1. www.exeter.ac.uk/employability The Exeter Award Jon Boyes Exeter Award Programme Manager AGCAS Task Group Skills Awards Webinar, February 2013

2. Background and purpose To provide students with: A systematic framework to gain relevant skills and experiences An opportunity to gain recognition for their extra-curricular activities An opportunity to practice for the recruitment and selection process without risk Launched 2008, reframed to reflect graduate recruitment process 2011 Managed by EGD, partnership with Student Guild

3. Register 35 hours work experience or volunteering CV/Application forms session Personal development skills session 2 X Options Online mock job application form The Interview Experience Booking becomes available when form has been marked and feedback reviewed Becomes available when above sections completed Exeter Award Structure

4. The Exeter Leaders Award Complete Exeter Award & register Leadership role Mock Interview OR Understanding Psych. Testing Leadership Skills session Application form Presentation to Panel Managing People Skills session CSR OR Sustainability OR Commercial Awareness Booking becomes available when form has been marked and feedback reviewed. Becomes available when above sections completed

5. Engagement levels Exeter Award 5162 currently registered 1908 new registrations this academic year so far 560 completions in 2011 Leaders Award 228 currently registered 70 completions 2011

6. Engagement strategy Employability is high priority for UOE Careers service has undergone radical re-organisation and investment Moved from reactive model to proactive model Question for us is not ‘how do we get more students to engage with the award’ it’s ‘how do we ensure all students are doing what they need to do’..to ensure graduate level employment Exeter Award is just one of many initiatives that (hopefully!) seamlessly integrate with one other

7. The Exeter approach – start early!

8. Challenges Resourcing a mass engagement programme (e.g. Delivery, Administration, Verification of student activity..) Competing for attention with other UOE initiatives Attendance at sessions

9. Meeting the challenges Resourcing a mass engagement programme –Delivery partnership working (Employers, alumni, Colleges, PGs) investment in careers service staff – permanent & interns –Administration ‘light touch’ design verification - bar code scanners, sampling IT infrastructure & automation (Career Hub) Competing for attention with other UOE initiatives –integration: Partnership working at all levels –award marketing plan Attendance –event reminders, notification of non-attendance, penalties

12. Marketing the Award to students Open days Web pages – ours and connected activities Career Hub (student careers info portal) Leaflets, posters, balloons etc., Campus plasma screens Stalls at events Via 321s and eXFactor (all 1 st years hit twice) Adverts (student newspaper, careers brochures) E-newsletters Via Student Guild

13. Take away advice (i) Ideology - from the outset be clear what your award is about and why you are doing it (ii) Integration - ensure integration with other University initiatives by working in partnership (iii) IT - to manage high levels of engagement, invest in your IT infrastructure...carefully!