from China visit
Two small groups of members and staff from AGCAS and the National Association of Student Employment Services (NASES) recently conducted an employment-focused visit to Beijing and Shanghai to meet with government bodies, employers and HR organisations, university careers staff and Chinese alumni from universities across the UK.
Two small groups of members and staff from AGCAS and the National Association of Student Employment Services (NASES) recently conducted an employment-focused visit to Beijing and Shanghai to meet with government bodies, employers and HR organisations, university careers staff and Chinese alumni from universities across the UK.
Better support
The purpose of the visit was to help members of AGCAS and NASES provide more effective support for Chinese students and graduates in the UK by:
- improving understanding of the Chinese labour market in order to help UK-educated Chinese graduates enter the job market more successfully on their return to China;
- developing relationships with Chinese employers who would be interested in recruiting UK-educated Chinese students;
- developing information and resources to be made available nationally to support careers and employment advisers working with Chinese students.
The visit was funded as part of PMI2. Look out for further announcements about the visit, including reports and resources, in the coming months.
What is PMI2?
Launched in April 2006, the Prime Minister's Initiative for International Education, commonly referred to as PMI2, is a five-year strategy to secure the UK's position as a leader in international education and sustain the managed growth of UK international education delivered both in the UK and overseas. Read more about PMI2
AGCAS qualifications update
The University of Reading has recently announced that its School of Continuing Education, which houses the AGCAS qualifications, is to close. The Dean of Arts and Humanities cites financial reasons for this decision and assures AGCAS that it is not any reflection on its courses.
The University of Reading has recently announced that its School of Continuing Education, which houses the AGCAS qualifications, is to close. The Dean of Arts and Humanities cites financial reasons for this decision and assures AGCAS that it is not any reflection on its courses.
The university has clearly stated that it will honour its commitment to current students, including any who enrol before October 2009. AGCAS is already exploring options to ensure a smooth transition to any future arrangements.
In early May, AGCAS CEO, Margaret Dane, will meet with the interim management group that has been set up by the university. Before then there will be discussions between AGCAS and Reading representatives to air concerns and to ensure that we are in a good position to influence and implement future decisions.
Margaret Dane says:
'We have a group of high-quality course programmes that are world-class in our field, that meet all the government priorities for employer-led higher education and for which there is clear and continuing demand, so we are optimistic about their future.'
AGCAS will keep its members and stakeholders informed as matters develop.
New report outlines UKCES employability drive
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) has launched The Employability Challenge in response to employers’ concerns about the lack of employability skills amongst prospective candidates.
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) has launched The Employability Challenge in response to employers’ concerns about the lack of employability skills amongst prospective candidates.
The report draws on the expertise and practices of over 200 organisations and boils their experiences down to core principles that universities can adopt to help graduates develop employability skills and realise their potential in the workplace.
Chris Humphries CBE, UKCES Chief Executive, said:
'Graduates looking to improve their CV and interview techniques turn to their university’s careers centres. But careers advisers probably never tire of telling graduates that once they have landed that dream job, the key to doing the job well is through demonstrating employability skills. Employers are rightly frustrated at having to teach new recruits how to write reports in English, rather than text-speak, or how to turn up for work on time.'
The report outlines how employability skills are even more important in the current economic climate and offers recommendations on how to address the skills shortage.
Download The Employability Challenge
Careers education case study (7): Using the SOAR model to develop employability in psychology undergraduates at a university in south-east England
This is the seventh case study in the series, which aims to give a flavour of how HE careers education is being developed across the UK.
Background
The 2007/8 academic year saw the University of Bedfordshire review its education strategy, which introduced a revised curriculum for implementation the following academic year. One of the core strands of this new curriculum was an employability theme that was expected to be embedded within programme design and delivery. Prior to this, the Division of Psychology had undertaken a small-scale research study looking at how students both acquire and develop skills and attributes to support undergraduates’ future employment. The outcomes of this indicated the need to embed employability and career development in the curriculum.
Having the support of the academic staff who carried out the small-scale research enabled careers staff to engage with the department to discuss how this might happen. The publication of Enhancing the employability of psychology graduates by the HE Academy's Psychology Network, and Arti Kumar’s SOARing for Success, added additional learning and teaching arguments.
Programme
For further details, see the programme overview available below.
Related developments
From the beginning of 2008/9 the psychology department has also piloted the use of Pebblepad for e-portfolio development with students recording study and co-curricular experience. This is expected to include reflection on career planning activities, and will be assessed.
Careers advisers working with the psychology department have become closely integrated with academic staff, attending departmental away days.
The enhanced careers focus in the curriculum has been well-received by students, but at this stage it’s too early to indicate the impact on student career development.
For further information on this case study please contact Eileen Scott, Head of the Centre for Personal and Career Development, University of Bedfordshire.
What are careers education case studies?
These case studies have been compiled by members of the AGCAS Careers Education Task Group, building on the good practice developed in the Careers Education Benchmark Statement. They aim to show the diversity of practice and how careers education is developing as a discipline within HE. We hope they will inspire other practitioners to share their experience by drafting case studies that we can publish during 2009. If you have any comments about this section, or would like to submit a short case study summarising your own experience, please contact Iwan Griffiths.
Read all case studies in the series
Top award for AGCAS DVD
AGCAS's DVD Selection Centres for Specialty Training has won first prize in its category at the national Learning on Screen Awards 2009. The DVD was adjudged to be Best Non-Broadcast Education Programme. Other category winners include the British Library, the BBC, the Open University and Channel Four.
AGCAS's DVD Selection Centres for Specialty Training has won first prize in its category at the national Learning on Screen Awards 2009. The DVD was adjudged to be Best Non-Broadcast Education Programme. Other category winners include the British Library, the BBC, the Open University and Channel Four.
Selection Centres for Specialty Training was produced jointly by AGCAS and the South West Peninsula Deanery and directed by Peter Phillips of e.media at the University of Southampton. The programme's aim is to provide support for medical students and junior doctors who are preparing for assessment stations. Using genuine assessors and candidates, the programme shows what may happen in five different commonly-used medical selection centre scenarios.
The Learning on Screen judges took into consideration each entry's educational aims and how well these were met, as well as its technical quality. They were particularly taken with the way in which our programme treats the candidates and selectors.
Find out more about the DVD
Director Peter Phillips, now a freelance media producer, is currently working with AGCAS on a new DVD on assessment centres, sponsored by Graduate Prospects, HSBC and Enterprise Rent-A-Car. It is due to be released in summer 2009.
The catch-22 of media work experience
Laura Dean, Career Development Tutor, outlines Leeds Metropolitan University's innovative response to the shortage of media-related work experience.
While the stereotype of media graduates as unemployable is little more than a myth and media graduates are consistently shown to be more likely than other graduates to be in work, these initial graduate jobs are not necessarily media-related.
Students on the BA (Hons) Media and Popular Culture degree programme at Leeds Metropolitan University have found that the range of media courses offered has meant an even greater pressure on the few relevant placement providers in the area.
In the report below, Laura Dean, Career Development Tutor, outlines an innovative response to the shortage of media-related work experience. The report is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2009).
Not such polar opposites
In September 2008, Anna Wójcik, Careers Adviser at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, visited Cardiff University Careers Service to compare the work of careers services in Poland and the UK.
In September 2008, Anna Wójcik, Careers Adviser at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, visited Cardiff University Careers Service to compare the work of careers services in Poland and the UK.
Extracts from Anna's diary are available in the May 2009 edition of Phoenix.
A comparison table of the main similarities and differences between the careers services in both countries is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
Stepping on from dance
The career destinations of students on dance courses has been the focus of recent research conducted by Sheila Cross, Head of Careers Service at York St John University. Research findings show that despite an increase in the number of degrees in dance on offer, this has not been matched by a similar expansion in related jobs.
The career destinations of students on dance courses has been the focus of recent research conducted by Sheila Cross, Head of Careers Service at York St John University. Research findings show that despite an increase in the number of degrees in dance on offer, this has not been matched by a similar expansion in related jobs.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Sheila's report in full below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2009).
Graduate internship plans announced
The government has made a long-awaited announcement on its plans for graduate internships. The package of measures to help combat graduate unemployment will include opportunities for both paid and unpaid work experience in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.
The government has made a long-awaited announcement on its plans for graduate internships. The package of measures to help combat graduate unemployment will include opportunities for both paid and unpaid work experience in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Under the scheme, graduates already claiming Job Seekers' Allowance will be eligible to receive it for up to 13 weeks while on an unpaid placement.
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) has published a brochure (see the PDF below) containing details of the scheme and set up a Graduate Talent Pool website where employers can register their interest. From 13 May 2009, interested employers will also be able to access advice and guidance.
Recent media coverage of careers-related news can be found via AGCAS media round ups.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can leave comments below this article. They will be visible only to other AGCAS members.
AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Awards - nominations open
AGCAS is seeking nominations for the 2009 AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Awards. Up to five awards will be made to individuals who have made an exceptional and longstanding contribution to AGCAS through their professional activities.
AGCAS is seeking nominations for the 2009 AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Awards, which will be presented at the AGCAS Biennial Conference in September 2009 at Brunel University.
Up to five awards will be made to individuals who have made an exceptional and longstanding contribution to AGCAS through their professional activities.
This is your chance to nominate someone who deserves this AGCAS honour. The closing date is 31 May 2009. Only current AGCAS members are eligible to nominate.
Find out more and download the nomination form
Derby pilots online fair
The University of Derby recently piloted a three-day online careers fair to try to reach more of its diverse student body. Christine Dare, Employability Development Coordinator, outlines Derby's approach and shares the lessons learnt from the experience.
The University of Derby recently piloted a three-day online careers fair to try to reach more of its diverse student body. Christine Dare, Employability Development Coordinator, outlines Derby's approach and shares the lessons learnt from the experience.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Christine's report in full below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2009).
Staffordshire starts up careers bus
Staffordshire University Careers and Employability Service has launched Careers on Tour, a new venture in the form of a customised careers tour bus designed to generate awareness of the service and reach more students.
Staffordshire University Careers and Employability Service has launched Careers on Tour, a new venture in the form of a customised careers tour bus designed to generate awareness of the service and reach more students.
The first bus, armed with careers literature, was taken to prime locations on campus to catch law school students.
Jill Freeman, Careers Adviser, said:
'Students enjoyed our fun tour bus and approaching us casually on their own territory for quick queries and CV checks.
It has fostered good relationships between careers and the Law School and united information and advisory staff.
Within four hours, staff saw over 70 students and emptied 12 boxes of free careers literature. Our prime location contributed to our success as students had to pass by us from lectures/tutorials. The activity surrounding the bus generated further interest.'
The concept has been rolled out to other faculties.
This article first appeared in Phoenix (May 2009).
The e-learning advantage at UCA
The Careers Service at the University of the Creative Arts (UCA) has recently been recognised as an example of good practice for creating an effective online community through Blackboard, the university's virtual learning environment.
The Careers Service at the University of the Creative Arts (UCA) has recently been recognised as an example of good practice for creating an effective online community through Blackboard, the university's virtual learning environment.
In the case study below, Paula Clark, Careers Service Manager, outlines how the service adopted new technology to promote collaborative working and enhance its services to students.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Paula's report in full below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2009).
Liverpool hosts 'balloon debate' for medical students
The University of Liverpool recently ran a new interactive event for medical students. The balloon debate was organised as an alternative to a traditional careers fair to help medical students think more widely about future careers and areas of specialism.
The University of Liverpool recently ran a new interactive event for medical students. The balloon debate was organised as an alternative to a traditional careers fair to help medical students think more widely about future careers and areas of specialism.
The event was attended by 150 students. Five teams of specialists talked about their specialty for a set amount of time with the aim of 'staying in the balloon'. Event evaluation showed that many considered specialties that they might never have looked into had they attended a traditional fair.
Christine Waddelove, Senior Careers Adviser, shares the lessons learnt from the experience in the report below (available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in).
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2009).
Dundee first to offer internship graduate certificate
The University of Dundee's Careers Service has become the first in the UK to offer graduates an internship certificate. The Scottish Internship Graduate Certificate (SIGC) is designed to boost student employability and career prospects.
The University of Dundee's Careers Service has become the first in the UK to offer graduates an internship certificate. The Scottish Internship Graduate Certificate (SIGC) is designed to boost student employability and career prospects.
The SIGC is a postgraduate certificate consisting of three credit-bearing modules and offers a six-month placement with a high profile employer in Scotland.
Graham Nicholson, Director of the Careers Service, said:
'It is anticipated that the internship will give students a real advantage in terms of being noticed by Scottish/UK graduate employers. We are ahead of the game in this - we are already inviting applications for places - and it is exciting that we can offer graduates this unique opportunity.'
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2009).
Stirling trials new mock assessment centre
The Careers Development Centre at the University of Stirling has developed an alternative, shorter version of their management training residential course in the form of a one-day mock assessment centre to meet the demands of their increasingly busy students.
The Careers Development Centre (CDC) at the University of Stirling has developed an alternative, shorter version of their management training residential course in the form of a one-day mock assessment centre to meet the demands of their increasingly busy students.
Lesley Grayburn, Joint Head of CDC, says:
'We are finding that our students are becoming increasingly busy what with their studies and part-time work commitments, so we wanted to give them a one-day training event, as an alternative.'
The first assessment centre took place in February 2009 and was designed to manage a maximum of 20 students with an equal mix of undergraduates and MBA students. It involved four interview panels consisting of a major employer and a careers adviser on each panel acting as interviewers/assessors. PwC, ProjectOne Consulting and the Royal Marines offered their expertise as graduate recruiters, along with the Head of Student Development and Support Services.
The aim of the day was to place special emphasis on helping students to demonstrate some of the skill sets that employers typically feel students struggle to provide evidence of: commercial awareness; customer orientation; and time management.
The CDC plans to make this event a regular feature each semester - and extend it to the postgraduate population.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2009).
Improving the fair experience at Sheffield
Sheffield Universities Recruitment Fairs, a jointly managed partnership between the careers services at the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, has been using video technology to improve student and employer experiences at careers fairs.
Sheffield Universities Recruitment Fairs, a jointly managed partnership between the careers services at the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, has been using video technology to improve student and employer experiences at careers fairs.
Having initially worked with Here Comes The Boss in 2007 to produce video
footage of the fairs themselves, Sheffield has since developed its own video player and can now combine video technology with all of the fairs it hosts.
The pilot for the video player was combined with the launch of the UK’s first Virtual International Careers Fair in November 2008, allowing employers to upload corporate videos and show students what working at their company is really like.
In addition to the employer clips, the software shows short careers guidance videos and clips from previous fairs.
The students’ response has been very encouraging with many viewing the videos prior to the fairs taking place. Having the videos accessible before a fair has also helped to improve the quality of questions that employers are asked, ultimately improving the employers’ experience of the events.
See the video player in action
To find out more, contact Michelle Dexter, Fairs Manager, Sheffield Universities Recruitment Fairs
.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2009).
Making Prospects better - an AGCAS member's experience
Andy Kay, Careers Adviser at the University of Salford, was seconded to the Prospects Web User Experience Project in 2007.
Andy Kay, Careers Adviser at the University of Salford, was seconded to the Prospects Web User Experience Project in 2007.
You can read about Andy's experience as part of the team charged with 'making Prospects better' in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2009).
AGR survey reveals employers 'still open for business'
A new survey published by AGR has revealed that many employers are still accepting job applications from graduates, despite a fall in recuiter confidence. A total of 124 graduate recruiters responded to the confidence snapshot survey.
A new survey published by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) has revealed that many employers are still accepting job applications from graduates, despite a fall in recuiter confidence. A total of 124 graduate recruiters responded to the survey, all from a wide range of industry sectors including banking and financial services, law firms, and engineering and industrial companies.
Confidence snapshot
Four in five graduate recruiters said they felt either the same or slightly lower levels of confidence about the UK economy than they did three months ago. However, one third of employers surveyed said they were still actively seeking applications from graduates in 2009.
Carl Gilleard, AGR Chief Executive, said:
'It is really important that graduates coming into the market this year do not despair and assume that there are no jobs whatsoever out there. As today's snapshot survey shows, though there is certainly nervousness amongst recruiters about the impact of the recession on their business, not all have shut up shop by any means and a very significant number are still looking for bright graduates to take on.'
AGR has published a list of employers still actively seeking applications for graduate vacancies in 2009.
Vacancy on the AGCAS Teaching and Related Professions Task Group
AGCAS's Teaching and Related Professions Task Group is looking for a new member with an interest in developing specialist knowledge of teacher training and recruitment and the teaching profession.
AGCAS's Teaching and Related Professions Task Group is looking for a new member with an interest in developing specialist knowledge of teacher training and recruitment and the teaching profession.
The group's activities range from writing publications (including Getting a Teaching Job, Applying for a PGCE and Education Alternatives), maintaining the teacher recruitment local authority database on the Prospects website, liaising with the main teaching bodies, responding to AGCAS queries about teaching, and organising training events.
Teaching is becoming an increasingly popular option for graduates and keeping up with new developments in the field can be a challenge. You can be sure that the work you do with the group will be useful and relevant. You don't need to be a careers adviser or an 'education expert'; the group is keen to receive applications from AGCAS members working in all roles with an enthusiasm for education and a desire to make a positive contribution from the start.
If you are an AGCAS member and would like to apply to join this friendly and approachable group, contact the current chair, Stephanie Darking, with a brief statement about your background, any relevant experience and your reasons for wanting to join.
Strathclyde seminar offers recession advice
The University of Strathclyde Careers Service recently joined forces with their Students' Association to run a seminar aimed at helping students and graduates overcome the challenges of the graduate labour market in the current economic climate.
The University of Strathclyde Careers Service recently joined forces with their Students' Association to run a seminar aimed at helping students and graduates overcome the challenges of the graduate labour market in the current economic climate.
The session, Surviving the Recession - Sign Up or Sign On, included contributions from careers service staff, employers and student union representatives. A panel discussion was followed by drinks and the opportunity for informal networking.
Careers service Director, Barbara Graham, said:
'It’s a really good example of student leaders and the careers service working together to alert students to the fact that the graduate labour market will be challenging this year and that the way to approach it is by being creative, proactive and enterprising.'
Civil Service newsletter for careers advisers
The Civil Service Fast Stream has published the latest edition of Fast Stream Focus, its newsletter for careers advisers, which offers the latest news on graduate recruitment into the Civil Service.
The Civil Service Fast Stream has published the latest edition of Fast Stream Focus, its newsletter for careers advisers, which offers the latest news on graduate recruitment into the Civil Service.
May's edition of Fast Stream Focus is available to download below.
Careers education case study (8): Developing career management skills with business, accounting and management students at a university in south-east England
The eighth case study published as part of the Careers Education Case Study Series.
This module (compulsory at Part 2) requires students to act as recruitment consultants and prepare a 'client report' containing a job advertisement, the selection of candidates for interview and interview questions.
The case study (sponsored by CCMS, University of Reading) involves a manufacturing company producing and selling shower equipment. It was developed after attending sessions by Pauline Kneale from Leeds University and Jackie Hartley from Staffordshire University at the CCMS conference in Reading in 2007.
Programme structure
Students are required to work in diverse teams to research a business issue, solve problems effectively and think critically in order to gain the highest marks. The case study provides opportunities for careers education and the development of skills regarded by the HE Academy as essential for the employability of management graduates.
Students attend lectures, which introduce them to the case study and different aspects of the selection and recruitment process from an employer’s perspective. All lectures and case study material are available on Blackboard, which also contains a range of links to useful sites and sources of help and information.
In team meetings students have to bring individually-prepared work before embarking on the team task for the report. The written report is assessed, as is the presentation of the report to 'the client'. Individually, the students reflect on the processes they have been through and what they have learned about skills such as team working, leadership and negotiation (this work is also assessed).
Outcomes
The evaluation of the module focused on employability skills and was overwhelmingly positive. For example: more than 85% of students reported that they had improved team working skills, effective problem solving and self awareness; 81% thought that the module had come at the right time in their degree; and 96% thought the academic level of the module was 'about right'.
For further information on this case study please contact Maria Gee, lecturer at the University of Reading.
What are careers education case studies?
These case studies have been compiled by members of the AGCAS Careers Education Task Group, building on the good practice developed in the Careers Education Benchmark Statement. They aim to show the diversity of practice and how careers education is developing as a discipline within HE. We hope they will inspire other practitioners to share their experience by drafting case studies that we can publish during 2009. If you have any comments about this section, or would like to submit a short case study summarising your own experience, please contact Iwan Griffiths.
Read all case studies in the series
PwC win AGCAS award for work with careers services
PricewaterhouseCoopers has won the AGCAS Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum at the TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2009.
They were presented with their award by Wilma Martinelli, AGCAS President, at the awards dinner hosted by the comedian Alan Carr at Grosvenor House, London.
PricewaterhouseCoopers has won the AGCAS Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum at the TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2009.
They were presented with their award by Wilma Martinelli, AGCAS President, at the awards dinner hosted by the comedian Alan Carr at Grosvenor House, London.
PwC’s Employability Skills Campaign, launched in September 2008, targets student and graduate job seekers. Their online Employability Clinic has been viewed by over 38,000 people in six months, equivalent to one in ten of the 2008 graduate population.
AGCAS announces new Board members
New appointments have been made to the AGCAS Board to replace this year's outgoing directors.
New appointments have been made to the AGCAS Board to replace this year's outgoing directors.
Appointments have been made for the Board and other positions as below in AGCAS the charity and AGCAS the company:
President-Elect/Director - Ms Anne-Marie Martin, Director of The Careers Group, University of London.
Vice-President/Director and Plenary Committee Representative - Dr Paul Redmond, Head of Careers and Employability, University of Liverpool.
Director (Communications and Marketing) – Mr Stephen McAuliffe, Director, Centre for Career Development, University of Nottingham.
Company Law Member - Mr Paul Brown, Director of Careers Centre, University of St Andrews.
Company Law Member - Mr Nick Keeley, Director of Careers Service, University of Newcastle.
Elected members will take up their roles with effect from 1 August 2009.
Find out more about the governance and organisation of AGCAS.
LSC to re-launch career development loans
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is making changes to career development loans in a bid to make them more attractive to potential learners seeking to improve their skills for work.
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is making changes to career development loans in a bid to make them more attractive to potential learners seeking to improve their skills for work, particularly those looking to retrain or start a career in an emerging industry or profession.
Career development loans will be renamed Professional and Career Development Loans and the conditions of the loan will be changing. The LSC is currently working with some of the UK’s leading banks to make the loans more attractive to learners by offering competitive fixed interest rates for repayment and increasing the amount of money learners can borrow to support the cost of learning. The initiative is part of the government's Real Help Now agenda to provide support for individuals, families and business during the economic downturn.
Implementation
Further information about the loans, including a timescale of implementation, is available in the Professional and Career Development Loans e-newsletter. You can sign up to receive further updates on the changes to the loans by emailing pcdladvice@lsc.gov.uk or by calling the Professional and Career Development Loans helpline on 0800 585 505.
Promotional materials and briefing packs to help raise awareness of the new loans will be available to order during June.
Pilot Projects Scheme: UKCISA invites bids for funding
The UKCISA Pilot Projects Scheme aims to encourage innovation and develop and publicise examples of best practice in international student support. Institutions are invited to bid for funding for projects which match this aim.
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) Pilot Projects Scheme aims to encourage innovation and develop and publicise examples of best practice in international student support. Institutions are invited to bid for funding for projects which match this aim.
Institutions may submit proposals for projects which they will pilot and then write up for dissemination for the benefit of the UK education sector as a whole. PMI-funded grants of up to £5,000 (plus a limited number of up to £10,000) are available.
AGCAS members are eligible to apply for this scheme if they meet the other criteria. Full details and an application form are available on the UKCISA website. The deadline for applications is Tuesday 18 May 2010.
A number of AGCAS services have already benefitted from UKCISA Pilot Project funding in previous years.
What is PMI2?
Launched in April 2006, the Prime Minister's Initiative for International Education, commonly referred to as PMI2, is a five-year strategy to secure the UK's position as a leader in international education and sustain the managed growth of UK international education delivered both in the UK and overseas. Read more about PMI2
AGCAS Awards for Excellence - shortlist announced
AGCAS is delighted to announce that the judges have agreed the shortlists for the 2009 Excellence Awards. There was a record number of nominations with some services submitting entries under several award categories.
AGCAS is delighted to announce the shortlists for the 2009 Excellence Awards. There was a record number of nominations with some services submitting entries under several award categories.
Awards shortlist (AGCAS services)
The winners of the following awards will be decided by a panel of judges appointed by the AGCAS board of directors:
Employability Award sponsored by npower
Newcastle
Nottingham
Reading CCMS
Liverpool
Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by NCGE
Newcastle
Liverpool
Plymouth
ICT Award sponsored by Teach First
Manchester
Warwick
Brunel
Reading
Innovation Award sponsored by The Co-operative
Lancaster
University of the Arts, London
Glasgow Caledonian
International Award sponsored by ACCA
Sheffield
Strathclyde
Liverpool
Marketing Award sponsored by npower
Newcastle
Manchester
City
Research Award sponsored by Reading University Centre for Management Skills
National University of Ireland, Galway
Manchester
Plymouth
Staff Recruitment and Development Award sponsored by ASDA
Hertfordshire
Liverpool
Warwick
Awards shortlist (employers)
The winners of the following awards will be decided by an online poll of AGCAS members.
Employer Award for Careers Service Partnership
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Aldi
RMT Accountants and Business Advisors
AXA
BT
Mott Macdonald
Employer Award for Work-related Learning
UNITE
Pepsico
Amey
Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC)
GlaxoSmithKline
The winners of the Website of the Year Award (sponsored by HECSU), the John Roberts Prize and the AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Awards will be announced at the AGCAS Biennial Conference at Brunel University. All winners and runners-up will receive a certificate at the awards ceremony at the conference dinner at Twickenham on Thursday 10 September. Award winners will be presented with a trophy.
AGCAS employer awards - cast your vote
AGCAS members are invited to vote for the winners of two new employer awards, part of the 2009 AGCAS Awards for Excellence. The Employer Award for Careers Service Partnership and the Employer Award for Work-related Learning will be awarded to the shortlisted employers securing the highest number of votes in an online poll.
AGCAS members are invited to vote for the winners of two new employer awards, part of the 2009 AGCAS Awards for Excellence. The Employer Award for Careers Service Partnership and the Employer Award for Work-related Learning will be awarded to the shortlisted employers securing the highest number of votes in an online poll.
The Employer Award for Careers Service Partnership will be given to the employer demonstrating an outstanding commitment to innovative and constructive partnership with one or more AGCAS member services.
The Employer Award for Work-related Learning will be given to the employer demonstrating an outstanding example of effective, high-quality work experience, employer project work or contribution to student skills development on campus.
How to vote
A summary of the shortlisted employers' contributions is available to download below, which all voters are encouraged to read before visiting the online poll.
(Before clicking on the following links, make sure you have signed into the AGCAS website.)
Vote online for the Employer Award for Careers Service Partnership
Vote online for the Employer Award for Work-related Learning
Voting is restricted to associate and affiliate members of AGCAS who have registered with this site. Voting closes on Friday 31 July 2009.
From China to the East Midlands
China - East Midlands: Business and Employment Possibilities, an event conceived by a group of careers advisers based at universities in the East Midlands, was organised to facilitate introductions and break down pre-conceived ideas held by both international students and potential employers of international students. Catherine Klimes, Head of Careers and Employability at the University of Northampton and one of the organisers, describes how they did it.
China - East Midlands: Business and Employment Possibilities, an event four years in the making, was conceived by a group of careers advisers based at universities in the East Midlands. The purpose of the event was to facilitate introductions and break down pre-conceived ideas held by both international students and potential employers of international students.
In collaboration with the East Midlands China Business Bureau, a regional development team responsible for encouraging trade and inward investment, the group focused on targeting those already trading with China, along with those eager to engage. The universities were tasked with recruiting students; EM China Desk business delegates.
Six weeks later, at the beginning of June, 250 students and graduates met 36 delegates representing a wide range of organisations for a day of keynote speakers and workshops at which businesses and students sat side by side, inter-dispersed with dedicated sessions, culminating with the infamous ‘opportunity to network over lunch’.
The day itself resulted in one company with pre-circulated vacancies being inundated with potential applicants. Other companies were equally amazed at the sheer volume of interest shown in them. This has led to follow up requests from many of the companies represented.
With this in mind, the group are starting to explore similar styled events on behalf of our elective mix of internationals and those wishing to engage with them.
China visit report launched
AGCAS and NASES are delighted to launch the report of their recent PMI2-funded visit to China. Representatives from both organisations visited Beijing and Shanghai in March 2009. The report outlines the overall aims of the visit, highlights the main findings and makes recommendations for the future.
A report on the PMI2-funded visit to China by representatives from AGCAS and NASES in March 2009 is now available. Two groups of HE careers and employment professionals specialising in work with international students visited Beijing and Shanghai to meet with Chinese government bodies, employers, recruitment agencies, HE careers staff and alumni from UK universities.
The report outlines the overall aims of the visit, highlights the main findings and make recommendations for the future.
Download China Visit - A Report on the AGCAS and NASES PMI2 Visit to China
Top professions out of reach - government report
Top professions, such as medicine and law, are increasingly inaccessible to all but the most affluent, according to a new government report on social mobility. The report looks into widening access to high-status jobs and recommends that young people in England have access to much better careers advice.
Top professions, such as medicine and law, are increasingly inaccessible to all but the most affluent, according to a new government report on social mobility. The report looks into widening access to high-status jobs and recommends that young people in England have access to much better careers advice.
The report also recommends that government should work with universities to develop proposals to integrate a flexible element of professional experience into all higher education courses; comments on major graduate recruiters' widespread use of targeting particular universities and using school exam results as a basis on which to select graduates; and includes a whole raft of recommendations on internships.
It recommends the break-up of the Connexions service and says that schools, colleges and the professions in England should work together to provide much better careers information, advice and guidance for school pupils and their parents.
The report of the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions, which was chaired by Alan Milburn, is called Unleashing Aspiration and is available for download below.
AGCAS Associate and Affiliate members who have registered with this website and signed in are invited to leave comments below on the report and the issues it raises.
Government launches new graduate internship service
The government's new initiative to increase the number of internships available to UK graduates has been officially launched by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
The government's new initiative to increase the number of internships available to UK graduates has been officially launched by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
Graduate Talent Pool went live on Wednesday 29 July with more than 2,000 internships available to graduates from employers and businesses. These are the first of more than 6,000 graduate internships already pledged by employers to come on stream over the next few weeks. In addition, the government has announced support for a further 10,000 graduate internships – including thousands of graduate internships with small businesses. The types of internship offered vary depending upon the needs of the recruiting organisation, but the majority are for around three months.
Visit the graduate-facing Graduate Talent Pool website
Visit the employer-facing Graduate Talent Pool website
Maintaining talent
The government says that in previous recesions many employers neglected their investment in graduate capital – and regretted missing out on a year’s worth of talent once the economy picked up. This time around, it says that employers are recognising the importance of maintaining the pipeline of incoming graduate talent – and graduate internships are increasingly seen as an effective way to do this.
The service is being driven by BIS in partnership with key stakeholders from the higher education sector and the business community. It represents a unified effort to support graduates during the economic downturn and to secure the future prosperity of the UK.
Minister of State for Higher Education, David Lammy, said:
'A degree is one of the best pathways to achieving a good job and rewarding career, however nobody is immune from the current economic climate which is why we are committed to proving graduates with the support to help them gain employment or further their education. The talent pool will help match motivated graduates with employers giving them vital experience and improving their employability to succeed in the job market.'
Gordon McKenzie, Director, Office for Graduate Opportunities
Department at BIS said:
'We have been impressed with the graduate internships offered by a wide range of employers and the interest shown by new graduates in the Graduate Talent Pool. There are potential benefits to both the employer and the graduate - and the recent launch of Backing Young Britain should help encourage more employers to get involved. AGCAS and its members have demonstrated leadership and local expertise in providing wide ranging advice that has helped government develop and promote Graduate Talent Pool.'
AGCAS e-induction launched
A new e-induction programme is now available for all new Associate and Affiliate members of AGCAS and HECSU, which aims to offer an introduction to careers work in HE and provide an overview of the supporting roles of AGCAS and HECSU.
A new e-induction programme is now available for all new Associate and Affiliate members of AGCAS and HECSU, which aims to offer an introduction to careers work in HE and provide an overview of the supporting roles of AGCAS and HECSU.
The virtual learning environment, Moodle, can be accessed online by members of AGCAS and HECSU with less than one year's employment in careers. It comprises a series of modules, each with core objectives and learning outcomes.
Linda Byrne, AGCAS Training and Publications Manager and head of the e-induction team, said:
'It hopes to fill in the background knowledge that you may have been told, but have simply forgotten, or you may never have been told, or you may have thought you knew but have now realised you don’t.'
Registering with Moodle
If you are an AGCAS member with less than one year's membership, please register your interest in the e-induction by first emailing Linda Byrne who will allocate a password to allow you to access the system.
Mayor launches new careers website for Londoners
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has launched a brand new employment and careers website for Londoners, Helping Graduates into Work, which has been developed in partnership with The Careers Group, University of London.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has launched a brand new employment and careers website for Londoners, Helping Graduates into Work, which has been developed in partnership with The Careers Group, University of London.
The content and technical build of the website was provided by The Careers Group, University of London, which this year celebrates 100 years of providing careers advice. The site, initially aimed at the 100,000 graduates in London who will be looking for work this summer, offers a wide range of information and advice to those wishing to enter the London labour market.
A unique feature on the site enables graduates to enter their degree subject and access a range of job and career ideas - and the names of employers who typically recruit in that area, as well as the salaries they pay. In addition, the site offers extensive advice on finding and applying for work, preparing CVs, and attending interviews, as well as providing information on job fairs in London, internship schemes and the postgraduate opportunities that are available.
Economic recovery
The Mayor said:
'There is no denying it’s tough out there, but I am reliably informed that there are still plenty of graduate opportunities to be had if you know where to look. That is why, with the excellent support of The Careers Group, we have developed this key initiative from our economic recovery plan – a careers site with clear sign posts to the uniquely diverse range of work opportunities that exist in this city.'
'London will lead the way out of this recession but our longer term prosperity depends on nurturing the extraordinary pool of talent we have on our doorstep. Much of that talent emerges every summer from London’s renowned universities.'
Anne-Marie Martin, Director of The Careers Group, University of London, said:
'The portal helps graduates expand their career thinking, an essential pre-requisite in these difficult economic times. It has been a truly collaborative project bringing together information and expertise from the Mayor’s Office and from across the higher education sector in London, an activity that the University of London, through The Careers Group, has been proud to facilitate.'
'Helping Graduates into Work is the first phase of efforts to help Londoners through the economic downturn and the website will soon be expanded with advice and information targeted at other groups to help them find work and training opportunities.'
Visit Helping Graduates into Work
Bursary for graduates volunteering overseas
Recent graduates from low income families can now benefit from a bursary award offered by youth and education charity Raleigh in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The scheme gives recent graduates the opportunity to enhance their employability skills through community and environmental work in remote communities overseas.
Recent graduates from low income families can now benefit from a bursary award offered by youth and education charity Raleigh in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The scheme gives recent graduates the opportunity to enhance their employability skills through community and environmental work in remote communities overseas.
The Raleigh Graduate Bursary Award for Volunteering Overseas was launched on 30 July 2009 and will see 500 graduates offered places on a Raleigh expedition to Costa Rica and Nicaragua, Borneo or India over the next year. Each graduate will take part in a ten-week training and development programme, which challenges participants physically and mentally, and teaches them to work alongside others from different countries and socio-economic backgrounds to learn the value of volunteering.
The bursary is open to recent graduates aged 24 or under who can prove that an overseas expedition would be beyond their financial means without assistance.
For more information about the scheme, visit the Raleigh website.
Longitudinal survey published
The Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) has published the results of its second large-scale longitudinal survey of the 2004/5 cohort of leavers of higher education. The report makes fascinating reading to anyone interested in the graduate labour market.
There is a huge amount of data including employment outcomes (after 3.5 years) by subject of study, qualification level, degree classification and ethnicity, as well as comparisons with the DLHE survey.
The Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) has published the results of its second large-scale longitudinal survey of the 2004/5 cohort of leavers of higher education. The report makes fascinating reading to anyone interested in the graduate labour market.
Employment outcomes
There is a huge amount of data including employment outcomes (after 3.5 years) by subject of study, qualification level, degree classification and ethnicity, as well as comparisons with the DLHE survey (which shows outcomes up to 6 months after graduation). There are also salary statistics and regional data (eg, percentage of the cohort working in each part of the UK by original region of domicile and region of study) and information about how respondents in employment found their jobs.
Satisfied graduates
Also noteworthy is the data on student satisfaction. For example, 86.9% of the cohort were either very or fairly satisfied with their career to date. And most respondents, if choosing again, would not change either their subject of study or their place of study.
The data is supplied to HE institutions in the UK and can be purchased from the HESA website.
Biennial presentation
At the AGCAS Biennial Conference on Wednesday 9 September 2009, Jan Moore of Manchester Metropolitan University and AGCAS's Graduate Labour Market Task Group (GLAM), Catherine Benfield, HESA, and Charlie Ball, HECSU, presented the survey findings and led a discussion about how to use the data effectively and how the survey might be improved for the future. Pesentations will be made available to all delegates shortly.
Have your say
AGCAS members are invited to post comments on the survey and its findings below. You must be signed into the site to view or post comments.
Do they mean us?
Careers services have a track record for attracting negative media coverage. Paul Redmond, Head of Careers and Employability at the University of Liverpool and Vice-President of AGCAS, has a research interest in the topic. Are the critics justified and what can services do to fight back?
Careers services have a track record for attracting negative media coverage. Paul Redmond, Head of Careers and Employability at the University of Liverpool and Vice-President of AGCAS, has a research interest in the topic. Are the critics justified and what can services do to fight back?
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Paul's report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2009).
Army recruits careers services
Around 30 university careers staff visited Sandhurst Military Academy earlier this year to hear presentations from Sandhurst staff about the new graduate recruitment strategy launched by the army at the end of 2008. Sam Rhodes, Student Services Manager at the University of Brighton, reports on the visit.
Around 30 university careers staff visited Sandhurst Military Academy earlier this year to hear presentations from Sandhurst staff about the new graduate recruitment strategy launched by the army at the end of 2008. Sam Rhodes, Student Services Manager at the University of Brighton, reports on the visit.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Sam's report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2009).
Bioscience training in Scotland
AGCAS Scotland's Science Advisers' Group recently held a Careers in Biosciences training day at the University of Dundee Careers Service. The event focused on graduate and postgraduate opportunities mainly within the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Stephanie MacLean, Careers Adviser at the University of Dundee, reports on the training day.
AGCAS Scotland's Science Advisers' Group recently held a Careers in Biosciences training day at the University of Dundee Careers Service. The event focused on graduate and postgraduate opportunities mainly within the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Stephanie MacLean, Careers Adviser at the University of Dundee, reports on the training day.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Stephanie's report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2009).
To PhD or not to PhD?
Deciding whether or not to embark on a PhD can be daunting. Alice Young from the Society of Biology offers advice to students considering a PhD, covering areas such as the role of the supervisor, institution choice and opportunities abroad.
Deciding whether or not to embark on a PhD can be daunting. Alice Young from the Society of Biology offers advice to students considering a PhD, covering areas such as the role of the supervisor, institution choice and opportunities abroad.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Alice's article below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2009).
Lancaster goes Dutch for the day
Paul Blackmore, Director at Lancaster University's Centre for Employability, Enterprise and Careers (CEEC), reports on a recent visit to the centre by the directors of two careers services in the Netherlands.
Paul Blackmore, Director at Lancaster University's Centre for Employability, Enterprise and Careers (CEEC), reports on a recent visit to the centre by the directors of two careers services in the Netherlands.
Dutch colleagues visited CEEC to exchange best practice and discuss ideas for developing services for the future.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Paul's report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2009).
Graduate employability - recent reports reviewed
Recent months have seen the publication of a number of influential reports on graduate employability. Robert Partridge, former Director of Careers Service at the University of York, has been reading two of them: Future Fit and The Employability Challenge.
Recent months have seen the publication of a number of influential reports on graduate employability. Robert Partridge, former Director of Careers Service at the University of York, has been reading two of them: Future Fit and The Employability Challenge.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Robert's reviews below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2009).
AGCAS celebrates awards winners
The winners of the 2009 AGCAS Awards for Excellence were announced at the Biennial Conference, held at Brunel University earlier this month. The number of nominations received for each category is evidence of the high-quality, innovative and collaborative work taking place at AGCAS member services across the country.
The winners of the 2009 AGCAS Awards for Excellence were announced at the Biennial Conference, held at Brunel University earlier this month. The number of nominations received for each category is evidence of the high-quality, innovative and collaborative work taking place at AGCAS member services across the country.
The awards were presented at the conference dinner at Twickenham.
Find out who won in each category
Warwick celebrates new employability award
The Centre for Student Development at the University of Warwick ran its first Warwick Advantage Award celebration event earlier this year. The award is a unique collaboration between the centre and the Students’ Union designed to develop students’ employability skills. The event gave formal recognition of the extra-curricular achievements of 130 students, both undergraduates and postgraduates.
The Centre for Student Development at the University of Warwick ran its first Warwick Advantage Award celebration event earlier this year. The award is a unique collaboration between the centre and the Students’ Union designed to develop students’ employability skills. The event gave formal recognition of the extra-curricular achievements of 130 students, both undergraduates and postgraduates.
For the main award, students were required to have a minimum of a term’s involvement and had to provide evidence of their achievements and reflect on their learning. Gold Award winners had a minimum of a year’s involvement and were required to create a poster showing their key achievements, which they articulated to visiting dignitaries.
Anne Wilson, Warwick Advantage/Graduate Capabilities Manager, said:
'The quality of submissions was exemplary and the range of submissions wide-ranging, from students who had established charities, co-ordinated restoration projects and organised major social events.'
The event was sponsored by IBM.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2009).
Welsh partnership offers virtual services
The South West Wales Higher Education Partnership (SWWHEP) has been working on new projects to help the three careers services it represents improve the employability of students and build relationships with employers.
The South West Wales Higher Education Partnership (SWWHEP) has been working on new projects to help the three careers services it represents (Swansea University, Swansea Metropolitan University and Trinity University College Carmarthen) improve the employability of students and build relationships with employers.
Charlotte Dix, Employability and Marketing Coordinator, has developed the SWWHEP careers website into an informative cyber space helping different audience groups find the tools and services available to them. A SWWHEP video has also been created to raise awareness of employability issues to students in the early days of their study.
Following last year’s success, the second SWWHEP Careers Roadshow will be held in October 2009, providing each institution with a week of career-related events.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2009).
New website helps Londoners into HE
The Careers Group, University of London has launched a new website to provide careers advice for individuals who have a vocational qualification, live in south-east London and are considering enrolling on a university course.
The Careers Group, University of London has launched a new website to provide careers advice for individuals who have a vocational qualification, live in south-east London and are considering enrolling on a university course.
Take it Higher, funded by South East London Lifelong Learning Network, has been designed to provide individuals with the advice and support they need to progress into higher education. The service combines the provision of information packages and resources with individual support from a careers adviser. The result is a user-friendly service that offers fast, informative and bespoke guidance for its users.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2009).
