1. Employability: How uk universities prepare STUDENTS for career success
Rebecca Joyce – Employability Advisor at Aston University
Michael Do Thoi – IB Alumni and current international student

2. How UK universities prepare students for career success
Introductions
Overview of the Graduate Market for 2015
Industry relevant courses and professional qualifications
Opportunities to stand out from the crowd
The Aston placement year
Careers service
Question and answer

3. Rebecca Joyce 10 years experience of providing IAG at pre-entry level
Employability Adviser
10 years experience of providing IAG at pre-entry level
Engaging with schools, colleges and prospective students to
support pre-entry careers advice
Current students supporting them with their career journey and
embedding employability into the teaching curriculum

4. Michael Do Thoi Malaysia and the latter half in Germany
Spent the first half of my childhood in Vietnam and
Malaysia and the latter half in Germany
Worked and travelled in Australia and Vietnam after
graduating with an IB Diploma in 2012
Currently a 2nd year BSc Business and Management
student at Aston University
Recently lived in Berlin for three months interning at
Zalando, a multinational e-commerce fashion retailer
Will be spending the next academic year studying
abroad at Queen’s University in Kingston Canada.

5. The 2015 Graduate Market Source: High Fliers Survey, The Graduate Market in 2015
Employers will create 8.1% more entry level vacancies in 2015
Largest growth in vacancies, are in;
public sector
accounting and professional services firms
banking and finance employers
high street retailers
Armed Forces
Average graduate starting salary is
£30,000

6. Graduate Salaries 2015

7. Current employability market in the UK

8. Industry relevant courses
Close links with employers and industry
A leading provider of professional courses
- Accountancy
- Architecture
- Engineering
- Law
- Medical related professions
Courses accredited by professional bodies e.g. ACCA, CIM, IET, IMA
Work closely with regulators such as General Optical
Council (GOC)

9. Opportunities at university to stand out from the crowd
Extra-curricular activities
part time work
Summer internship and placements
sports clubs and societies
mentoring schemes
university student ambassador
volunteering
languages for all

11. Graduate recruiters…..
have confirmed that 31% of this year’s entry level positions are expected to be filled by graduates who have already worked for their organisation, either through paid internships, industrial placements or vacation work.

12. Helping students to stand out in the crowd

13. Aston University

14. Aston University

15. Aston University
UK top 35 Universities

16. Aston University Leading university for graduate employability
“You will struggle to find a university more keenly attuned to the needs of business and industry”
The Sunday Times University Guide
77.1% graduates in positive destinations

17. The Aston Placement 73% of students undertake a placement
A full year of graduate level work experience in the UK or Overseas
opportunity to study abroad at a partner institution
top 4 in the UK for number of students that secure a placement
open to students of all degree disciplines
integrated into the degree programme
heavily subsidised fee of £1,000
decades of experience and employer contacts
20% of students take an overseas opportunity
100% compulsory placements by 2020

18. A sample of Aston’s placement & graduate recruiters….
13,049 Placement opportunities for

20. Study abroad with a partner university

21. Study abroad with international partner universities

22. Study placement One year at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada
Opportunity to study additional modules
No additional fee
Networking and developing professional connections
Travelling

23. Why International students choose Aston

24. Benefits of a placement
an opportunity to try out your chosen career path
improves transferrable skills
provides vital skills to make students more employable
earning potential
better degree classification
secure a graduate level job
is highly valued by employers

25. Aston Careers and Placements team
Subject specialist for careers and placement support
Dedicated UK or International placement co-ordinator
Award winning placement team

26. Supporting students with their career success
Mock interviews
One to one careers support
Employers on campus
CV and cover letter checks
Online chats
Employability embedded into the curriculum
Central workshops

27. Summary Healthy graduate recruitment market
Students need to take advantages of the opportunities available to them
31% of this years entry level positions are expected to be filled by graduates who have already worked for the organisation
Market themselves effectively to potential employers
Engage with the careers departments and support staff

28. Thank you for listening.
aston.ac.uk/careers