1. Preparing for the Future? Employability and the student experience
Working collaboratively to support students’ career development learning and employability within the Society Joint Honours degree programme. 
Anna Butcher, Paula Benton, Peter Dove

2. Society Joint Honours
Students study 2 of a possible 5 part routes (Childhood Studies, Early Years, Guidance & Counselling, Disability Studies, Health in Contemporary Society)
Undergraduate degree programme which explores
how theory is applied to professional contexts
Students gain a breadth of knowledge whilst gaining
specialism in two distinct yet complementary subjects
Students explore a wide range of career options
Diverse student group with diverse academic and
career interests.

3. Graduate Destinations
Joint Honours full time students who left in summer 2011 went on to do the following:
Employment = 74.4% Blue
Further study = 15.1% Red
Unemployed = 7% green
Other = 3.5% (not available for work due to health, family reasons or travel) purple
A lot go into public sector, i.e. health, local authority, voluntary sector. Majority work NE.
Job examples: Craft Activity Leader, Short Breaks Children’s Worker, Adult Activities Facilitator, Youth Worker, Early Years Practitioner, Trainee Tutor, Clinical Audit Assistant, Support Worker, Residential Childcare Worker, HR Administrator, Project Worker, Victim Care Officer.
Further study includes teaching, social work, health professions (nursing, physiotherapy, OT), psychology, youth work.
Employment = 78.6%, Further study = 16.7%, Unemployed = 2.4%
Other = 2.4% (not available for work due to health, family reasons or travel)
Job examples: Childcare Facilitator, Student Support Officer, Civil Servant, Deputy Manager (retail), Residential Child Care Officer, Student Services Officer, Support and Development Worker, Student Support Worker.
Further study includes teaching, social work, health professions (nursing), Early Years studies (EYPS)

4. Employability throughout the curriculum
Enhancement activities
Fieldwork / observations / visits
Internships
Optional placement modules
Student practitioner forum
Core module (level 5/year 2, 20 credits)

5. Preparing for the Future
Career planning process: Self Awareness (reflect upon own journey, skills, values, experience) Career Exploration (concept of employability, career planning resources, career options and entry routes) Self Efficacy (graduate stories, motivational stories) Career Management (presenting self through presentations, mock interviews, CVs, networking, career planning, risk taking) Assessment Learning activity log, Reflective Account, Career Action Plan

6. Collaboration Module team (academic staff and careers adviser)
Guidance tutors
Alumni
Internal and external speakers
Admissions tutors

7. Student and staff feedback
Timely and efficient use of careers and employment service
Builds strong relationships with guidance tutors
Visiting speakers, alumni are popular
Students like the experiential
learning opportunities
(visits, mock interviews, CVs)

8. Contact Details
Paula Benton, Senior Lecturer, Society Joint Honours Tel: ; Anna Butcher, Careers Adviser, Careers and Employment Service Tel: ;