Career preparation is embedded into our curriculum in a structured way to ensure students are applying their learning and actively engaged with the future as they study. We do this in a variety of ways using a blend of experiential opportunities, as well as intra and extra curricula programmes.
These activities work in tandem with direct support from the Careers Service to help students connect with employers, make career choices, and find opportunities.
Preparing our students for work
Experiential learning
Active and engaged learning
Experiential learning is a key component of our strategy to ensure students are active, engaged and can apply their learning well before graduation. The college supports all undergraduates to take a year out before their final year to study abroad, do structured volunteering or paid work. This is accompanied by a Careers Education programme and assessed as part of their degree. Financial support for these activities is provided through our alumni funded Ignition Fund.
Placements
Supporting non-traditional students into work
Students from backgrounds which historically need extra support to secure graduate positions (eg. lower income or disabled) may take advantage of placements which are also assessed as part of their degree.
Over a six month programme, they are supported with CV development and interview skills, which can then be used to secure two to four week placements during the summer.
Afterwards, students are invited to write a reflective piece, with the experience being recognised on the transcripts. Financial support is provided for this scheme.
Careers Education
Employability modules embedded into the curriculum
Employability modules are embedded into the curriculum of several departments and form part of student timetables. Some modules are credit bearing and include contributions from Careers Services consultants and employers.
Other departments allow volunteering or work experiences to be assessed as part of degree earning credits, while some students work on research projects devised by employer partners. These programmes are all reviewed yearly between each department's Careers Liaison Manager and the Careers Service.
Employer engagement
Connecting our students with employers
Course engagement
Professionals regularly visit for course talks bringing with them case studies and perspectives from the workplace. They also conduct authentic assessment activities, such as workshopping Music composition projects, while in Geography students present their urban promotion plans for real cities to industry assessors.
Employers are also directly involved in curricula design and reform, with all Schools and some departments having active employer advisory groups, overseen by a Director of External engagement.
Careers engagement
Students can also engage with employers at our annual careers fairs, on our jobs board, as well as through employer devised competitions. Examples include the annual Dragon's Den competition or the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants business game where assessed presentations are based on challenges set by CIMA.
An employer engages students at a Careers event
Support after graduation
Personalised support up to six months after graduation
Our Careers Service continues to support all graduates up to 2 years after graduation with access to all of our careers events and 1:1 appointments. We also provide additional support to widening participation graduates with personalised phone calls in some cases about 8-10 months after graduation.
