1. Stand out: Profiles in Employability
Vice Chancellor’s Teaching and Learning Conference
30 June 2017
Dr Alicja Syska
Learning Development Advisor for HPA, Historian

2. Stand Out Rationale, challenges, aims Praxis
Lessons learned and ideas for the future

3. Stereotypes about historians

4. Career opportunities for history graduates are very broad:
Myths
‘Real’ (corporate) world is faceless and dehumanising
History and the job market are incompatible (history is not a ‘useful’ subject)
Career opportunities for history graduates are very broad:
public historians, teachers, novelists, journalists, policy analysts, lawyers, curators, librarians, career counsellors, consultants, web designers, directors of foundations, bloggers, actors
A clear discord between what some history students believe about their futures and what is objectively the truth. When it comes to potential careers, history and reality seem to be disconnected. Consequence: disengagement from the notion of employability.
‘People’s level of motivation, affective states, and actions are based more on what they believe than on what is objectively the case.’ (Bandura 1995:2)

5. Aims
To bridge the gap between the generic approach to employability and the specialist focus on becoming a historian
To allow the students to appreciate how developing historical thinking and skills can prepare them for a range of careers
To help the students to experience, recognise and articulate these skills

6. Praxis
Stand Out!
Five Awards of Excellence based on five most desired skills: project management, communication, collaboration, research, digital competence
Support: PALS (peer support), LD (academic skills support), PDP (engagement with developmental planning)
 Employability as ‘skilful practices in context’ (Pedagogy for Employability Group, 2006) and ‘an approach to personal development and career planning’ (2012)

7. The website is not live yet, but it provides a good insight into the scheme and how it works.

8. Why didn’t it work?
We had a fancy booklet guiding he students in what to do and how to get the Awards; I recorded a little video explaining the scheme; I presented it in person to various groups of students… Somehow they didn’t immediately connect with it.
This is praxis at work!

9. Lessons learned & Ideas for the future
Name change
Keep it dynamic: add tasks, update challenges
Work more closely with Careers & Employability
Collect student testimonials
Visibility and promotion: students and staff
Make it relatable: historical profiles
The journey from Personal Enrichment Project to Stand Out!
Personal efficacy is significantly strengthened by ‘vicarious experiences provided by social models’ (Bandura 1995:3)

10. Profiles for Employability?
But what kind of profiles? The usual approach is to present celebrities with history degrees (e.g. University of Kent). But how far can the students really relate to them? I decided on a different approach.

11. These profiles will represent History staff’s research interests, bringing staff and students together while promoting lecturers’ specialisms.

13. Integrated: transferable
Students as partners: profiles
Smoothing transition: preparation
Integrated with the programme
Students can feel part of the larger body of scholars (students as partners)
Smoothing transition from student to employee through embedding career skills, individual support, etc.
Importantly, these skills are an integral element of becoming/training as a historian, not just some nebulous ‘transferable skills’. Seeing skills acquired via History will enable the students to gain greater confidence in their degree, especially its applicability, and to be more proud in what thy have to offer as well as more able to articulate it.

15. Thank you