Greenwich targets international students
The Guidance and Employability Team (GET) at the University of Greenwich recently piloted a topical workshop to an international cohort of current MBA students. The aim of the workshop was to help international students bridge the cultural gap and to equip them with the employability tools needed to succeed in a fast-changing world.
The Guidance and Employability Team (GET) at the University of Greenwich recently piloted a topical workshop to an international cohort of current MBA students. The aim of the workshop was to help international students bridge the cultural gap and to equip them with the employability tools needed to succeed in a fast-changing world.
The workshop involved a range of simulation exercises, cross-cultural awareness techniques and an overview of current regulatory and visa requirements.
Kevin Coutinho, a professional equality and diversity trainer/consultant currently working at the University of Cambridge, worked with GET staff at Greenwich to develop and deliver a lively, interactive and challenging programme. Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with requests for similar events in the future. Anil Bali, an MBA student from 2009, said:
"It was really helpful to get insights into the UK way of recruiting. Having someone who's not from the university adds a different perspective and was an incentive to attend."
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2009).
Reading champions SMEs in the south-east
The University of Reading’s Careers Advisory Service has produced a new publication to help graduating students in south-east England find their first jobs in small and medium-sized organisations (SMEs). First Move South East 2009 offers careers advice to students and provides details of graduate opportunities in SMEs, as well as postgraduate courses in higher education.
The University of Reading’s Careers Advisory Service has produced a new publication to help graduating students in south-east England find their first jobs in small and medium-sized organisations (SMEs). First Move South East 2009 offers careers advice to students and provides details of graduate opportunities in SMEs, as well as postgraduate courses in higher education.
Carey Widdows, Director of the Careers Advisory Service at the University of Reading, said:
'Students graduating this summer are faced with a tougher job market than in recent years. While we cannot insulate them from the impact of the global economic recession, our careers service is playing a crucial role in preparing students to compete in a tougher job market.'
'A core part of our job is to help students think creatively about their options beyond the big, well-known recruiters of graduates. We do this through a wide range of initiatives, such as hosting seminars about the latest style of graduate recruitment, encouraging internships and work experience or highlighting less obvious career paths, including the potential offered by working for an SME. First Move South East 2009 will provide graduating students and those beginning to plan their careers with lots of ammunition with which to approach future employment.'
First Move South East 2009 includes interviews with students who have taken postgraduate courses and offers graduate case studies on careers in a wide range of sectors, including law, accountancy, the public sector and the media. The scheme includes details about the new government Graduate Talent Pool internships initiative, as well as listings of SMEs across the south-east.
The publication was distributed at this summer's graduations in early July and directly to students through course tutors. It will also be made available at events organised by the careers service later in the year.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2009).
National skills strategy published
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has launched the government's new skills strategy. Skills for Growth - The National Skills Strategy sets out a government target for three quarters of the population to go to university or get an advanced technical qualification by the age of 30.
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has launched the government's new skills strategy. Skills for Growth - The National Skills Strategy sets out a government target for three quarters of the population to go to university or get an advanced technical qualification by the age of 30.
Lord Mandelson said:
'Higher level skills have never been more important to our growth. This strategy marks a radical shift in our skills priorities. It shows how we'll make sure we've got the skills to power the new industries and jobs of the future.
We need engineers to lay the cables to expand access to high-speed internet, skilled people to build the electric vehicles of the future, and technicians to develop the medicines that will save lives.
The goal of this strategy is a skills system defined not simply by targets based on achieved qualifications, but by ‘real world' outcomes. Relevant, quality skills, with real market value.'
The report was published in November 2009.
You can download the report from the BIS website.
Employability central to government's HE framework
The government has unveiled its policy for higher education, setting out the role universities will play in securing the country's economic recovery and long term prosperity. The report includes recommendations that will affect careers services, including a requirement for universities to publish statements on how they promote employability and on the long term employment prospects of particular courses.
The government has unveiled its policy for higher education, setting out the role universities will play in securing the country's economic recovery and long term prosperity. The framework, Higher Ambitions, published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), is wide-ranging but measures and recommendations that will immediately interest careers service managers and practitioners include:
• The expectation that all universities will publish a statement on how they promote student employability
• A requirement for universities to set out clearly what students can expect from their course, including the long-term employment prospects it offers
• An expectation that business will be more engaged in the funding and design of programmes, sponsorship of students, and work placements
• The creation of more part-time, work-based and foundation degrees to make it easier for adults to go to university with routes from apprenticeships through to Foundation degree
• More emphasis on funding vocational courses where there are demonstrable skills shortages
• Improving the advice and encouragement young people receive at school with respect to higher education
• A review of postgraduate education
• A review of the fees structure in English universities.
The report was published in November 2009.
You can download the full report, the executive summary, press releases and audio and video files from the BIS website.
AGCAS Heads of Service Conference 2010 - booking open
Booking is now open for the 2010 AGCAS Heads of Service Conference. The title of this year's event is Re-Imagine. The conference will take place 6 - 7 January in Liverpool. It has been developed by heads of service in the North West and is open to all heads and deputy heads of AGCAS member services.
Booking is now open for the 2010 AGCAS Heads of Service Conference. The title of this year's event is Re-Imagine. The conference will take place 6 - 7 January in Liverpool. It has been developed by heads of service in the North West and is open to all heads and deputy heads of AGCAS member services.
The conference will be preceded by an optional additional training day on 5 January for new and nearly new heads of service.
Book your place
Employability - a key issue for students
The National Student Forum (NSF) has produced its second annual report in which it reports on students' current experiences and sets out its priorities. For the first time, employability receives a chapter of its own in which NSF recommendations to universities, government and national bodies are clearly laid out.
The National Student Forum (NSF) has produced its second annual report in which it reports on students' current experiences and sets out its priorities. For the first time, employability receives a chapter of its own in which NSF recommendations to universities, government and national bodies are clearly laid out.
Although not originally identified as a priority area, employability emerged as a recurring issue across the forum's first year discussions. Its continuing importance - especially in the current economic climate - led to it remaining a key priority this year, and the report dedicates a chapter (Chapter 2, pages 34-45) to exploring this in more detail.
NSF priorities include university employability strategies, the better integration of careers information, advice and guidance into university life including into the curriculum, access to high-quality work experience and meeting the needs of groups who may have particular needs (such as disabled students, international students, postgraduate students).
The report can be downloaded from the National Student Forum website.
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) will produce a public response, addressing the issues raised in the report and has requested feedback through national partner organisations. Feedback from AGCAS member careers services should be sent by heads of service to Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO by 30 November 2010.
Individuals can also feedback through the NSF website.
82% of first year students aware of careers service
According to a new report, awareness of university careers services among students, even during the first year of their course, is high. 38% of those questioned had visited their service during their first year and another 45%, although they did not visit the service, were aware of it. About half took part in events run by their careers service especially for first year students. 50,000 students were interviewed as part of FutureTrack, a longitudinal study of applicants to HE in 2006.
According to a new report, awareness of university careers services among students, even during the first year of their course, is high. 38% of those questioned had visited their service during their first year and another 45%, although they did not visit the service, were aware of it. About half took part in events run by their careers service especially for first year students. 50,000 students were interviewed as part of FutureTrack, a longitudinal study of applicants to HE in 2006.
Big users
Careers service usage was higher among mature students, international students, black students, males, those studying discipline-based academic subjects (such as Physical Sciences, Linguistics and Classics, Languages, History and Philosophical Studies) and those from higher tariff institutions. Medical, law and business studies students were among those least likely to use their careers service at this early stage.
The report gives a fascinating insight into student experience and attitudes both inside and outside university, including their changing career expectations, their use of information, advice and guidance services and their experience of paid and voluntary work, as well as their views on their course and attitude to debt.
Missing out on talent
The survey also found that students with the best qualifications did not always attend the highest tariff universities. Often locality or the attraction of a particular course was a deciding factor in choosing where to study. This suggests that employers who target only more prestigious universities are missing out on some of the best talent.
FutureTrack - Plans, aspirations and realities: taking stock of higher education and career choices one year on was published in November 2009. The research was undertaken on behalf of the Higher Education Career Services Unit (HECSU). The report is available to download below.
Chris Phillips' web seminar wins new AGCAS award
Chris Phillips, Publishing Director at Group GTI, has been announced as the winner of a new AGCAS award for his workshop on writing for the web. The John Franks Award, sponsored by Yorkshire and Humberside Heads of Service in memory of their colleague John Franks, who sadly died in service in Spring 2008, is awarded to the best workshop delivered at AGCAS Biennial.
Chris Phillips, Publishing Director at Group GTI, has been announced as the winner of a new AGCAS award for his workshop on writing for the web. The John Franks Award, sponsored by Yorkshire and Humberside Heads of Service in memory of their colleague John Franks, who sadly died in service in Spring 2008, is awarded to the best workshop delivered at AGCAS Biennial.
Chris's seminar, Writing for the Web, came out top in the post–conference evaluation. The PowerPoint slides and an audio podcast of the session (W314) are available on the AGCAS website.
Chris was presented with the engraved decanter by Carol Rees, AGCAS Quality and Membership Manager, at GTI's head office in Wallingford, Oxfordshire.
Chris said: 'I'm delighted to win this award and to have pleased the people attending. I have been to every AGCAS conference since 1979 and my commitment to promoting the central role of HE careers services is undimmed by the passage of time - and, as most of you know, I love an audience!'
Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO, said: 'Chris has made a significant contribution to AGCAS over recent decades, both as a member and then on behalf of GTI. He is a deserving winner of this award.'
Careers service heads and employers beat the snow
A hundred delegates attended AGCAS Heads Conference in Liverpool on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 January, despite the worst snow the city and most of the country had seen for almost 30 years. The delegates were mostly heads of HE careers services and their deputies, but we also welcomed graduate recruiters from Asda, The Co-operative, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Npower, and Santander.
A hundred delegates attended AGCAS Heads Conference in Liverpool on Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 January, despite the worst snow the city and much of the country had seen for almost 30 years.
Fellow travellers
The delegates were mostly heads of HE careers services and their deputies, but we also welcomed graduate recruiters from Asda, The Co-operative, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Npower, Santander and, winners of the prize for the delegates who travelled furthest, three heroic representatives of EU Careers who travelled from Brussels by Eurostar especially for the event. There were also a number of partner organisations represented, including Graduate Prospects.
Inevitably there were a number of people who were thwarted by the weather, including some presenters, but the programme was hastily re-jigged and the informal feedback received so far suggests that it was well worth the trip.
Sliding tour
The organisers (North West Heads Group), our sponsors, the hotel and the people of Liverpool did us proud. The guide booked to lead a walking tour surprised us all by turning up as arranged and, despite treacherous conditions underfoot, several indomitable heads ventured out with her - and thankfully made it back unscathed.
An undoubted highlight was the conference dinner. The after-dinner speaker was Professor Brian Barwick, ex-chief executive of the Football Association (FA) (it was Liverpool - football had to be on the agenda somewhere!) who gave an entertaining as well as relevant speech about his experience of senior management in both the media and football. Networking was extensive in time-honoured AGCAS tradition and continued long into the night.
Presentations
Powerpoint slides, reports and handouts will be added to the conference web page as we receive them from presenters, including those who didn't make it. You will need to be an AGCAS Associate member or a registered conference delegate and registered with and signed into the AGCAS website to download them. If you are but still have problems viewing the content, please contact Adam Gleeson.
An event that none of us who were there, not to mention those who had hoped to be, will forget in a hurry!
Nominate an employer for a 2010 TARGETjobs award
AGCAS has been invited by GTI to present an award at the annual TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards to be presented in London on 18 March. AGCAS member services are invited to nominate an organisation or employer for the AGCAS Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum.
For the sixth time, AGCAS has been invited by GTI to present an award at the annual TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards to be presented in London on 18 March.
Employer recognition
To reflect the continuing interest in employability, and specifically in employers making a positive contribution to skills development in the curriculum, the AGCAS-supported award is for Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum. The award will be given to the employer or organisation who has demonstrated best practice in this area, made a real difference to the work of careers services and directly benefited students by their contribution.
Nominations
We are asking each AGCAS member service to nominate an organisation who, in your service's experience, has demonstrated commitment and expertise in working with your service to add value to any or all of your programmes relating to skills development, employability, career management or preparation for work. You may nominate employers of any size and from any sector. We are particularly interested in learning about employers who have worked closely with you in designing, developing and delivering sessions and those who have received excellent feedback from students. We are also interested in organisations which show innovation in their materials or delivery.
For each organisation you nominate, please briefly answer the following two questions:
• What has been the nature of this organisation's involvement with your service and your students
• How has this organisation demonstrated excellence in the contribution they have made to developing skills and employability in the curriculum?
Please email nominations to Chris Jackson by Friday 22 January. They will be considered by a panel nominated by the AGCAS Board.
Technology in careers work: Back to the future
We asked Richard Pethen (University of Sheffield Careers Service 1977-2004) to look back to an earlier era, when technology in careers work was quite different from what it is today.
We asked Richard Pethen (University of Sheffield Careers Service 1977-2004) to look back to an earlier era, when technology in careers work was quite different from what it is today.
Richard has unearthed a piece of text, which he believes he wrote 25 years ago, in 1984.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Richard's report in full below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2010).
When guidance sounds good
Email guidance helps to offer a more flexible service, but typing a response to a request for a CV review can be difficult within the time allocated to a duty interview. Judith Baines, Careers Adviser at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), has been looking at alternatives to e-guidance.
Email guidance helps to offer a more flexible service, but typing a response to a request for a CV review can be difficult within the time allocated to a duty interview. Judith Baines, Careers Adviser at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), has been looking at alternatives to e-guidance.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Judith's article in full below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2010).
Government announces national internship service
The government has announced the creation of a national internship service, which will deliver undergraduate internships, partly with the aim of widening access to professions which Alan Milburn's report Unleashing Aspiration highlighted as being out of reach for less well-off or connected graduates.
The government has announced the creation of a national internship service, which will deliver undergraduate internships, partly with the aim of widening access to professions which Alan Milburn's report Unleashing Aspiration highlighted as being out of reach for less well-off or connected graduates.
The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has announced that the focus of the scheme will be on SMEs and on the professions highlighted in the Milburn report. It is thought that this focus will benefit students and graduates by building on the work of higher education institutions and more established graduate recruiters.
AGCAS CEO, Magaret Dane, said:
'AGCAS and HE careers services welcome initiatives to ensure that entry to important professions such as the law, media, medicine and politics is based on ability rather how long an applicant can work unpaid or how well-connected their family is. We are looking forward to finding out more about the latest proposals and to working with government to ensure they succeed.'
AGCAS is in regular contact with BIS and has agreed to feed back any comments received from HE careers services by 31 January 2010. AGCAS members are invited to email Chris Jackson.
Details of improved government financial support for graduates undertaking unpaid or expenses-only internships, along with a summary of other recent BIS initiatives, are included in the attachment available below.
Creating future proof graduates
Birmingham City University was awarded National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) funding in 2007 for a project aimed at helping students identify and prepare for critical incidents, which according to employers epitomise the major problems that newly-qualified graduates encounter when they start work in the 'real world'.
Birmingham City University was awarded National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) funding in 2007 for its project Creating Future Proof Graduates: Transformative Learning Through Critical Incidents. The outcome is a series of resources to help students identify and prepare for critical incidents, which according to employers epitomise the major problems that newly-qualified graduates encounter when they start work in the 'real world'.
Ruth Lawton, Teaching Fellow for Employability at Birmingham City University, has written a report about the project and the new resources.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Ruth's report in full below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2010).
The value of volunteering
Volunteering is by no means a novel concept in careers guidance and the benefits of the activity for career development are well articulated. However, with graduate unemployment levels rising and all sectors showing falls in vacancies, demonstrating the value of volunteering has never been more important.
Volunteering is by no means a novel concept in careers guidance and the benefits of the activity for career development are well articulated. However, with graduate unemployment levels rising and all sectors showing falls in vacancies, demonstrating the value of volunteering has never been more important.
Andrea Rannard, Head of Student Volunteering at Volunteering England, examines the relationship between volunteering and employability in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2010).
MASIV in museums
Modular Accreditation for Students Invoved in Volunteering (MASIV) is a project at the University of Reading designed to develop a training and accreditation structure for students volunteering within the museums service.
Modular Accreditation for Students Invoved in Volunteering (MASIV) is a project at the University of Reading designed to develop a training and accreditation structure for students volunteering within the museums service.
In the report below, Rhianedd Smith, Undergraduate Learning Officer at the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL), describes how Reading sought to address the issue of volunteer accreditation. The report is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2010).
Brand new careers in advertising
In September 2009, the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) held a seminar for careers practitioners to update them on developments in the advertising industry.
In September 2009, the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) held a seminar for careers practitioners to update them on developments in the advertising industry.
Rachael Collins, Careers Adviser at the University of Liverpool, has written a report on the day, which is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2010).
A Sheffield journey into the virtual universe
The University of Sheffield's second Virtual International Careers Fair (VICF) ran in November 2009 as a collaborative venture with Sheffield Hallam University.
The University of Sheffield's second Virtual International Careers Fair (VICF) ran in November 2009 as a collaborative venture with Sheffield Hallam University. <!--EndFragment-->
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Gill Anderson, Administration Manager at the University of Sheffield's Careers Service, said:
'Developing an initial idea into the final product led us into areas where we had little prior experience and took us on a journey, which has added greatly to our knowledge and insights into international recruitment.'
Find out how they went about organising the fair in Gill's report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2010).
Promoting talent in Manchester
Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) has developed a campaign, Talent@MMU, to help support current students and graduates, promote the Careers and Employability Service to new students, and generate new employer contacts in a wide range of professions.
Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) has developed a campaign, Talent@MMU, to help support current students and graduates, promote the Careers and Employability Service to new students, and generate new employer contacts in a wide range of professions.
The campaign was developed in response to the difficult financial climate. Catherine Seddon, Market Analyst at MMU, explains how the campaign developed in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2010).
Guiding students through the online information maze
Many career services’ websites have a wealth of untapped riches that students don’t always find their way to. So what can we do to help the self-directed user find the resources they need?
Many career services’ websites have a wealth of untapped riches that students don’t always find their way to. So what can we do to help the self-directed user find the resources they need?
The University of Roehampton has been working with the Centre for Career Management Skills (CCMS) at the University of Reading to address the pitfalls facing individual users in finding their way through the online information maze.
Find out more in the article below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2010).
Creative Living - supporting creative graduates
Creative Living is an interactive employability web tool specifically designed by Creative Careers at the University of the Arts London to support the needs and demands of creative graduates.
Creative Living is an interactive employability web tool specifically designed by Creative Careers at the University of the Arts London to support the needs and demands of creative graduates.
It was commended in the Innovation category of the AGCAS Awards for Excellence 2009. Find out more about the project in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2010).
Helping medical students with career planning
Leicester Medical School and the careers team at the East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery ran a series of career sessions for final year medical students in September 2009. Designed as a mandatory requirement, the sessions helped students to explore their career aspirations and consider their wider career management skills and interests.
Leicester Medical School and the careers team at the East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery ran a series of career sessions for final year medical students in September 2009. Designed as a mandatory requirement, the sessions helped students to explore their career aspirations and consider their wider career management skills and interests.
Hayley Snowden, Careers Management Assistant at the East Midlands Healthcare Workforce Deanery, has written a report of the sessions, which is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2010).
Employers shortlisted for curriculum work with careers services
Six employers have been shortlisted for the 2010 AGCAS Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum. They were all nominated by higher education careers services. The award is one of the prestigious annual TARGETjob awards offered by GTI.
Six employers have been shortlisted for the 2010 AGCAS Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum. They were all nominated by higher education careers services. The award is one of the prestigious annual TARGETjob awards offered by GTI.
The shortlist
• BT - nominated by the University of Manchester
• Deloitte - nominated by the University of Leicester
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car - nominated by Edge Hill University and the
University of Hertfordshire
• Experian - nominated by Nottingham Trent University
• NHS - nominated by Liverpool John Moores University
• RWE Npower - nominated by the University of Liverpool, City University,
University of Reading, Queen's University Belfast, Imperial College London
and the University of Bristol
AGCAS asked each member service to nominate an organisation who has demonstrated commitment and expertise in working with them to add value to programmes relating to skills development, employability, career management or preparation for work. The shortlisted employers have worked closely with the careers services who nominated them in designing, developing and delivering sessions. The judges were particularly looking for evidence of positive feedback from students and innovation in materials or delivery.
The winner will be announced at the TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards dinner at Grosvenor House in London on 18 March 2010.
Offer for AGCAS members
GTI are once again offering reduced price tickets for AGCAS members to attend the awards dinner. Tickets cost £105 per person (compared to £215 for everyone else) and this includes a champagne reception, slap-up meal, wine on the table, celebrity presenter, the awards themselves, charity auction and casino and the usual dancing and drinking. The audience is comprised mainly of senior recruitment people from graduate recruiting companies so it’s an excellent networking opportunity, as well as a great night out. Please email Chris Phillips if you’d like to join the 800 people at the Grosvenor in March.
Having fun with feeds
Les Waters, a member of the AGCAS ICT Advisory Group, has written a short guide to using RSS feeds. Adding Valuable Content by Having Fun with Feeds outlines the possibilities RSS feeds offer for presenting and selecting tailored web content.
Les Waters, a member of the AGCAS ICT Advisory Group, has written a short guide to using RSS feeds. Adding Valuable Content by Having Fun with Feeds outlines the possibilities RSS feeds offer for presenting and selecting tailored web content.
If you are not familar with RSS feeds, this non-technical article will give you some ideas about how you can use feeds to add interesting content to careers service websites. There are also suggestions for future collaboration or development of the topic.
Already using RSS feeds?
Tell us about the way you are using feeds in your service. AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can leave comments below.
PMI2 delegation to India – a tale of three cities
In the first week of February 2010, a team of nine careers professionals representing AGCAS and NASES undertook a range of visits in three major cities of India – Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
In the first week of February 2010, a team of nine careers professionals representing AGCAS and NASES undertook a range of visits in three major cities of India – Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
The main aim of the delegation to India was to enable UK-educated Indian graduates to (re)-enter jobs more successfully on their return to India. The findings should make for interesting reading and generally inform the careers education, information and guidance we provide to international students here in the UK.
A team of three in each city visited some umbrella organisations, such as the Confederation of Indian Industries and the British Council or British High Commission, in order to improve our understanding of the Indian economy. We met with graduate recruiters to find out what skills, attributes and experience they seek, how these are developed by the education systems in India compared with the UK, how they perceive UK-educated Indian graduates, and how they recruit. Through alumni network events and focus group interviews we heard about our graduates’ job hunting and career experiences in India, and the sources of information, influence and support they consider important.
Over the week we developed a rounded picture by also interviewing key people in higher education institutions, Education-UK agents and our own counterparts – careers and recruitment specialists. All this rich data will be written up and published shortly as reports for each city, together with notes from each individual visit. An overall country report pulling together key findings and recommendations will be available soon in an Executive Summary.
The trip to India follows the successful visit to China last year. View the China Visit report
What is PMI2?
Launched in April 2006, the Prime Minister's Initiative for International Education, commonly referred to as PMI2, is a five-year strategy to secure the UK's position as a leader in international education and sustain the managed growth of UK international education delivered both in the UK and overseas. Read more about PMI2
ICG launches new campaign for careers
The Institute of Career Guidance (ICG) has just launched CREATE, a UK-wide campaign for careers. AGCAS supports the campaign's aims to raise awareness of high-quality careers work, to ensure that first-class careers information, advice and guidance for all is seen as a priority.
The Institute of Career Guidance (ICG) has just launched CREATE, a UK-wide campaign for careers. AGCAS supports the campaign's aims to raise awareness of high-quality careers work, to ensure that first-class careers information, advice and guidance for all is seen as a priority.
C Careers services in the UK that maximise individuals' talents and skills
R Realising everyone's potential through universal, targeted and
high-quality careers provision with consistent standards across the UK
E Entitlement to impartial careers information, advice and guidance
A Access to well-trained and qualified careers professionals at times and
places most relevant to individual needs
T Tangible results demonstrating that professional careers work
contributes to employment, social mobility, diversity and equality
E Excellence in careers services, equipping individuals with confidence
and resilience to succeed in a fast-changing global economy
Find out more about CREATE and sign up to the campaign
Bursary for graduates volunteering overseas
Youth and education charity Raleigh is offering over 300 bursary places between summer 2010 and spring 2011 to graduates from low income families interested in volunteering overseas. The Raleigh Graduate Bursary Award gives recent graduates the opportunity to develop key employability skills through community and environmental work in remote communities.
Youth and education charity Raleigh is offering over 300 bursary places between summer 2010 and spring 2011 to graduates from low income families interested in volunteering overseas. The Raleigh Graduate Bursary Award gives recent graduates the opportunity to develop key employability skills through community and environmental work in remote communities.
The bursary award part-funds the cost of a 10-week overseas expedition to Borneo, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, or India.
Tim Eklund went on expedition to Borneo in Autumn 2009:
'Raleigh has given me the opportunity to demonstrate skills like leadership, communication and teamwork in different scenarios. If I were to be asked typical interview questions I could talk all day about the experiences on Raleigh. I can’t summarize and do my experience justice in a short sentence. The Raleigh experience is simply out of the ordinary, challenging, and a great opportunity for ventures and project managers alike.'
The bursary is open to recent graduates aged 24 or under who will need to prove that they received a means-assessed grant in their final year of study. Graduates will also need to demonstrate an understanding of Raleigh and its expeditions, the benefits they will gain from the expedition and the skills they have developed through personal challenges. Graduates are required to fundraise £1,000 towards the expedition and pay for flights, vaccinations and kit.
More information about the scheme can be found on Raleigh’s website
Careers in the EU Institutions
On 16 March 2010, the European Personnel Selection Office will launch a procedure to select graduates to work in the EU Institutions. This selection procedure will comprise the fields of European public administration, law, audit, economics, and information and communication technology.
On 16 March 2010, the European Personnel Selection Office will launch a procedure to select graduates to work in the EU Institutions. This selection procedure will comprise the fields of European public administration, law, audit, economics, and information and communication technology.
A career in the EU Institutions offers a lifetime of different jobs doing interesting and challenging work that makes a real difference for Europe, in an environment where staff are encouraged to learn new skills and languages, and have opportunities to work and travel abroad. Below, you will find more information on EU careers and the selection procedure. Further information can be found on the EU website.
It is also worth noting that, from 2010, the EU Careers selection procedure no longer includes the detailed EU knowledge test. Instead, they are moving to an entirely competence-based model, which many British students and graduates will be familiar with.
Also below is a copy of an advertisement, which will be appearing in a number of online and printed media throughout Europe over the next couple of weeks. Careers services are welcome to use this advertisement on their own websites and jobs bulletins and are encouraged to contact Jane Pedder at the European Personnel Selection Office (tel. +32 229 68064) to discuss the possibility of presentations to students.
AGCAS welcomes new code of practice
AGCAS welcomes the recently-launched revised QAA Code of Practice on Career Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (Section 8) and is pleased to have been centrally involved in the revision of the code. This section is just one part of an overall code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education.
AGCAS welcomes the recently-launched revised QAA Code of Practice on Career Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (Section 8) and is pleased to have been centrally involved in the revision of the code.
One of 10 sections, which form an overall code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education, Section 8 is intended to help higher education institutions both to meet students' expectations in respect of their preparedness for their future career, and to produce graduates equipped to meet the fluctuating demands of the employment market of today and tomorrow.
AGCAS CEO, Margaret Dane, said:
'The focus on the whole institution's responsibility for CEIAG presents opportunities as well as challenges to HE careers services to lead on and influence the employability agenda in their institutions.'
Download Section 8 of the code
Government announces tougher rules for foreign students
Home Secretary Alan Johnson has announced a package of changes to Tier 4 of the points-based system, the category dealing with student visas. Foreign students from outside Europe wanting to come to the UK to study will now be required to meet stricter entry criteria.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson has announced a package of changes to Tier 4 of the points-based system, the category dealing with student visas. Foreign students from outside Europe wanting to come to the UK to study will now be required to meet stricter entry criteria.
The changes follow a review to the current design of Tier 4, which explored whether this struck the right balance between facilitating access of genuine students and preventing abuse by economic migrants. The changes are planned for the coming weeks and months.
The new measures will include:
• a ban on foreign students studying below degree level if the course includes a work placement - unless that course is being provided by a university, college or training provider which has the status of 'highly trusted sponsor';
• a requirement for students to demonstrate their English language ability by passing an approved secure test - this will apply to all students studying below (foundation) degree level, including those coming to study English language;
• the introduction of tougher criteria for defining which course providers count as 'highly trusted sponsors' of foreign students.
The Home Secretary's written ministerial statement about the changes is available below. Further details are available from the UKCISA website.
GTI Targetjobs Award goes to Enterprise
Enterprise Rent-A-Car has been declared winner of the 2010 GTI Targetjobs Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum. AGCAS services nominate and shortlist the entries for this award. Enterprise Rent-A-Car were nominated in recognition of the work it is doing in partnership with careers services to design, develop and deliver career management sessions for students. The judges were particularly looking for evidence of positive feedback from students and innovation in materials or delivery.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car has been declared winner of the 2010 GTI Targetjobs Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Developing Employability and Skills in the Curriculum. AGCAS services nominate and shortlist the entries for this award.
'We are not only delighted with the award, but we are so proud to have been recognised by careers services across the country', said Donna Miller, European HR director, who collected the award along with Ashley Hever, Human Resources Manager, 'Your nomination validates our belief that having an Enterprise presence at every university is the right thing to do. By doing so every student has equal footing, and we get a diverse candidate pool that is better suited to our company. We'd like to thank AGCAS and careers services for all of your support on campus. We value our partnership with you tremendously.'
AGCAS CEO, Margaret Dane, said:
'Enterprise Rent-A-Car are worthy winners. They have a long track record of giving their time to support employability and skills development work across all types of institution which is greatly appreciated by careers service.'
Enterprise Rent-A-Car beat five other short-listed organisations, all of which were nominated by higher education careers services: BT, Deloitte, Experian, the NHS and RWE Npower. They were all nominated in recognition of the work they are doing in partnership with careers services to design, develop and deliver career management sessions for students. The judges were particularly looking for evidence of positive feedback from students and innovation in materials or delivery.
The awards were presented at the TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards dinner in London on 18 March.
Online recruitment services - are they safe?
Jo Davies, Information Manager at the University of Swansea, has a number of concerns to do with the privacy of online recruitment websites. She would like to hear the views of AGCAS members - and anyone in the industry.
Jo Davies, Information Manager at the University of Swansea, has a number of concerns to do with the privacy of online recruitment websites. She would like to hear the views of AGCAS members - and anyone in the industry.
Lately, I have received a number of requests from online recruitment services to put links from our website to theirs, understandably wanting to boost their Google page rank. Whenever I receive such a request, the first thing I do is have a look at their privacy policy to find out how they handle users' information and to get an idea of the security measures they have in place. I must admit, I sometimes find privacy policies and terms of use difficult to get to grips with because they often tend to be written in legal jargon, and I think some clarification in layman's terms should be provided.
Not infrequently, I find these policies say things that raise a number of questions, for example:
• Users' information is likely to be stored on servers outside the UK, possibly in countries outside the EU. Does this mean that their personal information may not be covered by UK Data Protection legislation?
• No online service and its databases can be completely proof against attack, and users need to accept that, whilst the organisation does its best to ensure the best level of security that it can, there is always an element of risk in using any internet service. From various discussions with our Administrative Computing Unit, who manage our student records, I know that they would not accept a level of security that is anything less than 100% water-tight when it comes to verifying and transferring information on students.
• If a given online service is sold to another business, then all information becomes the property of the buyer.
• Anonymised, aggregated information on users may be passed to other parties. I cannot help but wonder whether this is being used to provide graduate labour market information to corporate clients.
Am I being unduly cautious? Obviously, we want to signpost as many job hunting options to our students as we can, particularly in this time of recession. However, if we signpost something on our website then I think we are, in some sense, recommending it despite whatever disclaimers we may publish.
If you are an AGCAS Associate or Affiliate member and signed into this site, you can leave a comment below. Only other AGCAS members signed into this site will be able to read your comments.
Birmingham wins AGR accolade for graduate development
The University of Birmingham’s Personal Skills Award (PSA) has won the award for Graduate Development Preparation in Higher Education from the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR). The accolade was received at AGR’s first ever Graduate Development Award Ceremony, which recognised best practice in graduate development.
The University of Birmingham’s Personal Skills Award (PSA) has won the award for Graduate Development Preparation in Higher Education from the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR). The accolade was received at AGR’s first ever Graduate Development Award Ceremony, which recognised best practice in graduate development.
The submission for Graduate Development Preparation in Higher Education was the only category targeted at universities, in recognition of the important input universities have in the graduate development process. The PSA is Birmingham’s employability award delivered by the Careers and Employability Centre. It enables students to develop, recognise and articulate their employability effectively.
The AGR highlighted the quality and robust nature of the PSA’s design as a key feature. Sarah Jeffries, PSA Programme Manager, said:
'We are absolutely delighted to win this award; the recognition from employers is incredibly important to us.'
The PSA is now the only university programme that has been shortlisted for the overall winner for the Graduate Development Award at the AGR Annual Conference in July.
Transfer of AGCAS qualifications to Warwick University
The transfer of AGCAS qualifications from the University of Reading to the University of Warwick will take place on 1 August 2010. Trainees, applicants and heads of service will be kept informed as progress is made. If you have any queries in the meantime, please contact Linda Byrne.
The transfer of AGCAS qualifications from the University of Reading to the University of Warwick will take place on 1 August 2010. Trainees, applicants and heads of service will be kept informed as progress is made. If you have any queries in the meantime, please contact Linda Byrne.
Nominations open for lifetime achievement award
AGCAS is seeking nominations for the 2010 AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Awards. Up to five awards will be made to individuals who have made an exceptional and longstanding contribution to AGCAS through their professional activities.
AGCAS is seeking nominations for the 2010 AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Awards. Up to five awards will be made to individuals who have made an exceptional and longstanding contribution to AGCAS through their professional activities.
This is your chance to nominate someone who deserves this AGCAS honour. The closing date is 15 May 2010. Only current AGCAS members are eligible to nominate. Nominees may be writers, trainers, task group or Board members or others who have made a significant contribution to AGCAS at regional or national level.
Download the nomination form
Previous winners of the award
Working with academics: The Good, the Bad and the ...?
David Stanbury, Director at the University of Reading's Centre for Career Management Skills (CCMS), reflects on his journey of working with academics and outlines how his view has altered over time.
David Stanbury, Director at the University of Reading's Centre for Career Management Skills (CCMS), reflects on his journey of working with academics and outlines how his view has altered over time.
You can read about David's journey in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2010).
Working with academics: Partnership at Edge Hill
Debby Murray, Careers Adviser at Edge Hill University, has a positive tale of collaboration to tell, which has benefited geography and geology students.
Debby Murray, Careers Adviser at Edge Hill University, has a positive tale of collaboration to tell, which has benefited geography and geology students.
You can read about Debby's experience in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2010).
Working with academics: How Edinburgh survived the bumpy ride
Ruth Saville, Careers Adviser at the University of Edinburgh, reflects on the challenge of working with academics in institutions with differing attitudes towards collaborative careers education within academic programmes.
Ruth Saville, Careers Adviser at the University of Edinburgh, reflects on the challenge of working with academics in institutions with differing attitudes towards collaborative careers education within academic programmes.
You can read about Ruth's experience of building and maintaining positive productive relationships, and the lessons learned so far, in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2010).
Students offered industry insights at Heriot-Watt
Heriot-Watt University Careers Service has produced a series of industry simulation case studies to help international students, and others, gain industry awareness without having to undertake a formal placement.
Heriot-Watt University Careers Service has produced a series of industry simulation case studies to help international students, and others, gain industry awareness without having to undertake a formal placement.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can read more about the initiative in the report below by Nick Thow, Director at Heriot-Watt Careers Service.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2010).
Enterprise champions in Wales
The Welsh Academic Champions of Enterprise Conference 2010 brought together academic staff, careers staff and young graduate entrepreneurs to explore the possibilities for enterprise learning and skills development.
The Welsh Academic Champions of Enterprise Conference 2010 brought together academic staff, careers staff and young graduate entrepreneurs to explore the possibilities for enterprise learning and skills development.
Jo Davies, Information Manager at Swansea University, attended the event and has written a conference report, which is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2010).
Opportunities on the AGCAS Board of Directors
AGCAS is now recruiting motivated and enthusiastic members to join the Board of Directors from 1 August 2010. These are challenging times and you can make a real difference. It is vital that we continue to have a full and capable team to lead our association.
AGCAS is now recruiting motivated and enthusiastic members to join the Board of Directors from 1 August 2010.
Do you want to get involved in the strategic management of AGCAS and make key decisions about its future development? Have you got ideas about what AGCAS should be and what it should be able to provide for its members, staff and stakeholders? As a professional body, a company, a charity and an employer, AGCAS needs to be represented at the highest level by a diverse group of committed individuals. As a director you will be making a difference to the future of AGCAS.
Nominations are invited for the four positions below. All positions are for three years (1 August 2010 - 31 July 2013). Candidates may be nominated for one or more of the posts and a full induction will be given.
• AGCAS Treasurer
• AGCAS Company Secretary
• Director (Professional Development)
• Director (ICT)
For more information about the activities of Board members please see the document Roles and Responsibilities of the AGCAS Board or contact the Board member currently filling the role in which you are interested:
Stuart Marriott (Treasurer)
John Kirwan (Company Secretary)
Tom Davie (Director Professional Development)
Jim Campbell (Director ICT)
In addition, you may also contact Wilma Martinelli (AGCAS President) or Margaret Dane (AGCAS Chief Executive).
All candidates will need to complete and return a Nomination Form and a Charity Trustee Declaration by fax or post to:
John Kirwan
AGCAS Company Secretary
Careers Service, University of Bristol
11 Priory Road
Bristol
BS8 1TU
Tel: 0117 9288072 Fax 0117 9546818
These are challenging times and you can make a real difference. It is vital that we continue to have a full and capable team to lead our association.
The closing date for nominations is Friday 14 May 2010.
Work permits - new ruling affects recruiters
Employers who reject job applications on the basis of the need to obtain a work permit could be acting illegally. AGCAS has obtained the view of a leading business immigration lawyer on the implications of the Osborne Clarke Services v Purohit case, which highlights the conflict between UK immigration law and employment law.
Employers who reject job applications on the basis of the need to obtain a work permit could be acting illegally. AGCAS has obtained the view of a leading business immigration lawyer on the implications of the Osborne Clarke Services v Purohit case, which highlights the conflict between UK immigration law and employment law.
Philip Trott, Partner and Head of Immigration at Bates Wells & Braithwaite in London, outlined the ramifications of the case, which ruled that there was indirect discrimination on the grounds of race when an application from a non-EEA national was rejected.
There is a clear conflict in the points based system between the RLMT (resident labour market route), which allows employers to sponsor an immigrant only if no suitable resident workers are available, and the Osborne Clarke legal judgment.
AGCAS CEO, Margaret Dane, said: "AGCAS is pleased to be working with AGR on lobbying the UK Border Agency (UKBA) to clarify matters for employers, students and careers staff."
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Philip's report below.
Salford graduates offered 'gateway' to employment
The University of Salford's Careers and Employability team are offering graduates a lifeline through funding won from the European Social Fund (ESF) and HEFCE. Graduate Gateway is a programme of training and work placements for graduates who have been unable to find a job after leaving university, or who are under-employed.
The University of Salford's Careers and Employability team are offering graduates a lifeline through funding won from the European Social Fund (ESF) and HEFCE. Graduate Gateway is a programme of training and work placements for graduates who have been unable to find a job after leaving university, or who are under-employed.
Salford, as part of a consortium of North West universities, has secured funding from the ESF to develop and run a series of training programmes, with the aim of helping graduates to find employment appropriate to their skills.
The five-day interactive courses will cover a range of key employability skills, including communication, interpersonal working and leadership - and could potentially lead to a work placement.
Funding from HEFCE will compliment the scheme to help other unemployed graduates find paid work experience and allow employers to ‘try out’ a graduate on placement and possibly employ them on a longer term basis.
For more details about the scheme, contact Anna Tayler or visit the Graduate Gateway website.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2010).
Graduate Day in Newcastle
Newcastle University’s Careers Service recently piloted a new all-day event aimed at recent graduates looking for their big break in the world of graduate employment. Graduate Day featured inspirational talks, interactive sessions and one-to-one advice aimed at increasing the confidence and employability of under and unemployed graduates.
Newcastle University’s Careers Service recently piloted a new all-day event aimed at recent graduates looking for their big break in the world of graduate employment. Graduate Day featured inspirational talks, interactive sessions and one-to-one advice aimed at increasing the confidence and employability of under and unemployed graduates.
From CV feedback and tips on where to find the ‘hidden’ jobs to mock interviews and signing up to LinkedIn, the professional networking site, attendees enjoyed a varied and practical day designed to refresh their motivation and self-awareness.
Emily Charlton, who graduated with an MA in International Politics last year, said there was a good sense of camaraderie between everyone: “It was great to see people put their frustrations to one side and approach the day’s activities in an optimistic and pragmatic way.”
Recognising the tough jobs market facing graduates, the careers service also engaged with the university’s alumni to co-host a hugely successful networking event.
Business management graduate, Oliver Lodge, who attended both the networking event and Graduate Day knows how beneficial events like these can be: “I like to get involved in these types of events because they represent invaluable opportunities for networking and improving my skills and experiences.”
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2010).
Leicester outlines recession-beating approach
The University of Leicester's Student Support and Development Service has developed a new package of recession-beating initiatives, aimed at helping its students and graduates in the employment market.
The University of Leicester's Student Support and Development Service has developed a new package of recession-beating initiatives, aimed at helping its students and graduates in the employment market.
The provision includes internship and summer placement programmes, tailored graduate programmes and a JobShop initiative.
Read more about the schemes in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2010).
From Liverpool to China
Justin Richardson, Careers Adviser at the University of Liverpool, recently visited XJTLU University in Suzhou, China, an international university run in partnership between the University of Liverpool and Xi'an Jiaotong University. The main aims of the visit were to develop links with the University and its careers service to see how they could work more effectively with students based both in the UK and China.
Justin Richardson, Careers Adviser at the University of Liverpool, recently visited XJTLU University in Suzhou, China, an international university run in partnership between the University of Liverpool and Xi'an Jiaotong University.
The university has over 2,200 students and many of them do 2+2 courses, which involve two years in China followed by two years in Liverpool.
The main aims of the visit were to develop links with the university and its careers service to see how they could work more effectively with students based both in the UK and China. The trip also incorporated a number of visits to local companies to build a knowledge of the labour market, as well as look at potential placements for Liverpool students.
Justin was also able to visit Shanghai during his time in China and met with the British Council and GTI China. He also had the opportunity to meet with a group of University of Liverpool alumni and develop further useful contacts.
It is hoped that further work can be done with XJTLU University in the future.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2010).
AGCAS seeks new ALOs
AGCAS has vacancies for AGCAS Liaison Officers (ALO) with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Lantra and The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).
AGCAS has vacancies for an AGCAS Liaison Officer (ALO) with the following organisations:
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the professional body for qualifications and standards in land, property and construction.
