Exploiting Communications Technology Denise Blake University of Manchester & UMIST Careers Service

Overview  Background  Outcomes  Trends  Forthcoming Features  Any Questions

Background The development of a premier website to address the fact that… “Black and Asian graduates are twice as likely to be unemployed six months after graduation that their white counterparts”

Outcomes Improving Employability  Student & Graduate on line careers resources  Application Skills  Interview Skills  Networking & Assessment Centre Skills  Employer profiles & Graduate profiles  Graduate vacancies  Career Enhancement opportunities

 Networking forum for geographically dispersed UK Black & Asian students  Links to a wide range of sites  BBC: iExtra, Asia Network  Asian Jobs  Black Britain  Attendance at Careers Fairs  CRE  Media publicity: The Guardian Outcomes Improving Employability

 Support HE Careers Services nationally  Banner link to all HE Career Services websites  Publicity material to all HE Careers Services  Spring/Summer B & A seminars to Careers Service staff Outcomes Improving Employability

Outcomes Supporting Employers Provide an on line resource to enable employers to promote their organisation & recruit Black and Asian graduate talent & share good practice in equality & diversity

Outcomes Supporting Employers  Key Strategies  Recruiting Black & Asian students  Recruitment case studies: Sharing good practice  Employer Profiles  Graduate Employer Profiles  Advertising Graduate Vacancies

Trends…  TOP 5 Pages March Home page 2.Recruiters home page 3.Graduate vacancies 4.Recruiting Black & Asian students 5.Employer profiles  TOP 5 Pages October Home page 2.Graduates home page 3.Graduate vacancies 4.Eg Covering Letter 5.Student’s home page

Trends…  March –October 2002  Hits up by 150%  Visits up 118%  Unique user up 191%

Key Lessons Learnt  Flexibility of product  Invaluable web/ IT infrastructure & expertise  Constant dialogue with target users crucial  ‘Product Freshness’  Targeted marketing & challenges of data protection guidelines  Meeting demands of the ‘just for me’ culture

Forthcoming Features…  ‘My Black & Asian Grad’  Features include:  Vacancies via  Access to register for events targeted at your University, region, ethnicity  Access to projects targeted at your University/region

Forthcoming Features  Creative marketing  Students Ambassadors?  Employer focused events’ listing  Bespoke Networking events?

Any Questions