Employer Case Study: Southampton City Council -Arts & Heritage Career Destinations Richard Carruthers July 12 th 2011

2 Contents Project Rationale Heritage Interpretation Projects: –“Walk the Walls” –“Loans Boxes” Project Successes and Future Developments

3 Project Rationale The University of Southampton is devoted to enhancing the employability of all our students at all levels including Postgraduate Research (PGR). Career Destinations, our careers service, provides advice, information and work-based opportunities for all students and researchers. With regard to our PGRs our work is supported and promoted by the Faculties and Researcher Development and Graduate Centre (RDGC) to reflect areas of the JSS2001 and RDF2011. Many of our A&H PGRs wish to pursue careers outside of academia however many lack necessary experience sought by employers or fail to link their experiences to key skills outside of HE. Internships, project work and volunteering activities have been sourced to better assist PGRs to develop and demonstrate their transferable skills in a non-academic sector.

4 Project Rationale Internships provide excellent opportunities for PGRs to engage with business processes and opportunities to reflect on skills. The Arts & Heritage department at Southampton City Council were approached by Career Destinations to discuss potential project work for PGRs within the Faculty of Humanities. Key considerations in reviewing potential projects: –Projects must be of value to the host (have an long term impact) –Project must have a degree of flexibility (part-time work etc.) –Projects ideally have an element of public engagement Various funding models have been explored. Working with local authorities we utilised the University of Southampton Student Centeredness Fund (SCF) to supplement internship costs.

5 “Walk the Walls” One-off 10 week project (Autumn 2010) to draft new tourist information panels for the city walls. The appointed intern was tasked with compiling material and text relevant for a family audience and was mentored by project lead Gemma Winterton (SSC Learning Outreach Officer) and Dr A. D. Russell (SSC Ancient Monuments Officer). *Vitae report to be published July 2011 on the outcomes of this project collaboration.

6 “Loans Boxes” Several short part-time projects (October 2010 – June 2011) to create themed outreach materials for use in schools, community groups and museums. The appointed interns were tasked with creating themed historical collections with interpretive cards. The interns were given access to the city archives and mentored by Gemma Winterton (SCC Learning Outreach Officer).

7 Project Success & Future Developments Several of our PGR interns are now volunteering with the Southampton City Council Arts and Heritage department on completion of their internships and all have identified key skills developed through these projects. These two heritage projects are just part of the investment occurring in Southampton's heritage. Many tourist attractions are seeing investment as part of city wide developments in our “Old Town”. Currently we are opening negotiations with local businesses to part fund future initiatives; i.e. bars, restaurants and shops within “Old Town” are being encouraged to contribute towards project costs and in return should see reinvestment in their local area and hopefully an increase of customers.

Career Destinations Bldg 37, Student Services Centre