Lantra, the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the environmental and land-based sector.
The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), the professional body for people in public finance.
ALOs help to maintain an information-sharing relationship with their link organisation and disemminate industry information to the HE careers community through AGCAS's main communication channels: discussion lists, ARENA, the website and Phoenix. They also help their link organisation better communicate with AGCAS members by giving them a better understanding of the needs of HE careers professionals and their students and alerting them to relevant networking opportunities, including AGCAS training, events and conferences.
In essence, an ALO updates their own and other AGCAS members' knowledge of employment, training, the graduate labour market and career development opportunities in a particular sector and, in return, helps professional bodies better understand how HE careers services work. The relationship is intended to be mutually beneficial.
Most ALOs maintain contact with their link organisation by email and telephone, although there is a budget to allow one or two meetings a year with your opposite number. Full guidelines are available.
If you would like to be considered for one of these voluntary roles, please email Gemma Green by Friday 28 May explaining what you could bring to it and why it's of interest to you.
AGCAS poll on unpaid internships
AGCAS would like to know its members' view on unpaid internships. Do they show which students and graduates are prepared to go the extra mile? Or do they exploit graduates who feel forced to play along and discriminate against those who can't afford to take them up? Are they unfair but a fact of life? Or should the next government have the courage to enforce existing legislation?
AGCAS would like to know its members' view on unpaid internships. Do they show which students and graduates are prepared to go the extra mile? Or do they exploit graduates who feel forced to play along and discriminate against those who can't afford to take them up? Are they unfair but a fact of life? Or should the next government have the courage to enforce existing legislation?
Make sure you're signed in to the site so we know you're an AGCAS member and then go to our poll.
AGCAS members can also add their comments on all aspects of internships below.
Hearing about the student experience at Reading
A new web resource for students that will help support personal reflection has been developed by the Centre for Career Management Skills (CCMS) at the University of Reading. Student Stories gives students access to authentic accounts of university life from those who have experienced it first hand.
A new web resource for students that will help support personal reflection has been developed by the Centre for Career Management Skills (CCMS) at the University of Reading. Student Stories gives students access to authentic accounts of university life from those who have experienced it first hand.
The website features both video and audio clips on topical issues of relevance to current and potential undergraduates, generated from interviews with students and recent graduates from a range of UK universities.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can find out more about the resource in the report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2010).
Crunching DLHE data online
St Mary’s University College (part of The Careers Group, University of London), is one of the first colleges in the UK to use Destinations Interactive, a new online DLHE system, which allows careers professionals and other HE staff to 'crunch' DLHE data easily and effectively.
St Mary’s University College (part of The Careers Group, University of London), is one of the first colleges in the UK to use Destinations Interactive, a new online DLHE system, which allows careers professionals and other HE staff to 'crunch' DLHE data easily and effectively.
Users can log in to the site and run any number of reports, for example on job sectors, comparative years and gender (so you can, for example, find the top employer for female sports science students over the past three DLHE surveys).
An introductory session for careers liaison staff at St Mary’s was well received. An 'Academic Working Lunch' is now planned to spread the word further. The St Mary’s Student Recruitment Team has already been trained up to use the system for pre-entry advice, giving potential new students an insight into destination information for their individual courses at the touch of a button, rather than by having to leaf through individual sheets of data!
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2010).
Unpaid internships - the AGCAS view
AGCAS has been canvassing its members' views on unpaid internships. The poll is still open, but of the 170 members who had voted by 24 May, 86% agreed that the government should clamp down on unpaid internships.
AGCAS has been canvassing its members' views on unpaid internships. The poll is still open, but of the 170 members who had voted by 24 May, 86% agreed that the government should clamp down on unpaid internships.
However, the comments posted below the article show that the issue is not straightforward. For some, fairness is the overriding concern, while others warn about the possible negative effects of implementing existing legislation. Practical measures are suggested too, which have led to employers replacing unpaid internships with paid ones. All members are invited to continue to add their views as well as to read what others have written.
Although AGCAS, particularly through its President and CEO, Wilma Martinelli and Margaret Dane, has been explaining the issues to government for many months now, it is really useful to see the strength of feeling, the positive suggestions and the concerns of members, including those which are in a minority.
We have circulated a press release to try to engage the media in the subject and give us a chance to convey our key messages. It highlights the impact on diversity and social mobility of unpaid interships in politics and the media. The press release is available to download below.
Media studies - Mickey Mouse or yellow brick road?
Speaking at the Hay Festival last week, historian Antony Beevor said: "Media studies is seen as a bad joke as far as employers are concerned ... The 'soft' subjects make me rather a...
Speaking at the Hay Festival last week, historian Antony Beevor said: "Media studies is seen as a bad joke as far as employers are concerned ... The 'soft' subjects make me rather angry because it is a betrayal of the students. They think they are getting a real qualification and in fact they have been conned."
This is an old chestnut, but AGCAS would like members' input to inform its communications with the press, employers, government and others.
• If your institution offers media studies, have you done any longitudinal studies of any cohorts that you're willing to share?
• How does recent DLHE data for your media studies graduates compare with those of other graduates?
• Do you have any evidence that employers believe media studies graduates are less employable than others? And what do you think?
Either comment below (you'll need to be signed into the site) or email Chris Jackson.
Media studies poll
Our poll this month asks whether you believe that students are being recruited with an unrealistic expectation of a job in the media or with other graduate employers (Mickey Mouse)? Or is media studies a valid academic discipline, which can lead to good opportunities for students who make the most of their time at university (yellow brick road)?
AGCAS members who are signed into the site, can vote here.
India visit report launched
AGCAS is very pleased to launch the report of the PMI 2 funded visit to India by representatives from AGCAS and NASES during February 2010. A team of nine careers professionals undertook a range of visits in three major cities: Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
AGCAS is very pleased to launch the report of the PMI 2 funded visit to India by representatives from AGCAS and NASES during February 2010. A team of nine careers professionals undertook a range of visits in three major cities: Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
The report aims to expand the range of resources and contacts available to careers and employment professionals, improve their understanding of the Indian labour market, employers and graduate recruitment processes as well as exploring the experiences of UK educated Indian alumni.
Download India Visit - A Report on the AGCAS and NASES PMI2 Visit to India.
Mentoring at Bradford
The University of Bradford is offering students a unique opportunity to develop employability skills through their Career Mentoring Scheme. The scheme matches students with mentors who can offer advice, networking opportunities and a true insight into job roles and industry culture.
The University of Bradford is offering students a unique opportunity to develop employability skills through their Career Mentoring Scheme. The scheme matches students with mentors who can offer advice, networking opportunities and a true insight into job roles and industry culture.
Read more about the scheme in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2010).
Election for AGCAS Director of ICT
AGCAS Associate Members are invited to vote in an online poll to decide who should be elected to the post of Director of ICT on the AGCAS Board.
Following the recent advertisement for a Director of ICT to serve on the AGCAS Board (from 1st August 2010 to 31st July 2013), nominations were received from:
Mr Paul Cox of the University of the West of England (UWE)
Mr James Mears of the University of Warwick
In accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of AGCAS, an election is being held. Associate Members of AGCAS are now invited to vote to decide which nominee should be elected. (Associate Members of AGCAS are heads of careers services, careers advisers and other professional staff and administrators currently employed by an AGCAS-member careers service.
Each Associate Member may cast only one vote and the nominee who secures the most votes by the closing date of Thursday 15 July 2010 at 5.00pm will be duly elected. Further details of the role and short profile statements from each nominee outlining what they hope to bring to the AGCAS Board are reproduced below:
The role of the ICT Director on the AGCAS Board
The Director (ICT) is a Director of AGCAS the Company and a Trustee of AGCAS the Charity. The role involves: acting as an ambassador internally and externally for AGCAS; working closely with the AGCAS Communications and Marketing Manager in promoting, developing and monitoring the use of ICT both within AGCAS and by member services, concentrating on how ICT is being used to further the guidance/information process, online services, e-guidance, online testing, VLE CMS modules, etc. The postholder will work in close consultation with the relevant AGCAS senior staff to make strategic recommendations to the Board.
Nominee profile statements
Mr Paul Cox:
Quality ICT is vital to the effectiveness of careers services and information and guidance provision, particularly in the challenging climate we now face. AGCAS needs to be at the leading edge of ICT awareness and developments in order to be able to respond quickly and appropriately in support of services and the sector.
I see the ICT Director role as crucial to the Board's capacity to achieve this, and I feel it requires effective strategic liaison and coordination of staff and membership expertise within AGCAS and from external partners, rather than individual technical expertise.
I feel my extensive previous involvement within AGCAS, on a variety of committees and working groups, as well as my Board experience as Information Products Director and in the Deputy and President roles, gives me a good grasp of strategic necessities and mechanisms for influencing and developing policy and delivery within AGCAS and the sector. I feel this experience will enable me to further develop effective working relationships with key AGCAS staff, Board members and other stakeholders/partners to ensure that AGCAS remains a key player in this vital area of innovation and value for money through high quality ICT vision and provision.
Mr James Mears:
I have worked as the IT Manager in the Centre for Student Careers & Skills at the University of Warwick since January 2007. My main responsibilities at Warwick are to manage the IT requirements and operations for the centre, including strategic planning and development to enhance service provision. I was also recently responsible for implementing our centre's new IT system and I manage the day-to-day support, training and maintenance alongside our information team. I previously worked for Royal Mail for eight years in various IT roles, including computer network design and as a third line support engineer. I have a degree in integrated engineering from Sheffield Hallam University.
I am nominating myself for the ICT role because I have already been a very active member of the AGCAS ICT Advisory Group, producing several ICT-related articles on podcasting, audio editing and use of twitter. I feel that the role of ICT director would be a logical progression that would allow me to bring my wealth of knowledge, experience and credibility around the areas of ICT to the Board of Directors. I am very keen to work with AGCAS and to help advise the HE careers sector in promoting and developing the use of ICT.
How to vote
To vote, please make sure you are first signed into the AGCAS website and then go to the poll. Only AGCAS Associate Members are eligible to vote. In the case of any difficulty registering your vote, please email ict@agcas.org.uk.
Males fare worse initially as graduate unemployment rises
Male and female graduate unemployment worsened between December 2008 and December 2009. Graduate unemployment rose by 25 per cent, from 11.1 per cent to 14.0 per cent. But the position is far worse for males than for females.
Male and female graduate unemployment worsened between December 2008 and December 2009. Graduate unemployment rose by 25 per cent, from 11.1 per cent to 14.0 per cent. But the position appears to be far worse for males than for females. In December 2009, 17.2 per cent of recent young male graduates were unemployed compared to 11.2 per cent of female graduates.
However, male graduates in work are more likely to be in a 'graduate' job and to be paid more.
The analysis of gender differences comes in a report Male and Female Participation and Progression in Higher Education, published by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) on 4 July 2010. An executive summary is available.
AGCAS members are invited to comment on the report and on what the response should be from AGCAS, HE careers services, universities and the government.
You will need to be an AGCAS member and have registered with this site and signed in to see the comments facility below.
Services and opportunities for part time students
AGCAS members want part time students to know that careers education, information, advice and guidance is there for them. AGCAS has today issued a press release, encouraging the media to broadcast the message as widely as possible - and recruiters not to miss out on talented and motivated graduates.
With fees and living costs rising and less government support available, part time study is becoming more and more popular. Many part time students are juggling full time jobs and/or family commitments, which make getting into university to consult an adviser or access careers resources during the day difficult or impossible. Universities, however, are keen to point out that their career planning and job prospects need not suffer as a result.
Flexible delivery
Chris Jackson, a spokesperson for AGCAS said:
'Careers services around the country want part time students to know that help is there for them. The needs of part time students and the times at which they are available vary enormously and careers services know that. As a result, they have developed suites of online and face-to-face services, which can be accessed around the clock'.
The Open University has nearly 40 years of experience of meeting the needs of part time students and, like other AGCAS member services, offers a wide range of services. Head of Careers Service, Clare Riding, said:
'Last year 15,000 students made use of our online careers forums. They can be accessed by students any time of the day or night and can provide a really useful community in which students can share experiences and issues with the security of knowing the careers adviser is there with specialist careers knowledge.
Many of our one-to-one appointments are delivered by phone, which means that someone working full-time can speak to one of our careers advisers in the evening outside work at a mutually-agreed time. Last year, the satisfaction rate from our careers interviews was around the 84% mark - all students who receive a careers interview are asked to complete a questionnaire'.
Enlightened employers
Some part time students worry that employers don't recruit part time students. Riding said:
'Enlightened employers value the commitment, time management skills and resourcefulness, as well as the knowledge and skills, of part time students. We try to get recruiters to demonstrate this by getting them involved in forums and other activities. Those who have done so to date include Civil Service Fast Stream, NHS and Logica, to name but a few'.
Jackson said:
'Careers services tell employers how short-sighted it is to recruit from just a narrow band of students. Those who recruit only from certain universities, from the youngest students or from full time courses, are missing out on a lot of talent. I think most realise that now, but we do still have some way to go and we'll keep on making the point.
But, ultimately, it's the students themselves who need to show each employer that they have all the skills and qualities required. Employers like to see evidence from all areas of the applicant's life. And that's where part time students, who often have broader experience, can score. Sometimes they just need a bit of extra assistance and direction from their careers service to get them started.
Access to services
Just a few examples of what's on offer from HE careers services:
• All careers services have websites on which most of their resources are accessible
• Many offer e-guidance (ie, guidance by email); interactive e-learning modules; online vacancy bulletins; blogs, forums, virtual careers fairs
• They can provide expertise on career progression as well as first graduate jobs
• Flexible opening hours are now the norm, often at times negotiated with individual students
• Social networking sites, such as LinkedIn or Facebook, can be good ways of accessing careers services
AGCAS Associate and Affiliate Members who have registered with this site and signed in are invited to comment on this article, and any issues raised by it, below.
Survey figures don't add up
Graduates can be forgiven for being confused by the messages about their job prospects that they're reading in the media.
At this week's AGR conference, delegates apparently heard that there are over 70 applicants for every job; that 78% of employers will only recruit graduates with a 2:1 or above; the number recruiting only from the Russell Group has tripled; salaries have been frozen; and the number of vacancies has fallen by 2%.
Graduates can be forgiven for being confused by the messages about their job prospects that they're reading in the media.
At this week's AGR conference, delegates heard that there are over 70 applicants for every job; that 78% of employers will only recruit graduates with a 2:1 or above; the number recruiting only from the Russell Group has tripled; salaries have been frozen; and the number of vacancies has fallen by 2%.
Different figures
However, last week's High Fliers Survey, which asked similar recruiters the same sorts of questions, found that:
• Britain's top graduate employers have increased their recruitment by 17.8% in 2010, following two consecutive years of declining job opportunities for university leavers. Vacancies dropped by 17.8% in 2009 and 6.7% in 2008.
• Employers in eleven of fourteen key industries and employment areas are hiring more graduates in 2010. Just two areas are taking on fewer graduates:
law firms and the public sector. Vacancies at consumer goods companies are unchanged from 2009.
• The City's top investment banks have hired a third more graduates than in 2009, having halved their recruitment over the past two years. There are also substantial increases to the graduate intake at accountancy and professional services firms (up 30.9% compared to 2009) and high street banks (up 33.2%).
• The total number of applications received by employers has increased by 7% this year and is now 15% higher than application levels in 2008. Recruiters received an average of 45 applications for each of their vacancies in 2010. There were 52 applications per vacancy in 2009.
• Competition has been toughest for graduate jobs at consumer goods manufacturers, media firms, banking and finance employers, investment banks, and oil and energy firms, where employers received at least 70 applications per graduate position.
• Graduate starting salaries at the UK's leading employers have increased significantly over the last six months as organisations compete to recruit the best graduates. The average starting salary for 2010 is now £29,000, up from £27,000 in 2009, a 7.4% increase year-on-year. Salaries rose by 5.9% in 2009 and 4.1% in 2008.
• The biggest rise in starting salaries has been at City investment banks, where graduate pay has jumped by more than 10% this year to a record high of £42,000, an increase of £4,000 on the £38,000 paid to new banking recruits in 2009.
• Looking ahead to 2011, half of leading employers believe that they will hire a similar level of graduates to this year, a fifth believe their intake will increase but a quarter warn of further reductions to their recruitment.
Conflicting messages
Add to that the fact that, only a couple of weeks ago, half of the employers surveyed by AGR for TARGETjobs Breakfast News said they still have graduate vacancies to fill, with more than 40% planning to increase their graduate intake compared with last year. This was posted on AGR's website on 21 June.
So, do things really changed that quickly? No, of course not. It depends who you ask, what you ask them, and when you ask them. But the mixed messages certainly don't help students and graduates.
AGCAS advice
Our advice to students and graduates is:
• Don't believe all you read. There are jobs out there but to be in with a chance you have to find them and apply.
• Make yourself as attractive to employers as possible by taking advantage of and making opportunities at university and outside university. Work experience, voluntary work, and involvement in student societies can give you the evidence you need to prove to employers that you have the skills they're looking for.
• Learn how to articulate what you have to offer, both in writing and verbally. Employers only know what you tell them - and the selection process will be competitive. If you don't put your case across convincingly, you could be beaten to a job by someone less well-qualified but who has written a better application or come across better at interview.
• Remember that the big recruiters you see quoted in the media are just the tip of the iceberg. The vast majority of graduates don't get jobs with these companies - and never have. Most work for smaller organisations in the private, public and not-for-proft sector. You'll need to be proactive to find the openings.
• Take advantage of the help that university careers services can give with exploring your options, decision making, increasing your attractiveness to employers, making applications and preparing for interview.
Further comment
It will be interesting to hear more from employers, government and graduates over the coming days and weeks.
Meanwhile, AGCAS members are invited to comment below.
• What do you make of the confusion?
• Is it having an affect on graduates?
• What is your own recent experience of graduate recruitment activity?
You will need to have registered with this website and signed in to add your comment and read those of other members.
LSE surveys students about social networking for careers purposes
Engaging the 2010 graduate - a changing landscape was the theme for LSE's annual recruiter conference, held on campus in May. As part of an afternoon of discussion about the use of social media in recruitment, the findings of a survey of 177 LSE students and graduates were presented, investigating the where, when, how and whys of their usage of social networking sites.
Engaging the 2010 graduate - a changing landscape was the theme for LSE's annual recruiter conference, held on campus in May. As part of an afternoon of discussion about the use of social media in recruitment, the findings of a survey of 177 LSE students and graduates were presented, investigating the where, when, how and whys of their usage of social networking sites.
Patterns of use varied according to year group; unsurprisingly, graduates and finalists are more likely to be developing a professional profile or networking online via LinkedIn. First year students are not online before lunchtime and while not the largest group of Facebook users (final years are with 94%), they are most likely to use all forms of social networking for socializing.
Socializing is dominant throughout; respondents indicated a lack of confidence in developing their profile for professional purposes and very few (10%) had contacted a recruiter via these sites. Social networking is not popular as a means of careers research when compared to general internet research (books are least popular), but meeting with company representatives is popular, perhaps indicating a resistance not to networking, but to networking online.
If lack of confidence is at the root of students' resistance to online networking, this is exacerbated by a feeling that recruiters have an unfair advantage in being able to view personal information online. 40% of respondents believe recruiters look at their profiles online and 40% make their profiles private. Among the comments received is a firm belief that on the web, personal and professional should be kept separate.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download a copy of the survey report below.
If you're interested in social networking in careers, take a look at Kezia Richmond's blog.
Transfer of AGCAS qualifications to Warwick
AGCAS is delighted to announce that The University of Warwick has become the host institution for the AGCAS Career Education, Information and Guidance in HE (CEIGHE) qualifications. From 1 August 2010 the AGCAS qualifications (at Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and MA level) will all be cared for by The University of Warwick’s Centre for Lifelong Learning (CLL).
AGCAS is delighted to announce that The University of Warwick has become the host institution for the AGCAS Career Education, Information and Guidance in HE (CEIGHE) qualifications.
From 1 August 2010 the AGCAS qualifications (at Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma and MA level) will all be cared for by The University of Warwick’s Centre for Lifelong Learning (CLL).
Linda Byrne, AGCAS Training and Publications Manager, said:
"We'd like to take this opportunity to thank the University of Reading for their support over the many years that they have hosted the AGCAS qualifications. We are now looking forward to as successful a future with the University of Warwick."
Course contacts
We are delighted that Phil McCash has chosen to continue to lead the AGCAS qualifications, retaining his role as Course Director by transfering from the University of Reading to the University of Warwick. Phil’s knowledge and experience will ensure consistency of standards, marking and assessment, and a smooth administrative handover.
Jane Hall is the CLL Programme Administrator for all the AGCAS courses at the University of Warwick. Jane is an experienced administrator and we are looking forward to developing a close working relationship with her.
Jan Cornish continues to be the AGCAS Training Administrator and remains your contact for booking and administration on all AGCAS qualification courses.
Linda Byrne is the AGCAS Training and Publications Manager and remains your contact if you have any queries about the qualification.
Business as usual
If you are already registered on the qualification you will already have returned the necessary paperwork ensuring your records are available to the University of Warwick, and it really is business as usual.
If you are thinking of registering for the AGCAS qualifications, contact Phil to confirm your eligibility and discuss module options. If you have any queries about course scheduling, content or anything else to do with AGCAS qualifications, please contact Linda.
Take action on unpaid internships, says AGCAS
A letter outlining AGCAS's position on unpaid graduate internships has been published in the Guardian. The letter was based on a position paper, which will be disseminated shortly.
AGCAS director, Martin Pennington, has written to the Guardian to set out the AGCAS position on unpaid internships. He wrote:
Dear editor,
Dr Hill from LCCI raises interesting issues in her comments (Rules on interns pay cutting opportunities, Letters, August 13th) on the difficulties that graduates face in getting work experience owing to the current restrictions on employers offering unpaid internships.
Current legislation makes clear the circumstances under which employers can offer such unpaid internships and any employers contravening this should rightly face legal challenges. The experience of many university (HE) careers services, however, is that some employers are nevertheless offering such internships with impunity, and that graduates, desperate to secure a toehold in the job market, are taking these up. This places careers services in the invidious position of wishing to provide for their graduates by advertising such opportunities but not wanting to collude in law breaking. Their strength of feeling was indicated in a recent membership poll conducted by the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS), the professional body for HE careers staff in 130 institutions across the UK and Ireland. Asked whether the government should clamp down on unpaid internships, 85% voted ‘Yes' to the proposition.
Unpaid internships are not just exploitative of individuals but also restrict social mobility, as they are disproportionately difficult for graduates from lower socio-economic groups to take up, and reduce the number of entry level jobs for graduates and others. Current advice from AGCAS to its members is that they shouldn't advertise or broker internships that contravene legislation.
AGCAS does not, of course, wish to stand in the way of individuals' career opportunities nor of economic growth, but has a responsibility to speak on behalf of HE careers services, and graduates, placed in this pernicious dilemma. Accordingly, it calls on government to take action on employers offering unpaid internships illegally and, if appropriate, to review policy and legislation governing internships so that the benefits of these are available to all and none is exploited.
Yours sincerely,
Martin Pennington
(Director, Products and Services, Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services)
An edited version of his letter was published in the Guardian on Saturday 14 August 2010.
Martin's letter was based on AGCAS's draft position paper on internships, which will be disseminated shortly.
AGCAS welcomes new Board members
New appointments have been made to the AGCAS Board to replace this year's outgoing directors. The new board of directors took office on 1 August 2010.
New appointments have been made to the AGCAS Board to replace this year's outgoing directors.
The following appointments have been made:
• President, Ms Anne-Marie Martin, Director of The Careers Group, University of London.
• Secretary, Mr Daniel Ferrett, DLHE/Information Coordinator, Oxford Brookes University.
• Treasurer, Mr Marc Lintern, Head of Student Development and Employability, University of Plymouth.
• Director (ICT), Mr James Mears, IT Officer, University of Warwick.
In an interview for Phoenix, to be published in September, incoming president, Anne-Marie, said:
'This seemed like the right time to do something for the association ... I want AGCAS to be viewed by all stakeholders as a genuine modern deliverer of all there is to know about employability in our sector. I want us to be known as the voice of the profession.'
Elected members took up their roles on 1 August 2010.
Find out more about the governance and organisation of AGCAS.
Unpaid internships - your views
The AGCAS poll asking whether the government should clamp down on unpaid internships generated a lively response from AGCAS members. Here, we publish the views of some of our members.
The AGCAS poll asking whether the government should clamp down on unpaid internships generated a lively response from AGCAS members.
• Seamus McConomy, Work Experience Development Officer at the University of Ulster, asks whether unpaid work experience helps graduates to weather the storm or encourages habitual exploitation.
• Nicky Smith, Student Employment Services Coordinator at Roehampton University, asks whether unpaid internships are useful learning experiences or blatant exploitation.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download both articles below.
These articles were first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
We can work it out?
AGCAS director, Martin Pennington, has written to the Times Higher with an AGCAS response to issues relating to graduate employability, employers’ expectations and the place of work experience and careers education within higher education.
AGCAS director, Martin Pennington, has written to the Times Higher with an AGCAS response to issues relating to graduate employability, employers' expectations and the place of work experience and careers education within higher education.
Martin wrote:
Dear Sir/Madam,
The article ‘We can work it out’ by Rebecca Attwood (September 3rd) raises a range of very interesting issues relating to graduate employability, employers’ expectations and the place of work experience and careers education within higher education. She draws no specific conclusions from her analysis but leaves the reader with a vague feeling that all is not as it should be.
The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS), the professional body for higher education careers staff in 130 institutions across the UK and Ireland, understands the views and experiences of career professionals across the sector. Rarely has the issue of graduate employability been centre stage as it is now and, although it has perhaps taken a recession to make this so, at least many minds within and outside higher education are applying themselves to the debate. The following observations might help to clarify thinking.
Firstly, the fact that students might need encouragement, even persuasion, to consider their futures is nothing new, nor is the fact that many of them are unclear about their career paths. Higher education is, at the very least, designed to develop students’ critical thinking, however, and this ought to encompass their future place and role in society as much as more academic matters. Those institutions, and the evidence is that these are increasing in number, that understand this will be well-placed to facilitate and develop their students’ ability to plan effectively and make appropriate decisions. This is not an argument for instrumentality - being able to compile a CV or perform well at interviews are important skills but will not make up for a lack of direction or self-belief – but for the development of consistent and long-term approaches to career thinking and planning, located both within and outside the curriculum. Careers services have been at the forefront of many advances in careers education and should be seen by their institutions as key players in this context.
Secondly, employers have long bemoaned the shortcomings of graduates, whether it is in terms of their skills or their attitudes, and it will probably always be so. Those graduates who demonstrate the ‘right’ blend of attributes, however, are most often the ones who have been able to benefit from those work experiences, and also volunteering and other extra-curricular activities, that challenge their skills and develop their sense of individuality. They become more aware of their place in the world, and the contribution that they can make to it, as a result, and are better able to articulate a sense of this to any potential employer. Careers services know this and work with students to help them secure appropriate work placements and to derive the most benefit from them. What is needed is more employers willing to offer such placements – both short-term and longer – and to view this as an investment for their own future and that of others.
Finally, we need to recognise that we are all in this together and have much to gain from adopting a more collaborative approach. Again careers services have long recognised this and forged partnerships with employers, academics, students’ unions and others in order to support students in their aspirations beyond university and in their wider contributions to society. Employers, academics and careers professionals have clear but distinct roles to play in ensuring that our graduates emerge confident about their skills and attributes and equipped to take on the challenges of the working world. All parties need supporting and encouraging in this process, however, not least by higher education institutions themselves. Unfortunately, employability is too often interpreted in the narrow sense of whether institution A’s destination statistics are better than institution B’s and what implications this has for the league tables. Destinations data are only part of the picture and, whilst clearly important, have limitations and should not be looked at in isolation.
The discussion prompted by this article is welcome and AGCAS is confident that it, and the careers professionals that it represents, are well-placed to engage in it for the benefit of graduates, the labour market and the well-being of the higher education sector.
Yours faithfully,
Martin Pennington
Director (Products and Services), Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS)
Martin was responding to Rebecca Attwood's article, We can work it out, published on 3 September 2010 in the THES.
Demos recommends recruitment consultancy model for HE careers services
Class of 2010: a report into the attitudes and aspirations of this year's graduates, produced for Endsleigh Insurance by Demos, recommends that university careers services 'should reconfigure themselves as not-for-profit recruitment consultancies'.
The recommendation has been given prominence on the THES website, where a number of AGCAS members and Chris Jackson, on behalf of AGCAS itself, have already posted responses.
Class of 2010: a report into the attitudes and aspirations of this year's graduates, produced for Endsleigh Insurance by Demos, recommends that university careers services 'should reconfigure themselves as not-for-profit recruitment consultancies'.
The recommendation has been given prominence on the THES website, where a number of AGCAS members and Chris Jackson, on behalf of AGCAS itself, have already posted responses.
AGCAS intends to make a fuller response about the role of careers services to Demos, Universities UK, university groupings and government. In the meantime, it would value the views of members on this recommendation in particular and the role of careers services more broadly, especially in terms of the role they can play in developing and delivering universities' employability strategies.
We would also be interested in hearing members' suggestions for appropriate performance indicators in this area. Is it appropriate to use DLHE data, for example? What about graduate salaries?
Email Chris Jackson or post your comments below this article. (You will need to be registered with this site and and signed in to leave a comment. Your contribution will be only be accessible to AGCAS members.)
Witch way for historians?
The University of York Careers Service and Department of History have been collaborating on an innovative project aimed at helping history students relate their skills as academic historians to the outside world.
The University of York Careers Service and Department of History have been collaborating on an innovative project aimed at helping history students relate their skills as academic historians to the outside world.
Kate Copland, Careers Adviser, explains how they did it in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010) as part of the history curriculum theme.
History Dragons' Den
A new initiative at University College Dublin (UCD), which involves the careers service and the history department working in partnership to add some work-related spice to the curriculum, was launched earlier this year.
A new initiative at University College Dublin (UCD), which involves the careers service and the history department working in partnership to add some work-related spice to the curriculum, was launched earlier this year.
In the report below, Dr Alexander Wilkinson, Lecturer in History, and David Foster, Director of the Career Development Centre, outline the student response to History’s Dragons’ Den.
The report is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010) as part of the history curriculum theme.
Derby historians turn to Xing
History students at the University of Derby recently got to grips with Xing, a visual planning tool that helps users learn how about how businesses are created and grown, during an annual Employability Day organised by history academics and careers advisers based at the Career Development Centre.
History students at the University of Derby recently got to grips with Xing, a visual planning tool that helps users learn how about how businesses are created and grown, during an annual Employability Day organised by history academics and careers advisers based at the Career Development Centre.
Xing uses experience-centred learning techniques with a competition format to identify the commercial awareness, business language and employability skills of the student participants, including communication, teamwork, strategic process, customer focus and entrepreneurial mindset. Students work in teams to develop a business strategy based on real life scenarios. They then have to pitch their ideas to a business expert.
After the session, Ian Whitehead, History Subject Leader, said:
"The Xing session proved to be an excellent means of exemplifying transferable skills from the history degree, which had been outlined in the first half of the History Employability Day. It enabled the students to apply their analytical skills to a concrete business scenario and to understand the full range of responsibilities involved in managing a commercial enterprise. The students had to show creativity, to work effectively in a team and to demonstrate good communication skills. The event succeeded in broadening students’ career horizons, whilst making an entertaining contribution to the day."
Find out more about Xing
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010) as part of the history curriculum theme.
DonauForum 2010 - Employability challenges in Europe
The DonauForum 2010, held in Germany in May, focussed on the employability challenges facing universities from across Germany to the Ukraine, Albania, Hungary, Poland, Croatia, Romania and Serbia.
The DonauForum 2010, held in Germany in May, focussed on the employability challenges facing universities from across Germany to the Ukraine, Albania, Hungary, Poland, Croatia, Romania and Serbia.
Pauline McDonald, Head of Careers and Employability at Swansea University, presented at the conference and has written a short report, which is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
Nordic networking - a conference report
The 12th annual Nordic Careers Network Conference was held in Aalborg, northern Denmark, in June. Helen Pownall, Careers Consultant at the University of Manchester, delivered the opening keynote speech and a workshop on social media and new technologies.
The 12th annual Nordic Careers Network Conference was held in Aalborg, northern Denmark, in June. Helen Pownall, Careers Consultant at the University of Manchester, delivered the opening keynote speech and a workshop on social media and new technologies.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Helen's conference report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
Gender equality training - an event report
The UK Resource Centre for Women (UKRC) recently held gender equality training for careers professionals working with adult women either entering or returning to Science, Technology and Engineering (SET) careers.
The UK Resource Centre for Women (UKRC) recently held gender equality training for careers professionals working with adult women either entering or returning to Science, Technology and Engineering (SET) careers.
Tracy Johnson, Careers Adviser at the University of Bristol, attended the event and has written a short report, which is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
'Gradvantage' for Merseyside job seekers
Since April 2009, more than 700 graduates in Merseyside have received a major boost to their job prospects through high-quality internship and career management programmes delivered at the University of Liverpool’s Careers and Employability Service.
Since April 2009, more than 700 graduates in Merseyside have received a major boost to their job prospects through high-quality internship and career management programmes delivered at the University of Liverpool’s Careers and Employability Service.
Gradvantage offers a week-long intensive career boot camp and the opportunity to apply for paid graduate-level internships across Merseyside.
Find out more about the programmes in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
Improving DLHE analysis - the GEMS approach
The Careers Service at the University of Huddersfield has developed powerful software called GEMS, which can produce different DLHE reports at the click of a button in order to make data available to different groups in different ways.
The Careers Service at the University of Huddersfield has developed powerful software called GEMS, which can produce different DLHE reports at the click of a button in order to make data available to different groups in different ways.
Read more about the GEMS approach in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
Chester launch employability course
Along with a number of other universities, the University of Chester was successful in bidding for funding from HEFCE’s Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF) in 2009. The funding was used to set up an employability course for recent graduates with 20 Masters-level credits for successful completion of the course portfolio.
Along with a number of other universities, the University of Chester was successful in bidding for funding from HEFCE’s Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF) in 2009. The funding was used to set up an employability course for recent graduates with 20 Masters-level credits for successful completion of the course portfolio.
The project is being run collaboratively with Chester's Faculty of Business, Enterprise and Lifelong Learning.
Ewen McKinnon, Employer Liaison Officer in the Careers and Employability team, said:
"Elements of the course were very familiar to the team, such as equipping graduates with careers planning and strategy toolkits and organising developmental placements. However, involvement with an accredited course for graduates from any institution brought challenges not normally faced within the team, such as recruiting students external to the university, working on application procedures and chasing assignments."
The course consists of four days, broken down into: a day dedicated to career planning; three days of personal development and business skills; an optional five-week developmental project with a local employer; and a reflective 4,000 word portfolio.
Despite the challenges, the team see the collaboration with the academic faculty as a success - and the opportunity to provide graduates with accreditation for enhancing their employability has been a bonus.
The course will in September, October, November 2010 and January 2011.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
Glasgow Caledonian gets 'Graduates 2 Work'
Graduate 2 Work was launched earlier this year by Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) Careers Service as a new career development programme designed specifically to offer further support to unemployed recent graduates.
Graduate 2 Work was launched earlier this year by Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) Careers Service as a new career development programme designed specifically for recent graduates. In a difficult economic climate, Deborah Houston, Head of Careers, identified a need to offer further support to unemployed graduates. This built on work done as part of other initiatives, including the support for graduates in the recession funded by the Scottish Government and offered collaboratively by Scottish university careers services through AGCAS Scotland.
The main objective of the Graduate 2 Work programme was to provide a more sustained and target-driven approach to graduate advice. Graduates’ skills were developed in a series of employability seminars delivered by advisers and GCU alumni employers. In regular follow-up interviews, graduates worked with their own personal careers adviser to focus their employment goals and progress in the application and interview process. Graduates were encouraged to apply for real, relevant jobs they really wanted.
G2W attendee Jenny Lawrence, who has since started a graduate role, said:
"I found the group sessions helpful. The one-to-one session I had was great, we worked on my CV and this really helped because she pointed out loads of things I wouldn’t have thought of."
Following the success of the first programme, the careers service hopes to develop G2W for its future graduates.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
Salford graduates offered university internships lifeline
The University of Salford has responded to a considerable demand for work experience from amongst graduates, especially those who are struggling to even get on the first rung of their career ladder, by offering graduates internships within their university of study.
The University of Salford has responded to a considerable demand for work experience from amongst graduates, especially those who are struggling to even get on the first rung of their career ladder, by offering graduate internships within their university of study.
Fiona Christie, Senior Careers Consultant, Careers and Employability, said:
"The economic downturn has forced our hand. For years, graduates have been asking about getting work experience and we often had to disappoint as the majority of organised programmes tend to be for undergraduates."
Catch-22
Jemma Houghton is one such graduate who was struggling to secure full-time work after graduating with a 2:1 in Performing Arts:
“After I graduated in 2008 I was only able to secure part-time work in the arts on short term contracts and had to subsidise my wage with bar work in order to survive. This continued for a year until the full impact of the recession hit the UK and work completely dried up. I found myself unemployed for six months. I had to move back in with my parents as I could no longer support myself. It was a completely dire time, tirelessly searching for and applying for jobs daily. I was successful in securing many interviews, all of which later told me I was their second choice of candidate. The reason for my not securing the job role was that their first choice had more experience in the workplace environment. I frustratingly found myself in a catch-22 situation."
Lifeline
"Thankfully, the university where I studied came to my rescue! I applied for an internship working in Student Life at the University of Salford, was successful in securing an interview and then the post! It is a 13 week internship and gives me the much-needed experience in the workplace environment that I require. During my time here so far, I have been wholeheartedly invited into the team, been given projects to work on, received free training in areas I need to improve upon and further developed my existing skills. I am extremely thankful to the university for giving me a lifeline.”
Fiona comments:
"If it wasn't for our decision to employ graduate interns, we probably would never have employed Jemma as she did not have a lot of relevant experience. However, having a recent graduate with a fresh pair of eyes has brought us more than we could have possibly hoped for when we first advertised the internship supporting our careers information team. Jemma has proved herself an asset to our team and a great ad for employing graduate interns. We are hoping she will stay with us for longer."
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
UCLan graduates benefit from internships fund
Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF) funding has enabled the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) to develop opportunities for graduates to work on short term projects with businesses.
Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF) funding has enabled the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) to develop opportunities for graduates to work on short term projects with businesses.
The UCLan internships fund, made up of contributions from the ECIF and the university, allows businesses to take on skilled graduate or undergraduate interns for up to six weeks. The programme is administered by the university's Knowledge Transfer Service, through the futures support service.
North West Director of the Year and Managing Director of Preston-based Envirosystems UK, Liz Russell, contacted futures in October 2009. Three months later, she took on two graduate interns and has been so impressed with their work that both have been offered permanent employment.
Liz said:
"I’ve been delighted with the interns I’ve taken on. We employed our first graduate employee in 2008 and I admit I was wary at first about the levels of experience and knowledge a recent graduate would have. However, I’ve been very impressed by the skills and up-to-date knowledge our graduates have brought to the team. They have fresh ideas and energy, and haven’t been afraid to suggest business improvements. UCLan’s advisers are very supportive and have taken all the hassle away, by managing the recruitment and selection process, overseeing the placements and funding the interns. Now I would urge all SMEs in the region to seriously consider taking advantage of this excellent opportunity."
Bede Mullen, Director of the Knowledge Transfer Service at UCLan, commented:
"Our student and graduate interns give businesses the chance to tap into the vast resources of the university and benefit from the most up-to-date industry knowledge. In turn, the graduates gain valuable workplace experience and employment opportunities, whilst being paid for up to six weeks. A qualified intern can bring invaluable additional human resource to a team when times are tough but the scheme is also ideal for companies requiring specialist skills to complete a specific project - such as re-building a website or developing a corporate communications strategy."
Find out more about UCLan's internship programme.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
Derby offers ‘OnetoOne’ service
The University of Derby, in collaboration with four local FE colleges, has secured funding from the Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF) through HEFCE. The bid provides several new services to clients who have been affected by the change in the economic climate, whether they are redundant, facing redundancy or a graduate unable to get their career started.
The University of Derby, in collaboration with four local FE colleges, has secured funding from the Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF) through HEFCE. The bid provides several new services to clients who have been affected by the change in the economic climate, whether they are redundant, facing redundancy or a graduate unable to get their career started.
The services include free short and taster courses offered by the colleges and university, support for business start up and a free, specialist careers advice and guidance service, OnetoOne, delivered through the Career Development Centre at the University of Derby.
Find out more about OnetoOne in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
Aston launch enterprise award
Aston University Careers and Employability Centre recently collaborated with SIFE Aston and Aston Entrepreneurs to launch a new enterprise award, which encourages students to pitch innovative business ideas. Aston Idol 2010 achieved support and sponsorship from a wide range of employers.
Aston University Careers and Employability Centre recently collaborated with SIFE Aston and Aston Entrepreneurs to launch a new enterprise award, which encourages students to pitch innovative business ideas.
Aston Idol 2010 achieved support and sponsorship from a wide range of employers, including Ernst & Young, UnLtd, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Student Guild, Aston Business Partnership Unit, Birmingham Science Park, BSEEN and Aston University Centre for Staff Development. Training for participants was delivered by the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE).
The overall winner was Jennifer Schofield, a final year Aston Business School student, for her DataDiscretion key, a USB flash drive with encryption software.
Sarah Perrins, Graduate Recruitment Officer at Ernst & Young, commented:
"We were really impressed with the professionalism of the student presentations and there were some really promising ideas. It was great to see how many of the university departments and staff were backing the students with a very impressive turnout for the final."
Maureen Tibby, Head of the Careers and Employability Centre, said:
"Aston Idol was extremely popular and is a fantastic example of what can be achieved through collaboration and team work.”
Planning for an even larger Aston Idol 2011 is now underway.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
Edge Hill celebrates employability programme graduates
The first twenty students of Edge Hill University's pilot Employability Programme have graduated. The programme is supported by Enterprise Rent-A-Car and is endorsed by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).
The first twenty students of Edge Hill University's pilot Employability Programme have graduated. The programme is supported by Enterprise Rent-A-Car and is endorsed by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).
Students from the programme, the first of its kind to be piloted at the university, were presented with certificates at an awards ceremony. Awards were also presented on the night to a number of local employers who have made a significant contribution, in partnership with Edge Hill's Careers Centre, to developing students' employability.
Employers included Enterprise Rent-A-Car, HMP Preston, NSG Pilkington, St Helens Sports Development, Adventor LTD and West Lancashire Borough Council's Countryside Ranger Service.
Jacqui Howe, Head of Careers at Edge Hill, said:
"Our students make an enormous positive contribution to the local community and these awards are to acknowledge our most outstanding students who have made a real difference either through employment or volunteering opportunities. We had so many deserving entries and it was very difficult to make a decision. Each and every one of them should be congratulated for managing to juggle their studies and work effectively, they should be seen as ambassadors for the university and I'm very proud of them all."
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
Developing careers education at London South Bank
London South Bank University (LSBU) has developed five new accredited professional development units, aimed at giving careers professionals the competence and confidence to lead and manage the provision of impartial careers education in schools and colleges.
