Career Management Skills in Higher Education Glen Crust Careers Adviser The University of Plymouth

Career Management in HE Why is career management important? What is career management? How are learning opportunities provided? Who does what? What happens if nothing happens?

Is career management important?

University’s customer University’s raw material University’s product University’s shop floor worker

Role of the graduate in the job market Salesperson

Graduates “Salespeople” Selling the Graduate “Product” in the Labour Market The “salesperson” mistakenly believes they understand what the “product” can do The “salesperson” has a patchy understanding of who could buy the “product” The “salesperson” decides to sell the “product” to the wrong people The “salesperson” has underdeveloped marketing plans, marketing materials and face-to-face sales technique D O S T i

Career Management Skills D O S T Decision making (matching you with the best opportunities) Awareness of opportunities (occupations, employers, etc.) Skills for making the transition (CV writing, interview skills, etc.) Awareness about yourself (your aptitudes, skills, etc.) i

Career Management in HE What am I going to do? –AGCAS Career Management BenchmarkAGCAS Career Management Benchmark –Learning Outcomes for each of the career management SODiT themes How am I going to do it? –HEA Employability ResourcesHEA Employability Resources –A searchable database of resources

Three Broad Approaches Career management day Career management module Embedded through the programme

Career Management Day(s) Planned and delivered with Careers Service Can cover major career management issues when –Delivered throughout programme –Starting in Stage One Excellent preparation for –Embedded career management learning opportunities –Career management modules Raises student awareness of career management Begins collaborations: recent graduates & employers Familiarises academics with student career management learning

Careers Module Any programmes Compulsory module linking –Academic themes –Discipline themes –Career management themes Could be based around –Skills or personal development module –Entrepreneurship or work based learning

Embedded Learning Opportunities Very flexible approach In any programme –Linked to most appropriate content –At most appropriate stage –Assessed within existing modules May focus on –Work-based learning –Self employment and entrepreneurship –Personal development planning & skills –Tutorials –Academic modules

What Happens if Nothing Happens? A burden of responsibility?

Code of Practice for the Assurance of Academic Quality & Standards in HE 1.Postgraduate research programmes 2.Collaborative provision and flexible and distributed learning (including e-learning) 3.Students with disabilities 4.External examining 5.Academic appeals and student complaints on academic matters 6.Assessment of students 7.Programme design, approval, monitoring and review 8.Career education, information and guidance 9.Placement learning 10.Admissions to higher education

Section 8: Career Education, Information & Guidance This section of the Code also stresses the importance of integration, coherence and internal collaboration as part of an institution-wide commitment to preparing students for their future career. This should be reflected in the institution's teaching and learning strategy and should include links between CEIG services and academic departments, personal tutors, admission tutors, placement tutors, student employment job shops, and other student support and welfare services.

What Happens if Nothing Happens? This is not youThis is your college

Influencing Policy Makers The college has a problem / opportunity Our graduate employment data is on-line –Through the TQI website –UCAS applicants read the data Some graduates enter low-skilled, low-paid work –From all UK HE institutions QAA says this is an institutional problem The careers service knows how to improve –Graduate destinations –Student recruitment

Influencing academics & engaging students

Selective disclosure Graduate underemployment Undergraduate complacency

2006 Graduates 6 months after completing their degrees

Aggreko Administration Assistant £10,000

Amey Lafartge Admin Liaison Officer £14,000

Apollo 2000 Delivery Driver Salary not disclosed

Aqua Leisure Assistant Manager Salary not disclosed

Billabong Office Manager £14,000

BTCV Project Administrator £10,000

Bucks Community Action Rural Housing Enabler Salary not disclosed

Calshot Activity Centre Field Studies & Activity Instructor £11,000

Cambridge City Council Data Capture Officer £15,000

Cheviots Children's Centre Care Assistant Salary not disclosed

Child Support Admin £12,000

City Analytical Services Lab Technician £11,000

CO-OP Cash Office Manager £12,000

Message for Academics Some of your graduates enter –Rewarding graduate level employment –Low-skilled, low paid work Would you like to work together –To improve your graduates’ employability? Let’s have a look at –What you’re already doing –Three possible approaches to the work

Message to Students These graduates studied your course Clearly your university experience can enable you to enter –Rewarding graduate level employment –Low-skilled, low-paid work Would you like to work together –Through your programme –To improve your employability?