1. Academic Advising for Employability
Contribution to Fresh Thinking on Personal Tutoring and Academic Advising: Towards New Models of Practice

2. Supporting academics to support student employability
HEA Strategic Enhancement Project: Student Employability Stream
(£10K funding)
Institution-wide group to develop guidance and resources to support academic advising for employability (‘non-vocational’ programmes)
The Group:
Faculty Academic Leads: Christine Rogers & Alison Fisher (MHS), Andrew Balmer (Humanities), Louise Walker (EPS), Keith Brennan (FLS)
Project Developer: Lily Freeman (MGIP & BA Econ Politics graduate)
TLSO: Louise Walmsley, Geoff Carter (wider AA Toolkit development), Patricia Clift-Martin (My Manchester & My Student Projects)
Directorate Student Life: Paul Redmond (Director), Tammy Goldfeld (Head of Careers), Andrew Whitmore (Head of Information, support & guidance)
Student, Alumni Representatives: numerous
Employer network: numerous

3. Advising Taught Students Policy
Updates and expands upon the Academic Advisor role agreed in 2008 (Personalisation of learning) – for UG and PG taught
Policy will be supported by an online ‘toolkit’ developed by TLSO
The role:
Reviewing assessments & achievements & giving guidance
Pastoral support – gateway to appropriate services
Preparation for life after graduation – reflect on skills; develop experiences; highlight resources; writing references
Clinical training requirements
Keep a record of discussions at each meeting and agree actions

4. Highlighting ‘Employability’ Roles
From “Principles of the Advising Role”:
Support the academic, personal & professional development of students, assisting them to develop skills for employment, entrepreneurship and global citizenship in a structured process that is clearly articulated
Be based on meetings and other contact between a student and advisor which are scheduled at regular points
Advisors are not expected to be the only port of contact, nor be experts in all areas, but should provide guidance, advice and signposting

5. Role of the University Support Advisors and Senior Advisors
Provide easily accessible information; guidance and training
Recognise performance in advising

6. Research
Conducted an audit on existing careers provision in the university
focus groups with current students
interviews with academic advisors and 1 focus group
focus group & interviews with recent Alumni
Every faculty has been represented

7. Common themes-Academics
Most want to help students, but do not feel qualified to offer careers advice
Although they realise students do need to think about careers, some academic advisors don’t think university should be about ‘churning out a workforce’.
Academics are keen to help students think about skills they have acquired
Many are not aware of university strategy or policy
Some do not believe it is part of their role to support employability
‘I feel personally we gear our education too strongly towards what employers want to see’

8. Common themes - students
Very mixed feelings on employability activities they have to do in the curriculum
General lack of awareness about the careers service
They would like more guidance from their academic advisors regarding future plans
Many don’t know what to do because they want to move away from their degree subject
Assumption that they will get a graduate level job after graduating.
Thinking about future is scary, and many do spend a lot of time thinking about future plans, without any progress
Some found it helpful, especially those who have placement years, others found it a waste of time.
Thik about future plans a lot, even if they can’t decide anything and it doesn’t et hem any closer to knowing what they want to do
However, this seems to be more from students that have a good relationship with their AA. Many who don’t would think AAs don’t hav time to talk about it or would find it weird because the AA does not know them.
Seems to be a lack of knowledge about differen specialist information the careers service can give you. Also a belief to go there you have to know what you want to do

9. Common themes - alumni
University is a business; cares about their employment stats
They wish they’d started thinking about careers earlier
They appreciated the value of employability activities more since leaving
Choosing what they want to do is one of the most difficult decisions they have had to make up to this point
When I challenged one person on this they said ‘some people care, individuals do but the university as a whole just sees you as a statistic’
Many said they did meed to start looking for jobs earluer, as as soon as thy leave uni they are unemployed.
Many said it would have been really helpful if someone had told them they should start thinking about it and had been pro active
Many would like to stiull be in touch with their academic advisors

10. Published Research: Employability & Student Engagement
What predicts ‘engagement’ in career-enhancing behaviours?
Having a ‘goal’ – identifying a career goal: can be broad (graduate job) or specific (HR management)
Being High in ‘Career Self-efficacy’ – I believe I can do the things I know I need to do
Being ‘conscientious’ – a personality characteristic associated with doing what is expected, and showing self discipline

11. Conclusions
Even if staff are not engaged with university strategy, they are genuinely motivated to help their students out
However, many academics don’t feel confident offering advice on student’s future plans
Many students often are daunted by thinking about careers, so tend to put off being pro active
These conclusions have influenced our philosophy…

12. Principles
Academic advisers are not recruiters or careers consultants.
Academic advising should make use of and not seek to reproduce the infrastructure around employability and the wealth of resources available to students via existing internal and external sources.
Academic advisers should draw on their knowledge of their discipline and their advisees to support students.
Employability is just one element of academic advising and so has to be developed within existing constraints on time, expertise, and so on.

13. Principles
Supporting students with employability should be as practical as possible.
Supporting students should be about helping them to reflect and to recognise the importance of working to develop their confidence in their employability.
The model must be flexible so that it can be adapted across disciplines and used with students who are more or less confident and engaged.
The model should be complementary to the My Future Framework.

14. Approach
To help shape how academic advisers support their students to progress in developing their academic skills, confidence, employability & wellbeing.
To provide academic advisers with simple, practical materials to help their students to progress.
To provide a framework for advising that both advisors and advisees understand and value

15. Discuss Prioritise Working Together Review progress.
Explore thoughts & feelings.
Provide support.
Identify options.
Agree actions.
Set deadlines.
Identify sources of support & back-ups.

16. Discuss Prioritise Implement Reflect Agree actions. Set deadlines.
Identify sources of support & back-ups.
Review progress.
Explore thoughts & feelings.
Provide support.
Identify options.
Working Together
Student’s Responsibility
Identify steps & barriers.
Make a precise plan.
Do it.
Review actions.
Recognise impacts.
Archive for future use.

17. Supporting Materials
Discuss
Prioritise

18. Supporting Materials
Implement
Reflect

19. Crucial Features
Cyclical, embeds reflection, emphasises development and progress, and is concerned with student’s experience of employability.
Supported by practical materials that are simple and quick to complete.
Clearly demarcates responsibility so that:
Academic advisers are responsible for helping the student to progress by encouraging them through discussions, encouraging them to set priorities, and checking-up on progress since the last meeting.
Students understand that they are responsible for taking action, finding sources of information and support, and building up a set of reflections that can be used in future contexts.

20. Embedding the toolkit within the broader support network
Implementation of the model – currently piecemeal – fully integrated in some Schools with Academic Adviser training
Supported by central ‘Teaching and Learning Support Office’ website resource - Academic Adviser Toolkit
Linked to ‘My Students’ Dashboard for Academic Advisers
Training included in our ‘New Academics Programme’

21. Contributors to Model
University of Manchester Colleagues: Dr Alison Fisher, Dr Andy Balmer, Dr Louise Walker, Professor Keith Brennan, Dr Paul Redmond, Lily Freeman