London South Bank University (LSBU) has developed five new accredited professional development units, aimed at giving careers professionals the competence and confidence to lead and manage the provision of impartial careers education in schools and colleges.
Find out more about the course in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (September 2010).
Browne - fit for purpose employability information and careers advice needed
AGCAS believes the Browne Report to be broadly progressive and welcomes its emphasis on informed decision making. However, it is concerned that some of the employability information and careers advice that it says is so important to prospective students, is not currently fit for purpose. It also calls on the government to monitor diversity in higher education, and especially in some high status professions, and act if the Browne proposals do not improve access.
AGCAS believes the Browne Report to be broadly progressive and welcomes its emphasis on informed decision making. However, it is concerned that some of the employability information and careers advice that it says is so important to prospective students, is not currently fit for purpose. It also calls on the government to monitor diversity in higher education and especially in some high status professions and act if the Browne proposals do not improve access.
Employability data
The Browne Report states that the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) found that [the] proportion of students employed in a full time professional or managerial job one year after completing the course; the proportion of students in employment in the first year after completing the course and average salary in the first year after completing the course are among the information needed by prospective students to help them make the right choices of course.
Currently universities collect and submit data on what graduates are doing six months after graduating. With many students postponing career decision making and job search until after graduation, and with an increasing number of employers and professions now expecting graduates to undergo a low-paid or unpaid internship or postgraduate training prior to a paid graduate position, the published figures are likely to mislead young people, their parents and their advisers. The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) itself has recognised that this data underestimates how likely a graduate is likely to be in work and especially a 'graduate position' in longer term:
In general all subjects follow the same pattern of increasing numbers going into employment over the three and a half years. However there are differences between the subjects in how quickly this increase occurs. ... The subjects with the lowest percentages in graduate occupations at the six month time point showed the largest increase over the three and a half years. HESA, 2010.
AGCAS welcomes the Browne recommendations as a step in the right direction, but believes that employability data gathered 18 months to 3 years after graduation would be even more useful. The current review by HESA of its 6 month and longitudinal destination census points is timely.
Careers guidance
The report emphasises the importance of high quality careers information, advice and guidance:
Every school will be required to make individualised careers advice available to its pupils. The advice will be delivered by certified professionals who are well informed, benefit from continued training and professional development and whose status in schools is respected and valued. Similar careers advice will be available to older people as well.
AGCAS comments that there is no mention in the report of how this will be achieved. Careers advice is currently under funding pressure. As a result of public sector spending cuts, local authorities responsible for the under-19s service are making large cuts to the Connexions budget. Information and advice for prospective entrants to higher education has long borne the brunt of reduced funding from central government. Provision for older applicants is even less adequate, despite the recent establishment of a new adult service.
AGCAS welcomes the suggestion that universities will have an important part to play. HE careers services are at the interface between higher education and employers and have unrivalled understanding and experience of the intricacies of the graduate labour market and in the delivery of careers information, advice guidance and related services. AGCAS itself is well positioned to develop resources to help applicants and their advisers.
Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO, said:
"The review emphasises the importance of student choice and so it's vitally important that we provide prospective students, current students and graduates with the information, advice and guidance they need to make informed choices. It's partly about data and information but students also need advice and education so that each individual understands what they can do to increase their chances of success. Knowing what former students did is not enough and may be misleading as markets change. Decisions made at school, at ages as young as 14, can have a big impact later on but career planning doesn't end at 18. It is an ongoing process. We also ask employers to be as explicit as possible about what they need now and what they expect to be looking for in three to five years time - and engage with careers services in the provision of skills training and careers education."
Access to high status professions
Browne is to be applauded for his central principle of providing access to higher education to anyone who has the talent to succeed. AGCAS does have some concerns, however: for example, that the maximum maintenance grants are somewhat below what is actually required to live on in many university towns and cities; and that postgraduate study is not covered by the review. There is already evidence, from the Sutton Trust and others, that entrants from lower income families are under-represented in many of the most prestigious and influential professions.
AGCAS calls on government to monitor closely whether higher education becomes less attractive to students from lower income households, and act quickly if it does. We have particular concerns about, for example, medicine, architecture and language courses, which tend to be longer and so more costly for students. The same applies to professions where an unfunded period of either postgraduate study or, increasingly, an internship is usually necessary, eg law, politics and journalism.
Margaret Dane said:
"We must make sure that certain institutions, courses or professions don't become the sole preserve of the well-off. That wouldn't be good for the country or employers, let alone individuals who have the talent but not the financial means to succeed. The report says many of the right things but the test will come later. Young people and adults need access to excellent careers information, advice and guidance but, if that isn't enough, thought will need to be given to what additional support needs to be provided and who pays for it. Also the recommendations must be viewed as a whole to either be accepted or rejected. What would also be of concern is if the government agrees to some recommendations but rejects others. Cherry-picking could be disastrous."
Conclusion
AGCAS believes the Browne Report to be broadly progressive and welcomes its emphasis on informed decision making. We call on the government, higher education management and employers to empower careers professionals to provide the resources and services that prospective and current students and graduates need.
Feedback
AGCAS welcomes the views of its members in the comments area below this article. You will need to be an Associate or Affiliate member of AGCAS and signed into the site to comment and read the comments of others.
Alternatively, media organisations can email Chris Jackson or telephone the AGCAS office on 0114 251 5750 in the first instance.
Government plea to careers advisers: inspire students to consider EU careers
Graduate careers advisers from approximately 60 universities around the country recently attended an event at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. Speakers, including the Foreign Secretary William Hague, addressed them about the need to encourage graduates to consider a career in the European Union (EU).
Graduate careers advisers from approximately 60 universities around the country recently attended an event at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. Speakers, including the Foreign Secretary William Hague, addressed them about the need to encourage graduates to consider a career in the European Union (EU).
They heard about the enormous variety of jobs available in Brussels for graduates with French or German language skills - roles ranging from policy officers to lawyers, economists, IT technicians and even nuclear inspectors.
The Foreign Secretary said that the UK is severely under represented in the EU Institutions such as the Commission and the European Parliament, accounting for just 6% of EU staff in spite of the fact that the UK accounts for 12% of the EU's population.
The Minister for Europe, David Lidington, asked for careers advisers' help in changing graduates' perceptions about what it's like to work in the EU, pointing out that AGCAS members are in the unique position of being able to influence their career choices and to motivate them as they think about joining the world of work.
Margaret Dane, AGCAS Chief Executive, attended the event and said:
"It is clear that the European Union offers a wide range of opportunities for graduates with language and other skills who are keen to pursue interesting and varied careers in an international context. UK graduates who can offer or are willing to acquire language skills are particularly sought after."
The majority of young people would probably say they are keen to make a difference, to travel and work with people from different countries and do interesting and fulfilling work. AGCAS members are being asked to help spread the word that all of these aspirations can be fulfilled by working within the EU Institutions.
Although jobs in the EU require good language skills at every level, much of the day-to-day work takes place in English. UK Nationals are therefore in high demand both for their skills and experience, and their native fluency. And the great breadth of work that the EU undertakes also demands those students with specialities in areas like economics, law and ICT – who have the aptitude and willingness to learn another EU language.
The Foreign Office has put together a useful resource, Getting you into the EU to help inspire your students to seek out further information. They’re also very interested to receive feedback on want you think would work and how they can help you to help your students. Please email EUComms@fco.gsi.gov.uk with any comments.
Lifetime achievement winners announced
AGCAS is delighted to announce the winners of the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Awards, which are made in recognition of an individual’s significant and sustained contribution to AGCAS over the course of their professional lives.
AGCAS is delighted to announce the winners of the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Awards, which are made in recognition of an individual’s significant and sustained contribution to AGCAS over the course of their professional lives.
This year awards have been made to:
• Barbara Graham
• Arti Kumar
• Dick Lidwell
• Jane Saxton
• John Simpson
Read the winners' biographies
The awards to Barbara and Jane were presented at the AGCAS Scotland Conference in Stirling earlier this summer and those to Dick, Arti and John at the recent AGCAS Alumni Reunion in Reading.
These awards recognise and reward those who, over the years, have helped to make AGCAS what it is and who have been an inspiration to others following in their professional footsteps.
Graduate employment statistics: AGCAS response
AGCAS says that figures reported in the media based on a recent press release for What Do Graduates Do 2010? are almost a year out of date. Employer surveys and anecdotal evidence from HE careers services suggests that the position has improved considerably since this time last year. Graduates shouldn't be complacent as reduced funding for the public sector may well change the picture again, but neither should they feel demoralised.
AGCAS says that figures reported in the media based on a recent press release for What Do Graduates Do 2010? are almost a year out of date. Employer surveys and anecdotal evidence from HE careers services suggests that the position has improved considerably since this time last year. Graduates shouldn't be complacent as reduced funding for the public sector may well change the picture again, but neither should they feel demoralised.
The message to students and graduates is not to be downhearted: if graduate unemployment was at 8.9% for 2009 graduates after 6 months, that means that 91.1% of graduates were in work, studying or unavailable for work. Graduates should remain upbeat and consider how to enhance their own chances of getting a foot in the door. This might involve having a plan B, not ignoring small to medium-sized companies, being proactive and taking advantage of the help on offer.
Internships and advice
There is help available for graduates as well as current students via university careers services. Many now offer paid internships and mentoring as well as the more traditional information and advice. Internships can be an invaluable way of developing the levels of transferable skills, commercial awareness and vocational knowledge and experience employers in all sectors are looking for. Graduates should start by looking at the website of their old university.
Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO, said:
"The message we are getting from many employers is that they are recruiting and in some cases are not receiving the number of applications they’d expect. This may be because students and graduates are being demoralised by what they read and hear in the media. Many sectors are competitive but there are still jobs to apply for. In addition, university careers services are working to improve the employability of graduates by developing paid graduate internships with a broad range of employers to help those who are 'struggling' to find suitable work to develop the levels of transferable skills, commercial awareness and vocational knowledge and experience employers in all sectors are looking for. Graduates should take advantage of these opportunities."
Never too early
It’s never too early for current students to start career planning. Work experience, involvement in student life and voluntary work can all help your CV stand out to an employer. They should take advantage of and make their own opportunities while at university.
Lucy Madahar, AGCAS Director and Assistant Director of Student Services, Birmingham City University, added:
"Although perhaps not ideal, many graduates don’t start to get down to serious job hunting until after graduation and perhaps even a holiday. Historically, graduate employment improves considerably if we look at data after a year or 18 months. Ideally though, start early, be proactive, take advice, be flexible – but above all don’t give up."
AGCAS members are invited to comment below. You will need to have registered with this website and signed in to be able to leave a comment, and to read the comments of others.
AGCAS contacts
Sally West (initial telephone contact for the media): 0114 251 5770
Margaret Dane (AGCAS CEO)
Chris Jackson (AGCAS Communications and Marketing Manager)
New all-age careers service for England
An all-age careers service for England has been announced by Skills Minister John Hayes MP. Young people aged 13-19, and adults, will be able to begin accessing the new arrangements from September 2011. The service will be fully operational by April 2012.
An all-age careers service for England has been announced by Skills Minister John Hayes MP. Young people aged 13-19, and adults, will be able to begin accessing the new arrangements from September 2011. The service will be fully operational by April 2012.
Social mobility
John Hayes said:
"I have long argued for the creation of an all-age careers service; a unified, consistent service that offers seamless support to young people as they make the transition to adulthood and have a true focus on lifelong learning. Careers guidance is the engine room of social mobility and social justice."
The minister explained that the new service will build on the best of Next Step and Connexions and provide a fully joined up service for all age groups for the first time. The new service will be founded on two key principles:
• impartial careers advice independent of organisations with a ‘vested interest';
• ensuring professional expertise and leadership of careers guidance services are underpinned by clear national standards.
Impartial
Schools will be under a legal duty to secure independent impartial careers guidance for their students and will be required to work in close partnership with expert independent advisers. Universities will continue to provide their own careers services, but also to encourage use of the new all-age careers service and will be encouraged to apply the same standards.
Plans welcomed
President of AGCAS, Anne-Marie Martin, Director of the Careers Group at the University of London, welcomed the development and said that AGCAS and individual HE careers services would welcome the opportunity to work closely with the new service.
"I welcome these plans. A properly resourced, high-quality, all-age careers service will help drive aspiration and social mobility. I am delighted that the intention is to maintain consistent standards, to raise the professional status of practitioners and to enable the different sectors - schools, universities and adult services - to share best practice. Members of AGCAS, the higher education careers services, are all externally accredited to the matrix standard for information and advice and guidance. We have long been a crucial conduit between education and work, underpinning the employability agenda within our institutions. We now welcome wholeheartedly this opportunity to influence and support pre-entry guidance, which is so crucial to students' success both at university and beyond."
Local authorities will continue to have a requirement to ensure support is provided for the most vulnerable groups and to support them into education, employment or training. They will also be responsible for maintaining accurate data on young people that will ensure services can be targeted at those in most need.
Raised standards
The minister stated that professional status and underpinning professional development of practitioners will be key and that the recommendations of the Careers Profession Task Force will be implemented. The government will move towards establishing level 6 (honours degree qualification level) as the practice standard, to 'raise the professional standard bar', which can be easily recognised and easily inspected. The minister gave a commitment that the word 'careers' would be incorporated into the brand name for the new service.
Next steps
There are five steps to be implemented:
1. The schools inspectorate will carry out a thematic review of careers education and guidance in schools. There will be an initial report in March 2011 with a final report in March 2012.
2. National bodies will be asked to work with schools and colleges and training providers to support improved careers guidance.
3. The government will publish the good practice, for schools and colleges to learn from.
4. Awards will be made for excellent guidance practitioners and to receivers of excellent guidance services that helped improve their lives and achieve their dreams.
5. The government will consult on the development of 'a licence to practice'.
AGCAS president on Today programme
AGCAS president, Anne-Marie Martin, accepted an invitation onto BBC Radio 4's Today programme. She discussed with a representative of the Association of Colleges whether students opting to study for a degree at an FE college would have the same experience and be just as employable - for less money - as those studying at a university.
AGCAS president, Anne-Marie Martin, accepted an invitation onto BBC Radio 4's Today programme. She discussed with a representative of the Association of Colleges whether students opting to study for a degree at an FE college would have the same experience and be just as employable - for less money - as those studying at a university.
Listen to the discussion (available for a limited period).
AGCAS Associate and Affiliate members, who are registered with and signed into the site, are welcome to comment on the debate below - or send feedback to Chris Jackson, AGCAS Communications and Marketing Manager.
MCAN to be represented on new UKFPO Medical Careers Working Group
The AGAS Medical Careers Advisers Network (MCAN) task group has been invited to be represented on the newly-formed United Kingdom Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) Medical Careers Working Group. The group, which met for the first time this summer, includes representatives from all the major stakeholders in the UK with an interest in medical careers. The group will act as a forum to discuss developments in medical career planning for medical students and junior doctors.
The AGAS Medical Careers Advisers Network (MCAN) task group has been invited to be represented on the newly-formed United Kingdom Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) Medical Careers Working Group. The group, which met for the first time this summer, includes representatives from all the major stakeholders in the UK with an interest in medical careers.
The reps come from many organisations, including UKFPO Foundation School Directors and Managers, UKFPO Medical Student and Foundation Doctor Advisors, UK Medical Careers website, BMA Medical Students’ Committee, BMA Junior Doctors’ Committee, National Educational Advisers Forum (NEAF), Medical Schools Council, the Department of Health and NHS Employers.
The group will meet four times a year and act as a forum to discuss developments in medical career planning for medical students and junior doctors, as well as look at ways to facilitate an integrated approach across all the involved organisations. Another aim will be to look at ways to promote the provision of appropriate information for those considering a career in medicine.
At the first meeting, the group decided on the following key objectives:
• To promote a unified approach to careers support for future applicants to medical school, undergraduates and postgraduates and to facilitate in the sharing of best practice.
• To assist in the development of career management outcomes for inclusion in key documentation underpinning the Foundation Programme, including the Reference Guide and Curriculum.
• To promote the inclusion of careers management skills in curricula.
• To make recommendations for medical students and foundation trainees have access to a careers advisor.
• To promote the development of accurate and consistent information about competition ratios which support workforce planning.
• To support those delivering career training and advice and to facilitate links with consultants and other senior clinicians allowing them to share their experiences with students and foundation doctors.
MCAN members have already helped the group by completing a questionnaire on the sorts of activities they undertake to support career work with prospective medical students and junior doctors. The group also plans to canvass MCAN members again for examples of the sorts of activities they may be involved with to help train non-careers trained staff in medical schools and deaneries who may be offering careers support to medical students and junior doctors.
Being asked to be a member of this group really does help to put AGCAS-MCAN on the map as a major stakeholder within the area of career support to medical students and junior doctors. The group is looking forward to future developments, which will help and support us all in our work.
Careers services in Wales - review and ministerial response
A report has been published, which sets out a vision for the development of careers services in Wales. Its sixty recommendations cover many aspects of careers-related provision, embrace a wide range of service providers, including higher education careers services, and entail some fundamental changes in approach.
A report has been published, which sets out a vision for the development of careers services in Wales. Its sixty recommendations cover many aspects of careers-related provision, embrace a wide range of service providers, including higher education careers services, and entail some fundamental changes in approach.
Responses
Leighton Andrews, Minister for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning, has issued a response, which accepts most, but not all, of the report's findings. Welsh higher education careers services and AGCAS will be responding formally both to the report and to the government's response to it.
The report, Future Ambitions: developing careers services in Wales, is available for download below. View the full ministerial response, which includes time frames for action.
Heads of Service Conference 2011 - book your place
Booking is now open for the AGCAS Heads of Service Conference 2011. The conference will take place at the Aston University Business School Conference Centre in Birmingham, 5 - 6 January 2011. The conference programme has been developed by heads of service in the West Midlands and is open to all heads and deputy heads of AGCAS member services.
Booking is now open for the AGCAS Heads of Service Conference 2011. The conference will take place at the Aston University Business School Conference Centre in Birmingham, 5 - 6 January 2011. The conference programme has been developed by heads of service in the West Midlands and is open to all heads and deputy heads of AGCAS member services.
Book your place
The conference will be preceded by an optional additional training day on 4 January for new and nearly new heads of service. If you have any queries please contact Linda Byrne, AGCAS Training and Publications Manager.
Please return your bookings to Moira Kelly by Tuesday 7 December 2010.
We look forward to receiving your bookings and to renewing old friendships and meeting new members in Birmingham in January.
New awards group formed
A new AGCAS task group focusing on skills and employability awards has been set up. The AGCAS Awards Task Group intends to utilise the AGCAS network to map out what is happening across HE as awards continue to develop and grow.
A new AGCAS task group focusing on skills and employability awards has been set up. The AGCAS Awards Task Group intends to utilise the AGCAS network to map out what is happening across HE as awards continue to develop and grow, and provide an overview of the key issues and areas that colleagues continue to discuss and debate: purpose, model and impact.
Research conducted at the University of Surrey indicates that over 50 universities already offer skills and employability awards, with a number of new awards currently in development. AGCAS predicts that over the next five years nearly all universities in the UK will have developed similar awards.
Later in the year, the group will be conducting a survey of AGCAS members and hopes to capture feedback, success stories and examples of good practice from colleagues through a series of case studies.
Next steps involve talking to a range of employers to get their perception, views and examples of current engagement with awards, and the development of a wiki, which will host relevant documents and reports and offer a chance for discussion and sharing of good practice.
In the new year, the group will be producing a more comprehensive update, including an introduction to the task group and its key activities, and links to the wiki, survey and key contacts. In the meantime, if you would like more information about the task group, contact Vicky Mann.
Would-be politicians need high quality careers advice, says AGCAS
AGCAS calls upon the government to ensure that young people are equipped to make life-changing and potentially costly decisions about higher education and their future career. Ahead of Thursday's parliamentary vote on tuition fees, the association stresses the importance of fit-for-purpose data alongside high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance. It calls upon the government, educational institutions, professional bodies and employers to act together to make sure that young people are able to make career decisions that are right for them.
AGCAS calls upon the government to ensure that young people are equipped to make life-changing and potentially costly decisions about higher education and their future career. Ahead of Thursday's parliamentary vote on tuition fees, the association stresses the importance of fit-for-purpose data alongside high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance. It calls upon the government, educational institutions, professional bodies and employers to act together to make sure that young people are able to make career decisions that are right for them.
AGCAS illustrates this in a press release which asks whether you need a politics degree to be a politician.
Reliable information
Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO, said:
"In order to make the right decisions for his or herself, a young person needs to know, for example, not only what a particular course has led to for previous students but also, for example, what routes successful entrants into particular sectors or professions have taken, how many opportunities there are and where they are situated.
Above all, young people need to be shown where to get reliable information, as opposed to that which makes good newspaper headlines; how to make sense of what they see and hear and, crucially, what they themselves can do to increase their chances of success. Those skills and that knowledge will then stay with them for life. At the moment much of what they need is more difficult for them to access than it need be and many, understandably, don’t know where to start."
Currently, universities must publish details of what graduates of each course are doing six months after graduation. AGCAS believes this is insufficient and often misleading and calls for government, schools, further and higher education, professional bodies and employers to come together to make sure that both prospective and current students have access to much richer and longer term labour market data, as well as appropriate careers education, information, advice and guidance.
Government commitment
AGCAS believes that strong government commitment is essential to ensure that effective careers education, information, advice and guidance are available at school, throughout higher education and beyond. It particularly calls upon government to ensure that there is close coordination between higher education careers provision and that in schools and colleges. This will ensure that, even before they apply for university, young people know what graduate employers are looking for. Adequately resourced careers services are vital.
Margaret Dane said:
"However the vote goes on Thursday, young people opting for higher education will be making a considerable investment in their own futures. They and their parents need to know what will be in place to ensure that they will be equipped to make the right decisions. They also need to understand the extent to which success is to do with the subject and course they take and what is in their own hands – what they can be doing now and over the next few years to maximise their chances of a fulfilling career longer term. HE careers services talk to employers, professional bodies and working graduates on a daily basis but we need help if we are to get the real messages across to prospective as well as current students and graduates."
Do you need to study politics to be a politician?
Of 20 members of the current coalition cabinet whose degree subject is known, eight studied politics in some form (six of these did philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford). Of the rest, three studied history, three law and one each English, European studies, geography, medicine, natural science and economics and social anthropology. Cabinet members studied at 10 different institutions. So, there is certainly not only one route to the top in politics. Other factors clearly come into play. Good careers education, information advice and guidance will give students the skills to research and understand what they might be and apply the analysis to any field.
UKCES appoints Michael Davis as interim CEO
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) has announced that Michael Davis, currently Director of Strategy and Performance, will take over the helm as interim Chief Executive from 1 January 2011.
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) has announced that Michael Davis, currently Director of Strategy and Performance, will take over the helm as interim Chief Executive from 1 January 2011.
His appointment will continue for a period of six months pending the recruitment of a permanent Chief Executive later next year.
Charlie Mayfield, the newly-appointed chairman of UKCES, said:
"I am delighted that Michael is to be our new interim chief executive. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the job and I look forward to working with him over this next phase in the Commission's life."
Chris Humphries, outgoing CEO, added:
"The Commission has a challenging period to negotiate over the next few months as it develops its new strategy for the future. I wish Michael all the best and am happy that I will be leaving the Commission in safe hands."
Michael Davis said:
"Chris will be a hard act to follow, but it is vital that over the coming months, the UK Commission develops its strategies to raise employer ambition and boost the significant work programme now underway to develop a transformational Business Plan for 2011-12 that will help to deliver the ambitious skills strategies of the UK Government as well as those of the Devolved Administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. I am looking forward to working with colleagues both within the organisation and further afield to do just that."
MCAN seeks new members
The AGCAS Medical Careers Advisers' Network (MCAN) currently has vacancies on the group. MCAN is a welcoming, helpful and practical task group who meet three times a year to share best practice, discuss changes in medical training and organise networking events (and occasional conferences) aimed at those who work with medical students and doctors in training from a careers perspective, from across the UK. MCAN includes both HE careers advisers and those who work for deaneries and the group is eager to keep this breadth of experience and perspective within the membership.
The AGCAS Medical Careers Advisers' Network (MCAN) currently has vacancies on the group. MCAN is a welcoming, helpful and practical task group who meet three times a year to share best practice, discuss changes in medical training and organise networking events (and occasional conferences) aimed at those who work with medical students and doctors in training from a careers perspective, from across the UK. MCAN includes both HE careers advisers and those who work for deaneries and the group is eager to keep this breadth of experience and perspective within the membership.
The group currently has one vacancy for a full member, plus one vacancy for a co-opted member. Information about the remit of both roles, and the terms of reference for MCAN, are available on request.
If you are interested in applying for any of these opportunities, please forward a brief CV, together with a letter explaining what you feel you could contribute to the group, to Christine Waddelove by January 15 2011. The group aims to respond to applicants soon after this with an intention to invite the new members to the first meeting of 2011, most likely on Wednesday 23rd February in London.
If you have any queries or questions regarding MCAN and its membership, please contact either of the task group's co-Chairs, Christine on 0151 794 8751 or Mike Wilson on 0191 222 8898.
Student immigration system - consultation open
A consultation document outlining major changes to the student immigration system has been published by the Home Office. The consultation sets out the government's aim to ensure that only genuine students who are committed to their academic study come to the UK.
A consultation document outlining major changes to the student immigration system has been published by the Home Office. The consultation sets out the government's aim to ensure that only genuine students who are committed to their academic study come to the UK.
The proposals include:
• cancellation of Tier 1 General (closing one of the routes to continuing employment in the UK)
• preventing international students from working anywhere but on campus during the week during term time
• proposed closure of Tier 1 Post Study Work
If made law, these changes will have major implications for international students and their employability and make the role of the careers adviser in advising these students immeasurably harder as it would close off the major routes for international students to gain work experience and develop work-based skills. The impact on international student recruitment also needs to be considered, as the incentive to study in the UK with increased fees and little opportunity to gain skills required by employers back in their home countries would make the UK a less desirable education destination.
The closing date for responses is 31 January 2011. AGCAS members are free to respond individually and also to contact Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO, and Yasmina Mallam-Hassam, Chair of the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group, with feedback for the official AGCAS response.
Download the consultation document and response form.
The AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group has compiled guidelines to help members understand the issues of the consultation so they have the key information with which to feed into the AGCAS response and formulate their own responses. The guidelines are available to download below.
Nominate an employer for careers service engagement
AGCAS is inviting nominations for one of GTI's annual TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards. The AGCAS Award for Excellence in Careers Service Engagement will be awarded to the employer or organisation who has developed or sustained good working relationships with AGCAS member services over the last year.
AGCAS is inviting nominations for one of GTI's annual TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards. This year, the title of the award has changed to The AGCAS Award for Excellence in Careers Service Engagement. Nominations are invited for employers or organisations who have developed or sustained good working relationships with AGCAS member services over the last year.
This is the sixth time AGCAS has been invited to judge the award. All nominations will be considered by a panel nominated by the AGCAS Board. The award will be presented at Grosvenor House on Park Lane, London on Thursday 31 March.
We hope that you will want to nominate at least one employer or organisation who has demonstrated commitment to working with your service and contributed to the careers and employability education, information, advice and guidance you offer to students and graduates. You may nominate employers of any size and from any sector.
How to nominate
For each employer or organisation you nominate, please briefly answer (no more than half a side of A4) the following two questions:
• In what ways has this organisation developed or sustained a good working relationship with your service?
• How has this organisation helped you provide careers and employability education, information, advice or guidance to your students or graduates?
Email nominations to Chris Jackson by Friday February 4 2011.
Graduate skills in mathematics
A series of case studies is being compiled in order to highlight ways in which specific graduate skills can be developed in mathematics. Jeff Waldock, Senior Lecturer in Mathematics at Sheffield Hallam University, and Peter Rowlett, HE Curriculum Innovation Advisor in the Maths, Stats and OR (MSOR) Network at the University of Birmingham, are collecting case studies of successful practice and plan to evaluate why techniques have worked - and make suggestions for how they may be used elsewhere.
A series of case studies is being compiled in order to highlight ways in which specific graduate skills can be developed in mathematics. Jeff Waldock, Senior Lecturer in Mathematics at Sheffield Hallam University, and Peter Rowlett, HE Curriculum Innovation Advisor in the Maths, Stats and OR (MSOR) Network at the University of Birmingham, are collecting case studies of successful practice and plan to evaluate why techniques have worked - and make suggestions for how they may be used elsewhere.
The project was commissioned from the National HE STEM Programme Mathematical Sciences Strand through the Higher Education Academy MSOR Network.
You can read more about the project in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2011).
'Emotional labour' and careers guidance practice
The emotional demands of careers guidance work is absent in careers guidance literature. However, Dr Janice Smith, Careers Adviser and Lecturer in Sociology at Coventry University, argues that careers guidance work is emotional labour.
The emotional demands of careers guidance work is absent in careers guidance literature. However, Dr Janice Smith, Careers Adviser and Lecturer in Sociology at Coventry University, argues that careers guidance work is emotional labour.
Doing 'emotional labour' refers to the emotional demands of doing caring work. Emotions are inherent to work where interactions with clients or customers are central. This article argues that careers guidance work is 'emotional labour' and has implications for careers guidance professionals, and careers service managers.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can read the full article below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2011).
MCAN on tour
Members of the AGCAS Medical Careers Advisers Network (MCAN) attended a series of events during 2010 to help spread the word about the group's recent activity aimed at supporting colleagues who work with undergraduate medical students and junior doctors.
Members of the AGCAS Medical Careers Advisers Network (MCAN) attended a series of events during 2010 to help spread the word about the group's recent activity aimed at supporting colleagues who work with undergraduate medical students and junior doctors.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can read the full MCAN report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2011).
Chester graduates top North West employability table
Graduates from the University of Chester are more likely to find suitable employment than those from almost every other higher education institution in the region, in spite of the recession. According to annual data just published by Unistats, which compares official information about the performance of universities and colleges, the university shares top North West billing with Cumbria, with 78% of its employed graduates from 2009 finding graduate-level jobs.
Graduates from the University of Chester are more likely to find suitable employment than those from almost every other higher education institution in the region, in spite of the recession.
According to annual data just published by Unistats, which compares official information about the performance of universities and colleges, the university shares top North West billing with Cumbria, with 78% of its employed graduates from 2009 finding graduate-level jobs.
In addition, the annual survey by the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) shows that 91.2% of the university's 2009 graduate cohort entered employment or further study within six months of leaving.
One of the initiatives, which has been developed by the university to help graduates bridge the gap between university and employment, is its free Graduate Head Start programme, which applies both to Chester graduates and those who have graduated from other universities, but have returned to the area. The programme targets recent graduates who are currently unemployed or underemployed, helping them to gain the professional skills and experience to enhance their chances of pursuing their chosen career, and those seeking professional development at work.
Graduates learn how to market themselves, how to identify their personal skills and workplace skills and best practice. They also receive one-to-one guidance from a careers consultant and have the option of undertaking a developmental project during a five-week placement with a local employer, taking the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) qualification or compiling an employability portfolio, which builds 20 credits towards a Masters degree.
Two graduates who recently participated in the programme commented:
"Taking part in the programme has greatly improved my inter-personal skills and my confidence. I believe I have become more employable after taking part in the programme, due to the skills and experience I have gained throughout."
"The placement as part of the programme was really suitable for my career goals. It enabled me to develop specific skills in marketing, website content management and other experience which would be difficult to get elsewhere and it resulted in me securing a permanent position."
For more information about the Graduate Head Start programme at the University of Chester, please call 01244 513066, email careers@chester.ac.uk or visit the programme website.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2011).
Rise in UWE graduate employment
Graduates at the University of the West of England (UWE) found more jobs despite a very difficult employment climate last year. Last year there were 4 per cent fewer UWE graduates unemployed compared to over 20 per cent more graduates unemployed across the UK as a whole, according to figures released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
Graduates at the University of the West of England (UWE) found more jobs despite a very difficult employment climate last year. Last year there were 4 per cent fewer UWE graduates unemployed compared to over 20 per cent more graduates unemployed across the UK as a whole, according to figures released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).
UWE Careers have been doing a number of things that have contributed towards the improvements against the national trend. Find out more in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2011).
Bradford launches employability course for unemployed graduates
The University of Bradford has launched a postgraduate course designed specifically to help unemployed graduates in the region. The Postgraduate Certificate in Employability and Entrepreneurship has been running for just over a year. The course is linked to a funded internship project.
The University of Bradford has launched a postgraduate course designed specifically to help unemployed graduates in the region. The Postgraduate Certificate in Employability and Entrepreneurship has been running for just over a year. The course is linked to a funded internship project.
You can read more about the course in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2011).
Changing attitudes towards career decision-making
Two reports have been published recently, which look at how undergraduates make career decisions. Dr Paul Greenbank, Reader in Educational Development in the Teaching and Learning Development Unit at Edge Hill University, produced the reports for the Higher Education Careers Service Unit (HECSU) as part of the PROP (Putting Research Outcomes into Practice) project.
Two reports have been published recently, which look at how undergraduates make career decisions. Dr Paul Greenbank, Reader in Educational Development in the Teaching and Learning Development Unit at Edge Hill University, produced the reports for the Higher Education Careers Service Unit (HECSU) as part of the PROP (Putting Research Outcomes into Practice) project.
You can read more about Paul's research in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2011).
Curriculum reform at Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen is undergoing a process of ‘curriculum reform’. The careers service has played a major role in this by supporting the university in PDP and providing a variety of credit-bearing careers education courses. One of its key activities since 2007 has been supporting placement activity, with the establishment of its Placement Development Unit whose remit has been to develop summer placement opportunities for the university’s penultimate year undergraduate students. And, in January 2010, the Aberdeen Internship was launched.
The University of Aberdeen is undergoing a process of ‘curriculum reform’. The careers service has played a major role in this by supporting the university in PDP and providing a variety of credit-bearing careers education courses. One of its key activities since 2007 has been supporting placement activity, with the establishment of its Placement Development Unit whose remit has been to develop summer placement opportunities for the university’s penultimate year undergraduate students. And, in January 2010, the Aberdeen Internship was launched.
You can read more about the internship scheme in the report below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2011).
Liverpool John Moores launches Careers Plus for alumni
Liverpool John Moores University has launched a new career development and jobs portal, Careers Plus, for alumni to be able to access information, career development modules, master classes, networking opportunities and jobs. It is aimed at alumni wanting to secure their first job, re-enter the working world or gain a promotion. The service is provided by a partnership between LJMU's Graduate Development Centre and recruitment specialists Hays.
Liverpool John Moores University has launched a new career development and jobs portal, Careers Plus, for alumni to be able to access information, career development modules, master classes, networking opportunities and jobs. It is aimed at alumni wanting to secure their first job, re-enter the working world or gain a promotion. The service is provided by a partnership between LJMU's Graduate Development Centre and recruitment specialists Hays.
Terry Dray, Director of LJMU Graduate Development Centre, said:
"This is a unique partnership that will provide accessible, very high quality career development provision and thousands of jobs for LJMU graduates wherever they are in the world. Universities have struggled to deliver provision of this type for alumni but Careers Plus illustrates LJMUs' continuing commitment to providing innovative career support solutions. After detailed discussions involving the LJMU Graduate Development Centre and Hays it was clear that we should raise the bar and offer the Careers Plus portal to our alumni."
Ian Knowlson, Sales Director (Public Sector) for Hays, commented:
"We are delighted to be working with LJMU to establish the university's first Careers Plus partnership for alumni. We continue to be faced with challenging economic times and we understand the support needed to increase your chances of employment. This is the first of its kind and demonstrates how committed LJMU is to supporting its alumni and we hope that other universities will follow suit."
Find out more about Careers Plus
AGCAS responds to student immigration consultation
AGCAS has published its response to the Home Office's student immigration system consultation, which sets out the government's aim to ensure that only genuine students who are committed to their academic study come to the UK.
AGCAS has published its response to the Home Office's student immigration system consultation, which sets out the government's aim to ensure that only genuine students who are committed to their academic study come to the UK.
The AGCAS response was compiled by Yasmina Mallam-Hassam, Chair of the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group, with contributions by other members of the task group and AGCAS members who provided insights from their own institutions.
Download the AGCAS response
Measuring the impact of HE careers services
The AGCAS Impact Measurement and Positioning Task Group was set up to take forward a number of key issues and challenges facing HE careers services in the context of rapid change, restructuring and demands to show value for money. Margaret Dane, AGCAS Chief Executive, assesses the impact the group is having.
The AGCAS Impact Measurement and Positioning Task Group was set up to take forward a number of key issues and challenges facing HE careers services in the context of rapid change, restructuring and demands to show value for money. Margaret Dane, AGCAS Chief Executive, assesses the impact the group is having.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Margaret's report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2011).
Legal Profession Task Group seeks new members
AGCAS's Legal Profession Task Group has vacancies for two new members. Membership of the group offers the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the work of a key AGCAS task group.
AGCAS's Legal Profession Task Group has vacancies for two new members. Membership of the group offers the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the work of a key AGCAS task group.
The roles involve attending meetings and networking with a variety of representatives from the professional bodies who represent and regulate the legal profession.
The roles available are:
• Secretary - This is a key role, which involves liaising closely with the Chair of the task group in order to organise the task group's meetings, book meeting rooms and refreshments, send out invites to careers advisers and others who attend the meetings (representatives from professional and employer bodies and from publisher/website partners). It is also the secretary’s responsibility to take the minutes at meetings and ensure that they are circulated within one month of the meeting taking place.
• Law Society/Solicitors Regulation Authority Liaison - This role involves liaising with relevant staff at the representative and regulatory bodies for the solicitors' profession and gathering relevant careers-related information pertaining to the training and recruitment of solicitors and ensuring that the views of careers advisers working with prospective and current law students are represented to those bodies at relevant consultations. The role also involves reporting on developments at task group meetings and producing a brief report of activities, which will support the group's annual bid for AGCAS funding.
These roles are open to any careers adviser working within an AGCAS member service. You should preferably have substantial experience of working with and advising law students at undergraduate or postgraduate level, although others who are new to the role/caseload will also be considered.
To apply, send a personal statement (no more than one side of A4), outlining your relevant experience, skills and qualities and why you are interested in the role, to Nick Touati, Chair of the Legal Profession Task Group, by Friday 15 April.
If you'd like to find out more about these roles, contact Nick on 0161 247 3500 (direct line) or via email.
Report published on career destinations of disabled graduates
The 2011 report on the first destinations of disabled graduates, What Happens Next?, based on data collected from the 2008/09 cohort, has been published. Findings reported suggest that the proportion of both disabled and non-disabled graduates entering employment in 2009 fell, although the decrease for disabled graduates overall was marginally less than for their non-disabled peers.
The 2011 report on the first destinations of disabled graduates based on data collected from the 2008/09 cohort has been published. Findings reported in What Happens Next? A Report on the First Destinations of Disabled Graduates suggest that the proportion of both disabled and non-disabled graduates entering employment in 2009 fell, although the decrease for disabled graduates overall was marginally less than for their non-disabled peers.
Key findings
The proportions of both disabled and non-disabled graduates entering 'graduate-level' employment dropped this year - and average starting salaries for both groups were also lower.
There was little apparent difference in the types of industries entered, although the human health and social work sector attracted the highest number of graduates. Significantly, more disabled graduates compared to their non-disabled counterparts opted to go into the arts, entertainment and recreation sector this year.
Marginally higher numbers of disabled graduates were successful in entering management-level occupations than their non-disabled peers.
More graduates overall chose further study, with proportionally higher numbers of disabled graduates choosing this route. Also, significantly higher numbers of disabled than non-disabled graduates chose self-employment.
The rate of unemployment was higher overall this year. This was particularly so for disabled graduates and employment prospects continue to appear to be affected by the nature of the disability in question: for graduates with specific learning difficulties and unseen disabilities, the move into the graduate labour market seemed less problematic; however, some wheelchair users and some of those experiencing mental health problems seemed to encounter greater difficulty in the labour market.
Download the full report
Skills and employability awards survey
The AGCAS Awards Task Group is conducting research into skills and employability awards across UK universities and invites AGCAS members to participate in a survey. The survey aims to identify key information, which will be of use to colleagues who are either at the initial stages of developing awards or who are responsible for managing or developing existing awards.
The AGCAS Awards Task Group is conducting research into skills and employability awards across UK universities and invites AGCAS members to participate in a survey. The survey aims to identify key information, which will be of use to colleagues who are either at the initial stages of developing awards or who are responsible for managing or developing existing awards.
This will be the first piece of national research conducted in this area through AGCAS. The group hopes to collect information from as many universities in the UK as possible in order to provide a comprehensive overview and awards 'map' for colleagues.
Even if you are at the very early stages of developing an award, please take the time to complete the survey.
The findings will be disseminated in the summer and will be discussed in a workshop to be delivered at the AGCAS Biennial Conference later in the year. Some of the findings will also be made available at a later date to employers who may be interested in identifying how they can collaborate with institutions and contribute towards the delivery of award schemes.
The AGCAS Awards Task Group is made up of colleagues from Aston, Bedfordshire, Birmingham, Durham, Nottingham, Surrey, and a co-opted member from research organisation, CFE. An outline of the awards being delivered in these institutions is available below, which aims to give a flavour of the scope of awards being offered across HE (including those in development stage).
The group is also interested in receiving case studies and will be sending out a formal request including a template for these later in the term. We will also be producing a newsletter that includes articles submitted by colleagues who would like to share examples of successes, achievements, good practice, employer engagement, development of new pathways or models, and more.
If you would like more information about the survey or the activities of the task group, contact Vicky Mann.
Request for case studies
The AGCAS Publications Team is looking for your help with some of our publications. As many members already know, we research, write and update careers-related content, which is published on the Graduate Prospects website. The majority of our publications include case studies from recent graduates, which are used to provide a personal insight into a particular role or profession.
The AGCAS Publications Team is looking for your help with some of our publications. As many members already know, we research, write and update careers-related content, which is published on the Graduate Prospects website. The majority of our publications include case studies from recent graduates, which are used to provide a personal insight into a particular role or profession.
We are currently looking for case studies for the following AGCAS publications and are keen to hear from members with any relevant case study contacts:
Occupational Profiles
We are looking for case studies from recent graduates working in a range of diverse professions. Occupational Profile case studies are used to show students and graduates different examples of recent career paths leading into a particular occupation. Download the list of current Occupational Profiles requiring case studies. We will need to receive all case studies for the Occupational Profiles by Friday 2 September 2011.
Options
We are also looking for candidates who have graduated with certain degrees. The focus of Options Series case studies is to show what can be done with a particular qualification and how it can be used to enter a range of careers. Download the list of degree subjects requiring case studies. There is a rolling deadline for Options case studies.
In all cases, we ideally need someone who has graduated within the last five years to provide the case study. We can go slightly outside of this time frame, but we do like to ensure that the person is relatively new to the profession so that students and graduates can relate to them and the path they have taken to enter the career.
The case study can choose to use a pseudonym and can also choose not to use the name of their employer.
The case studies are an excellent professional development opportunity for the case study provider and an excellent, free of charge, marketing opportunity for their employer!
Please email Kerrie Barnett, AGCAS Senior Publications and Events Officer, or tel 0114 251 5758 if you are interested in providing a case study you think would be suitable. Please include details of which role(s) you will be able to help with. We can only accept case studies at the moment for those job roles and degrees listed.
