1. Represent your way to your career UPSU Course Rep Conference Wednesday 29 October 2014 Guy Townsin

2. Session overview  Definition of employability  Employability Skills gained from your CR role  What do employers want?  What can you offer them? Skills Audit  Case Studies - these skills in action!

3. Employability is....  a set of achievements, - skills, understandings and personal attributes – that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy  HEA, 2012, HEA, 2012,

4. How might you respond to...  Why are Course Reps important?  What is the role all about?  What aspects of the learning experience will will you represent?  What is in it for me?

5. The Learning Experience  Curriculum – subjects relevant?  Learning resources – appropriate to level of study?  Teaching – did the teaching methods used help you to learn?  Assessment and achievement – do you know how you will be assessed for each module? Receive feedback?  Student progression – do you find the support for employment and further study options helpful?

6. What is in this Course Rep role for me?  Create change  Meet new friends  Develop Employability Skills – technical/interpersonal/transferable  Proves you can juggle responsibilities  Looks good on the CV!

7. The Twelve (Skills) That Matter!  Networking  Public Speaking  Leadership  Time Management  Campaigning  Negotiation  Diplomacy  Problem Solving  Communication  Teamwork  Analytical skills  Organisational ability

8. Can you provide evidence for these skills?

9. Skills Audit – Activity 1 To:  Reflect on your current skills  Identify areas for development

10. Case Studies – Activity 2  What are the key issues?  Who will you raise these issues with?  What outcome do you want?  What are the employability skills you might be using when facing these issues?

11. What do employers want?

12. Graduate Academic and Employability Skills ‘The Portsmouth Graduate’ Management of self, learning and tasks  Study and self-management skills  Critical thinking and reflective skills  Problem-solving and creativity skills Management and communication of knowledge and information  Writing skills  Oral communication skills  Reading skills  IT/Information/Numeracy skills  Research skills Interpersonal skills  Team work  Leadership skills 12

13. Other skills expected by employers  Self- confidence, self-reliance, self management to cope with demand and change in workplace  Flexibility and adaptability to respond to change  Motivated, innovative, enterprising and creative  Initiative, resilience and risk-taking  Tact, diplomacy, being aware of other people’s status and concerns, conviviality  Commercial awareness

17. A service for students and graduates can help with any career or employment related issue

18. We are 4 teams InformationCareers RecruitmentEnterprise

20. Twilight Events  Cummins – 11 November (All degree disciplines welcome)  Philips - 13 November (Interested in meeting Technical and Business Students)  CSC - 20 November (All degree disciplines and will take International Students)  NATS - 27 November (For Business, Computing, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics students)

21. Contact us Purple Door University of Portsmouth 28 Guildhall Walk Portsmouth PO1 2DD 023 9284 2684 www.port.ac.uk/careers www.port.ac.uk/careers