1. The Lancaster Award: overcoming obstacles by adaption and engagement
Jo Hobbs
Diane Richardson

2. In the beginning……….. LA introduced in 2009
Feedback from employers suggested that students were failing to articulate the skills they had gained through extra-curricular activities
Intention was for first year students to start working towards the Award and complete in their final year.
98 final year student submitted in December 2009

3. Award Requirements 2 x Campus and Community 1 x Work experience
1 x Insight Course and 1 other workshop
1 x additional skills

4. Submission Procedure Activities Checklist Skills Bank Application form
Employer interview

5. Problems….. Students still completing in final year
Interviews were resource intensive
Applications not being marked until spring
Activities had a strong campus focus
Application procedure was complicated.

6. Review and Change Moved the deadline to penultimate year
Removed application form and interview
Compulsory voluntary activity
Online enrolment
Moodle module
More rigorous marking of the
Skills Bank
Example image

7. Award Submissions Figures not improving
Thematic review – could make more of the Award
Pressure to increase numbers

8. Award Revamp Points-based Three tiered Workshops no longer compulsory
New assessment elements
More flexibility
Wider appeal
Example image

9. Redevelopment of the Award
Points-based with three tiers:
Not compulsory to do an activity per category
Workshops optional (to gain additional points)
Different levels of Award (Bronze, Silver, Gold) – not all students will want to a complete video interview (Bronze)
Increased flexibility
More relevance
Wider appeal

10. Redevelopment of the Award
New assessment elements:
Feedback indicated that students wanted Lancaster Award to include an interview component. Not feasible for the team to complete several hundred face-to-face interviews. Link to growth of video interviewing.
In keeping with current recruitment trends

11. Promotion and engagement
Online:
Website
Social media
Visual:
Posters
Leaflets
Newsletters
Promotional goods
Events:
Open Days
Freshers’ Fair
Careers Fairs
Coffee mornings
Branded goods
Posters
Website
Social Media
Ceremony
Careers Fairs
Freshers’ Fair
Colleges

12. Value Need to engage university staff
Departments
Professional Services
Students’ Union
Ensure that we are preparing students for the recruitment process
Demonstrate the value of the Award to all students
Students must understand that the value of the Award is not the certificate.
Staff engagement – improve DLHE
Employers – 21st century recruitment
Students – practice for wow

13. Management and Delivery
Management of Award:
Currently 1,117 students registered for Lancaster Award
Lancaster Award team itself is comparatively small – it is managed by Diane along with 4 Careers Advisers
LA Questions – managed inbox for LA queries
Improving delivery efficiency:
Online enrolment for students
Online workshops – introductory session used to run twice weekly
More online guidance sheets
Number of students registered by staff
1117
Delivered with limited resources
Electronically
Move presentations online

14. Submissions and Deadlines
Moved deadline to end of penultimate year.
Deadlines are set a year in advance
Reminders are sent out throughout the year
October deadline for placement / year abroad students
Extensions permitted in exceptional circumstances
Deadline is an important element of the Award process.
Deadlines are set a year in advance
Made aware – Moodle and intro
Reminders – throughout the year
Do make allowance for year out students
Extensions permitted in exceptional circumstances

15. Application Standards
Improving submission standards:
Run skills workshops and STAR sessions
Example competency answers from previous students
Offer practice video interviews/run webinars on LinkedIn
Information guides on Moodle
Can discuss queries at drop-in sessions
One skill check
Students who do not pass on first attempt can resubmit once

16. Lancaster Excellence
Students who achieve an ‘excellent’ grade at first attempt are eligible to apply for ‘Lancaster Excellence’.

17. Assessment
Marking:
Transparent marking guidelines for written and verbal responses are shown on the Moodle page
Graded either: Poor, Further work required, Competent or Excellent
CV/LinkedIn marked as either Pass or Fail and individual feedback is provided
How strict should marking be?
Detailed feedback
Transparency in marking. Guidance on Moodle.
We don’t want to pass rubbish. Maintain value
Deadline works for us.

18. Assessment
Applications mainly submitted in June so we have time to provide in-depth feedback for all applicants – this is the real value of the Award
Maintain value of Award by not simply passing everyone who submits
We will fail students on 2nd submission if feedback has been ignored
Majority of students who do not achieve Award are those who failed to resubmit following extensive feedback

19. Future Plans Introduction of department specific elements
Moving more on-line
Possible move to strength based interview questions to complement the current focus on competency questions
Engagement with students on
industrial placement degrees
Strengths based interview
Department specific elements
Moving elements online
Changing the pathway for placement students

20. Lancaster Award Ceremony