Vacancies on the Education Liaison Task Group
Do you have an interest in graduate destinations? The AGCAS Education Liaison Task Group is looking to recruit an AGCAS member who can bring their expertise, contacts, and a fresh perspective to advise and inform the activity of the group.
Do you have an interest in graduate destinations? The AGCAS Education Liaison Task Group is looking to recruit an AGCAS member who can bring their expertise, contacts, and a fresh perspective to advise and inform the activity of the group.
Along with HECSU/Graduate Prospects and UCAS, the task group is responsible for producing the popular publication What do Graduates Do? The group meets twice a year and much of the work involves the production of the publication. Discipline sections of the book are allocated to different members of the team, who work on compiling lists of destinations as well as writing editiorial.
View the latest edition of What Do Graduates Do?
The task group is particularly keen to recruit someone with an interest in foundation degrees, who can also act as an editor. So, if you'd like to see your name in print and have a passion for DLHE, email Paul Youngson with a brief outline supporting your application. It is important that you have the backing of your head of service, as the publication requires additional commitment outside of task group meeting obligations. The deadline for applications is Friday 25 February 2011.
Employers shortlisted for careers service engagement award
Six employers have been shortlisted for The AGCAS Award for Excellence in Careers Service Engagement. They were all nominated by higher education careers services for their commitment and contribution to the careers and employability education, information, advice and guidance offered at each AGCAS member service. The award is one of the prestigious annual TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards.
Six employers have been shortlisted for The AGCAS Award for Excellence in Careers Service Engagement. They were all nominated by higher education careers services. The award is one of the prestigious annual TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards.
Shortlist
• Centrica - nominated by the University of Aberdeen
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car - nominated by the University of Huddersfield
• Ernst & Young - nominated by Loughborough University and City University
• HBJ Gateley Wareing - nominated by Birmingham City University
• Veale Wasbrough Vizards - nominated by the University of the West of England, Bristol
• Wardell Armstrong - nominated by Keele University
Employers were shorlisted for their commitment and contribution to the careers and employability education, information, advice and guidance offered at each AGCAS member service.
Ticket discounts for AGCAS members
The seventh TARGETjobs National Graduate Awards evening will be held at Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London on Thursday 31 March 2011. GTI, the organisers, are once again offering reduced price tickets to AGCAS members. Tickets cost £105 per person (half the price of a normal ticket and pegged at last year’s rate) and this includes a champagne reception, slap-up meal, wine on the table, celebrity presenter, presentation of the awards themselves (including the AGCAS Award), charity auction and casino, and the usual dancing and drinking. The audience is comprised mainly of senior recruitment people from graduate recruiting companies, so it's an excellent networking opportunity, as well as a great night out. Email Chris Phillips if you’d like to join the 800 people at the Grosvenor in March.
Supporting care leavers in HE
The AGCAS Diversity Task Group is in the process of devising a Good Practice Guide for Careers Professionals: Working with Care Leavers, which will be available in late spring. Here, Andy Howells, Careers Adviser at the Open University and a member of the task group, introduces the planned content for the guide.
The AGCAS Diversity Task Group is in the process of devising a Good Practice Guide for Careers Professionals: Working with Care Leavers, which will be available in late spring. Here, Andy Howells, Careers Adviser at the Open University and a member of the task group, introduces the planned content for the guide.
In 2010, 7% of care leavers* entered higher education. The YIPPEE project (Young people from a public care background: pathways to education in Europe) has produced a UK national report looking into educational opportunities for people who have been in public care. The report highlights how professionals can play a key role in supporting young people to improve their educational and career chances by remaining in education after 16. However, because they are starting from behind and may still have many obstacles to overcome, they are more likely to be ready to enter HE at age 20, older than the normative age of 18 or 19 years.
Good practice guide
The AGCAS Diversity Task Group guide will cover:
• Barriers/issues facing prospective and current care leavers.
• Support available before, during and after their time at university, including information on local authority support.
• Factors which may affect care leavers' career decisions.
• Recommendations on how both universities and career professionals can support care leaver students during their time at university and after graduation.
To find out more about the guide, email Debbie Laing or tel 01484 472124. To enquire about other activities of the AGCAS Diversity Task Group, email the Chair of the group, Es George, or tel 029 20416333.
* According to the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, a Care Leaver is 'someone who has been in the care of the Local Authority for a period of 13 weeks or more spanning their 16th birthday.' Other definitions include: 'A person who has been a ward of the state but no longer qualifies for or receives any government assistance' and 'Adults who, as children, were looked after on a full time, temporary basis by persons other than their own parents or wider family. This must have been in arrangements where the state had some or all of the responsibility for their care, even if it did not provide that care.'
Diversity Task Group establishes link with AGR
Members of the AGCAS Diversity Task Group have met with Gary Argent, Business Operations Manager at AGR, to discuss facilitating a better working relationship with employers and to identify joint areas of key concern relating to diversity in the workplace.
In November 2010, members of the AGCAS Diversity Task Group met with Gary Argent, Business Operations Manager at AGR, to discuss facilitating a better working relationship with employers and to identify joint areas of key concern relating to diversity in the workplace.
One of the outcomes of the meeting was an agreement by the task group to compile a series of best practice case studies of employers who take an active role in diversity recruitment. The group also intends to become involved in the AGR Sector Focus Groups, which have been established across eight sectors over the past year. A number of the sectors represented have specific diversity issues, which the group hopes to address.
A full summary of the meeting is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
Welsh careers services respond to government report
The Welsh Higher Education Careers Services (WHECS) committee has responded to the Welsh Assembly Government report, Future Ambitions: Developing careers services in Wales, which sets out a vision for the development of careers services in Wales.
The Welsh Higher Education Careers Services (WHECS) committee has responded to the Welsh Assembly Government report, Future Ambitions: Developing careers services in Wales, which sets out a vision for the development of careers services in Wales.
The WHECS response is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
Launch of improved job search facility for international students and graduates
AGCAS, HECSU, NASES and The Careers Group, University of London, working in partnership, have undertaken enhancements to the International Graduate Jobs on Prospects.ac.uk as a result of research with international students and graduates, employers and careers professionals. The work has been funded by the Prime Minister’s Initiative for International Education (PMI 2) and develops the work undertaken in a previous PMI 2 project which saw The Careers Group, University of London’s International Job Online made available through www.prospects.ac.uk.
AGCAS, HECSU, NASES and The Careers Group, University of London, working in partnership, have undertaken enhancements to the International Graduate Jobs on Prospects.ac.uk as a result of research with international students and graduates, employers and careers professionals. The work has been funded by the Prime Minister’s Initiative for International Education (PMI 2) and develops the work undertaken in a previous PMI 2 project which saw The Careers Group, University of London’s International Job Online made available through www.prospects.ac.uk.
International Graduate Jobs has:
• 100s of jobs;
• from lots of employers;
• in a wide range of job sectors;
• which are available worldwide.
Improvements to the website have addressed key points made by careers advisers in the research, namely that international students and graduates needed to take a more strategic approach to their job search, and also the following issues for students and graduates:
• helping them avoid a 'scattergun approach' applying for anything and everything;
• encouraging them to look for information, advice and guidance – not 'just vacancies';
• helping them to develop their awareness of effective job search strategies;
• helping them to improve their understanding of the application process.
In addition to improving the search functionality, the general interface and usability of International Graduate Jobs, the new system will include value-added content to address some of the issues raised. This is achieved through contextual links to content related to the job ad the user is viewing. For example, if they are looking at a job in China there will be links to the AGCAS Country Profiles and the i-graduate Country Guides, plus more general information about working abroad. As part of their recent update the Country Guides now include example CVs for all the countries covered, and for some there are individual cases studies. The Country Profiles and Country Guides provide a wealth of complementary information, and hopefully by giving international students and graduates access to these resources at a high level they will be encouraged to make use of them.
The enhanced International Graduate Jobs was launched in early March 2011 and is being promoted to international students and graduates, employers, careers and student employment services.
CISG launches Resources Register
The AGCAS Careers Information Specialists Group (CISG) has created a new resource for AGCAS colleagues as a way of facilitating discussions between those members who have experience of using a resource/service, and those who are exploring their options.
The AGCAS Careers Information Specialists Group (CISG) has created a new resource for AGCAS colleagues as a way of facilitating discussions between those members who have experience of using a resource/service, and those who are exploring their options.
The aim of the Resources Register is to share information about the resources that members have developed or invested in. You may be wondering what resources are out there or are currently being used in other settings, or you may be looking for a colleague to consult with about what a resource is really like and whether it would be right for your needs.
The register contains only factual information - it is not a marketing document, nor does it contain judgements about the resources listed (users are encouraged to pursue these issues directly with the contact).
Download the Resources Register
Vacancy on the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group
A vacancy has arisen on the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group. Applications are invited from AGCAS members who possess expertise in and a passion for developing the employability of international students and home students with an international career focus.
A vacancy has arisen on the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group. Applications are invited from AGCAS members who possess expertise in and a passion for developing the employability of international students and home students with an international career focus.
We are a very proactive team and have had a role in delivering key PMI2 initiatives on behalf of AGCAS. We are continually looking for new ways to enhance the international student experience and to promote the internationalisation of home students, so we particularly welcome members with plenty of ideas and energy to build on this solid foundation. The role is demanding and will require good organisation skills and commitment to balance the workload of the role with your usual day job. However, you will reap the benefits of collaborating within a diverse group of dedicated individuals, including careers professionals, international student advisers, international marketing managers and employers.
If you are interested, please email your CV and a covering letter to Yasmina Mallam-Hassam by Friday 8 April 2011 outlining your reasons for wanting to join, as well as any relevant experience or attributes you could bring to the group.
Vacancy on the Awards Task Group
The AGCAS Awards Task Group is seeking a new member with an interest in developing knowledge of skills and employability awards to undertake the role of secretary.
The AGCAS Awards Task Group is seeking a new member with an interest in developing knowledge of skills and employability awards to undertake the role of secretary.
The group was formed in 2010 to conduct research into the emergence of skills and employability awards, support colleagues across the sector to share best practice, and to develop links with relevant employer and professional bodies.
The group includes colleagues who are involved in the management and delivery of awards and employability schemes, careers advisers and co-opted members. We are currently establishing a number of new activities intended to support colleagues, including mapping documents, case studies and newsletters, with a view to developing further research in the future to look at how the role and shape of awards within institutions are evolving.
It will be the secretary's responsibility to take the minutes at meetings and ensure that they are circulated within one month of the meeting taking place.
For further information about the role, including the terms of reference, contact Vicky Mann. To apply, send a short statement outlining your interest, relevant experience and why you are interested in the role to Vicky by Friday 8th April.
International students crucial to UK graduates’ prospects
AGCAS has warned that a government clampdown on the sort of work international students are allowed to do while in the UK will affect the experience UK universities can offer both international and home-based students. It would also impact upon the job prospects of UK students and the economy as a whole.
AGCAS has warned that a government clampdown on the sort of work international students are allowed to do while in the UK will affect the experience UK universities can offer both international and home-based students. It would also impact upon the job prospects of UK students and the economy as a whole.
Impact on universities, courses and employers
A recent survey (A UK Guide to Enhancing the International Student Experience, produced by i-graduate for the UK HE International Unit) showed that for over 90% of students from China, India, Malaysia and Pakistan, the opportunity to gain work experience while, and immediately after, studying is a major reason for coming to the UK. Without this chance to gain the practical skills and experience that they need to be competitive when they return home, a significant number will look elsewhere.
Many higher education programmes, especially in fields such as engineering, science and business, are only viable because of the revenue that international students bring with them. Without this income, many university courses will close, causing a shortage of places for home-based students in strategically important subjects and, in the longer term, skills shortages in areas of huge importance to the UK economy. AGCAS believes that job losses would result, not only in the HE sector, but far beyond it.
Impact on home students and the UK as a whole
UK students undoubtedly benefit greatly from studying and working alongside talented young people from around the world. It is essential for their employability that they are able to demonstrate an understanding of other cultures and the ability to work collaboratively with peers from other countries. These are the skills and attributes that UK and international employers now demand, and which the UK's globally-renown universities currently provide.
Anne-Marie Martin, AGCAS President and Director of The Careers Group, University of London, said:
'Higher education careers services work closely with employers from a wide range of sectors who look to UK universities for the talent their businesses need in this country and globally. They all tell us how crucial it is for potential recruits to be able to demonstrate cultural awareness, alongside other employability skills and knowledge. University careers services have taken this message on board and are helping both international and UK students not only develop key skills alongside their academic study, but also to sell what they have learnt to potential employers. We are preparing students for a labour market which will be increasingly global.'
Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO, said:
'AGCAS is far from alone in being concerned about any measures which would make it less attractive for international students to come to the UK. Some people, perhaps, assume that fewer international students would mean more jobs for UK students. However, all the evidence points the other way. There would be a negative impact across the board – including on UK graduates and businesses.'
AGCAS Awards for Excellence 2011 - nominations open
AGCAS is proud to launch the 2011 AGCAS Awards for Excellence for the UK and Ireland. Bids and nominations are welcomed from AGCAS services, groups and individual members or employers, as appropriate for the different awards. These prestigious national awards encourage, reward and share good practice amongst HE careers professionals and graduate recruiters working with HE careers services.
AGCAS is proud to launch the 2011 AGCAS Awards for Excellence for the UK and Ireland. These prestigious national awards encourage, reward and share good practice amongst HE careers professionals and graduate recruiters working with HE careers services. Bids and nominations are welcomed from AGCAS services, groups and individual members or employers, as appropriate for the different awards.
In addition, nominations are welcomed for the AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Awards, which are normally made to those who have recently retired, or are about to retire, who are deemed to have made an outstanding and sustained contribution to AGCAS through their working lives.
Winners will receive a trophy to show off, a certificate to display, a logo to use on their website and in print, and will be featured in a special supplement to this autumn's issue of Phoenix. And they can expect lots of spin-off benefits too: winning an award can be a great morale booster for staff, earn important kudos with senior management, enhance your reputation within the university, with employers, with prospective and current students and with prospective staff.
There is some fantastic work going on in AGCAS services and groups, so why not take the chance to blow your own trumpet and gain some national external recognition too?
Find out more about the award categories, criteria and how to apply. The closing date for applications is May 16 2011.
HBJ Gateley Wareing win careers service engagement award
Law firm HBJ Gateley Wareing has won the AGCAS Award for Excellence in Careers Service Engagement at the TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2011. They were presented with their award by Anne-Marie Martin, AGCAS President, at the awards dinner in London on 31 March.
Law firm HBJ Gateley Wareing has won the AGCAS Award for Excellence in Careers Service Engagement at the TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2011. They were presented with their award by Anne-Marie Martin, AGCAS President, at the awards dinner in London on 31 March.
HBJ Gateley Wareing were nominated for the award by Birmingham City University. Lucy Madahar, Assistant Director of Student Services, said:
'Birmingham City University has worked with HBJ Gateley Wareing LLP for over five years and, during that time, they have worked effortlessly in developing and promoting the Inspiring Futures mentoring scheme. Being mentored by professionals from all industry sectors in the Birmingham area has enabled our students to develop their confidence and their workplace competencies. HBJ Gateley Wareing LLP has been a very proactive company to work with and Birmingham City University is looking forward to the next 12 months as we expand the mentoring programme across their regional offices throughout the UK, secure kite mark accreditation for the scheme, as well as professional accreditation for their mentors.'
AGCAS Awards for Excellence
There's still time to nominate for the 2011 AGCAS Awards for Excellence. Bids and nominations are welcomed from AGCAS services, groups and individual members or employers. The closing date for applications is May 16 2011.
Margaret honoured with lifetime achievement award
Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO, has won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2011. Margaret was presented with the award by Donna Miller, European HR Director at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, at the awards dinner in London on 31 March.
Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO, has won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2011. Margaret was presented with the award by Donna Miller, European HR Director at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, at the awards dinner in London on 31 March.
Chris Philips, Publishing Director at GTI Media, said:
"I have personally known Margaret for more than twenty years and I was delighted that GTI was able to recognise her contribution to careers advice, guidance and employer involvement in such a public way – in front of over 900 representatives of the recruitment community. GTI was built on its strong relationship with universities and careers services and so it's especially sweet for us to give Margaret this very well deserved award."
Margaret said:
"I was surprised and thrilled to be given this special award and a standing ovation at a major national awards dinner attended by so many careers and employer friends and colleagues. It was a pleasure to be presented with this award by Donna Miller, who has been such a staunch supporter of AGCAS over the years. I felt quite overwhelmed by the many congratulations and good wishes I received afterwards and it is very gratifying to know that my contribution to careers guidance and graduate employability and development has been valued and recognised in this way. I would like to think that it is also symbolic of the close collaboration that has existed for decades between HE careers services and graduate employers. AGCAS has also enjoyed a good relationship with GTI over the decades and values their on-going support."
AGCAS Awards for Excellence
There's still time to nominate for the 2011 AGCAS Awards for Excellence, including AGCAS' own lifetime achievement awards. Bids and nominations are welcomed from AGCAS services, groups and individual members or employers, as appropriate for each award category. The closing date for applications is May 16 2011.
Vacancies on the AGCAS Board of Directors
AGCAS is now recruiting motivated and enthusiastic volunteers to join the Board of Directors from 1 August 2011. Do you want to get involved in the strategic management of AGCAS and making key decisions about its future development? Have you got ideas about what AGCAS should be and what it should be able to provide for its members, staff and stakeholders? As a professional body, a company, a charity and an employer, AGCAS needs to be represented at the highest level by a diverse group of committed individuals. As a director you will be making a difference to the future of AGCAS.
AGCAS is now recruiting motivated and enthusiastic volunteers to join the Board of Directors from 1 August 2011. Do you want to get involved in the strategic management of AGCAS and making key decisions about its future development? Have you got ideas about what AGCAS should be and what it should be able to provide for its members, staff and stakeholders? As a professional body, a company, a charity and an employer, AGCAS needs to be represented at the highest level by a diverse group of committed individuals. As a director you will be making a difference to the future of AGCAS.
Nominations are invited from Associate Members of AGCAS for the two positions listed below. Both are for terms of three years (1 August 2011 – 31 July 2014). Candidates may be nominated for one or more of the posts and full induction and training will be given.
Board positions
1) AGCAS President-Elect
This role was created to enable a smoother transition for each new AGCAS President, particularly for those who had not already served on the Board and needed first-hand experience of the way in which AGCAS operates. Typical responsibilities and duties might include:
• Representing AGCAS at meetings and events as agreed with the President
• Dealing with press and other PR enquiries as agreed with the President
• Contributing to the strategic and operational planning of the Board
• Contributing to policy development as required
• Becoming familiar with the functions of the President to enable a smooth takeover
2) Products and Services Director
The Products and Services Director and the AGCAS Training and Publications Manager work together closely, in collaboraton with other relevant staff and members, to promote, develop and monitor AGCAS products and publications and to make strategic recommendations to the Board. The Products and Services Director is a Director of AGCAS the Company and a Trustee of AGCAS the Charity. The role involves:
• Acting as an ambassador internally and externally for AGCAS
• Working closely with the AGCAS Training and Publications Manager and other relevant staff in promoting, developing and monitoring AGCAS products and services
• Working in close consultation with the relevant AGCAS senior staff to make strategic recommendations to the Board
For more information about the activities of Board members, contact Anne-Marie Martin (AGCAS President), Margaret Dane (AGCAS Chief Executive) or the Board member currently filling the role in which you are interested.
Application process
Candidates will need to complete and return a nomination form and a charity trustee declaration form. Both forms are available to download below.
We all rely on AGCAS and the important work it is doing. These are challenging times and you can make a difference. It is vital that we continue to have a full and capable team to lead our association.
The closing date for nominations is Friday 13th May 2011.
ALO vacancy with CILIP
AGCAS is seeking a liaison officer (ALO) for the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), the professional body representing librarians, information specialists and knowledge managers.
AGCAS is seeking a liaison officer (ALO) for the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), the professional body representing librarians, information specialists and knowledge managers.
An ALO establishes and maintains an information-sharing relationship with their link organisation and disseminates industry information to the HE careers community through AGCAS communication channels: discussion lists, ARENA, the website and Phoenix. They also help their link organisation communicate with AGCAS members by giving them a better understanding of the needs of HE careers professionals and their students and alerting them to relevant networking opportunities, including AGCAS training, events and conferences.
In essence, an ALO updates their own and other AGCAS members' knowledge of employment, training, the graduate labour market and career development opportunities in a particular sector and, in return, helps professional bodies better understand how HE careers services work. The relationship is intended to be mutually beneficial.
Most ALOs maintain contact with their link organisation by email and telephone, although there is a budget to allow one or two meetings a year with your opposite number. Full guidelines are available.
If you would like to be considered for this role with CILIP, or for further information, contact Gemma Green by Tuesday 3 May explaining what you could bring to it and why it's of interest to you.
Best practice guide launched by AGCAS Diversity Task Group
A good practice guide for careers professional working with care leavers has been produced by the AGCAS Diversity Task Group. In the guide, Debbie Laing, Careers Adviser at the University of Huddersfield and a member of the task group, makes recommendations for how such students might be supported through university to achieve successful outcomes.
In early March, the AGCAS Diversity Task Group gave advance notice of its good practice guide for careers professional working with care leavers. Working with Care Leavers - A Good Practice Guide for Careers Professionals is now available.
In the guide, Debbie Laing, Careers Adviser at the University of Huddersfield and a member of the task group, makes recommendations for how such students might be supported through university to achieve successful outcomes.
Employers engage with diversity
Lizzie Darlington, a member of the AGCAS Diversity Task Group, has been liaising with AGR. She reports that diversity issues are rising up the agenda, with employers receiving recognition for the work they do to encourage and support a diverse workforce.
Lizzie Darlington, a member of the AGCAS Diversity Task Group, has been liaising with AGR. She reports that diversity issues are rising up the agenda, with employers receiving recognition for the work they do to encourage and support a diverse workforce.
Real World have an interesting page about diversity on their website, which provides examples of employers recognised for their work on diversity. The article also provides Graduate Diversity Case Studies.
Companies have recently been recognised for their work on diversity at the TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2011. The winner of the Diversity Recruitment Award was given to Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Employers nominated for this award included Baker & McKenzie, Barclays Capital, Cushman & Wakefield, FSA, NHS and The Royal Bank of Scotland Group.
Would Prince William be better off with a law degree?
As the government prepares to make salary data within six months of graduation available to prospective students, new research suggests that it is a poor predictor of lifetime earnings. The imminent royal wedding offers an opportunity to consider the factors that might make a difference to an individual's earnings and career success.
As the government prepares to make salary data within six months of graduation available to prospective students, new research suggests that it is a poor predictor of lifetime earnings. The imminent royal wedding offers an opportunity to consider the factors that might make a difference to an individual's earnings and career success.
Many careers professionals have expressed concern that a new question on salary in the annual Higher Education Statistics Agency's Destination of Leavers of Higher Education (DLHE) survey, and the publication of the data on websites such as Unistats, will mislead prospective entrants to HE, their parents and advisers. The new research suggests that their fears could be justified.
In a paper presented at the Royal Economic Society conference last week (Differences by Degree: evidence of the net financial rates of return to undergraduate study for England and Wales*), Professor Ian Walker and Yu Zhu of Lancaster University Management School use a subset of the national Labour Forces Survey (respondents in England with at least A Levels) to look at what does make a difference to lifetime earnings.
Impact of subject
Walker and Zhu divide the sample (81,436) into five broad groups ('STEM' - Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics graduates; ‘LEM' - Law, Economics and Management graduates; 'OSSAH' - Other Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities graduates; 'Combined' - where more than one subject is studied; and ‘A Level' - non-graduates who achieved at least 2 A Levels, ie who were qualified to go into HE but did not complete a degree) and map their earnings by age. They also examine the impact of gender and degree classification.
Gender profiles
Not unexpectedly, the data shows very different age-earnings profiles for men and women, but it also shows different profiles for each gender depending on the subjects studied. For example, female STEM graduates earn higher salaries than all other females between the ages of 21 and 30, but by the age of 40 have been passed by all but the A Level group. (Could this be partly because of the often-discussed difficulties of combining career and family in some fields in which STEM graduates predominate?)OSSAH graduates initially earn less than all but the A level group but, after the age of 40, overtake STEM, LEM and Combined graduates.
For men the profile looks very different, but is equally interesting. LEM graduates start high and rise steeply. They earn significantly more than all other groups until the age of around 55, when eventually they are caught (perhaps because they tend to begin the process of retiring earlier than other groups?). Male OSSAH graduates at first do better than the other three groups, but by the age of 40 have been overtaken by all apart from the A Level group. Despite the government's promotion of STEM subjects, they do not appear to be such a good choice for men, purely from a salary point of view.
Good degree
Degree classification was also found to be a significant predictor of lifetime earnings. Generally, graduates with a better degree earn more. Indeed, the returns for male OSSAH graduates with a poor degree are negative, ie the A Level group earns more. However, male LEM graduates have very large returns for both ‘good' and ‘bad' degrees.
Tuition fees
Walker and Zhu also predict the impact of higher tuition fees. They conclude that even a large rise will make little difference to the quality of a graduate's investment. For women, all subjects will continue to offer relatively high returns. For men, the subjects which offer high returns (notably LEM) will continue to do so while those with lower returns (notably OSSAH) continue to be less good investments, generally speaking.
The researchers stress that the research only demonstrates the correlation, not the causal effect, of subject of study and that they have been unable to control for institutional differences.
AGCAS CEO Margaret Dane said:
"This research only tells part of the story, especially as many of those surveyed graduated a long time ago and the labour market is constantly evolving. Nevertheless it gives weight to what careers professionals have long been saying - that the six month DLHE, while it certainly has its uses, is a flawed source of information for prospective students.
The reality is so much more complex than can be conveyed by numbers alone. This is particularly so when the figures are used to compare employability and salary prospects across different subjects and institutions in their different regions.
It's vitally important that anyone thinking about higher education has access to a wide range of reliable sources of careers information, alongside high quality advice and guidance - and that they think about what they will enjoy and be good at as well as what they might earn."
Margaret added:
"What strikes me is the evidence that in almost all cases, a degree is shown to be a worthwhile investment. And that working for a good degree pays off too. Ill-informed media coverage risks putting young people off higher education altogether and condemning many of them to a lifetime of lower earnings."
Outlook for the prince
So, although Prince William's degree in Geography (OSSAH) might not at first sight seem to have been such a good choice in terms of earning potential, according to Walker and Zhu, this is certainly offset by his degree classification. He achieved a 2:1.
The Lancaster researchers were, however, unable to analyse how far the prince's background (royal), institution (St Andrews), or extra-curricular activities (eg experience in a mountain rescue team and internship in the City) impacted on his first graduate job (helicopter pilot) or on his long term earnings potential. Neither do they tell us how important salary is to him, what else motivates him or how well his skill set maps against those required for his chosen career. The example does, however, highlight some of the other factors which might be involved in career choice and success and the dangers of making decisions based on first destination statistics alone.
Reference
Differences by Degree: evidence of the net financial rates of return to undergraduate study for England and Wales, Professor Ian Walker and Yu Zhu of Lancaster University Management School, originally published in October 2010.
Internships and the minimum wage - AGCAS consulted
The government is currently updating its guidance on work experience, internships and the national minimum wage. AGCAS has been invited to comment on the drafts of guidance aimed at employers and workers/interns, and on the appropriateness of case studies.
The government is currently updating its guidance on work experience, internships and the national minimum wage. This is to ensure that employers and individuals are clear about their rights and responsibilities with regards to internships and other forms of work experience, and follows a suggestion in the 2010 Low Pay Commission report. AGCAS has been invited to comment on the drafts of guidance aimed at employers and workers/interns, and on the appropriateness of case studies. We would be grateful therefore if AGCAS services could send any comments and responses to Margaret Dane and Chris Jackson so that AGCAS can make sure it represents the views of its members to government, the media, employers and others on this topic.
The message to AGCAS and other relevant bodies reads:
Ministers have agreed to maintain the current legislative framework which allows for both paid and unpaid internships, whilst raising awareness about the law as it applies to internships. The guidance aims to support the recently published Social Mobility Strategy's call for greater transparency around internships.
Your comments on the guidance
Before this guidance is finalised and published we would be grateful for your comments on the content of the attached draft. Ministers have agreed the policy position as described above, and it would be very helpful to hear from you whether the guidance sets this out in a way that is clear and helpful. As you will appreciate we may not be able to take all comments into account but we will use as many as possible to further improve the guidance before publication. Particular points you may wish to consider are:
1. Please identify any sections where the drafting is unclear or confusing. In what ways could these sections be updated to be more helpful to an employer and an individual wanting to find out about their rights and responsibilities?
2. Is the guidance appropriately balanced between paid and unpaid internships, which can both be legal within the legislative framework?
3. The case studies are intended to clarify some of the most common factors that might cause uncertainty about an individual on work experience's entitlement to the minimum wage. Are these examples clear and do they cover the most important points? Are there any additional examples that should be added, or given that there will be a word limit on the examples, are there any that are not needed and could be removed?
What is attached
There are three separate pieces of guidance attached:
1. Guidance for Business Link, where the target audience is employers offering or considering offering work experience.
2. Guidance for Direct Gov, where the target audience is individuals undertaking or considering undertaking work experience. The Direct Gov guidance is written in a style so as to be accessible to a broad audience.
3. Case studies intended to clarify some of the most common factors that might cause uncertainty about an individual on work experience's entitlement to the minimum wage. These case studies contain a high proportion based in the creative industries to meet our commitment to providing sector specific examples for the entertainment sector, following a suggestion in the 2010 Low Pay commission report. A selection of the case studies will be used in the Business Link and Direct Gov guidance.
The Business Link and Direct Gov guidance are each split into two sections:
1. Guide on the payment of those undertaking work experience, including interns.
2. Factsheet giving more detail on the meaning of a worker for minimum wage purposes. This should be read in conjunction with the work experience guide as it gives more detail on the meaning of a worker for minimum wage purposes.
Student immigration: Developing employability and the economy, or a burden on society?
In the May 2011 issue of Phoenix, Yasmina Mallam-Hassam, Chair of the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group, outlined the recent changes to the immigration system and explained how the new rules will affect AGCAS members in their work with international students.
In the May 2011 issue of Phoenix, Yasmina Mallam-Hassam, Chair of the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group, outlined the recent changes to the immigration system and explained how the new rules will affect AGCAS members in their work with international students.
Since writing this article, the government has announced the changes to both Tier 2 and Tier 1 (Post-Study Work).
Tier 2
The government’s announcement of changes to the Tier 2 system will afford employers the ability to recruit recent international graduates without being subject to the annual limit or cap of 20,700. From April 6th 2011, the government introduced the concept of restricted and unrestricted Certificates of Sponsorship. Those who are already in the UK under another category of stay, which includes international graduates, will fall under the unrestricted category, where employers will be able to apply for additional unrestricted Certificates of Sponsorship throughout the financial year. The recruitment of international graduates will not be subject to a Resident Labour Market test, meaning there is no need to show that there is no resident worker that could fulfil the role.
Tier 1
Regarding Tier 1 (Post-Study Work), the government has announced the closure of the scheme commencing from April 2012, however university students will still retain the right to work 20 hours per week during term time while studying and the permission to do placements not exceeding 50% of their total course length.
The task now for us as practitioners is to encourage awareness of these new rules amongst students and employers alike.
Useful links
• Summary document from the student immigration announcement (UKBA)
• Tier 2 statement of intent (UKBA)
• International students crucial to UK graduates’ prospects (AGCAS)
Loughborough explores Chinese graduate employability
Loughborough University recently completed the first phase of a two-year project with Tsinghua University, Beijing, in China, looking at the employability of UK-educated Chinese graduates.
Loughborough University recently completed the first phase of a two-year project with Tsinghua University, Beijing, in China, looking at the employability of UK-educated Chinese graduates. The deliverables included a survey of 325 Chinese employers to understand their requirements and perceptions of graduates.
Key findings included:
• 39.2% of respondents offered internships to fresh graduates, which could strengthen work experience.
• Most popular methods for Chinese businesses to target UK-educated Chinese graduates were organising online recruitment fairs (54.9%) and job fairs in China (50.5%).
• For Chinese recruiters, company loyalty, expectations of salary and employment conditions commensurate with the Chinese market, influenced satisfaction with overseas-educated Chinese graduates.
Download the Loughborough University PMI2 China visit report, which includes a parallel survey of UK graduate recruiters. Bilingual e-leaflets for prospective Chinese students and employers were also produced as part of the project.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2011).
Writing CVs - support for international students
Carol Ellis, Careers Consultant at The College of Law, has been exploring the main issues facing international students drafting their CVs alongside UK/EEA contenders in a competitive jobs market.
Carol Ellis, Careers Consultant at The College of Law, has been exploring the main issues facing international students drafting their CVs alongside UK/EEA contenders in a competitive jobs market.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Carol's article below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2011).
Collaborative working to support international students
Staff at the University of Sheffield Careers Service have been working collaboratively with colleagues from other sections within the university, and organisations outside the university, to provide enhanced services to international students.
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font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> Staff at the University of Sheffield Careers Service have been working collaboratively with colleagues from other sections within the university, and organisations outside the university, to provide enhanced services to international students.
Judy Everett, Careers Adviser (International Students and Employers) and Amy Gray (Jobshop Coordinator) outline the support offered:
CV workshop
We decided to develop a CV/applications workshop to be run jointly with colleagues from the university’s English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC). The original motivation for this workshop was the desire to help international students improve the quality of their applications for part-time positions, including the English language content. However, it quickly developed to also include applications for internship and graduate positions and to cover CVs, covering letters and application forms.
The workshop is in two parts:
Part 1 has input aimed at increasing the students’ awareness of what makes a good CV/application and how to 'sell' their skills and strengths as international students. There are also interactive elements - reviewing sample CVs and peer review of their own CVs. Students are then asked to use the information and resources to produce their own high-quality documents for the following week’s session.
Part 2 consists of each student having two individual appointments: the first, with a careers service staff member to review the content and structure; and the second, with a staff member from the ELTC, to review the spelling, grammar and punctuation. Students can use both services for follow-up appointments, if needed.
The workshop was very well received and students asked for a further one on interviews. So, we have now developed a collaborative half-day workshop on interview skills. It includes a range of aspects of interview preparation, technique, and performance, including spoken English language skills. This year we are running each workshop three times during the course of the year.
National Insurance numbers
Another initiative is the collaborative work with Job Centre Plus staff to issue National Insurance numbers to international students. We were the first careers service in the region to do this and it involves inviting a team of their staff to spend a day at the careers service registering students during individual half hour appointments. They visit approximately five times during the year - in three years we have registered over 500 students.
We have also run several joint sessions with the International Adviser from the Students’ Union Advice Centre.
Such initiatives have proved popular with international students who seem to appreciate us working with other organisations to deliver enhanced services.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2011).
Operation Malta - employability advice for junior doctors
Charlene Binding, Senior Career Planning Adviser for the East Midlands Deanery, and Dr Pierre Ellul, Career Lead for the Malta Foundation Programme, discuss the rewards and challenges of integrating careers support into junior doctors' training in Malta.
Charlene Binding, Senior Career Planning Adviser for the East Midlands Deanery, and Dr Pierre Ellul, Career Lead for the Malta Foundation Programme, discuss the rewards and challenges of integrating careers support into junior doctors' training in Malta.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download the full report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2011).
Developing transferable skills in language students
Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin and Waterford Institute of Technology recently ran a project, Transferable Skills in Third-Level Modern Language Curricula, to raise undergraduate language students' awareness of their transferable skills and their competence in these skills.
Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin and Waterford Institute of Technology recently ran a project, Transferable Skills in Third-Level Modern Language Curricula. The aim of the project was to raise undergraduate language students' awareness of their transferable skills and their competence in these skills by making such skills more explicit within the academic curriculum.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download a full project report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2011).
Communicating EU careers
The Communicating EU Careers event held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in October last year was attended by AGCAS member Fiona Christie, Senior Careers Consultant in Careers and Employability at the University of Salford. Speakers included the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, who addressed representatives from university language departments and careers services about the need to encourage graduates to consider a career in the European Union (EU).
The Communicating EU Careers event held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in October last year was attended by AGCAS member Fiona Christie, Senior Careers Consultant in Careers and Employability at the University of Salford. Speakers included the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, who addressed representatives from university language departments and careers services about the need to encourage graduates to consider a career in the European Union (EU).
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can read Fiona's report of the event below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2011).
Employability through languages
Peter Fox, Careers Adviser at Durham University Careers, Employability and Enterprise Centre, has been working with language departments to help spread the message about the importance of employability. As the modern languages link adviser, he recently delivered a session to staff on enhancing the employability of graduates from the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, exploring how crucial skills can be developed through course-related academic activities.
Peter Fox, Careers Adviser at Durham University Careers, Employability and Enterprise Centre, has been working with language departments to help spread the message about the importance of employability. As the modern languages link adviser, he recently delivered a session to staff on enhancing the employability of graduates from the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, exploring how crucial skills can be developed through course-related academic activities.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Peter's full report below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2011).
John Moores WoWs with skills certificate in Malaysia
The Graduate Development Centre at Liverpool John Moores University is working with Malaysia's largest public university, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), to deliver a one-year pilot programme, funded by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education, to offer the World of Work (WoW®) Skills Certificate to 100 students.
The Graduate Development Centre at Liverpool John Moores University is working with Malaysia's largest public university, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), to deliver a one-year pilot programme, funded by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education, to offer the World of Work (WoW®) Skills Certificate to 100 students.
Dr Norsaadah Ismail, Director, Industry Relations Division, Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education, comments:
"We at the Ministry of Higher Education feel that the WoW Skills Certificate will make our graduates more employable. We hope that through working as partners, the level of graduate employment will be enhanced."
Terry Dray, Director of GDC at John Moores, added:
"The WoW Skills Certificate requires students to reflect on their work-related skills and competence and confidently articulate to an employer interviewer their evidence to be an asset in the world of work. We have an excellent relationship with our Malaysian colleagues and are honoured to be working with them on such an important strategic agenda."
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2011).
Nottingham helps students dress for career success
The Centre for Career Development at the University of Nottingham recently hosted a fashion show to illustrate how students should present themselves in a variety of professional environments.
The Centre for Career Development at the University of Nottingham recently hosted a fashion show to illustrate how students should present themselves in a variety of professional environments.
During the event, organised in conjunction with the Students' Union, a panel of employers including Deloitte, PwC and IBM provided over 90 students with useful hints and tips on how to make the best first impressions. For example, how being dressed appropriately can boost confidence and enable better performance at interview.
Students took advantage of the opportunity to network with the employer representatives at a drinks reception. The catwalk show itself included smart casual, interview and evening wear from a range of high-street stores.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (May 2011).
Employability Awards Case Study Series
The Skills and Employability Awards Task Group recently sent out a request across AGCAS for case studies, articles and resources, and following a hugely positive response from colleagues, we are pleased to launch our new Employability Awards Case Study Series.
The Skills and Employability Awards Task Group recently sent out a request across AGCAS for case studies, articles and resources, and following a hugely positive response from colleagues, we are pleased to launch our new Employability Awards Case Study Series.
Already we have 12 case studies on the site, which should hopefully start to give you a snapshot of the approaches and methods being used to support student skills, employability and personal development via a range of award schemes.
We would like to thank all colleagues who have provided us with information that will support colleagues across the sector to collaborate and share examples of good practice. In the coming weeks we will be releasing further articles and resources that we hope will be useful to you all.
If you would like to submit a case study please contact Eileen Scott, or if you are interested in submitting an article or have identified relevant resources or research that might be useful for us to feature online for colleagues to access, please contact Sarah Jeffries.
Bookings open for AGCAS Biennial 2011
Booking for the AGCAS Biennial Conference 2011 is now open. The conference will take place from Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 September at The University of Nottingham. It's a fantastic chance to network with fellow AGCAS members, international colleagues, graduate recruiters and many other delegates. This is the premier event in the HE careers calendar, comprising three stand-alone days. It will be of interest to anyone interested in careers information, advice and guidance, employability and/or the graduate labour market. The conference theme is Working Smarter for Sustainability and Success.
Booking for the AGCAS Biennial Conference 2011 is now open. The conference will take place from Tuesday 13 to Thursday 15 September at The University of Nottingham. It's a fantastic chance to network with fellow AGCAS members, international colleagues, graduate recruiters and many other delegates. This is the premier event in the HE careers calendar, comprising three stand-alone days. It will be of interest to anyone interested in careers information, advice and guidance, employability and/or the graduate labour market. The conference theme is Working Smarter for Sustainability and Success.
Conference highlights
There are six keynote speakers confirmed to date, including: Will Hutton, Executive Vice Chair, The Work Foundation; Ruth Spellman, Chair of the Careers Profession Alliance (CPA); and Richard Riley, Executive Officer, Universities West Midlands.
There are over 80 workshops to choose from - hopefully with something for everybody. The range and quality of the workshops has been a high point at recent conferences.
As well as an exhibition taking place across all three days, there will also be daily welcome sessions for conference first-timers, newer members and recruiters. On Tuesday evening, delegates will have the chance to explore the Nottingham area, with 13 local restaurants and activities to choose from (every cuisine you could want, plus a river cruise, ghost walk, garden tour, art gallery – even a stint in gaol).
The AGCAS Awards for Excellence ceremony will take place at Wednesday's conference dinner.
How to book
We're confident you'll want to come for the whole three days but, if you can't, each day is a mini standalone conference with its own focus.
Associate Members should book via their heads of service. All other bookings can be made direct to the AGCAS office.
Find out more and book your place
(Photo reproduced with the permission of The University of Nottingham)
Careers provision for young people in England
Profound changes are taking place to the financing of and legislation covering the delivery of careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) to young people via schools, sixth forms, FE colleges and youth services in England. Things are moving very fast: the second reading in the Lords took place on 14 June, so there isn't much time to try to safeguard, let alone improve, the CEIAG on offer.
This article is intended to update members on what we're doing as an organisation, invite your feedback about what we should do next, and encourage you to take action yourself.
Profound changes are taking place to the financing of and legislation covering the delivery of careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) to young people via schools, sixth forms, FE colleges and youth services in England. Things are moving very fast: the second reading in the Lords took place on 14 June, so there isn't much time to try to safeguard, let alone improve, the CEIAG on offer.
Although AGCAS member services are, in the main, not affected directly by these changes, there is no doubt that members are very concerned about the likely impact on prospective HE students at the very time when, because of higher fees and the marketisation of the sector, they arguably need more than ever to be equipped to make informed choices.
The messages coming from Westminster and reports of devastating cuts to Connexions services in some local authorities are worrying to say the least and so AGCAS, in common with other professional bodies and individual careers professionals, is still trying to influence government. This article is intended to update members on what we're doing as an organisation, invite your feedback about what we should do next, and encourage you to take action yourself.
Advisory Group for the National Careers Service
AGCAS is represented by AGCAS President, Anne-Marie Martin. This group was set up by the Coalition Government to advise on the development of the initial proposals for an all-age guidance service for England and comprises representatives from a wide range of interested bodies.
