Work Placement and Employability Skills

What are employability skills? There are many – these are the ones that Oxford University list as the top 10 Team working Communication (written and spoken) Leadership Problem solving Time management Commercial awareness Eye for detail Flexibility IT skills Taking the initiative

Why is it important to develop employability skills? In this competitive environment, the more employability and work skills that you can gain, the greater advantage you will have in achieving your career goal. It will also enhance your UCAS personal statement and CV, as well as increasing your knowledge and self-confidence. Some competitive University courses (e.g. Nursing, Medicine, Social Work, Teaching) require some demonstration of employability skills and work experience as part of their entry criteria

What ways can you develop your skills? Work experience Attend University open days Attend Industry visits Voluntary work Part-time work Enrichment activities Attending talks from guest speakers at college Register with Barclays Lifeskills and complete modules relevant to your career goal Explore the career software on moodle

Reasons to do work experience It can increase self-confidence in relation to your career aspirations. A recent report states that many young people believe that work experience helps to develop their employability skills and that around a quarter of students are offered part-time employment following a work experience placement. Work experience can particularly enhance the delivery of vocational subjects and this is something which many schools include for their post-16 students, providing them with regular work experience placements to practise and develop vocational subject As it has become an OFSTED expectation for vocational courses, you will be competing for jobs/university placements with other students who have work experience

Listen to what other Careers Advisors have to say The Careers Advisor

Why do it and what’s in it for you? Generic skills - experiencing work, including following working routines, working with adults, undertaking new tasks Understanding and developing employability skills Learning outcomes related to subjects - these are particularly relevant for students on vocational courses Contacts for the future – both part-time and full- time work Improve your employability and competitiveness

Consequences of not In this competitive climate, many people will have the same or better qualifications than you. What matters to employers is the additional work experience you have gained As it has become an OFSTED expectation for vocational courses, you will be competing for jobs/university placements with other students who all have work experience Universities value employability skills – how will you demonstrate these on your personal statement without work experience? Even if you can’t get a work placement in your chosen field, you can still gain valuable skills from any work experience

A student’s point of view Student at BBC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLh9YKJaDRk

Getting your work experience Students are encouraged to obtain their own placements, as this is valuable experience in itself. Complete the Work Experience Booklet so that you are ready and prepared Ask friends and family who work for large or medium organisations if you can have work experience in there organisations Identify organisations that you’d like to work for and write to their Careers or HR department – using a name where possible – contact at least 20 Calling in to organisations, in person, with your covering letter and CV Attend any available industry visits – they often offer work placements

Advice from a recruitment specialist The Recruitment Guy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCapOnFHsK0

How can I find out more? Complete the Barclays Lifeskills course to further develop skills and register for work experience with them (print out your certificate and take to Yaw Boachie, Work Experience Co-ordinator in the Careers room) Look at the Careers section on moodle regularly – particularly the Careers Bulleting which is updated regularly with new opportunities Visit the Careers Centre HE35 and use the resources to enhance your knowledge of careers Be prepared to be persistent – job hunting is not easy!