1. Developing an employability strategy that delivers measurable impact
Gary Argent
AGCAS Annual Conference, 3rd September 2015

2. Aims for this afternoon
Look at why we should have an Employability Strategy
Think about how to design it, develop it, share it and refine it
Consider six questions that will inform your Strategy

3. A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim*
Why have a strategy?
A plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim*
A good strategy helps to:
Clarify your purpose
Align a team’s efforts and prioritise activities
Track progress, highlight problems and demonstrate success
An Employability Strategy helps a university to:
Demonstrate an institutional focus on employability
Encourage purposeful collaboration
Show others how your work makes an impact
* Oxford English Dictionary

4. Developing a strategy
Analyse
Develop
Refine
Share

5. Analyse: From Here to Where?
Who are our stakeholders and how do they view us?
Where are we now and where do we want to be?
What is unique about our situation?
How will we be judged?
Analyse
Refine
Develop
Share

6. Choose two stakeholders: what are the main things that drive them?
Who is watching you?
Exercise
Identifying your stakeholders and understanding what is important to them.
Choose two stakeholders: what are the main things that drive them?

7. How do stakeholders view us: the employer perspective
What would employers say your strengths and weaknesses are?
Where are they right?
Where are they wrong?
How can we improve mutual understanding?
Analyse
Refine
Develop
Share

8. Exercise How do employers see us?
Understanding how your stakeholders view you right now.
How would employers describe your institution?
Where are they right, and where are they wrong?

9. Understanding your stakeholders
What are their drivers?
How do they view the service?
Perceptions that need to change?
How will they define success?
Senior Management
Students
The team
Employers
Prospective students / parents
etc….

10. How did this look @ City? Stakeholder What are their drivers?
How do they view the service?
Perceptions that need to change?
How will they define success?
Senior Management
New Vision for City
Comparator list
VC’s Big-6
Reactive, small, good employer links, isolated, invisible
“A place to get your cv checked”, breadth of careers activities
Sunday Times GUG
QS Global Rankings
DLHE & NSS
Students
The team
Employers
Prospective students / parents
etc….

11. Developing the strategy: plotting the journey
Setting objectives
Identifying your strategic themes: general and specific
Reviewing resources, managing expectations, measuring progress
Analyse
Refine
Develop
Share

12. Exercise What are your themes? Defining your strategic themes.
What are the general themes for your employability strategy?
What other themes might be more specific to your institution?

13. What did we have @ City? Strengths Weaknesses Strategic Themes General
Industry links & Tech City
Distributed activities
Vocational courses
Senior visibility
Diverse student priorities
Lack of CCs
Careers Hub
Tech City
Strengths
Weaknesses
Unitemps
DLHE collection
Campus noise
Big name unis nearby
Marketing & DARO
Outreach in Careers
Lack of awareness / late engagement
General
Specific
Engage early, but avoid overload
Employability as a collaboration
Strategic
Themes
The value of extracurricular activities
Unique place on the student journey
Careers guidance vs. CV checks
Measurement, beyond DLHE

14. An example Employability Strategy
Widening Participation  Pre-joining messages
Induction & Orientation  Working with academics
Early
engagement
Where do I want to be? 
Personal skills audit
A plan to get there
Employability modules
Feedback & annual report 
Data Dashboard
Key Performance Indicators
Review &
improve
Aspirations
& plans
Record
&
reflect
CVs and applications 
Interview technique
Assessment centers
“What’s Your Story?”
On the course 
Extracurricular activities
Part time jobs
Volunteering
Prepare for
assessment
Develop
your skills
PDP  Skills Award
HEAR
Taster sessions 
Internships
Placements
Start-ups
Employers on campus 
Alumni
Professional networks
Make
introductions
Industry
experience

15. Sharing the Strategy How should we tell the story?
Who do we need agreement from, and who might object?
What is your core message?
How can a compelling story help with delivery?
Analyse
Refine
Develop
Share

16. Making your message memorable
“Made to Stick: Why some ideas take hold and others come unstuck”
Chip and Dan Heath, Arrow, 2008
Simple
Unexpected
Concrete
Credible
Emotional
Stories

17. What is your core message?
Exercise
Identifying your core message.
What is the single most important message in your employability strategy that you want to make stick?

18. Sharing @ City A clear definition of employability
A simple core message
A “Fundamental Concepts” elevator pitch
Raising aspirations while setting expectations….
Activities in black are happening already
Activities in orange are happening to some extent, but need further development or additional resource
Activities in red are aspirational and not yet happening at City

19. Refining the strategy Tracking throughout the year
Reporting at year end
Highlighting achievements
Showing that you listened
Analyse
Refine
Develop
Share

20. A data dashboard School of Engineering Guidance Appointments Oct-14
Booked
Attended
No-show
First Year
192
176
8.3%
117
111
5.1%
Second Year
204
199
2.5%
191
188
1.6%
Final Year
251
241
4.0%
263
8.4%
Postgrad 98 92
6.1% 91 79
13.2%
Total
745
708
5.0%
662
619
6.5%
Employer events
501
343
31.5%
447
320
28.4%
767
667
13.0%
810
698
13.8%
1121
903
19.4%
1188
902
24.1%
881
735
16.6%
805
668
17.0%
3270
2648
19.0%
3250
2588
20.4%

21. How would you like to be measured?
Exercise
Identifying ways to measure your performance.
What are your senior team’s Key Performance Indicators?
What would you like your Key Performance Indicators to be?

22. How did I demonstrate progress @ City?
Be regular
Weekly updates, monthly dashboard, annual report, ROI
Be eye catching
Worked with Central Marketing, lots of stories, celebrate collaborations
Be persistent
Consistent messages, well briefed team, well briefed boss
Be innovative
The student engagement index

23. Today, you have started to write your strategy
What drives your stakeholders?
Is their perception of what you do accurate? What needs to change?
Can you draw on best practice elsewhere to inform your strategy?
How does the uniqueness of your institution influence your strategy?
What is the core message that will help you share the strategy?
What can you measure to demonstrate success?
Analyse
Refine
Develop
Share

24. Questions Gary Argent gary.argent@graduate-transitions.co.uk
@GraduateTrans