Careers Sector Strategic Forum (CSSF)
This body was formally set up about a year ago, with AGCAS as a founding member, to bring together representatives fromf a wide range of relevant professional bodies and stakeholder organisations concerned about careers provision across the UK. Chaired by Sir Martin Harris, its membership is increasing rapidly to include key employer and other organisations, thus improving its lobbying strength. It focuses on policy issues related to the provision of CEIAG at all ages and stages and across the whole of the UK. AGCAS is currently represented by a board member. The forum regularly briefs ministers and has held meetings with and written to relevant MPs. Copies of the CSSF briefing notes are available below.
Careers Profession Alliance (CPA )
This alliance of the main professional associations for careers practitioners across the UK has grown out of the careers IAG Constituency Panel of Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) and the looser network of key careers organisations, which has existed for many years.
Building on the work of LLUK, this group has been working with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Education (DfE) on issues around professional and ethical standards, initial training and continuing professional development (CPD) and career progression. Proposals are going to the boards of the constituent organisations to consult about moving towards a more unified professional body. AGCAS withdrew from membership in October 2011 but maintains contact.
The CPA has not responded as a group to the Education Bill, as all its members are represented on the CSSF (see above), but is working on closer collaboration on professional issues. Find out more about CPA.
Grassroots action
Besides the 'official' channels, there is a great deal of grassroots activity taking place, including a UNISON campaign, a Connexions Facebook page and #face2facecareers and #savecareers on Twitter. All are aiding communication between interested parties and AGCAS is happy to publicise them via its various channels and make sure they, in turn, know of our commitment to CEIAG in all sectors. Chris Jackson will facilitate this. If you're not a tweeter or a follower, perhaps you might still like to contact your MP or local newspaper. You can also sign an e-petition.
Keeping members informed
AGCAS will keep members informed through its email discussion groups, LinkedIn, our monthly newsletter, ARENA, our journal, Phoenix, and this website. You can follow any relevant media coverage via our Media Roundup, which is updated daily. We also follow what's happening in parliament and summarise it for members in ARENA.
Bank of case studies
We are collecting case studies of anyone who has benefited from CEIAG in the HE sector or at other times in their life (or of anyone who believes they needed it but did not have access). If you think you can source case studies, please send them to Chris Jackson.
Below are various documents that we hope will increase your understanding of the issues and the response of the sector.
Finally, if you are an AGCAS member and signed into this website, you will be able to leave your comments below. Feel free to comment on what is happening or how you believe AGCAS should respond.
AGCAS Awards for Excellence shortlists announced
The shortlisted nominations for the AGCAS Awards for Excellence 2011 have been announced. Nominations were received in 15 different categories for a wide range of projects from AGCAS member services in all parts of the UK.
The shortlisted nominations for the AGCAS Awards for Excellence 2011 have been announced.
Nominations were received in 15 different categories for a wide range of projects from AGCAS member services in all parts of the UK.
AGCAS President, Anne-Marie Martin, said:
'We received more nominations than ever before and arriving at the shortlists has been incredibly difficult. It's evidence, if we need it, of the fantastic work that's taking place in careers and employability work in higher education. Anybody who has been shortlisted should feel very proud and make sure that people both inside and outside their institutions hear of their success. There were also some excellent nominations that didn't make it and, over the coming weeks and months, we'll be encouraging members to write up their projects for the AGCAS website.'
The winners will be announced at the AGCAS Biennial Conference 2011, which takes place at The University of Nottingham in September.
View the shortlist
AGCAS awards encourage, reward and share good practice amongst HE careers practitioners by promoting high-quality, creative, innovative and collaborative projects and high professional standards across the full range of HE careers work.
HE white paper - AGCAS response
AGCAS welcomes the emphasis on employability and high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) in the government's higher education white paper, published today. AGCAS believes that access to high-quality CEIAG should start at school and continue through and beyond college and university.
AGCAS welcomes the emphasis on employability and high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) in the government's Higher Education White Paper, Students at the Heart of the System, published today. AGCAS believes that access to high-quality CEIAG should start at school and continue through and beyond college and university.
Career and salary outcomes
One of AGCAS's concerns, however, with the recently announced requirements for universities to publish career and salary outcomes, is that data about graduates' first destinations and earnings are not always as straightforward as they seem. Entry into some of the most prestigious graduate jobs normally follows either an internship, a period of non-professional work experience or a postgraduate course, none of which will necessarily show up well in the data. So, anyone looking at the raw data, without understanding these nuances, could be forgiven for mistakenly viewing negatively some interim career outcomes that are in fact positive.
Role of the individual
In addition, many graduates don't get down to serious career planning for some months after graduation. Some choose to take time out to travel or stay on in their temporary job to clear some debts. Others, perhaps, haven't taken advantage of all the opportunities to enhance their employability while at university and are using the weeks after graduation to gain much-needed experience or develop their skills. Again, these individual decisions will have an impact on the data.
AGCAS applauds the intention to publish additional salary information at 40 months.
Need for careers guidance
Another worry is whether, at a time when responsibility for funding for CEIAG services is being devolved to schools and colleges, systems will be in place to equip young people to find and make use of all the newly-published information.
Anne-Marie Martin, President of AGCAS and Director of The Careers Group, University of London, said:
'Students and prospective students need to be helped to understand the implications of particular choices - of career, employer, subject of study, place and institution of study - but also of their own actions, such as making sure they are able to demonstrate that they have the qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience that potential universities and employers are looking for.
Many students will also need help with understanding both the labour market and their own personal preferences and attributes. They can then learn how to put all the information together to make informed decisions. If well taught, these career management skills will then hopefully remain with them for life.
It's perhaps ironic that the government is making much more information available, but that at the same time there is such uncertainty around the careers education and advice that will enable young people to make sense of it. The results are that they could be more confused than ever - and even seriously misled.'
She added:
'We would advise students and parents to make sure they access good careers advice, which will enable them to make informed decisions. If their school or college isn't providing it, they should ask why. Equally importantly though, the individual should take responsibility too - they should already be starting to build up relevant experience and gaining skills future employers will look for.'
The AGCAS message to students and parents - and to government and schools - is that good CEIAG is absolutely crucial and must be made available to young people both before and during university, but that it cannot take place in a vacuum. The individual must also take responsibility for their own career management. Our messages to young people must emphasise this.
AGCAS response
AGCAS will be responding to the white paper by the deadline of 20 September 2011 and encourages its members to contribute to this collective response, as well as to respond individually and via their institution.
References
Higher Education White Paper: Students at the Heart of the System
AGCAS Employability Position Statement
AGCAS DVD: Journey to Work
Cautious welcome for graduate employment figures
The latest figures released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show a slight improvement in graduate employment outcomes over last year. They show that, within six months of graduating, 86% of 2009/10 UK leavers of higher education were either working or in further study, and 9% (down from 10% in 2008/9) were unemployed. Average salaries were unchanged at £19,000 (median) and £20,000 (mean).
The latest figures released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show a slight improvement in graduate employment outcomes over last year. They show that, within six months of graduating, 86% of 2009/10 UK leavers of higher education were either working or in further study, and 9% (down from 10% in 2008/9) were unemployed. Average salaries were unchanged at £19,000 (median) and £20,000 (mean).
There are interesting variations across the UK, with graduates from HE institutions in Scotland doing better than the UK as a whole, both in terms of employment rates and salaries.
AGCAS President, Anne-Marie Martin, said:
'These figures confirm what our members are reporting - that things have been slowly improving for a couple of years and that there are jobs out there.
We'd urge students to do all they can to make themselves employable - by making sure that they're buiding up their skills throughout their time at university through work experience, voluntary work, getting involved in student life, as well as through their studies. And, equally important, making sure that they are giving clear evidence of the skills and attributes individual employers are seeking.
We know that most students need help to do this at first. Higher education careers services are there to provide it.
Finally, the graduate job market is changing and varies from sector to sector. Careers services can also help students and graduates discover how to uncover the vacancies appropriate to them - and even create jobs where they didn't exist before.'
Reference
2009/10 Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey, HESA, July 2011.
Election to AGCAS Board of Directors
Following the recent advertisement for a Director of Products and Services to serve on the AGCAS Board, from 1st August 2011 to 31st July 2014, nominations were received from two members. In accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of AGCAS, an election is being held. Associate Members of AGCAS are now invited to vote to decide which nominee should be elected.
Following the recent advertisement for a Director of Products and Services to serve on the AGCAS Board, from 1st August 2011 to 31st July 2014, nominations were received from:
• Mrs Deborah Houston, Glasgow Caledonian University
• Mrs Jane Standley, Brunel University
In accordance with the Memorandum and Articles of Association of AGCAS, an election is being held. Associate Members of AGCAS are now invited to vote to decide which nominee should be elected. (Associate Members of AGCAS are heads of careers services, careers advisers and other professional staff and administrators currently employed by a careers service, which is itself a member of AGCAS.)
Each Associate Member may cast only one vote. The nominee who secures the most votes by the closing date of Thursday 28 July at 5.00pm will be duly elected. Further details of the role and short profile statements from each nominee outlining what they hope to bring to the AGCAS Board are reproduced below:
The role of the Products and Services Director on the AGCAS Board
The Products and Services Director and the Training and Publications Manager work together closely, in collaboraton with relevant staff and members, to promote, develop and monitor AGCAS products and publications and to make strategic recommendations to the Board. The Products and Services Director is a Director of AGCAS the Company and a Trustee of AGCAS the Charity.
The role involves: acting as an ambassador more widely, internally and externally, for AGCAS; working closely with the AGCAS Training and Publications Manager and other relevant staff in promoting, developing and monitoring AGCAS products and services; and working in close consultation with the relevant AGCAS senior staff to make strategic recommendations to the Board.
Nominee profile statements
Mrs Deborah Houston
'A professionally qualified careers guidance practitioner for 30 years, the last 10 of which have been in the HE sector, I am currently the Head of Careers Service at Glasgow Caledonian University. I manage a team of 3.5 careers advisers, a careers information and DLHE officer, a careers information assistant and an administration assistant. We serve around 17,000 students and 3,000 graduates. Smaller services like ours are reliant on the products and services provided by AGCAS to enhance our own limited resources. We benefit from the high quality products developed by AGCAS members and their partners.
I'm currently involved in AGCAS as a Head of Service (UK and Scotland) and in the AGCAS Scotland law advisers and services to graduates groups. The latter two groups are concerned with developing and producing online resources for students and graduates, among other things.
I am keen to make a contribution to AGCAS at Board level, with a particular interest in products and services. As an end user, I am keen to help maintain the quality and output of these resources. I am also keen to help develop and monitor AGCAS products and services at a strategic level and to promote these, and AGCAS itself, to those who have an interest in HE careers guidance.
Deborah Houston
Glasgow Caledonian University
July 2011
Mrs Jane Standley
I have contributed to AGCAS since the early 1990s when I wrote several information booklets and occupational/sector profiles. I later pursued my interest in information and sharing best practice through four years on the Phoenix editorial board from 2005 onwards. I am currently on the AGR Graduate Recruiter board and use the opportunity to promote AGCAS colleagues' innovative work.
I was on the AGCAS Careers Education Task Group for several years and am currently on the AGCAS Impact Measurement and Positioning Task Group, which has delivered training and resources to help services demonstrate their effectiveness and value.
I have worked in large and small services and also spent an invaluable two years at e-skills.com as a careers service client/supplier. The Brunel team embraces Job Shop and placements as well as careers, helping me to understand the product and service needs of a wide range of staff, and I hope that my enthusiasm for innovation can benefit AGCAS.
Nine years as Director of the Placement and Careers Centre at Brunel has also given me a strategic perspective, knowledge of external communications and experience in dealing with people at a senior level that I hope might advance AGCAS objectives at this challenging time.
Jane Standley
Brunel University
July 2011
Cast your vote by clicking on this link.
In the case of any difficulty registering your vote, please e-mail ICT support.
With any other enquiry concerning this election, please contact Dr Dan Ferrett, AGCAS Company Secretary.
Skills awards survey report published
The AGCAS Skills Awards Task Group would like to thank all colleagues who contributed to our online survey. We have now produced the initial data summary and we will be producing some further evaluation of free text comments later in the year.
The AGCAS Skills Awards Task Group would like to thank all colleagues who contributed to our online survey. We have now produced the initial data summary and we will be producing some further evaluation of free text comments later in the year.
Download the survey report, where you will also find case studies and a new resources page that allows colleagues to share articles, papers and other information about their award schemes.
AGCAS announces Board election result
Following the recent poll of Associate Members of AGCAS, Jane Standley, Director of the Placement and Careers Centre at Brunel University, has been elected as the next Director of Products and Services on the AGCAS Board. Jane will take up her position on 1 August 2011 and will serve for a period of three years.
Jane will be joined on the Board by incoming AGCAS President-Elect, Paul Redmond, Head of Careers and Employability at the University of Liverpool. Paul will take up his position as AGCAS President from 1 August 2012.
Following the recent poll of Associate Members of AGCAS, Jane Standley, Director of the Placement and Careers Centre at Brunel University, has been elected as the next Director of Products and Services on the AGCAS Board. Jane will take up her position on 1 August 2011 and will serve for a period of three years.
Jane will be joined on the Board by incoming AGCAS President-Elect, Paul Redmond, Head of Careers and Employability at the University of Liverpool. Paul will take up his position as AGCAS President from 1 August 2012.
Call for new members for the Careers Information Specialists Group (CISG)
The AGCAS Careers Information Specialists Group (CISG) is currently seeking new members. Each CISG member plays a specifi role within the group but works together to ensure the successful delivery of the group's remit.
The AGCAS Careers Information Specialists Group (CISG) is currently seeking new members.
A brief overview of what we do:
• Facilitate networking for information staff in HE careers services.
• Be a forum for sharing and promoting good practice and the discussion of professional issues.
• Increase awareness of issues and developments in the wider information world, which may impact on HE careers services.
• Co-organise an information and employer liaison conference on a biennial basis.
• Liaise with AGCAS staff and with the relevant committees to ensure that the training needs of information staff are addressed.
• Review the Survival Guide for Careers Information Specialists on a biennial basis in the non-conference year.
• Act as a reference point for those providing training and assessment for the information modules within the AGCAS/Warwick Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma and MA in CEIG HE, to ensure their continued professional relevance.
Please note that this list is not exhaustive.
Each member of the CISG plays a specific role within the group, but essentially we work together to ensure we deliver on the above.
If your role involves working in careers information and you would like to be involved, then please get in touch. You will be required to attend two CISG meetings, two teleconferences and keep in contact with other CISG members via email to support the work of the CISG.
If you wish to find out more about the CISG and its work, or if you'd like to join the group, please contact Jo Timmins (or tel: 01484 472124) with a brief outline supporting your application.
The deadline for applications is Wednesday 7 September 2011.
Concerns over reduced careers services for young people
A group of experts has warned that government plans to reorganise careers services will be damaging to young people. Planned cuts will reduce the availability of face-to-face guidance to young people, with services confined to telephone and web-based services. The National Careers Service Advisory Group, formerly the Advisory Group on the All-Age Careers Service, have issued a press release outlining their concerns about the 'widespread destruction' of careers services for young people.
A group of experts has warned that government plans to reorganise careers services will be damaging to young people. Planned cuts will reduce the availability of face-to-face guidance to young people, with services confined to telephone and web-based services. The National Careers Service Advisory Group, formerly the Advisory Group on the All-Age Careers Service, have issued a press release (available below) outlining their concerns about the 'widespread destruction' of careers services for young people.
Media coverage
There was coverage on the Radio 4 Today programme (Tuesday 9th August) and on the BBC website, Careers service at risk of 'destruction' warning.
The documents below are to help practitioners understand the issues involved, the response of the HE sector and the wider CEIAG community to the proposed changes and progress towards the service.
Changes to permission to work for international students
From April 2012, the Tier 1 Post-Study Work Scheme will be closed and 'replaced' by a new provision under Tier 2 Sponsored Skilled Workers. Full details have not yet been announced by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) and may not be released until as late as March 2012. The AGCAS Internationaisation Task Group is gathering examples of how all of these proposed changes will affect students, with a view to submitting evidence via Universities UK before April 2012.
From April 2012, the Tier 1 Post-Study Work Scheme will be closed and 'replaced' by a new provision under Tier 2 Sponsored Skilled Workers. Full details have not yet been announced by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) and may not be released until as late as March 2012.
There will also be a Student Entrepreneurs category, but there is no further information on this at present.
The information on the new Tier 2 scheme is that applicants must have a job offer from an employer before their student visa expires (currently the length of the course, plus 4 months), and must be paid a minimum salary that is likely to be in the region of £20,000 (or the salary specified in the Standard Occupational Code published by the UKBA). The individual also has to meet points requirements. The employer will not have to apply the Resident Labour Market Test, unlike the main scheme under Tier 2.
Collecting evidence
We are already aware that these requirement may be difficult for some sectors to meet, particularly for SMEs who are not presently licensed as Tier 2 sponsors. If you have any examples of how these proposed changes may adversely affect your students, please send these to the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group via Yasmina Mallam-Hassam. We are keen to submit such evidence via Universities UK to lobby the UKBA on the development of the scheme before April 2012.
Signposting to sources of help
As careers professionals, we are only allowed to give generic information and not advice (pertaining to an individual student). It will be difficult to give definitive information to the new intake of students, particularly those on Master's programmes, who will be due to start this October. Given the current information inferring Tier 2 General as the main route, it may be sensible to include a link to the Tier 2 Register of Sponsors information on your international student pages so that students can target employers who are already registered and also check to determine if an employer of interest is registered to take migrant workers under Tier 2 General. It would also be useful to make them aware of the UKBA Employer Helpline so that if employers need advice regarding the routes to recruiting a non-EEA graduate, they can obtain it from there. The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) advice line is also an excellent source of support for international students.
• Tier 2 Register of Sponsors
• UKBA Employer Helpline: tel 0300 123 4699 or via email
• UKCISA advice line open from Monday to Friday, 1pm - 4pm: 020 7107 9922
There will also be a talk given by a representative from Laura Devine Solicitors at the AGCAS Biennial Conference on Wednesday 14th September 2011, Securing global talent: the immigration cap and beyond.
Disability Task Group seeks new members
The AGCAS Disability Task Group is seeking new members to join the group and help shape the careers support available to disabled students at UK universities. There are currently two vacancies on the group.
The AGCAS Disability Task Group is seeking new members to join the group and help shape the careers support available to disabled students at UK universities. There are currently two vacancies on the group.
The group normally comprises seven members and meets twice annually to discuss a range of issues connected to supporting disabled students and graduates. The group produces What Happens Next? A Report on the First Destinations of Disabled Graduates and provides a training event for AGCAS members each year.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the group, send a Word document (guideline of around 700 words, but there is no actual word limit) explaining your interest, highlighting any relevant experience and what you believe you could contribute to the group, to Paul Barnes (Chair).
The deadline for applications is Friday 16 September. The successful applicants will be informed as soon as possible.
If you would like to discuss the work of the group further, some members of the group will be at the AGCAS Biennial Conference in Nottingham (on Wednesday 14 September and/or Thursday 15 September). Alternatively, you can contact Paul on 02392 842684.
The next meeting of the task group will be held in London on Friday 18 November 2011 and it is hoped that the new members will be able to attend the meeting.
Postgraduate Students Task Group vacancy
The AGCAS Postgraduate Students Task Group has another vacancy on the group and hopes to recruit an AGCAS member who will be able to bring their expertise and a fresh perspective to advise and inform the group's activity.
Do you have an interest in postgraduate students? Do you have experience of working across a broad range of postgraduates – taught, research, vocational, non-vocational, conversion courses? Do you have experience and an interest in producing, editing and managing web content?
The AGCAS Postgraduate Students Task Group has another vacancy on the group and hopes to recruit an AGCAS member who will be able to bring their expertise and a fresh perspective to advise and inform the group's activity.
What does the group do?
The group meets twice a year (plus teleconferences) to stay up-to-date and plan their work. Resources include the Postgraduate Toolkit, An Introduction to Working with Postgraduate Students and information on the Postgraduate Community pages of the AGCAS website. The group also liaises closely with the Research Staff Task Group to ensure synergy across resources for those working with researchers.
How to apply
If you are able to commit to two or three days' group attendance, and can devote additional time to develop resources/share good practice (with the support of your Head of Service/Manager), then please email the following information to Julie Blant (Chair): name; institution; details of your remit with postgraduate students (eg, specialist role for university, school remit, generic service, resources developed); statement of interest (why do you want to join the group/relevant skills, knowledge or experience). Please also attach your CV.
The closing date is 28 January 2012.
Contact
If you would like to discuss the work of the group before applying, please feel free to contact any of the current members: Helen Stringer, The University of Warwick or Shahida Osman, Imperial College London.
Vacancy in the Psychometric Assessment Task Group
There is currently a vacancy on the AGCAS Psychometric Assessment Task Group. This is an active and enthusiastic group, very keen to welcome a new member who has a genuine interest in psychometric assessment.
There is currently a vacancy on the AGCAS Psychometric Assessment Task Group. This is an active and enthusiastic group, very keen to welcome a new member who has a genuine interest in psychometric assessment.
The group normally comprises six members, who meet two to three times per year to discuss a wide range of issues connected to personality and aptitude testing. They liaise regularly with professional organisations, test providers and employers who provide, monitor and utilise these instruments.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the group, please send an expression of interest to Peter Fantom (Chair) by 30th September 2011.
The task group will next meet in early 2012 and it is hoped any new member(s) will be able to attend this meeting.
Opportunity to join the Internationalisation Task Group
A vacancy has arisen in the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group. Applications are invited from members who possess expertise in and a passion for developing the employability of international students and home students with an international career focus.
A vacancy has arisen in the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group. Applications are invited from members who possess expertise in and a passion for developing the employability of international students and home students with an international career focus.
This is a very proactive group, who have had a role in delivering key PMI2 initiatives on behalf of AGCAS. The task group is continually looking for new ways to enhance the international student experience and to promote the internationalisation of home students. Applications are particularly welcome from members with plenty of ideas and energy to build on this solid foundation. The role is demanding, and will require good organisation skills and commitment to balance the workload with your 'day job'. However, you will reap the benefits of collaborating within a diverse group of dedicated individuals, including careers professionals, international student advisers and international marketing managers.
If you are interested in joining this group, please email your CV and a covering letter to Yasmina Mallam-Hassam as soon as possible, or by Monday 26th September 2011 at the latest, outlining your reasons for wanting to join, as well as any relevant experience or attributes you would bring to the group.
Quality and Membership Committee vacancies
The AGCAS Quality and Membership Committee currently has five vacancies available. These vacancies have arisen as a result of members completing their term of office, as well as the AGCAS Board approving the increase in size of the committee group to address two key issues facing AGCAS and its members: quality of career management provision within HEIs; and a growing and diversified membership of AGCAS.
The AGCAS Quality and Membership Committee currently has five vacancies available. These vacancies have arisen as a result of members completing their term of office, as well as the AGCAS Board approving the increase in size of the Committee Group to address two key issues facing AGCAS and its members: quality of career management provision within HEIs; and a growing and diversified membership of AGCAS.
What is it we do?
• Advise the AGCAS Board on policy relating to quality assurance of AGCAS member services.
• Make recommendations to the AGCAS Board on the accreditations of careers services, new members and membership issues.
• Monitor the development of the matrix Standard and other quality standards.
• Contribute to the debate on quality issues as they might apply to careers services and members.
• Promote continuing quality improvement (CQI) with AGCAS member services.
What are we working on during 2011/12?
• Ensuring member services comply with existing AGCAS-approved quality standards and providing training and support to aid compliance.
• Promoting and developing CQI.
• Working with the Training and Development Committee on the Register of Practitioners.
• Developing the membership model, which reflects today's careers guidance and student employability arrangements within HEIs in the UK, Ireland and elsewhere.
We do this by meeting three times per year, with each member of the committee allocated specific tasks and objectives.
What are we looking for?
• Are you interested in issues of quality, continuous improvement, service competence and client satisfaction?
• Do you want to promote the work of AGCAS and contribute to strategies which will increase/widen the membership base?
If yes, then please consider joining the Quality and Membership Committee.
Making your application
The committee is looking for five people to join us, who can offer three days a year group attendance, plus a few hours per month to work on specific tasks and projects. You will need the support of and approval from your Head of Service. Please submit the following information via email to Lucy Madahar (Director of Quality and Membership and Chair of the Quality and Membership Committee):
• name and HEI;
• statement outlining why quality and/or membership interests you;
• overview of what you can bring to the group.
The closing date for applications is Monday 17 October 2011.
Further information
If you want further information or would like to discuss the work of the Committee before applying, please feel free to contact any member of the committee:
• Lucy Madahar
• Sam Rhodes
• Alyson Twyman
• Jean Stirrup
AGCAS celebrates Awards for Excellence winners
The results of the 2011 AGCAS Awards for Excellence have been announced. Winners were presented with their awards at an official ceremony and dinner, held at the East Midlands Conference Centre as part of the AGCAS Biennial Conference at The University of Nottingham, earlier this month.
The number of nominations received for each category is evidence of the high-quality, innovative and collaborative work taking place at AGCAS member services across the country.
The results of the 2011 AGCAS Awards for Excellence have been announced. Winners were presented with their awards at an official ceremony and dinner, held at the East Midlands Conference Centre as part of the AGCAS Biennial Conference at The University of Nottingham, earlier this month.
The number of nominations received for each category is evidence of the high-quality, innovative and collaborative work taking place at AGCAS member services across the country.
And the winner is ...
• AGCAS Employer Award for Careers Service Partnership (sponsored by The University of Warwick): Enterprise Rent-A-Car, for a successful and ongoing partnership with Edge Hill University.
• AGCAS Employer Award for Work-related Learning: Asidua, for its successful placement scheme for University of Ulster students.
• AGCAS Employability Award (sponsored by Gradcore): Northumbria University, for Positive Futures, a new style programme of workshops coaching and events to lift spirits and inspire graduates to approach their job seeking with confidence in their employability.
• AGCAS Entrepreneurship Award (sponsored by Skills Hive): Aston, Birmingham and Birmingham City universities for their collaborative programme, BSEEN, which supports graduates interested in setting up their own business.
• AGCAS Innovation Award (sponsored by Barclays Capital): Northumbria University, for its animation to promote careers and employment services.
• AGCAS International Award (sponsored by ACCA): The University of Central Lancashire, for their UK-China Cultural and Business Programme.
• AGCAS Marketing Award: The University of Leeds, for Engaging the Unengaged, which raises profile and usage yet uses less staff time than before.
• AGCAS Research Award: The University of Leicester for the Careers Service and Department of Engineering’s joint research into the relationship between engineering students undertaking a placement and improved academic performance.
• AGCAS Staff Development Award: The University of Leeds, for its programme to train support staff to provide initial information and advice.
• AGCAS Technology Award (sponsored by JobSavviGrad): The University of Huddersfield, for its GEMS software to disseminate DLHE information.
• AGCAS Website Award: The University of Portsmouth, for its Purple Door website, which offers improved career and employability support.
• AGCAS Awards for Excellence Overall Winner: The University of Huddersfield, for its GEMS software.
• AGCAS John Roberts Memorial Prize: Angela Vesey, Nottingham Trent University, for her work on the AGCAS MA in Career Education, Information and Guidance in HE (CEIGHE).
• AGCAS Outstanding Newcomer Award: Marcus Andrews, Birmingham City University
• AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Awards: Wilma Martinelli, Martin Pennington and Margaret Dane
Find out more about the 2011 winners
AGCAS bids farewell to Margaret
Margaret Dane has retired after almost 10 years as AGCAS Chief Executive. Her membership of AGCAS spans 34 years, including three as AGCAS President, as well as serving periods of office on a wide range of sub-committees and working groups.
The AGCAS Board is in the process of reviewing the structure of AGCAS to ensure that it continues to be as effective over the next ten years as it has in the last ten years. All AGCAS Heads of Service have received an invitation to participate in the initial stages of planning this future.
Margaret Dane has retired after almost 10 years as AGCAS Chief Executive. Her membership of AGCAS spans 34 years, including three as AGCAS President, as well as serving periods of office on a wide range of sub-committees and working groups. Margaret was awarded with an AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Award at the Biennial Conference earlier this month. She has also received NASES Lifetime Membership in recognition of her contribution to HE careers work.
A retirement celebration was held in Margaret’s honour on Tuesday 27 September at Senate House, University of London, which was attended by AGCAS colleagues past and present.
Interim arrangements
Margaret will be a hard act to follow. The AGCAS Board is in the process of reviewing the structure of AGCAS to ensure that it continues to be as effective over the next ten years as it has in the last ten years. All AGCAS Heads of Service have received an invitation to participate in the initial stages of planning this future.
In the interim, the Board has appointed a part-time manager, Martin Pennington, to handle certain aspects of Margaret's role, support senior AGCAS staff and focus on specific aspects of the business. Martin, an independent consultant, was formerly Head of Careers at the University of Leicester and has been an active contributor to AGCAS for many years, and only retired from the AGCAS Board in July of this year. Martin received an AGCAS Lifetime Achievement Award at the AGCAS Biennial Conference in Nottingham earlier this month.
From 1 October 2011, any email sent to margaret.dane@agcas.org.uk will be automatically forwarded to martin.pennington@agcas.org.uk.
View a list of AGCAS Board members
View a list of AGCAS staff
Launch of Lifelong Learning Accounts
The government has launched Lifelong Learning Accounts - a free, personalised online service for adults that allows them to take greater control of their learning and working life by providing clear information and advice on skills, careers and financial support all in one place.
The government has launched Lifelong Learning Accounts - a free, personalised online service for adults that allows them to take greater control of their learning and working life by providing clear information and advice on skills, careers and financial support all in one place.
Account holders will have free access to a number of online tools, including:
• a skills diagnostic tool to identify their interests, strengths and needs;
• localised course and job searches;
• a CV builder;
• an 'eligibility checker' to identify government funding available to them;
• a facility to store all their personal learner information – CVs, skills tests, job and course searches – in one easily-accessible place they can share with a careers adviser.
As well as improving access to careers information and personal data, the accounts will encourage users to link-up with other learners to share knowledge and experiences. Account holders will be signposted to relevant learners’ forums and communities via social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
The accounts will also enable training providers to respond better to what learners want and help careers advisers to deliver targeted advice and support based on an individual’s interests.
Lifelong Learning Accounts support, and are supported by, the Next Step careers service and, from April 2012, the new National Careers Service.
Visit the Lifelong Learning Accounts website to find out more and to sign up for an account.
Biennial Conference 2011 photo gallery - day 1
Biennial Conference 2011 photo gallery - day 1
Day 1 - Tuesday 13 September 2011
Day 2 - Wednesday 14 September 2011
Day 3 - Thursday 15 September 2011
Awards dinner
Event page - includes presentation & podcast downloads
Click an image to enlarge, then click again to reduce it.
To request a full resolution image, send an email to Christopher Dean, quoting the number that appears in the caption of the enlarged image below.
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Biennial Conference 2011 photo gallery - day 2
Biennial Conference 2011 photo gallery - day 2
Day 1 - Tuesday 13 September 2011
Day 2 - Wednesday 14 September 2011
Day 3 - Thursday 15 September 2011
Awards dinner
Event page - includes presentation & podcast downloads
Click an image to enlarge, then click again to reduce it.
To request a full resolution image, send an email to Christopher Dean, quoting the number that appears in the caption of the enlarged image below.
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Biennial Conference 2011 photo gallery - day 3
Biennial Conference 2011 photo gallery - day 3
Day 1 - Tuesday 13 September 2011
Day 2 - Wednesday 14 September 2011
Day 3 - Thursday 15 September 2011
Awards dinner
Event page - includes presentation & podcast downloads
Click an image to enlarge, then click again to reduce it.
To request a full resolution image, send an email to Christopher Dean, quoting the number that appears in the caption of the enlarged image below.
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Biennial Conference 2011 photo gallery - Awards
Biennial Conference 2011 photo gallery - Awards
Day 1 - Tuesday 13 September 2011
Day 2 - Wednesday 14 September 2011
Day 3 - Thursday 15 September 2011
Awards dinner
Event page - includes presentation & podcast downloads
Click an image to enlarge, then click again to reduce it.
To request a full resolution image, send an email to Christopher Dean, quoting the number that appears in the caption of the enlarged image below.
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Fireworks and networks
The difference of opinion on brokering unpaid internships is just one example of tensions in the coalition government: Nick Clegg has condemned them, saying 'we want a fair job market based on merit, not networks'; David Cameron is 'very relaxed' about offering work placements to people he knows. Gill Frigerio, Course Director of the Management of Student Work Experience programme at The University of Warwick, considers the theory behind the recent debates on social mobility and asks if it really is all about who you know.
The difference of opinion on brokering unpaid internships is just one example of tensions in the coalition government: Nick Clegg has condemned them, saying 'we want a fair job market based on merit, not networks'; David Cameron is 'very relaxed' about offering work placements to people he knows. Gill Frigerio, Course Director of the Management of Student Work Experience programme at The University of Warwick, considers the theory behind the recent debates on social mobility and asks if it really is all about who you know.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Gill's full article below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2011).
Access and widening participation within transnational education
Provision of quality education and a commitment to principles of social mobility and fair access, coupled with rising fee levels, can be a challenge to HEIs in their home country, but how are these addressed, if at all, at branch campuses abroad?
Provision of quality education and a commitment to principles of social mobility and fair access, coupled with rising fee levels, can be a challenge to HEIs in their home country, but how are these addressed, if at all, at branch campuses abroad?
Ayesha Peeran, Careers Adviser at Cranfield University, asks whether international students are looked on merely as income sources.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can download Ayesha's full article below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2011).
Edinburgh researches widening participation destinations
The University of Edinburgh is among the first HEI to have conducted research to examine what happens to students from under-represented groups after graduation. The aim of a 2008 pilot project was to determine if there were any significant differences in the move from university to employment between so-called 'traditional' students and students who entered university through a widening access route.
The University of Edinburgh is among the first HEI to have conducted research to examine what happens to students from under-represented groups after graduation. The aim of a 2008 pilot project was to determine if there were any significant differences in the move from university to employment between so-called 'traditional' students and students who entered university through a widening access route.
A full report is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2011).
Showcasing skills through Sussex Plus
The Sussex Plus project at the University of Sussex began as a small pilot in 2009. Using Sussex Plus, users can create their own personalised 'webfolio', similar to an online CV, to demonstrate skills and achievements in an innovative way, which can help to give them a competitive edge when applying for jobs or postgraduate courses.
The Sussex Plus project at the University of Sussex began as a small pilot in 2009. Using Sussex Plus, users can create their own personalised 'webfolio', similar to an online CV, to demonstrate skills and achievements in an innovative way, which can help to give them a competitive edge when applying for jobs or postgraduate courses.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can find out more about the project below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2011).
Canterbury launches media awards
Employability and Careers Services at Canterbury Christ Church University recently launched its first Media Campaign Awards, jointly organised with the Department of Media. The competition was the culmination of the efforts of second year media and cultural studies students working on volunteer projects with Kent-based charities.
Employability and Careers Services at Canterbury Christ Church University recently launched its first Media Campaign Awards, jointly organised with the Department of Media. The competition was the culmination of the efforts of second year media and cultural studies students working on volunteer projects with Kent-based charities.
One of the aims of the project was to help students understand how their studies relate to the world of work.
AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in can find out more about the project below.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (October 2011).
Progress towards a National Careers Service for England
The National Careers Service Advisory Group, which was formed to advise government on its proposals to develop and implement a National Careers Service for England, met on Friday 7 October 2011. AGCAS was represented, with Communications and Marketing Manager, Chris Jackson, standing in for President, Anne-Marie Martin.
The National Careers Service Advisory Group, which was formed to advise government on its proposals to develop and implement a National Careers Service for England, met on Friday 7 October 2011. AGCAS was represented, with Communications and Marketing Manager, Chris Jackson, standing in for President, Anne-Marie Martin.
The following notes are not official minutes, but brief points that may be of particular interest to AGCAS members:
• Launch of National Careers Service (NCS) is scheduled for April 2012.
• Telephone helpline In September, the contract for the young people's helpline was awarded to the Skills Funding Agency (SFA). There is now a single, public-facing helpline number (0800 100 900), with callers directed to either the young people's helpline or the existing Next Step helpline, depending on their age. (The young people's careers helpline caters for those between the ages of 13 and 19, 'plus those aged up to 25 with learning difficulties disabilities').
• Lifelong Learning Accounts have been launched and adults are already being encouraged to open accounts. The SFA and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) are working on proposals for future development of the accounts. It is aimed to come to an agreement by the end of 2011.
• Education Bill The bill has reached its report stage, which is expected to take at least four days, spread over weeks beginning 17 and 24 October 2011.
• Quality Standard The revised matrix standard will be the quality standard for the National Careers Service. Contractors will normally be expected to achieve the standard by April 2012.
• Careers Profession Alliance (CPA) A paper outlining progress was tabled, but this did not include details of how individual membership organisations saw the future of the CPA.
• Quality in Careers Standard and Register of Practitioners Careers England has been working on proposals for a new Quality in Careers standard, a proposed 'kitemark' for programme providers (including education institutions and training providers). A paper will be tabled at a future meeting of this group. The aim would be for it to dovetail with matrix and any Register of Practitioners (ROP) for individuals developed by the CPA or others.
There was some discussion about the qualification level, which might be required for a ROP, with a number of members of the group expressing a view that there would not be enough people at or likely to be supported towards Level 6 to make this a viable requirement. BIS expressed support in principle, but made it clear that it remained very unlikely that either the standard or the register would be compulsory as far as government was concerned.
• LMI Work is underway to explore a number of government data sets, including those of HESA, the National Pupil Database, the Labour Force Survey and HM Revenue and Customs being linked and put on open-access. The group will be updated as the work progresses.
• STEM Careers Learning Module Jenny Bimrose made a short presentation about a University of Warwick module, due to be launched by the end of November.
The next meeting will be on 8 November 2011.
AGCAS and the Careers Profession Alliance
AGCAS has decided not to continue to be part of the Careers Profession Alliance (CPA). The AGCAS Board of Directors took the decision after consulting member services and taking into consideration their views and priorities.
AGCAS has decided not to continue to be part of the Careers Profession Alliance (CPA). The AGCAS Board of Directors took the decision after consulting member services and taking into consideration their views and priorities.
AGCAS President, Anne-Marie Martin, said:
"The changing nature of higher education careers services and the drive to increase the employability of students and graduates mean that AGCAS, on behalf of its members, must continue to focus on a broader range of agendas than CPA currently addresses.
We wish the CPA all the best with its work to develop a common framework for guidance services and we intend to keep lines of communication open."
The CPA was informed of AGCAS' decision before its meeting on 6 October 2011.
Latest labour market statistics - AGCAS view
The latest unemployment statistics show how challenging the current UK labour market is for jobseekers. The worst ever figures for young people between the age of 16 and 24 are particularly concerning.
The latest unemployment statistics show how challenging the current UK labour market is for jobseekers. The worst ever figures for young people between the age of 16 and 24 are particularly concerning.
The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) believes that they clearly demonstrate the need for all students to equip themselves with the qualifications and skills to progress successfully in a very competitive graduate job market.
While students and graduates must ultimately take responsibility for their own employability, AGCAS believes that government, employers and HE institutions each have a crucial role to play in supporting them.
AGCAS urges:
• government to ensure that economic policy is geared to making the most of the talents of the many graduates entering the job market each year, and that HE institutions are adequately resourced and encouraged to implement strategies to improve graduate employability;
• employers to work closely with the HE sector and, in particular, to make sure that their current and future needs are understood by HE, and careers services in particular, and to collaborate with them in providing opportunities for students and recent graduates to gain experience and develop appropriate skills;
• HE institutions to give priority to the development and implementation of activities that will enhance the employability of their students and graduates - and make sure that both their careers service and all academic departments are central to these.
AGCAS is committed to bringing government, employers and HE institutions together to benefit students and graduates. Its recent Employability position statement sets out detailed recommendations for government, employers, HE managers, careers services and students and graduates to support this process.
AGCAS President, Anne-Marie Martin, said:
"A degree alone is not a passport into a graduate job and it isn't right for everyone, but to compete internationally, the UK needs a more educated, skilled and flexible workforce.
Consequently, the job prospects of graduates - and especially those who take advantage of some of the many opportunities both within and outside the curriculum to gain experience and learn relevant skills - are much rosier than those of 16 and 18 year old job seekers, and look certain to remain so.
However, we need to make sure that prospective and current students have access to genuinely helpful information and advice when making career and course choices. And, we need to ensure that all young people develop their employability skills alongside their subject knowledge."
Contacts
To talk to a representative from AGCAS, please contact Chris Jackson, Communications and Marketing Manager, on 0191 240 3525 or 07545 921818.
Getting creative with CVs
Art and design students at North Hertfordshire College have been participating in a series of creative CV workshops. Led by AGCAS member Emma Bumpus, Careers Guidance Officer, participating students produced a range of interesting and very individual CVs as part of a BTEC personal development module.
AGCAS member Emma Bumpus, Careers Guidance Officer at North Hertfordshire College, has been delivering creative CV workshops to art and design students. Participating students produced a range of interesting and very individual CVs as part of a BTEC personal development module.
Emma commented: "I have been hugely inspired by Jan Cole's Creative CV Guide – it’s a great resource for careers advisers in HE and FE - and have been passing this inspiration on to our students. We adapted CV workshops specifically for use with art and design students. It has been a liberating project and given the word CV more colour, freedom and individuality."
View sample CVs
Careers section of Education Bill 2011 - suggested amendments
The Education Bill 2010-2011 is now at the report stage in the House of Lords, where it is being examined line by line. The next meeting will take place on 18 October 2011. Among the proposed amendments are some concerning Section 27 on Careers Guidance in Schools In England.
The Education Bill 2010-2011 is now at the report stage in the House of Lords, where it is being examined line by line. The next meeting will take place on 18 October 2011. Among the proposed amendments are some concerning Section 27 on Careers Guidance in Schools In England.
Liberal Democrat peers, Baroness Brinton and Baroness Sharp of Guildford, have moved that the 'relevant phase' for careers guidance is changed from the year in which most pupils reach 14 to that in which most pupils reach 16 to 13 and 19 respectively.
They have also proposed adding that the careers guidance covered by the bill must be:
• 'provided by a person who attends the premises, and has a relevant qualification in careers guidance who meets such quality assurance standards as the Secretary of State shall require'
• 'given on a personal face-to-face basis to those pupils in need of extra assistance, including those on free school meals or those with special education needs (or both)'
Follow the progress of the Education Bill. AGCAS will also update members as it progresses.
Is there a shortage of scientists?
An article looking at some of the official concerns about the supply of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates has been published. Is there a shortage of scientists? A re-analysis of supply for the UK, published in the British Journal of Educational Studies, provides a summary of a series of recent research projects looking at the educational trajectories of prospective STEM professionals in the UK.
An article looking at some of the official concerns about the supply of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates has been published. Is there a shortage of scientists? A re-analysis of supply for the UK, published in the British Journal of Educational Studies, provides a summary of a series of recent research projects looking at the educational trajectories of prospective STEM professionals in the UK.
It describes some of the measures taken to increase supply, and presents a brief overview of the data and methods used in this paper. It ends by considering the implications for the supply of STEM professionals in the UK and suggesting some further areas for investigation.
