ulster.ac.uk Student Partners as Mentors Enriching the Placement Application Process Staff Partners: Michaela Black, Dave Bustard Student Partners: (Placement) Chloe Kernohan, (2 nd Year Mentors) Jennifer Boden, Daniel Boyd, Patrick Flynn and Graham McCalmont.

Our Aim: Outline the School of Computing & Information Engineering model for enriching students’ engagement with the placement application process by using successful applicants as peer mentors Objectives: 1.Employment preparation in year 1 2.Placement preparation in year 2 3.Problems arising within the year 2 model 4.Introduction to the mentoring scheme (6 weeks) 5.Feedback from students

Aim: Early preparation and ground work carried with personal development enabling production of a professional portfolio and CV Employment Preparation in 1 st year Strengths Areas of Improvement Action PlanSample CV’s Students write and submit their own CV Student receives feedback on their CV Peer mock interview process (week 6) Advisor of Studies meetings focus

Importance of Starting in Year 1 Students are provided with a series of opportunities for personal skill development throughout year 1 Microsoft Imagine Cup Kainos App Camp Android Showcase Belfast Hackathon Tutoring in schools Critiquing their CV in year 1 Time and insight for what will be expected of them in the placement application process Identify areas of improvement and seek opportunities early

Placement Preparation in Year 2 Gaining Placement Lecturers CV Preparation Interview Advice Guest Speakers

Placement Preparation in Year 2 Semester 1: Student CVs to be submitted via BBL every 2 weeks until approved Approval is by Studies Advisors, who will meet with students for feedback & support between submissions Peer mock interview process (week 3) supported by studies advisors Ongoing support and encouragement in job search Semester 2: Ongoing support and encouragement in job search Studies Advice: CV & job search review to be standing items on all studies advice meetings Ask students to bring the following to each meeting: – current copy of CV – list of job applications submitted and outcomes

Our Placement Game Class divided into groups of ~10 Registering for MyPlacement (5pts by Week 2; 3pts by Week 3) CV approval (10pts descending) Applying for a job by the end of October (20pt bonus) Applying for a job (100pt for 1st job; 50pt for 2nd job; 33pt for 3rd job... i.e. 100/no of job applications) Mock interview (up to 10pts) Interview attended (300pts for 1st, 150pts for 2nd; 100pts for 3rd...i.e 300/no of interview) Job secured (600pts if obtained by January, then reducing by 100 each month after that) Once you have a job, you can register to support someone else in your team as a 'buddy', earning an extra 20% of their points Results presented every week

Placement Progress Placement Opportunities start September Applications start slowly – 86 Students February 15% Successfully placed 79% seeking placement 6% exempt from placement April 32% of cohort successfully placed 62% seeking placement 6% exempt from placement Matches May 2014

Reasons for NOT Engaging Early with Year 2 Model Fear of job interviews Feeling underprepared Feeling as though CV’s are not ‘good enough’ Not understanding job descriptions Not confident in their abilities Fear of rejection

Introduction to the Mentoring Scheme Mentoring Scheme Mentors advertised and interviewed Mentors selected: Successfully placed year 2 students Mentors and Staff design sessions Weekly open meetings held by mentors to discuss anything brought up by the unplaced students Experiences shared and advice given Feedback session to staff Resources updated as needed

Mentoring Session Feedback Students wanted Mock interviews (one on one not group interviews) More intense review of their CV Aptitude test practice (sample papers and answers) More job opportunities (e.g. other sites to look as well as PACE) More preparation of frequently asked interview questions Sample technical interview questions Quicker feedback from companies to which they had applied Resources provided (6 weeks) Sample CV Interview advice The mentors' experiences with interviews Opportunity to their CV in for another review Opportunity to to ask for a mock interview (The latter two were very rarely used and not taken advantage of)

Feedback from Students “The scheme helped me to communicate better” “Main issue with the sessions was a lack of attendance” “Give people the boost they needed in order for them to feel more confident about getting placement” “Less worried about an interview” “Giving them tips and really telling the truth about the interview process” “Increased my confidence”

Conclusion We need to dispel the fear of rejection and low confidence in students regarding placement earlier! There is enhanced student engagement with this mentoring model It needs to begin earlier in Semester 1 Recruit mentors earlier Engage final year students who have just returned from placement in semester 1 Grow mentoring team as students succeed The Game needs an ambassador