View the full report
Revised matrix Standard launched
The revised matrix Standard was launched on 12 October 2011. The launch event was opened by Ian Greenaway, Chair of EMQC Ltd, and Dave Allan, Managing Director of EMQC Ltd, culminating with an address by John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning. AGCAS was represented by Lucy Madahar, Assistant Director of Student Services at Birmingham City University and AGCAS Director of Quality and Membership.
The revised matrix Standard was launched on 12 October 2011. The launch event was opened by Ian Greenaway, Chair of EMQC Ltd, and Dave Allan, Managing Director of EMQC Ltd, culminating with an address by John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning. AGCAS was represented by Lucy Madahar, Assistant Director of Student Services at Birmingham City University and AGCAS Director of Quality and Membership.
Key elements
The revised Standard offers a simple process for addressing key elements, with a focus on client outcomes and business improvement. The revised Standard now offers four elements, rather than the original eight overlapping elements:
• Element 1: Leadership and Management - way in which the organisation is led and managed to develop an effective service
• Element 2: Resources - assets invested and applied in providing an effective service
• Element 3: Service Delivery - way in which the service is delivered effectively
• Element 4: Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) - way in which the service provided is reviewed and improved on an ongoing basis
The revised guide to the matrix Standard (available below) provides clearer guidance on the four elements, what each element means and what this means in practice with reference to the type of evidence required.
The four-element model has the flexibility to meet a wide range of service delivery, whether that's via face-to-face, online, at a distance, via curriculum or into the workplace. It's a Standard that recognises that not all CEIAG is the same and that one size does not fit all. The emphasis is now on you, the service provider, to make matrix work for you (and not vice versa).
The matrix Standard website has been updated and includes a wealth of information about:
• the revised Standard
• the assessment process
• the benefits of matrix
• costs - including a new costs calculator, which is about to be launched soon
For those careers services who are preparing for assessment under the old Standard (of eight elements), you can continue to be assessed against these until 30 November 2011. You will need to ensure your assessor knows that you are being assessed against the old Standard. After that date, all matrix Standard assessments will be conducted under the revised Standard.
Lucy Madahar, AGCAS Director of Quality and Membership, will be meeting with EMQC Ltd in December to discuss the ongoing support and resources that HE careers services require in order to sustain and develop the matrix Standard for the HE sector. This will include costs and payment methods, assessor training for assessing in the HE sector, and support materials for HE careers services.
AGCAS endorsement
The AGCAS Board continues to endorse the matrix Standard as the preferred quality assurance standard for the promotion and delivery of CEIAG in the HE sector. The matrix Standard remains the criteria for service membership to AGCAS, with services seeking accreditation every six years.
The matrix Standard is more relevant in today's HE careers service than ever before. At a time when we are being asked to deliver value for money services, which are fit for purpose and their impact measured and evaluated, the revised matrix Standard enables us to objectively assess client outcomes against strategic key performance indicators. The revised Standard now provides us with a powerful tool to demonstrate our response to the student experience, to graduate employability and to employment outcomes.
Further information about quality assurance in careers services
Further questions and queries about matrix should be sent to Lucy Madahar, AGCAS Director of Quality and Membership.
Vacancy for AGCAS Company Law Member
Nominations are invited from members of Plenary Committee (heads of service) for the role of AGCAS Company Law Member. AGCAS, the company, has eight Company Law Members. One of the existing members nominated by Plenary Committee has resigned from this position and we need a volunteer to fill this vacancy. The role provides an interesting career development opportunity and a chance to contribute to the success of AGCAS without it being an onerous responsibility.
Nominations are invited from members of Plenary Committee (heads of service) for the role of AGCAS Company Law Member. AGCAS, the company, has eight Company Law Members. One of the existing members nominated by Plenary Committee has resigned from this position and we need a volunteer to fill this vacancy. The role provides an interesting career development opportunity and a chance to contribute to the success of AGCAS without it being an onerous responsibility. The normal period of office is four years.
The role involves making sure that the Directors are working towards the objectives of the company, to receive the annual report and accounts at the AGM, and to approve the auditors. Company Law Members are the only members who can vote at an AGCAS AGM (this can be done by proxy). They also receive copies of the minutes of AGCAS Board meetings. Prospective Company Law Members may like to know that their liability, in the event of the company being wound up, is limited to one pound!
A nomination form is available to download below. Forms should be completed and posted or faxed (not emailed, as we need the signature of the nominee) to Dan Ferrett, AGCAS Company Secretary, by Friday 4th November 2011. Please note that both the proposer and seconder must be members of Plenary Committee, ie heads of service.
Should more than two nominations be received, members of Plenary Committee will be balloted to decide who will fills the vacancy.
For more information on the roles within AGCAS the company, see the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Scottish Government proposals for post-16 education reform
The Scottish Government has set out proposals for wide wide-ranging reform of the full range of Government-funded post-16 education in Scotland. Proposals outlined in Putting Learners at the Centre, the Government’s pre-legislative paper that takes forward the discussion generated by their Green Paper: Building a Smarter Scotland, cover higher education, further education and skills, as well as community learning and development which is delivered by local authorities and the Third Sector.
The Scottish Government has set out proposals for wide wide-ranging reform of the full range of Government-funded post-16 education in Scotland. Proposals outlined in Putting Learners at the Centre, the Government’s pre-legislative paper that takes forward the discussion generated by their Green Paper: Building a Smarter Scotland, cover higher education, further education and skills, as well as community learning and development which is delivered by local authorities and the Third Sector.
View the full paper
AGCAS contributes to research into European graduate prospects
Research to inform policies aiming to improve the employment and career prospects of high-skilled graduates throughout Europe has been commissioned by the European Commission. Jane Standley, AGCAS Director of Products and Services and Director of SEECC (Student Employment, Experience and Careers Centre) at the University of Reading, represented AGCAS at a national seminar for key informants in the UK, organised by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES), which is carrying out the research in partnership with Centro de Estudios Económicos Tomillo S.L. of Spain and the University of Trento and Istituto per la Ricerca Socialein Italy.
Research to inform policies aiming to improve the employment and career prospects of high-skilled graduates throughout Europe has been commissioned by the European Commission. Jane Standley, AGCAS Director of Products and Services and Director of SEECC (Student Employment, Experience and Careers Centre) at the University of Reading, represented AGCAS at a national seminar for key informants in the UK, organised by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES), which is carrying out the research in partnership with Centro de Estudios Económicos Tomillo S.L. of Spain and the University of Trento and Istituto per la Ricerca Socialein Italy.
Discussion points
Much discussion centred around the difficulties faced by those without appropriate networks or the means to take unpaid internships. The fact that growing numbers of graduates have to live in their parental home into their late 20s and early 30s as they are still trying to establish themselves in their graduate careers was another area of concern.
Recommendations
The information and policy recommendations collected through the seminars in the UK, Spain and Italy will be summarised in the final Synthesis Report and presented to the European Commission in February 2012. In addition, all the main project findings will be presented on 30th November 2011 at a major conference organised by the University of Trento. It is expected that future policy initiatives by the European Commission will be informed by the findings of this project.
Further information is available from the Skilled and Precarious project website.
Mixed picture on graduate jobs front - HE careers services
University careers services across the UK have reported a mixed picture during the third quarter of 2011, both in the messages they are getting from employers and in the number of jobs they are advertising. While vacancies in some sectors are said to be up, there is increased competition for most positions.
University careers services across the UK have reported a mixed picture during the third quarter of 2011*, both in the messages they are getting from employers and in the number of jobs they are advertising. While vacancies in some sectors are said to be up, there is increased competition for most positions.
University careers services work with a wide range of employers across all sectors and regions of the country, not just the big 'blue-chips', and so their experiences and views are a valuable gauge of the graduate job market.
(* AGCAS Quarterly Survey of Vacancies and Employer Activity 2011 Q3)
Positive signs
• Vacancies in many hi-tech areas of science, engineering and ICT are up. Many employers say they are having difficulty recruiting highly-skilled, technical graduates.
• Some universities report an increase in vacancies in areas such as retail, advertising, marketing and PR, for which most employers recruit from any discipline.
• Increased graduate recruitment by small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) is reported, especially by very small companies, some perhaps because they have realised for the first time that graduates might be interested in working for them.
• The need to think ahead means that large companies in all sectors are continuing to recruit, albeit often smaller numbers of graduates and with more frequent use of temporary contracts and internships. (In past recessions, some employers stopped recruiting for a couple of years resulting in problems years later in filling middle and senior management positions.)
• Recruiters are still visible on campus, especially at the larger graduate fairs, which they consider a cost-effective way of meeting committed students from a number of universities.
But
• Competition is fierce in most sectors, exacerbated by a backlog of graduates from the last two or three years still in jobs in which they don't see a long term future.
• Some recruiters are cutting back on the number of individual campuses they visit.
• There has been a continuing fall in public sector vacancies and in areas heavily dependent on them, such as the construction and legal sectors.
Anne-Marie Martin, AGCAS President and Director, The Careers Group, University of London, said:
"It's easy to get the impression that there are no jobs out there. On the contrary, there are lots, but admittedly competition for them is tough. Those who consciously improve their skills, accumulate work experience, proactively seek out 'hidden' vacancies and make the most of the resources their careers service offers will have a definite edge".
AGCAS messages to students and graduates
A degree gives you a big advantage in the labour market, but a degree alone is not enough:
• Make good use of the many opportunities university offers to gain experience and skills, eg through student societies, voluntary and paid work, as well as through your course.
• Reflect on, and learn how to articulate, your selling points and set about overcoming any weaknesses.
• Make use of your university's careers service to meet employers, and to ensure that your applications and your interview technique are as good as they can possibly be.
• Remember that your careers service can help you, even if you don't know what you want to do.
There are still plenty of great jobs out there (despite the impression you might sometimes get), but you will need to put effort into identifying suitable positions:
• Only a small percentage of recruiting employers will have a presence on your campus - you'll need to be very proactive and creative to find other openings.
• There are some great opportunities with smaller firms, where it's possible you will have the opportunity to get involved in more diverse roles. These may take more effort on your part to identify, but are well worth the effort.
• Make use of all the resources of your careers service, not just their vacancy listings - they will be able to show you how to dig out harder-to-find opportunities.
• In many areas of work, use of social media is becoming increasingly important in recruitment.
• You may need to consider taking more steps to get where you ultimately want to be than you would in a more buoyant labour market.
One of the respondents to the survey, Alice Burnett from the University of East Anglia, said:
"We say to students that if they don't use the careers resources available to them, it's the equivalent of taking out gym membership and never setting foot on a treadmill, or in a class, and expecting to see positive results".
Messages to employers and other stakeholders
AGCAS will be using the survey results to inform and influence employers and other stakeholders.
Martin Pennington, AGCAS Interim CEO, said:
"AGCAS encourages employers to extend their reach to all students and graduates, not just those at a small number of universities. We want to get across not only issues of fairness but also the business case that this is the way to be sure that they are selecting from the biggest possible pool of talented students.
We also want to get across how well-positioned university careers services are to help employers recruit and, beyond that, to ensure that while at university students are acquiring the knowledge, skills and experience that employers look for".
Sir Alex Ferguson's employability audit
Sir Alex Ferguson this week celebrates 25 years as Manchester United manager. To be continually employed for a quarter of a century is quite an achievement, especially in a field where job security is rare. From a careers professional's point of view though, it's interesting to consider what would happen if, perhaps through no fault of his own, Sir Alex had to look for work. Would he readily find another position in the same or another field? Is he still employable?
Sir Alex Ferguson this week celebrates 25 years as Manchester United manager. To be continually employed for a quarter of a century is quite an achievement, especially in a field where job security is rare. From a careers professional's point of view though, it's interesting to consider what would happen if, perhaps through no fault of his own, Sir Alex had to look for work. Would he readily find another position in the same or another field? Is he still employable?
Qualifications
Qualifications are becoming increasingly important in football, as in other sectors. Formal coaching qualifications are required in many overseas countries and for new appointments in the Premier League. In addition, an increasing number of aspiring managers study for the Certificate in Football Management offered by The University of Warwick.
Outside football, a degree is certainly an advantage in many areas of work and required in some. There is also recent research to suggest that the pay differential between those with a postgraduate qualification and those with only a first degree is increasing, but this depends very much on the field. Many employers say that they do not place a premium on postgraduate qualifications.
Sir Alex can point to a number of degrees, most recently honorary doctorates from both the universities of Stirling and Manchester (both 2011). So far so good for Sir Alex - but academic qualifications certainly don't guarantee a job.
Experience
Sir Alex has a total of 37 years' experience as a football manager, 10 years' as a professional player and, before that, he was an apprentice tool maker in the Clyde Shipyards. However, it's not the length of his service that will matter in future but his achievements and what he has learned during over 50 years of work.
Skills profile
Although the skills and personal attributes required vary from job to job, there are some that appear on almost all employers' wish lists. These include: leadership, team working, communication, problem solving, commercial awareness and time management skills. Although the above are by no means exhaustive, we should get some idea of how employable Sir Alex is by using them to examine what evidence he might put forward to convince a prospective employer that he'd be worth taking on.
• Leadership This should be relatively easy for Sir Alex. His record as Manchester United manager usually speaks for itself, but he would need to be sure not to assume prior knowledge on the part of a prospective employer. He should list key achievements (being careful not to make his CV too long), such as the many trophies won, his knighthood, the regular accolades (including those from his peers, such as Manager of the Year awards), together with the major part he played in changing the culture and financial performance of the then struggling club he joined.
• Team working At first sight, a little more difficult given his 37 years as the 'boss', but he should be able to impress by articulating how his understanding of teamwork has been critical to the creation of many winning sides over the years. He could also show how he operates with a successful team of coaches and alongside the Manchester United Board of Directors.
• Communication He would be able to highlight the many different types of people with whom he has worked to achieve unprecedented success (such as young multi-millionaire footballers, many of whom don't speak English as a first language, non-playing staff, directors, owners, fellow managers, fans and journalists) and the different sorts of communication he employs: negotiation (eg, over transfer fees); and persuasion (eg, to keep the likes of Wayne Rooney and Eric Cantona at the club).
• Problem solving Examples could come from the field of play (eg, when he has changed tactics during a game that United appeared destined to lose) or the wider business (eg, how he responded to Chelsea's, and now Manchester City's, greater financial means).
• Commercial awareness His record in buying young players relatively cheaply and selling those whose market value he feels about to be in decline is persuasive. He could also mention his understanding of the need for United to play pre-season tours of the Far East or the USA, important new markets for the club, or to play matches at times to suit TV, from which United derives a huge income.
• Time management Not only can he demonstrate his ability to handle the many demands on his time, which range from managing the club, watching other teams and media work, but even his opponents will point to occasions when he has somehow influenced match officials to allow an extra few minutes of playing time, long enough for his team to turn a losing position into a winning one!
Sir Alex will have to carefully consider the requirements of any particular job, but it appears he can be confident that he has a mix of skills that will make him attractive to future employers. But is that enough to make him employable?
Room for improvement
He should reflect and consider what additional skills might be useful in the future. For instance, he might think about:
• Learning a foreign language Football, like many others, is an increasingly global industry. A good grasp of another language would undoubtedly open up opportunities overseas and give him an edge when buying or managing foreign players. Encouragingly, it appears that he might already be aware of this. He concluded a press conference earlier this week with a cheery "Hasta la vista", but he should expect any claims to fluency in Spanish to be tested at interview.
• Online profile Sir Alex is not a user of Twitter or Facebook. However, he still needs to consider what others are saying about him online. He should be encouraged by his high profile, but might want to address his sometimes negative image in the media. Depending on the field of work he is considering, he could consider whether a carefully managed LinkedIn or Twitter profile might be advantageous. In the meantime, the recent resolution of his long-running feud with the BBC should help. Again, this suggests that Sir Alex has the foresight and drive to improve his employability profile.
More than just skills
Top jobs in football management, like those in other sectors, aren't always advertised. Sir Alex's impressive CV wouldn't be worth a thing if it lay unread on his desk. And, 25 years in one job isn't necessarily an advantage in today's labour market. Many people find it difficult to convince another employer of their worth. Perhaps their experience and skills are too specific to one company or sector, or they don't have enough external contacts - Sir Alex has managed to avoid all these pitfalls.
• Outside interests Despite the demands of managing a top football club, Sir Alex has found time to contribute to his profession. For example, he currently serves on the executive board of the League Managers Association. Earlier in his career, he served as a shop steward. Besides enabling him to develop new skills, they give him new contacts and allow him to show a wider commitment to his area of work.
His ownership of successful racehorses will allow him to demonstrate that his understanding of sport isn't confined to football. And his charity work will help him come across as a rounded individual. He can cite his attempts to learn the piano as evidence of persistence. However, unless relevant for a particular post, he may choose not to mention his well-known appreciation of red wine!
• Trump card Finally, his address book would ensure that Sir Alex needn't spend long out of work. It is well-reported that he manages to find time to keep in touch with former players, fellow managers and even childhood friends. There is no suggestion that he maintains these contacts purely to help him find work, but it would certainly come into its own if needed. Many employers would take him on just to gain access to it - and he should certainly make sure that his many contacts knew the sort of opportunity he was looking for.
Verdict
AGCAS members, who are careers practitioners in higher education, will no doubt be able to help Sir Alex with his employability audit and we will update this piece, as they do, but on current evidence there can be little doubt that he is not only employed but that he is highly employable too, albeit with a little room for improvement. Congratulations are in order.
Higher education careers services will help students and graduates carry out their own similar employability audit. It's an essential first-step to finding a fulfilling job.
Social mobility toolkit for the professions
Professions for Good, a public information campaign to which many professional bodies have signed up, is developing a Social Mobility Toolkit on behalf of the Gateways to the Professions Collaborative Forum and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
Professions for Good, a public information campaign to which many professional bodies have signed up, is developing a Social Mobility Toolkit on behalf of the Gateways to the Professions Collaborative Forum and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). This is a response to the findings of government-commissioned reports into social mobility such as Unleashing Aspiration and Opening Doors, Breaking Barriers.
Toolkit proposals
The toolkit is in the early stages of development, but it is proposed that it will contain two main elements:
• A set of key indicators to be used to collect and monitor social mobility information in a similar way to data on gender, ethnic background, disability, etc.
• A set of good practice guidelines and case studies for attraction, recruitment, selection and development of individuals from socially-deprived backgrounds within the profession.
It is expected that, once complete, the toolkit will be adopted by professional bodies who may then encourage or require their constituent members to gather this information on a regular basis to provide an ongoing measure of progress, or otherwise, in widening fair access to the professions.
AGCAS involvement
AGCAS was represented at a focus group to evaluate a proposed core set of social mobility indicators (parental occupation and education level, type of school attended, etc) by David Winter of The Careers Group, University of London. This event took place on 7 November 2011. Also represented were professional bodies, education providers and BIS.
We would be interested in members' ideas about possible indicators of social mobility. What questions could you ask on a form, which might indicate the socio-economic status of someone's origins and so enable the monitoring of the extent to which professions were recruiting from a representative section of society? Please send your suggestions to Chris Jackson or, if you are an Associate or Affiliate Member of AGCAS and signed into the website, comment below.
New paper highlights impact of permission to work regulations
A briefing paper analysing the implications of the closure of the Tier 1 Post-Study Work Scheme, and also of the new Tier 2 proposals, on universities and businesses in the UK has been published by Universities UK. The paper, Impact analysis of the closure of Tier 1 Post-Study Work Route, was produced following consultation with the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group and university departments throughout the country.
A briefing paper analysing the implications of the closure of the Tier 1 Post-Study Work Scheme, and also of the new Tier 2 proposals, on universities and businesses in the UK has been published by Universities UK. The paper, Impact analysis of the closure of Tier 1 Post-Study Work Route, was produced following consultation with the AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group and university departments throughout the country.
The paper forms the basis of lobbying discussions with the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and HM Treasury.
The AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group would like to thank all those members who contributed their views to this document.
Bookings open for Heads of Service Conference 2012
Booking is now open for the AGCAS Heads of Service Conference 2012. The conference will take place at Bewley's Hotel Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland, on January 5th and 6th. The conference programme has been developed by heads of service in Ireland and is open to all heads and deputy heads of AGCAS member services.
Booking is now open for the AGCAS Heads of Service Conference 2012. The conference will take place at Bewley's Hotel Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland, on January 5th and 6th. The event is a unique networking opportunity, with a programme designed by heads of service in Ireland to help heads of higher education careers services rise to the many strategic challenges they currently face.
The event is open to all heads and deputy heads of AGCAS member services. The conference will be preceded by an additional optional training day on January 4th for new and nearly new heads of service.
Find out more and book your place. Please return your bookings to Moira Kelly by Friday 2nd December 2011.
If you have any queries about the conference, please contact Linda Byrne, AGCAS Training and Publications Manager.
Here's what delegates said about the 2010 conference:
'An excellent conference where my learning from the event (formal and informal) is such that it will significantly impact for the better on my service in the coming year'.
'The conference is an invaluable opportunity to catch up/compare notes with colleagues'.
'Excellent conference. Really got me going in advance of my return to work, post Christmas holidays'.
Prices held
It's also worth noting that the cost of the 2012 conference has been held at 2011 levels - and in some cases the price is even lower.
In terms of flights, there are some great bargains to Dublin in January. It's best to book early though.
Huddersfield's GEMS - winner of top AGCAS award
The Graduate Employment-Market Statistics (GEMS) software package is an innovative and widely-used method of disseminating information from the annual Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey (DLHE) to universities' key stakeholders including senior management, academic staff, careers researchers, graduates and current and prospective students. It was developed by the Careers Service at the University of Huddersfield in collaboration with academics and senior managers and with careers services nationally.
The Graduate Employment-Market Statistics (GEMS) software package is an innovative and widely-used method of disseminating information from the annual Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey (DLHE) to universities' key stakeholders including senior management, academic staff, careers researchers, graduates and current and prospective students. It was developed by the Careers Service at the University of Huddersfield in collaboration with academics and senior managers and with careers services nationally.
All HE institutions in the UK undertake the annual DLHE survey, which is overseen by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) to discover what recent graduates go on to do in terms of work and/or further study. This survey is one of the largest annual surveys in the world and has around 350,000 responses each year.
Many institutions are keen to make more use of the rich and detailed data collected in order to identify trends and better understand the graduate labour market. GEMS is a web-based package, which makes analysis easy. The software breaks down the data by academic schools, subjects and courses as well as cross-referencing survey results so it is possible, for example, to view starting salaries in a particular industry or even view the resulting employment locations on a map.
Evidence of effectiveness and success
Eleven institutions have now licensed GEMS from the University of Huddersfield and are contributing to the development of the product.
"For the Careers Service some of the main benefits GEMS provides are the ability to produce in-depth analyses on all key areas of the DLHE return, eg graduate and non-graduate employment, salary and employers, and the facility to produce data at course, department, faculty and institutional levels allowing for useful comparisons across the institution."
• Winner - AGCAS 2011 Awards for Excellence: Overall Winner and Technology. It also won the Times Higher Education ICT Initiative of the Year award.
AGCAS Technology Award Sponsored by JobSavviGrad
BSEEN to be a winner in Birmingham
BSEEN promotes entrepreneurship among students and graduates in the Birmingham area, whilst also meeting regional priorities including increasing higher skills, enhancing innovation and enterprise and supporting SMEs. It was jointly conceived by three partner university careers services: Aston, Birmingham City and Birmingham.
BSEEN promotes entrepreneurship among students and graduates in the Birmingham area, whilst also meeting regional priorities including increasing higher skills, enhancing innovation and enterprise and supporting SMEs. It was jointly conceived by three partner university careers services: Aston, Birmingham City and Birmingham.
For BSEEN's content and focus, the careers service partners chose to go beyond a generic business start-up programme and instead created an innovative and multidisciplinary package of activities that not only supported graduate business start-ups but would also produce tangible entrepreneurial culture change in their institutions.
The three stage approach was:
• Level 1 - creating new graduate-managed businesses;
• Level 2 - providing a regional Enterprise Club;
• Level 3 - promoting entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship amongst the
partners' student cohorts.
The project was supported by Birmingham City Council, Advantage West Midlands, the NCGE, Business Link, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and JobCentre Plus. Senior university managers also demonstrated commitment and support with Aston University's senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor acting as programme Chair and regional spokesperson.
Evidence of effectiveness and success
The targets to provide entrepreneurial support to a minimum of 350 graduates, supporting 90 emerging businesses and creating at least 30 new graduate businesses were all met or exceeded in a 15 month period. The independent evaluation report also identified that over 47% of the businesses supported were fully trading and profitable.
BSEEN was made possible by a successful bid to the Working Neighbourhood Fund. The aim of effecting an entrepreneurial culture change across the three institutions was fully met, as evidenced by the partner institutions' decision to embed and continue delivering the programme beyond March 2011.
• Winner - AGCAS 2011 Award for Excellence: Entrepreneurship
AGCAS Enterprise Award Sponsored by Skills Hive
Asidua's a winner for Ulster students
The relationship between the University of Ulster and Asidua Ltd, a software consultancy and services company based in Belfast, is a clear example of how effective collaboration between an employer, academic staff and a careers service can operate in the best interests of students.
The relationship between the University of Ulster and Asidua Ltd, a software consultancy and services company based in Belfast, is a clear example of how effective collaboration between an employer, academic staff and a careers service can operate in the best interests of students.
Asidua, with a total workforce of about 120, annually takes about ten Ulster students on one-year placements either working directly for a client or developing software tools and frameworks using the latest technologies and languages. The students thus develop cutting-edge technical skills, through the training and masterclasses provided by the company, invaluable experience of the work environment and crucial employability skills.
Asidua also offers short summer placements to Ulster students who are supported by the university’s innovative online Employability through Work Experience module, worth 10 credits and designed and delivered by the university's Career Development Centre. This encourages students to reflect on their employability skills gained on placement and success is rewarded with the award of a co-curricular certificate. This module is shortly to be incorporated within the university’s employability award, Ulster Edge, making it available to more students.
Asidua is involved on campus in other ways. For example, during Freshers' Week staff promote both Asidua's scholarship programme and the value of placements generally. They engage prospective students and their parents during Open Days, presenting a commercial perspective on careers in IT. Finally, they visit to discuss e-skills and to offer advice through the Faculty of Engineering's Industrial Liaison Panel.
Evidence of effectiveness and success
The impact of this collaboration can be seen in two ways. Firstly, 90% of placement students eventually gain graduate employment with Asidua. Secondly, all Asidua’s placement students have attained at least a 2:1 in their degrees and many highlight the extra academic motivation provided by the placement with 50% indicating that their eventual grade was higher than they had anticipated.
• Winner - AGCAS 2011 Award for Excellence: Work-related Learning
Edge Hill University and Enterprise Rent-A-Car's winning partnership
The partnership between Edge Hill University and Enterprise Rent-A-Car (ERAC) has developed over ten years and is grounded in the excellent relationships that exist between the employer and the institution's Careers Centre. Beginning with one-off visits by the employer to careers events, this has now progressed to the integration of ERAC into the curriculum across diverse academic disciplines including sport, geography and business.
The partnership between Edge Hill University and Enterprise Rent-A-Car (ERAC) has developed over ten years and is grounded in the excellent relationships that exist between the employer and the institution's Careers Centre. Beginning with one-off visits by the employer to careers events, this has now progressed to the integration of ERAC into the curriculum across diverse academic disciplines including sport, geography and business.
More specifically, ERAC has helped the business department to redevelop some of its key modules, by working closely with the PDP team to highlight the importance to students of developing their employability skills from the first year onwards, and provide particular support to those taking sandwich placements. Geography students, meanwhile, benefit from an insight provided by ERAC into how assessment centres work.
The employer has also been a key collaborator with the Careers Centre in the design and development of the 20-credit ILM-endorsed Edge Hill Employability Programme, open to all students. In addition, ERAC delivers one of the workshops and assesses the students' final panel presentations, thus providing a hard-edged commercial context to this award.
More recently, Edge Hill University has developed employability workshops for recent graduates and ERAC has co-delivered these alongside careers staff in order to boost the employment chances of those entering the graduate job market.
Evidence of effectiveness and success
All involved in this partnership – Careers Centre staff, academic staff and the employer – feel that the positive impact can be seen in the number of students who benefit from the 'real-life' perspective provided by the employer and develop skills and commercial awareness as a result. Moreover, the employer has also acknowledged the impact of the collaboration on the long-term success of its graduate training programme, its internships and its overall company brand.
• Winner - AGCAS 2011 Award for Excellence: Employer Award for Careers Service Partnership
AGCAS Employer Award for Careers Service Partnership Sponsored by The University of Warwick
UCLAN and Shanghai's winning partnership
This is designed to help interaction between Chinese and British students, to enhance British students' international experience and employability and entrepreneurship competence. It is a joint programme between UCLan Business School, Futures (UCLan's Careers and Employability Service) and Shanghai International Foreign Trade (SIFT).
This is designed to help interaction between Chinese and British students, to enhance British students' international experience and employability and entrepreneurship competence. It is a joint programme between UCLan Business School, Futures (UCLan's Careers and Employability Service) and Shanghai International Foreign Trade (SIFT), comprising:
• Interactive learning and self-exploration - Doing Business in China: Interactive workshops to teach business knowledge and personal and enterprise skills.
• Self-learning and networking: Students joined UCLan's network of entrepreneurs and the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE) student network enabling them to learn from the experience of others.
• UK-China Business Idea Competition: A business pitch competition with opportunities to learn about running a real business in China. Students with the best concepts pitched their ideas to a panel of judges, and five students were rewarded with a ten-day learning and business trip to Shanghai.
• China Experience: The successful students, working with local students, lecturers and business owners, learnt about Chinese culture and business custom. They visited different types of enterprise and made useful personal and business contacts. They then presented their business ideas and their reflective learning progress to an international conference on employability and entrepreneurship education attended by over 70 academics from seven countries.
• Reflective Learning: Students submitted their diaries to produce a reflective learning log and a full business plan.
Evidence of effectiveness and success
The programme helped students to develop their self-efficacy as well as enhancing their employability and entrepreneurship competence in a global context. It also helped to promote British entrepreneurship education in China as well as encourage Chinese students to integrate into British society through learning and participating in a range of UK-China business activities, both in the UK and China.
"This is a life-time experience that I will never forget."
"I am inspired to succeed in business."
"It has helped me to refine my UK-China business idea and I hope to come back to Shanghai soon."
Additionally, an elective module, UK-China Business Creation, was developed, which is now available to all UCLan students.
• Winner - AGCAS 2011 Award for Excellence: International
AGCAS International Award Sponsored by ACCA
Leicester's research shows benefit of placements
The Careers Service and the Department of Engineering at the University of Leicester conducted statistical research to investigate the relationship between engineering students undertaking a placement and improved academic performance.
The Careers Service and the Department of Engineering at the University of Leicester conducted statistical research to investigate the relationship between engineering students undertaking a placement and improved academic performance.
Many academics and careers practitioners hold the view that students who complete a 12-month placement as part of their degree demonstrate enhanced transferable skills that benefit them academically. However, this is an area that has been under-researched.
The aims were to discover:
• whether there was a positive association between placements and academic performance;
• if so, was it due to the placement or was it just that academically-able students were more likely to undertake a placement?
The year one, year two and final year marks of 83 students from the 2008 cohort of engineering students were studied; 18 of them had undertaken a placement and 65 had not.
To address the notion that academically-able students were more likely to undertake a placement, the data sample had a broad spectrum of prior attainment in both groups. The t-test (a statistical tool illustrating group mean averages) showed that subsequent attainment of the placement students was, on average, nine percentage points higher than non-placement students, while the regression showed that the placement variable was statistically significant in explaining the final year marks. This implies that there is a positive association between placement and academic performance.
Evidence of effectiveness and success
The impact of the findings has been significant. They:
• are used to promote placements to students;
• were a contributing factor in convincing the Department of Computer Science to establish placements in its curriculum;
• have led to a better understanding of work-based learning in the curriculum, with the research being presented as a refereed paper at an international conference in Hong Kong and a journal article in a peer-reviewed journal. The research has been cited in journal articles from the University of Ulster and Aston University.
A broader longitudinal study with a data sample of 500-plus students is now underway.
• Winner - AGCAS 2011 Award for Excellence: Research
Positive Futures for Northumbria graduates
Positive Futures – Developing Career Confidence in Challenging Times is a programme comprising a masterclass, workshops and coaching, developed by the Careers Service at Northumbria University to inspire recent graduates to approach their job seeking with confidence in their employability. It was developed in collaboration with the university's Enterprise Unit and Alumni Association.
Positive Futures – Developing Career Confidence in Challenging Times is a programme comprising a masterclass, workshops and coaching, developed by the Careers Service at Northumbria University to inspire recent graduates to approach their job seeking with confidence in their employability. It was developed in collaboration with the university's Enterprise Unit and Alumni Association.
Because the aim of the programme was to raise the motivation levels of unemployed and underemployed graduates, the careers service hired a well-known professional motivational speaker and trainer to hold a masterclass to launch the programme. The event was highly successful with 100% positive feedback from the 170 graduates attending. This led to very high take-up on a series of interactive solution-focused workshops led by theatre group Act Positive.
Following the workshops, graduates were offered up to three individual coaching sessions. To enable them to deliver effective coaching, careers advisers at the university received training from a professional career coach.
Evidence of effectiveness and success
Participation targets were exceeded: 396 graduates took part in the programme. Feedback collected - after workshops, on completing the coaching programme and six months after the programme ended - was consistently positive. Some graduates even described the process as life changing.
"I feel it was a resounding success for myself. I genuinely don't think I would have gained such a good position if I had not gone for the coaching. I always had the ability to get a job like this, but I needed the coaching and help to guide me in the right direction."
"I've spent the last 18 months in a depressing dead-end job, and this has given me the boost to reclaim my confidence and do something about it."
To summarise, the programme raised participants' awareness of their own employability, gave them skills and increased their confidence. It was made possible by ECIF funding.
• Winner - AGCAS 2011 Award for Excellence: Employability
AGCAS Employability Award Sponsored by Gradcore
Portsmouth opens Purple Door online
The Purple Door Careers and Recruitment website is central to the delivery of careers employability services offered at the University of Portsmouth, where there is increasing demand for 24/7 access to information and advice on career and employability issues from students and graduates.
The Purple Door Careers and Recruitment website is central to the delivery of careers employability services offered at the University of Portsmouth, where there is increasing demand for 24/7 access to information and advice on career and employability issues from students and graduates.
Following consultation with students, graduates and university staff, a new website was developed consisting of:
• a new structure with clear and simple navigation;
• a variety of media, which makes the website more visually engaging;
• high-quality content that is broken down into digestible 'bite sized' chunks of information;
• language and motivators that appeal and draw students and graduates to the site;
• interactive downloadable resources;
• a platform for students and graduates to engage with Web 2.0 technologies including Facebook, WordPress and social bookmarking;
• up-to-date headline news and updates displayed in a scrolling window;
• clear links to the Portsmouth Centre for Enterprise, Faculty Placement Offices, Research and Knowledge Transfer Services and Student Finance.
Evidence of effectiveness and success
Feedback and comments from students, graduates and visitors have been very positive and have directly influenced plans for the development of the Purple Door Careers and Recruitment Centre. The expectations of, and offer to, visitors to the centre will be consistent with the website: students and graduates will be able to navigate their way easily to take advantage of the full range of services with a combination of independent activities, interactive resources, events and one-to-one support, either in person or online.
Visit Purple Door Careers and Recruitment
• Winner - AGCAS 2011 Award for Excellence: Website
Staff development success for Leeds
The Careers Centre Strategy Team at the University of Leeds, rather than solely increasing online provision to meet the challenges of the economic downturn, chose to train support staff to provide initial information and advice to students and graduates.
The Careers Centre Strategy Team at the University of Leeds, rather than solely increasing online provision to meet the challenges of the economic downturn, chose to train support staff to provide initial information and advice to students and graduates.
Key drivers were:
• the economic downturn increased student demand for face-to-face services;
• a wish to provide staff development opportunities for an experienced, enthusiastic and capable cadre of careers centre support staff working in, for example, employer liaison, faculty support, IT services, information provision, work placement support;
• pressure on the careers centre budget.
Implementation:
• Eight volunteers undertook a three-day, in-house Introduction to Information and Advice course delivered by an AGCAS accredited trainer, followed by shadowing, and mentoring from, experienced career consultants.
• This group then joined the front-line information and application support rota, offering increased capacity for student drop-in and releasing career consultants to offer more referral guidance appointments.
• Monthly 'scenarios' training meetings gave trainees the opportunity to discuss issues they had faced and review their practice.
• Six members of the group opted to enrol on NVQ level 3 or 4 guidance programmes.
Evidence of effectiveness and success
• Students benefit from an extra stream of frontline information and advice.
• Footfall increase of over 40% has been managed without employing extra staff.
• All six trainees completed their NVQs.
• Increased job satisfaction and motivation reported by all trainees.
• Greater appreciation of the importance of all roles in the provision of excellent careers and employability services for students.
• The resources developed for NVQ assessment are now accessible to all students and staff.
• Winner - AGCAS 2011 Award for Excellence: Staff Development
Aberystwyth's 'Pitch for Pudsey' earns Radio 2 coverage
Staff at Aberystwyth University Careers Service have been helping students to explore possible career paths, and the employability skills needed to develop a career, by asking them to choose a future job for Pudsey bear in addition to the voluntary work he already undertakes as part of the Children In Need campaign.
Staff at Aberystwyth University Careers Service have been helping students to explore possible career paths, and the employability skills needed to develop a career, by asking them to choose a future job for Pudsey bear in addition to the voluntary work he already undertakes as part of the Children In Need campaign.
Carolyn Parry, Deputy Director at the Careers Serice, phoned Radio 2 on Friday 18 November as part of the Children in Need request show. She told Jeremy Vine:
'We have been asking students to think about the skills, abilities and qualities people need to go and do certain jobs. The point is to get them to understand this so they can work towards achieving their potential by knowing what they need to do and selling themselves well. We need to get them to engage with us as a careers service so that they get the help and support they need'.
As well as raising money for charity, the initiative has raised the service's profile with students and also within and beyond the university. Further details and photographs of the event are available on the Aberystwyth University Careers Service Facebook page.
Northumbria's innovative animation
Northumbria University's dynamic animated clip, which outlines the service Careers and Employment at the institution provides, is an excellent example of collaboration across a university working in the interests of students. When a need was identified for a low-cost, succinct, high-quality advertisement for careers and employability services, the department employed a collaborative approach both within the service and externally.
Northumbria University's dynamic animated clip, which outlines the service Careers and Employment at the institution provides, is an excellent example of collaboration across a university working in the interests of students. When a need was identified for a low-cost, succinct, high-quality advertisement for careers and employability services, the department employed a collaborative approach both within the service and externally.
Two teams within the service were involved in the project: the marketing group and the technology group. Marketing were looking for an electronic medium to promote the service, which was in line with findings of a focus group held by the technology group. It was agreed to work towards the creation of an eye-catching short animation, which could be distributed across electronic media.
Budgetary constraints led to the consideration of a collaborative approach with academic schools and Northumbria students. Careers advisers, using academic contacts, found two students studying Motion Graphics and Animation in the School of Arts and Social Sciences, who were keen to help. A script for the animation was prepared by Careers and Employment, followed by several meetings with the students. Although the students were only required to storyboard the video for their coursework, they were so committed to the project that they went on to complete the entire animation - including a voiceover.
Through this valuable collaboration, Careers and Employment has a high-quality advertisement that can be used in a variety of settings and promoted through a range of media, at minimal financial cost. It is a very brief (1 minute 42 seconds) useful, visually appealing, fun way of getting the range of services provided by Careers and Employment across to students and staff. The clip can be viewed on the Careers & Employment website and on YouTube.
Evidence of effectiveness and success
The animation has actively raised the profile of the service amongst academics, university staff and students. Careers advisers are using it in group sessions with students and receiving positive feedback. The video was sent to key personnel and promoted across Facebook and Twitter.
The students involved benefitted from genuine work experience, working on a brief with a client, from storyboard to completed video. It helped them complete a module as part of their studies and will enhance their CVs and employability.
• Winner - AGCAS 2011 Award for Excellence: Innovation
AGCAS Innovation Award Sponsored by Barclays Capital
Leeds engages the unengaged
The University of Leeds Careers Centre has developed a successful marketing strategy with materials to 'engage the unengaged', which uses a minimum of staff time but has raised the service's profile and usage.
The University of Leeds Careers Centre has developed a successful marketing strategy with materials to 'engage the unengaged', which uses a minimum of staff time but has raised the service's profile and usage.
In 2010, the service reviewed its marketing strategy resulting in a clear, professional brand. Roadshows and themed campaigns across campus each year give the service strong visibility. Nonetheless, staff felt they were not reaching all students so they ran focus groups of finalists who had not used the service together with an online survey for new finalist users.
Findings were that:
• Some students felt they should know what they want to do before visiting the centre;
• Some students were not interacting with the services because they "hadn’t got round to it";
• Many students knew more about commercial recruitment agencies than the university's own vacancy site;
• Some students regularly attended events without understanding the full range of services on offer;
• Academic colleagues needed more help to signpost students.
Respondents also suggested effective locations for publicity and the messages that would be most encouraging.
As a result, the services that would attract the less engaged and the selling points that would most appeal were identified and resulted in the service adapting its brand and language to incorporate clear calls to action, yet looking less corporate.
Resource challenges were overcome by commissioning four pull-up banners, which could be left unattended, plasma screen versions of the banners, a mailer and a card to promote the vacancy and events site.
Banners were rotated between locations, including the students union, student services, halls of residence, library entrances and departmental foyers and social spaces. The plasma screen versions were used where possible. Mailers were sent out to personal tutors to help them signpost students. The cards were used at departmental talks and distributed at events.
Evidence of effectiveness and success
Between September 2010 and April 2011, the service had 1,031,350 visits to its vacancy site (an average of 31,253 per week) and the number of new drop-in duty users was 3045, a 23% increase on the same period in 2009/10. The number of new registrants who said they have 'always known' about the service increased from 11% to 29% in that same period, while a further 22% said they heard about the service through a friend. This reflects an increase in profile and perceived approachability across campus and shows that the service is increasingly 'engaging the unengaged'.
• Winner - AGCAS 2011 Award for Excellence: Marketing
TARGETjobs Breakfast News: Graduate recruitment and the labour market
TARGETjobs Breakfast News this month focused on the changing nature of graduate recruitment along with the current state of the graduate labour market. AGCAS was represented by board member Stephen McAuliffe, Director of the Careers and Employability Service at The University of Nottingham.
AGCAS was represented at November's TARGETjobs Breakfast News in London by board member Stephen McAuliffe, Director of the Careers and Employability Service at The University of Nottingham.
This is Stephen's report:
"28,000 calories have passed since the first TARGETjobs Breakfast News and the well-trodden formula remains relevant and interesting. This session, on 24 November 2011, focused upon the changing nature of recruitment. The session started with Bryan Finn delivering a comprehensive analysis of the macro-economic factors currently affecting graduate recruitment. He paid special attention to the relationship between GDP and job vacancies and noted that, despite rising unemployment, there continues to be a differential between graduate levels of unemployment and non-graduate (higher) levels of unemployment. We also noted how the vacancies were changing, with substantial decreases in the third quarter of 2011 in banking and finance, transport, health and social services and hospitality. At the other end of the spectrum, with over a 20% increase, was professional and scientific as well as IT and communications.
Open for 11/12 entry
We then heard from Claire Adams, in her new role at AGR, giving us a snapshot of graduate recruiters' perceptions of their relationships with students. Importantly for services, 32% of those responding to AGR's survey said they had not yet met their goals for the 2011/12 graduate recruitment round. For effectiveness they recognised on-campus activity, but certainly there was a trend to consider more virtual engagement.
Recruitment 4.0
This virtual engagement tied together the final two speakers: Tom Chesterton from Work Group and Roger Jones, the University of Roehampton. They both moved around a theme associated with employers finding, engaging and recruiting ‘the best' undergraduates.
Tom picked up on the idea that actually engagement was coming full circle with Recruitment 1.0 being pre-19th Century word of mouth and connection recruitment, followed by marketing and ‘push' recruitment and then finally building ‘talent communities' online based around company information and immediate recruitment. However, he argued there is the emergence of Recruitment 4.0 that is a mirror of 1.0 using the new technology - drawing parallels with industry and social media to engage with individuals on a general basis (and as a result benefit recruitment). He saw this as the 're-start of interactivity'.
Roger Jones spoke about the changes in Roehampton, where virtual media is used to engage with students. He highlighted how companies were developing similar sophisticated approaches and how these changes were about engaging more effectively in more ways.
In all it was an enjoyable breakfast (!) and, more importantly, an informative one."
Stop press
The theme of Changing Trends in Graduate Recruitment will be picked up at January's AGCAS Heads of Service Conference 2012 in an employer panel session, which is open not only to heads of careers and employability services but to anyone with an interest in graduate recruitment and employability. Find out more and book your place.
Presentation
Download the November 2011 TARGETjobs Breakfast News presentation
Nominations open for TARGETjobs award
For the eighth time, AGCAS has been asked by GTI to judge and present an award at the annual TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards to be presented in London in April 2012. AGCAS member services are invited to nominate an employer or organisation for the AGCAS Award for Excellence in Careers Service Engagement.
For the eighth time, AGCAS has been asked by GTI to judge and present an award at the annual TARGETjobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards to be presented in London in April 2012. AGCAS member services are invited to nominate an employer or organisation for the AGCAS Award for Excellence in Careers Service Engagement.
We encourage every AGCAS member service to nominate one organisation that has demonstrated commitment to working with your service and contributed to the careers and employability opportunities, education, information, advice and guidance available to your students and graduates. You may nominate employers of any size and from any sector.
How to nominate
For each organisation you nominate, please answer the following questions in fewer than 500 words (total):
• In what ways has this organisation developed or sustained a good working relationship with your service?
• How has this organisation helped you provide careers and employability opportunities, education, information, advice or guidance to your students or graduates?
• How can the impact of the employer's input be measured?
Please ensure that we receive just one submission from your service, via your head of service (or a nominated other). Email your nominations to Chris Jackson by Friday 20 January. They will be considered by a panel nominated by the AGCAS Board.
Profile-raising
Having AGCAS involved with the TARGETjobs Awards each year raises the profile of HE careers work and underlines the importance of services and employers working together to the 800 or so senior graduate recruiters who attend the event. Getting involved also provides you with opportunities to promote your own involvement with employers, both internally and externally. In addition, AGCAS will widely publicise both the shortlist and the winners. It's also, of course, a great opportunity for you to be seen to be appreciative of your employer partners.
Chester shortlisted for UK Excellence Award
Careers and Employability at the University of Chester, in partnership with Student Support and Guidance, was recently shortlisted as a finalist for a 2011 UK Excellence Award by the British Quality Foundation (BQF).
Careers and Employability at the University of Chester, in partnership with Student Support and Guidance, was recently shortlisted as a finalist for a 2011 UK Excellence Award by the British Quality Foundation (BQF).
Launched in 1994, the award recognises organisations that have demonstrated excellence in all areas of operation. Entrants for the award are assessed against the EFQM Excellence Model, a management framework used by over 30,000 organisations in Europe and beyond. Chester were shortlisted following a rigorous five-day assessment in July.
This was Chester's second national shortlisting of the year, having been shortlisted for a THE Leadership and Management Award in April.
The Open University: Fees 2012-13
In July, The Open University (OU) announced that it had set a new fee level for new students in England starting after 1 September 2012. The new fee is £5,000 for a full-time year (120 credits), but as most OU students study part time, this figure will be scaled down in proportion to the intensity of their study.
In July, The Open University (OU) announced that it had set a new fee level for new students in England starting after 1 September 2012. The new fee is £5,000 for a full-time year (120 credits), but as most OU students study part time, this figure will be scaled down in proportion to the intensity of their study.
Students in England new to higher education and starting their studies after 1 September 2012 will, for the first time, be able to apply for a government student loan so they do not have to pay their fees upfront. In addition, OU students will continue to be able to access the OU's own loan system (OUSBA), which enables them to pay their fees via instalments during each module.
In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, arrangements for funding of part-time higher education are broadly unchanged for 2012/13, and therefore undergraduate fee levels for OU students in these nations will not change for 2012/13, subject to inflation-linked increases. This means students will continue to pay £1,610 for a standard 120 credits of study (the equivalent of a year of full-time study). Many students study on a module basis, and a standard 60 credit modules will be priced from £735.
There will be different arrangements for students continuing to study with the OU. Find out more about all of these changes at: The Open University: Fees 2012.
AGCAS new year resolution: Make ARENA even better
Here at AGCAS, we're always trying to improve our communications with members. Recently, we seem to have got better at reporting things that interest you. What we are working on now is being quicker off the mark so that, with our help, AGCAS members are recognised as the most up-to-date and well-informed people anywhere on any issue to do with the graduate labour market, employability and careers information, education, advice and guidance.
Here at AGCAS, we're always trying to improve our communications with members. Recently, we seem to have got better at reporting things that interest you. We can tell that from the growing length of ARENA together with the higher number of clicks on many items in it. What we are working on now is being quicker off the mark so that, with our help, AGCAS members are recognised as the most up-to-date and well-informed people anywhere on any issue to do with the graduate labour market, employability and careers information, education, advice and guidance.
So, from the New Year, you'll receive ARENA in your inbox fortnightly rather than monthly. The items will be more current and you'll have less to read in one go. We'll continue to keep the frequency and content of ARENA under review and would welcome your feedback.
And, next month, we'll be unveiling a new sister e-publication aimed at helping you engage with university staff who aren’t yet members of AGCAS. Watch this space!
Vacancy on AGCAS Board of Directors - Company Secretary
AGCAS is looking for an enthusiastic member to join its Board of Directors in the role of Company Secretary. This is a great opportunity to get involved in the strategic management of AGCAS and to help the organisation make key decisions about its future development, especially how it can best support member services. The role of Company Secretary involves a number of administrative, legal and statutory responsibilities. A full induction will be given, however, and there is plenty of support available both from experienced AGCAS staff and from other members of the AGCAS Board.
AGCAS is looking for an enthusiastic member to join its Board of Directors in the role of Company Secretary. This is a great opportunity to get involved in the strategic management of AGCAS and to help the organisation make key decisions about its future development, especially how it can best support member services.
Being an AGCAS Director brings responsibilities, but it also confers significant benefits on both individual directors and their services, as a result of the professional development it offers, together with many opportunities to liaise with a wide range of members and stakeholders.
The role of Company Secretary involves a number of administrative, legal and statutory responsibilities, which are outlined in the Roles and Responsibilities of the AGCAS Board document (available below). A full induction will be given, however, and there is plenty of support available both from experienced AGCAS staff and from other members of the AGCAS Board.
The role will particularly appeal to someone who has an eye for detail, is well-organised and can communicate clearly and concisely. In addition, the role calls for good interpersonal skills and the ability to manage time effectively and to work to deadlines.
How to apply
We want the AGCAS Board to fully reflect the diversity of the AGCAS membership and so please don't feel you have to be from a certain sort of institution or have a particular role in your institution. In the first instance, you just need to supply the names of a nominator and seconder on a nomination form (available below).
The position is tenable for three years. The closing date for nominations is Friday 27 January 2012.
Further information
For further information about the role, please contact:
• Dan Ferrett, outgoing AGCAS Company Secretary
• Martin Pennington, Interim AGCAS CEO
• Anne Marie Martin, AGCAS President
Vacancy on the Research Staff Task Group
The AGCAS Research Staff Task Group is looking for a new member to join the group. The task group has been busy producing resources for careers advisers and for early career researchers and is also active in the researcher development community to raise the profile of the work of careers advisers and to feed into policy and developments such as the Researcher Development Framework (RDF) and the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.
The AGCAS Research Staff Task Group is looking for a new member to join the group. The task group has been busy producing resources for careers advisers and for early career researchers and is also active in the researcher development community to raise the profile of the work of careers advisers and to feed into policy and developments such as the Researcher Development Framework (RDF) and the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.
The vacancy is for approximately one year (until early 2013) to replace an existing member who will be on maternity leave.
The group has two face-to-face meetings each year, plus one teleconference.
How to apply
If you are interested, please send your CV to Josie Grindulis, Chair of the task group, by 13th January 2012. Please include a brief application outlining your experience with research staff and how you think you could contribute to the work of the group. If you have any queries about the vacancy, email Josie Grindulis or Katrina Gray.
First career destinations of disabled graduates - research published
The AGCAS Disability Task Group has produced its annual report on the first destinations of disabled graduates nationally, What Happens Next? This year's report indicates a certain level of stability returning to the graduate labour market following last year’s downturn.
Each year, the AGCAS Disability Task Group produces a report on the first destinations of disabled graduates nationally. The 2012 What Happens Next? report (based on data collected from the 2009/10 cohort) has been published.
This year's report indicates a certain level of stability returning to the graduate labour market following last year’s downturn.
Download What Happens Next? A Report on the First Destinations of Disabled Graduates
Key findings
• The proportion of both disabled and non-disabled graduates entering employment rose clearly this year with the rate of increase for disabled graduates slightly higher than for their non disabled peers.
• Unemployment levels decreased for both groups with the rate of decrease marginally greater for disabled graduates.
• The proportion of graduates entering 'graduate level' employment improved this year, with, for the first time, higher proportions of disabled graduates in graduate level employment than non disabled graduates.
• Graduates with a 'Specific Learning Disability' and those with 'unseen disabilities' generally achieved more favourable outcomes than those with more apparent disabilities. The notable exception to this trend occurred among Deaf/Hearing Impaired graduates. Higher numbers of graduates from this group entered 'graduate level' occupations than any other category of graduates - disabled or non disabled - whilst unemployment levels for this group were the lowest of any disabled category.
• Graduates who are wheelchair users, or have mobility difficulties exhibited the lowest levels of full-time employment and the highest levels of unemployment.
• The sector attracting the highest numbers of both disabled and non disabled graduates was Human Health and Social Work.
• This year saw identical percentages of both groups entering 'management level' occupations.
• Earnings of disabled graduates compared well with non disabled graduates, although average starting salaries remained at 2009 levels for both groups.
Find out more
Further information can be obtained from the AGCAS Disability Task Group.
Case studies highlight award-winning work
A series of case studies has been produced to showcase the winning projects and initiatives recently commended as part of the AGCAS Awards for Excellence 2011.
The case studies have been compiled using the original submissions received from each AGCAS member service. They are intended to encourage and share good practice amongst HE careers professionals to help promote excellence in careers and employability work.
A series of case studies has been produced to showcase the winning projects and initiatives recently commended as part of the AGCAS Awards for Excellence 2011.
The case studies have been compiled using the original submissions received from each AGCAS member service. They are intended to encourage and share good practice amongst HE careers professionals to help promote excellence in careers and employability work.
The following awards were presented in 2011:
• Employability - Postive Futures for Northumbria graduates
• Entrepreneurship - BSEEN to be a winner in Birmingham
• Innovation - Northumbria's innovative animation
• International - UCLan and Shanghai's winning partnership
• Marketing - Leeds engages the unengaged
• Research - Leicester's research shows benefit of placements
• Staff Development - Staff development success for Leeds
• Technology - Huddersfield's GEMS
• Website - Portsmouth opens Purple Door online
• Careers Service Partnership - Edge Hill University and Enterprise
Rent-A-Car's winning partnership
• Work-related Learning - Asidua's a winner for Ulster Students
Hull targets SMEs for internships
The University of Hull Careers Service has been encouraging the region's smaller businesses to employ graduates on an internship basis. As a result, Hull's allocation of internships to small businesses exceeded their target by over 600%, with internships allocated over a range of industry sectors.
The University of Hull Careers Service has been encouraging the region's smaller businesses to employ graduates on an internship basis. As a result, Hull's allocation of internships to small businesses exceeded their target by over 600%, with internships allocated over a range of industry sectors.
You can read more about the initiative in the article below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2012).
Work while studying: blessing or curse?
Research into undergraduates' experiences of working has been conducted by AGCAS member Angela Vesey, Senior Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and winner of the 2011 AGCAS John Roberts Memorial Prize. Angela's study, as part of her MA in Career Education, Information and Guidance in HE (CEIGHE), explored the nature and extent of undergraduates working at NTU, their motivations for working and its perceived impact.
Research into undergraduates' experiences of working has been conducted by AGCAS member Angela Vesey, Senior Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and winner of the 2011 AGCAS John Roberts Memorial Prize. Angela's study, as part of her MA in Career Education, Information and Guidance in HE (CEIGHE), explored the nature and extent of undergraduates working at NTU, their motivations for working and its perceived impact.
A fully referenced article, highlighting key issues for HEIs and careers services to consider when supporting working students, is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2012).
My other job
Working a full-time job alongside running your own business can test your organisational and time management skills to the limit. Sam Doud, IT and Web Services Manager at the University of Leeds Careers Centre, also runs his own web design and consultancy business.
Working a full-time job alongside running your own business can test your organisational and time management skills to the limit. Sam Doud, IT and Web Services Manager at the University of Leeds Careers Centre, also runs his own web design and consultancy business.
Is it possible to do a nine to five job, run a business and still have fun and, most importantly, a life?
In the article below, which is available to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in, Sam describes the realities of juggling two jobs.
This article was first submitted to Phoenix (January 2012).
100 companies open up work experience places
One hundred companies have signed up to Nick Clegg's social mobility strategy, pledging their firms will open up opportunities for work experience to try to bring an end to career advancement by 'who you know'.
One hundred companies have signed up to Nick Clegg's social mobility strategy, pledging their firms will open up opportunities for work experience to try to bring an end to career advancement by 'who you know'.
Supermarkets, banks, law firms and energy providers have committed to advertise work experience places openly, reports the Guardian (12 January 2012). Barclays, HSBC, Santander, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and Morrisons have signed up and join already-enrolled companies such as Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Allen & Overy, BP, Shell and E.ON. Together the new firms employ more than two million people in Britain.
AGCAS represented at diversity careers events
Percy Ngcobo, a member of the AGCAS Diversity Task Group, attended various LGBT careers events in the autumn of 2011, including the CASS LGBT Society Careers Panel Networking event, the Careers Diversity Show, and the Inside and Out Investment Banking event.
Percy Ngcobo, a member of the AGCAS Diversity Task Group, attended various LGBT careers events in the autumn of 2011, including the CASS LGBT Society Careers Panel Networking event, the Careers Diversity Show, and the Inside and Out Investment Banking event.
Students had the opportunity at all events to network with various LGBT professionals who work for such organisations as Morgan Stanley, Accenture, Procter & Gamble, Ernst & Young, the Royal Navy and Barclays Capital.
The Careers Diversity Show was hosted by leading LGBT publishers Square Peg Media, in partnership with Stonewall. Stonewall presented a number of seminars and workshops for LGBT candidates to help them make the most of diversity in the workplace.
A full summary of Percy's findings from the above events is available below to AGCAS members who have registered with this site and signed in.
Find out more about the AGCAS Diversity Task Group's activity in the area of LGBT careers and diversity issues.
New careers council seeks members
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is establishing a new group, a National Council for Careers, to advise the government on improving the quality of careers advice. The Council will provide independent advice to help drive the success of the National Careers Service, due to be launched in In April 2012, and is now looking for nominations from prospective members from a variety of backgrounds, including the careers guidance sector, the education sector, and business.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is establishing a new group, a National Council for Careers, to advise the government on improving the quality of careers provision. The Council will provide independent advice to help drive the success of the National Careers Service, due to be launched in In April 2012.
The National Council for Careers will:
• advise on the operation and development of the new National Careers Service following its launch in April 2012, in the context of broader government policy, including policy on careers guidance;
• provide expert advice and support on communicating and engaging with the careers guidance sector and other stakeholders, including the dissemination of key messages;
• produce an annual report summarising its discussions and advice to government;
• work with the National Careers Service to ensure that information for users is of good quality.
Join the group
The Council will comprise just 12 members from a variety of backgrounds, including the careers guidance sector, the education sector, and business. The group will meet in London four times a year.
AGCAS members are encouraged to apply but it would be helpful if you could contact Martin Pennington, AGCAS Interim CEO, so that AGCAS is aware of the interest from members.
The closing date for applications is Monday 30 January 2012.
HEA announces funding for internationalisation projects
The Higher Education Academy (HEA), in partnership with the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA), is inviting HE and FE institutions to submit applications for funding for pilot projects supporting internationalisation.
The Higher Education Academy (HEA), in partnership with the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA), is inviting HE and FE institutions to submit applications for funding for pilot projects that will:
• enhance the teaching and learning experiences both for international students studying in the UK and home students in the context of internationalisation;
• promote intercultural understanding to prepare students for employment in a global context.
Connections: Pilot projects supporting internationalisation will be funded by HEA in conjunction with UKCISA. Grants of up to £10,000 are available. Full details of the application procedure and criteria for awards are available in the funding document on the HEA website.
The closing date for applications is Monday 30 January 2012.
Employability at the heart of University of Derby development
The careers team at the University of Derby is committed to providing a holistic service to their student body, which, like other Million+ institutions, includes students from a broad spectrum of backgrounds undertaking full time, part time and distance learning courses. They are also committed to reaching out to those students, often from widening participation backgrounds, who can most benefit from the services provided.
The careers team at the University of Derby is committed to providing a holistic service to their student body, which, like other Million+ institutions, includes students from a broad spectrum of backgrounds undertaking full time, part time and distance learning courses. They are also committed to reaching out to those students, often from widening participation backgrounds, who can most benefit from the services provided.
Celia Beizsley, Career Development Centre (CDC) Manager, explains:
"There is a challenge for us, and all our institutions, as research (eg, Greenbank and Hepworth, 2008) indicates that such students have less time to participate in additional campus activities, tend to take a serial approach to work and study, may have poorer economic and social capital to rely on to secure good graduate roles, and, in some sectors, may be further disadvantaged by employers who seek to use unpaid internships to sift their graduate recruits.
Positive position
CDC has been at the heart of institutional development on employability and has contributed to many institution-wide groups working on the implementation of effective personal development planning and student experience strategies. We have a key and expanding role to play in helping tutors deliver on employability and personal development planning aspects of the curriculum. The university recognised this when it re-positioned the CDC within a new Institute for Learning Enhancement and Innovation, bringing us closer to both the Learner Support Services, with the library, IT, and study skills, and to the learning technologists so that our expertise and resources contribute to the overall drive to enhance the curriculum.
As a result, engagement between the CDC, faculty and school management teams, programme teams and tutors, has been strengthened and the links between subject careers advisers, tutors and students on programmes have developed. We are now in a positive position to work with programme teams to help to achieve successful outcomes for our students.
Broadening horizons
We can learn from feedback and from research evidence how our current students and graduates think about their future careers. Self-limiting beliefs about confidence and the lack of jobs may be present and we have to challenge opinions and broaden horizons. We also recognise that career conversations take place in many forums and online advice is there for the taking. So, we have taken a very proactive approach to communicating with our students and future employers through social media, exploiting the opportunities provided by Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs etc, so that students hear our message and employers are aware of our services.
We work with local employers and local employer networks to stimulate the demand for graduate-level skills in businesses with no track record of graduate recruitment by inviting employers to engage with students in different ways, through recruitment, placements, employer mentoring or supporting our University of Derby Award.
Employability champions
Careers services are in a unique position to add value to the student experience. My proposition is that we:
• Have an insight into how people make career decisions and the
skills to stimulate career decision making.
• Possess an understanding of the curriculum and the relevance
of skills and attributes to future occupations.
• Are committed to working in partnership with our academic colleagues
to adapt interventions to meet the needs of their students.
• Demonstrate exemplary skills in student engagement, in teaching
and also one-to-one advice and guidance.
• Understand how to engage with employers at all levels through
our insights into local and international job markets.
• Are able to manage information and advise students.
• Understand the needs of a wide diversity of students in our
institutions.
• Provide quick and easy access for our students seeking careers advice
and also for employers wishing to recruit our graduates.
There will be many changes in the sector in the next few years. What students want and what our institutions demand of us may well change. Each careers service reflects the individual characteristics of their institutions, but from an internal and external perspective we can be leaders in championing the employability of our graduates to prospective employers and future students. When employability is key, we can be at the heart of institutional development, and going forward in the new climate for higher education our services are more important to our students than they have ever been."
The modern university careers service
What sort of careers service do you want? One size doesn't fit all. Catherine Klimeš, Head of Careers and Employability at the University of Northampton, outlines what careers services can offer their vice chancellors in a diverse and fast-changing sector.
What sort of careers service do you want? One size doesn't fit all. Catherine Klimeš, Head of Careers and Employability at the University of Northampton, outlines what careers services can offer their vice chancellors in a diverse and fast-changing sector.
Award winning, income generating, socially enterprising and entrepreneurial ... Not usually words you might ascribe to your university careers service? Take a closer look and you will quickly discover a world of networked, globalised professionals, aficionado's of YouTube, skilled in the intricacies of apps, blogs and TweetDeck, equally at home on Facebook and LinkedIn as in information centres and libraries.
Dig yet deeper, and you will find services delivering constant, stratified, diversified, and personalised provision. The purpose of which? To enable today's students to emerge from their studies 'tooled-up' and ready to find their niche in an increasingly globalised, graduate community.
Teeming with talent
Well-briefed vice chancellors already know their services are teeming with talent, drawn from a diverse range of employment sectors, well-placed to help transform their university into an institution ready to welcome Generation Z, whilst also ensuring such students happily coexist alongside Gen X, Y, the Silver Surfers and the ever-vibrant Baby Boomers.
Other vice chancellors might value their services as proven 'relationship managers', operating as effective conduits for cross-faculty collaboration, as joint bidding partners for projects or research proposals, as well as part of the multi-disciplinary, virtualized, classroom delivery teams.
Others may value their in-depth knowledge and experience of working with externals. In their role as globalised employer lead generators, or whilst 'empowering' clients to navigate their way through the avalanche of information and multitude of opportunities open to them, in a meaningful and personalised way - the careers consultancy model providing an effective method to support this kind of tailored, targeted and focused delivery.
In this Olympic year, where everything is to play for, we're certainly ready for the challenges ahead.
Are you ready for the fast lane?
JobSavviGrad helps University of Bedfordshire improve graduate employment outcomes
The University of Bedfordshire Careers and Employment Service has joined forces with JobSavviGrad to face up to the challenge of improving graduate employability outcomes.
The University of Bedfordshire Careers and Employment Service has joined forces with JobSavviGrad to face up to the challenge of improving graduate employability outcomes. Amongst the many challenges faced by higher education, improving graduate employment outcomes is high on the agenda of many institutions.
Mark Diggle, Head of the Careers and Employment Service, explains:
"Seeking employment in the current economic climate can be a challenge for many people, particularly those just entering the job market. With a large proportion of our young people in higher education it is important that we support all of our students and graduates seeking that vital first job.
In our experience students and graduates typically undersell themselves and may often fail to evidence clearly their ability when submitting applications. They may have a narrow perspective on the range and availability of opportunities.
For some universities the development of distance learning, part-time study, the growth in numbers of mature students and continuing professional development may shift the emphasis from supporting 'career entry' to 'career progression'. At the University of Bedfordshire, we take the task of delivering positive outcomes very seriously; at a time of increasing challenge to find graduate employment, JobSavviGrad is just one of the initiatives we have recently taken."
Lifetime product
As a lifetime product, JobSavviGrad offers:
• A bespoke search engine identifying in excess of 50,000 opportunities
worldwide.
• Means to capture and record evidence of skills and ability.
• The ability to tailor applications with evidence that meets the needs
of an employer.
• A personal portfolio, which can be used within applications.
• Full job search and application management.
• A personalised directory of key employers offering graduate employment
and student placements.
• Access to a broad range of careers resources, controlled by the
university.
Mentoring boosts employability at Birmingham City University
Birmingham City University (BCU) Careers Service has developed two high-quality mentoring programmes to give students a real-life insight into the world of work and enhance their employability. The programmes were shortlisted for both the 2011 Times Higher Education Awards and the AGCAS Awards for Excellence.
Birmingham City University (BCU) Careers Service has developed two high-quality mentoring programmes to give students a real-life insight into the world of work and enhance their employability. The programmes were shortlisted for both the 2011 Times Higher Education Awards and the AGCAS Awards for Excellence.
Lucy Madahar, Assistant Director of Student Services (Advice and Guidance), explains:
"Boosting the employability of students is a top priority for BCU. One way to give students a real-life insight into the world of work is through our range of mentoring opportunities, which have been growing year on year.
Relationship building
Inspiring Futures has created over 200 business mentoring relationships over the past five years. Mentees (final year students) benefit from a greater understanding of their chosen industry, and enjoy improved job application techniques. 75% of mentees reported that mentoring improved their student experience, with 20% of mentees stating that, as a direct result of mentoring, they have secured paid employment. Mentors (business professionals) benefit from accessing a quality source of potential recruits, as well as contributing to the city's social responsibility aims. The quality of the scheme has now been officially recognised with accreditation from the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation, an organisation that works to improve the effectiveness and quality of mentoring programmes across the UK.
Online delivery
In order to enable our diverse university community of over 25,000 students to have access to mentoring, we also offer online mentoring via our innovative Ask@BCU e-mentoring programme, the only one of its type across the HE sector. Peer online mentoring offers new students support from experienced peers to address concerns surrounding university life, also developing the competencies of our current student mentors. Employer online mentoring offers penultimate and final year students access to BCU alumni. Mentors prepare students for the world of work, which simultaneously provides a staff development opportunity for alumni seeking their first supervisory role."
For further information, contact Sharon Farrow, Mentoring Programme Co-ordinator at Birmingham City University (0121 331 7245).
New University of Bolton initiative improves commercial awareness
The careers service at the University of Bolton is working with Gradcore to deliver an innovative four-day programme aimed at final year students and graduates. The programme aims to improve the employability of students and grow links with employers and local businesses.
The careers service at the University of Bolton is working with Gradcore to deliver an innovative four-day programme aimed at final year students and graduates. The programme aims to improve the employability of students and grow links with employers and local businesses.
The programme covers four main elements:
• Real-life business engagement
• Addressing challenges around commercial awareness
• Highlighting job opportunities and job hunting strategies in both small
and large organisations
• Benchmarked testing of skills through an assessment simulator
Intensive programme
Their approach to meeting these challenges centres around an intensive programme, which will deliver a range of training, testing and activity that rapidly develops key employability skills, and identifies areas in most need of development. This experience will be informed at all stages by real feedback from businesses, and involve real-life and simulated environments that develop competencies and the right attitudes.
The project is being funded by the European Social Fund (ESF). The external organisation that has been chosen for this first programme is Bolton Hospice, which will provide a real business problem for the students and graduates to solve.
Gradcore is a company that has more than 15 years' experience of working with graduates, businesses and universities. It provides services from graduate recruitment, to research consultancy and training.
Julie Bateman, Head of Careers and Employability, said:
"This is a wonderful opportunity for our students and graduates to gain commercial awareness and to understand the problems and issues that exist for local businesses in this current economic climate. The benefit of this programme is that all participants will get the chance to put their new skills and knowledge into practice by supporting a really good cause."
'Great careers start' at the University of Cumbria
The University of Cumbria's strapline 'Great careers start here...' reflects its commitment in supporting students to realise their career ambitions in a challenging economic context.
The University of Cumbria's strapline 'Great careers start here...' reflects its commitment in supporting students to realise their career ambitions in a challenging economic context.
The new Vice Chancellor, Peter Strike, has selected employability and enterprise as two of four key themes guiding the university's corporate strategy and future developments. Only recently, the university's new employability plan was launched through a conference showcasing employability initiatives across faculties and services such as the careers service, part of Learning, Information and Student Services (LISS).
Value-added interventions
The LISS Careers Service has had a key involvement in shaping the employability plan that recognises the role of careers advisers in embedding employability within the curriculum, supporting it through 'value-added' interventions alongside the curriculum and through employer engagement and partnerships.
Nadine Sunderland, Academic Liaison, Employability and Skills Manager, said:
"Engagement with the European Social Fund (ESF) North West Graduate Employability Project has led to the careers service developing an employability award for implementation from September 2012. The award, called Career Ahead, will link to other programmes: Get Ahead, an orientation programme for pre-entry students; and Stay Ahead, a future initiative focussing on retention and achievement of students.
ESF funding has helped the LISS careers team to contribute to the delivery of well-received themed employability events to graduates and final year students. With a focus on enhancing confidence, standing out in a crowd and understanding employer requirements, faculties are now keen to see these repeated on an annual basis. New planned initiatives include an employer mentoring scheme and the delivery of virtual guidance appointments to students at gateway campuses.
These initiatives have raised the profile of the careers professionals and led to a university-wide debate on student and staff enterprise and the important links between these areas and how to provide strategic careers advice."
Developing employable Gloucestershire graduates
The University of Gloucestershire's Careers and Employability team and the Department of Teaching and Learning Innovation have jointly developed an award, which gives formal recognition to students' achievement outside of their academic programme.
The Employable Gloucestershire Graduate Scheme (informally known as EGGS!) was developed through a collaboration between the Department of Teaching and Learning Innovation and the Careers and Employability team and piloted during 2010-11. The scheme is now open to all students of the university and is designed to give formal recognition to their many and varied achievements outside their academic programme.
Presenting evidence
Students complete a personal statement of achievement in which they present evidence of their achievements and skills development in the fields of community engagement, culture, employment, enterprise, research, sport or sustainability. These initiatives complement the extensive programme of employability and career management sessions run within academic departments by the careers team to support the 'Learning for Life and Employment' strand of the university’s learning and teaching strategy.
Nicki Castello, Head of Careers and Employability, added:
"In February 2012, the University of Gloucestershire will launch our new Degree Plus programme, designed to give students easy access to a range of services and opportunities, which will enable them to develop the experience, skills and attributes that graduate employers value. Through the provision of centrally-located, high-profile Degree Plus offices on each of our campuses, students will be able to access a range of services to develop their employability, their confidence and an impressive portfolio of experience to include in their Higher Education Achievement Report."
These services include:
• careers information, advice and guidance
• skills workshops
• enterprise support
• work placements
• volunteering opportunities
• links with local employers
• a high-quality workplace internship programme
• graduate vacancies
• the Employable Gloucestershire Graduate Scheme
Coaching complements University of Sunderland provision
The University of Sunderland's Careers and Employability Service identified a need to improve students' confidence and better prepare them for graduate selection processes. Feedback for the new coaching service is very positive and demand is expected to grow.
The University of Sunderland's Careers and Employability Service identified a need to improve students' confidence and better prepare them for graduate selection processes. Feedback for the new coaching service is very positive and demand is expected to grow.
Commitment to quality
The service has a key role in enhancing the overall student experience and supporting the 'life-changing' mission of the university through its provision of broad ranging careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG), work experience opportunities, job search support, employer contacts and graduate vacancies. However, as part of the service’s commitment to continuous quality improvement, and using staff, student, and employer feedback, it identified a gap linked to the need for specific interview coaching, preparation for graduate selection processes and, most importantly, opportunities for students to increase their self-confidence and self-promotion/marketing techniques.
Anne Burlinson, Head of Careers and Employability Services, said:
"Using additional funding for the delivery of a pilot programme and associated evaluation activities, we have now established a full-time, core careers coach post, which supplements and further develops our range of provision and works collaboratively with careers advisers, work experience staff, employers and, increasingly, faculty staff providing practical, customised, up-to-date interview coaching support for students.
User feedback has been extremely positive, our students are more confident in undertaking their job applications process and their aspirations and self-belief has been broadened/improved – factors that are of prime importance for our student cohort in the current economic climate and the competitive graduate market.
We foresee the demand for coaching interactions, which are additional to and build upon the guidance activities, will become greater and even more important for students linked to increased fees, the need for value-added experiences and accurate, effective and targeted CEIAG provision and support."
Funding to put universities at the heart of social change
UnLtd and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) have launched a programme of support for social entrepreneurship in English universities and colleges. The initiative will help universities and colleges to develop their support structures for social entrepreneurship, making it easier for students and staff to start up a social venture and thrive within the HE environment. The programme aims to encourage a social entrepreneurship culture across the HE sector.
UnLtd and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) have launched a programme of support for social entrepreneurship in English universities and colleges. The initiative will help universities and colleges to develop their support structures for social entrepreneurship, making it easier for students and staff to start up a social venture and thrive within the HE environment. The programme aims to encourage a social entrepreneurship culture across the HE sector.
Supported by a £1million investment from HEFCE, the 18-month programme will develop relevant resources, expertise and infrastructure that will support the social entrepreneurial activities of staff and students.
Later in the spring, UnLtd will call for proposals to identify up to 25 universities and colleges as key partners for the programme to share expertise and knowledge in identifying and supporting social entrepreneurs in the HE sector. They will receive private sector support through the UnLtd Connect service, matching each university and college with a network of local business professionals who volunteer their expertise to support and advise social entrepreneurs. Participating institutions will need to match any investment given by the scheme.
There will also be a number of opportunities for all HEFCE-funded universities and colleges to share good practice, and a range of resources to help them support social entrepreneurs from among their staff and students.
The new programme follows the success of the Higher Education Social Entrepreneurship Awards, which saw 200 social ventures established in 70 HEIs between 2009 and 2011.
For more information about the programme and to register your interest, see UnLtd HEI Support.
The National Placement & Internship Awards 2012
This year's National Placement & Internship Awards took place at City University, London on 18 January 2012. The awards were created by RateMyPlacement.co.uk to recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of all stakeholders involved in undergraduate work placements and internships. Now in its third year, the event was supported for the first time by AGCAS.
This year's National Placement & Internship Awards took place at City University, London on 18 January 2012. The awards were created by RateMyPlacement.co.uk to recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of all stakeholders involved in undergraduate work placements and internships. Now in its third year, the event was supported for the first time by AGCAS.
AGCAS was represented at the event by Chris Jackson, AGCAS Communications and Marketing Manager, and Stephen McAuliffe, AGCAS Board Member for Communications and Marketing and Director of the Careers and Employability Service at The University of Nottingham, who was also on the judging panel.
Awards were presented in three categories: employers, students and universities. AGCAS members and member services were amongst the winners of the three university awards, which were presented as follows:
Best University Placement/Careers Service
Celebrating the tireless and invaluable contributions made by the university placement or careers service in helping students apply and maximise their work experience opportunities.
• Winner: Brunel University
• Highly Commended: University of Dundee
• Also shortlisted: Lancaster University Management School, University
of Huddersfield School of Computing & Engineering
Most Improved Commitment to Employability
Celebrating the improved efforts and services provided by a university/placement or careers service/department in helping students apply and maximise their work experience opportunities.
• Winner: The University of Birmingham, Careers & Employability Centre
• Also shortlisted: University of Exeter, Newcastle University Careers
Service, University of Southampton Career Destinations, University of
Reading Student Employment Experience and Careers Centre
University Personality of the Year
Celebrating the tireless and invaluable contributions made by a particular individual in the university placement or careers office in helping students apply and maximise their work experience opportunities.
• Winner: Jim Wood - Newcastle University
• Highly Commended: Graham Kaye-Taylor - Brunel University
• Also shortlisted: Kath Foot - Cardiff University, Emily Timson - University of
York, Kirstin Burke - Manchester Metropolitan University
For full details and photos of the event, see The National Placement & Internship Awards 2012 website.
University of West London embraces social media
The University of West London's Careers and Employment Service has conducted research into the sometimes contrasting ways that employers and students make use of social media and has tailored its services accordingly.
The University of West London Careers and Employment Service, like others working in the field of graduate employability, is acutely aware of the revolutionary times in which we operate fuelled by a highly competitive graduate job market and high student expectations. Assessing the impact of change is key. One thing the service are currently grappling with is weighing-up the influence of internet technology and social media on graduate recruitment. In particular, how different employers recruit graduate talent across different industries and occupations and how prepared students are for change.
Social media survey
Last year the service conducted an initial investigation into how students use social media and used the results to consider the impact on its established ways of working. From the 161 responses received, 90% of students use Facebook and 70% use YouTube for careers information. The majority make little use of professional online networking sites, such as LinkedIn, with most considering networking to be essentially a face-to-face activity. Through our research we also found employers who were using social media platforms for recruitment purposes.
Lizzie Dove, Head of Careers and Employment Service, said:
"The results of the survey have focused our attention this year on encouraging students through workshops and employer input to make the best use of social media by observing the correct protocols and using the tools available to create a professional online presence be it a LinkedIn profile or a Twitter blog. This year we plan to survey our employers to ascertain their usage and views on social media in their recruitment processes."
AGR invites careers service award nominations
The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) is inviting higher education careers and employability services, which are members of AGR, to nominate themsleves for a new award. The award, which is called Preparation for Work by Higher Education, recognises the contribution of university careers services in preparing students to succeed in the world of work. It is given to higher education institutions for outstanding commitment to improving the employability and long-term career success of their graduates.
The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) is inviting higher education careers and employability services, which are members of AGR, to nominate themsleves for a new award. The award, which is called Preparation for Work by Higher Education, recognises the contribution of university careers services in preparing students to succeed in the world of work. It is given to higher education institutions for outstanding commitment to improving the employability and long-term career success of their graduates.
Why enter?
AGR says:
• The judging panel will consist of graduate employers and other graduate
industry professionals - so a fantastic audience with which to share your
practices.
• Winning will give you and your team recognition and increase your
university's visibility on the employability agenda.
• Every entry will receive feedback, so win or not, you should get useful
information to help you in the future.
For more details on how to apply and the assessment criteria, visit the AGR website or contact Claire Adams.
The closing date is 17 February 2012.
Canterbury Christ Church University JobFair
Over 2,500 students from Canterbury Christ Church University took the opportunity to meet with representatives from 50 companies to discuss graduate employment opportunities at JobFair 2011.
Over 2,500 students from Canterbury Christ Church University took the opportunity to meet with representatives from 50 companies to discuss graduate employment opportunities at JobFair 2011.
Canterbury Christ Church University has one of the best employment rates in the country with 94.3% of its recent graduates in employment or further study six months after graduating (2009/10 DLHE survey), making it the third best university for employability in England.
Geoff Haworth, Director of Student Support and Guidance, said:
“This event is just one of the ways we work with businesses to enhance the employability of our graduates. We recognise the importance of working with local businesses to foster a 'work ready' ethos in our students and graduates. The support that we receive from our relationships with businesses is invaluable, and we are always looking for new opportunities to develop new and existing links.”
Case study
James Bennett and Hollie Dyer, two final year business students, attended JobFair 2011 and secured themselves a valuable experience with an employer, through networking.
They spoke to several of the 50 recruiting employers. They met with the representative from the Arcadia Group, an international fashion retailer comprising of TopShop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Burton and several other high street brands.
They expressed an interest in seeing how the Arcadia Head Office was run on a daily basis and exchanged contact details. Hollie emailed the Arcadia representative straight away. Within a month, the students were travelling to the head office in London to meet with some of the team.
They were given an informative tour outlining the company and its core values, achievements and objectives. The students also witnessed new products coming in, clothes being made and models wearing the new items. They are now writing a report on their experience and are both applying to the Arcadia graduate recruitment scheme this Spring.
Temps service makes recruitment easy at Canterbury Christ Church
Canterbury Christ Church University's TempShop provides an easy-access service to staff by removing the administrative burden of temp recruitment.
Canterbury Christ Church University's TempShop provides an easy-access service to staff by removing the administrative burden of temp recruitment.
Managed by the university's Employability and Careers Services, TempShop Associates are all current students at the university, giving them the opportunity to develop strong CVs and employability skills for the world of work, whilst also providing university staff with individuals that they know and can trust.
'Work ready'
The pool of over 136 TempShop Associates have all passed interviews and undertaken key training to ensure they are 'work ready' (including full health and safety training, basic office preparation, professionalism and university-specific codes of conduct).
Since its launch in September 2011, TempShop Associates have completed over 3,200 hours of work for the university, in areas such as office administration, event organisation, IT support and personal care for disabled students.
University staff that have already used the TempShop have been impressed:
"The best temp experience I’ve ever had." (Department of Marketing staff member)
Students have also benefited from the experience:
“Since joining TempShop I have gained valuable work experience in both the Design and Production and Accommodation Departments. The experience of being part of the workforce has been useful in deciding my own career path and not only that, I also get paid.”
Find out more about Canterbury Christ Church University's TempShop
Coventry University develops Add+vantage employability programme
Coventry has one of the biggest university employability initiatives in the country, with more than 11,000 students taking one 10-credit employability module in each year of study. The Add+vantage Scheme is centrally coordinated by the Careers and Employability Service and involves all schools, faculties and other departments and employers.
Coventry has one of the biggest university employability initiatives in the country, with more than 11,000 students taking one 10-credit employability module in each year of study, and covers all undergraduates apart from NHS-funded students. The Add+vantage Scheme is centrally coordinated by the Careers and Employability Service and involves all schools, faculties and other departments and employers, including the Student Union, Centre for Academic Writing, and the Institute of Applied Entrepreneurship. The programme is now in its sixth year and students can choose from more than 70 separate careers-related topics each year.
More than half of all modules chosen are done outside students' main faculty of study and therefore the scheme brings students together from the full range of academic programmes.
In line with the university's corporate plan and teaching and learning objectives, students make choices from five main thematic areas. These are:
• Work Experience/Volunteering, Work-related Projects and Work-related
Skills
• Global Languages and Perspectives
• Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
• Professional Accreditation and Development
• Research Skills
Adding value
Employer involvement is an important part of the programme and the university collaborates with many different commercial and voluntary organisations to add value to the scheme. Employers participate in classroom activities and assessment and many hundreds of students also gain relevant experience outside the university each year.
IBM and Jaguar Land Rover are centrally involved in the delivery of two special employment and mentoring modules for second year IT and engineering students. These modules are excellent examples of collaboration between the faculty staff, the careers service and industry.
Further information is available from Norman Day, Head of Careers and Employability Service.
Demystifying the PhD process
The AGCAS Postgraduate Students Task Group has produced a new resource aimed at practitioners working with postgraduate students. Demystifying the PhD Process evaluates the different approaches to helping students considering PhD study as their next step, outlines the differences in application procedures, and identifies strategies for careers professionals to apply when dealing with this client group.
The AGCAS Postgraduate Students Task Group has produced a new resource aimed at practitioners working with postgraduate students. Demystifying the PhD Process evaluates the different approaches to helping students considering PhD study as their next step, outlines the differences in application procedures, and identifies strategies for careers professionals to apply when dealing with this client group.
Find out more