pricewaterhousecoopers llp (pwc) · pricewaterhousecoopers llp (pwc) is pleased to be involved ......

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) is pleased to be involvedwith the skills sessions which are part of the CardiffUniversity Skills Development Service (SDS).

‘The Skills Development Service (SDS) advises students on the skills that employers look for. These skills sessions are so valuable to students, not only to the interview process when applying for jobs but also for placements or work experience, like I found at PricewaterhouseCoopers. To have a certificate that says you have these skills gives you an edge in such a competitive environment. The skills sessions build on previous knowledge, teach you something new and enable you to network with a wide variety of people’ - testimony from former Cardiff University student and current PricewaterhouseCoopers employee, Jennifer Smith

To find out more about PricewaterhouseCoopers, a firm which in 2012 was voted the UK’s Top Graduate Employer for the 9th year running in the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers annual survey, visit www.pwc.com/uk/careers/ or call their free phone Careers Helpline on 0808 100 1500 (+44 (0)808 100 1500 if calling from outside the UK).

Foreword

supported by

P. 1 Acknowledgement and Student-peer trainers

P. 2 Welcome

P. 3 Course Information

P. 4 Why should I do an SDS course?

P. 5, 8-24 Certificate of Professional Development

P. 7, 15-19 Certificate in Health, Safety & Wellbeing

P. 7, 20-23 Externally-accredited Courses

P. 23 The Cardiff Award

P. 24 Enrolment

P. 26 Additional Skills Development Options

P. 32 Cardiff University Careers and Employability Services

Contents Page

supported by

The Skills Development Service is extremely grateful to the Development and Alumni Relations Division (DEVAR) at Cardiff University for its kind and generous offer of financial support. This has been used to provide funds for the student-peer trainer’s project for 2012-2013. It is unequivocal that without such funding, and the peer-training team it facilitates, the skills and employability training provision at the Students’ Union would not be able to grow and build upon the successes of previous years. We are now in a position to move forward with great anticipation for the future and the chance to create many more opportunities for students to develop their skills.

Many of the sessions which constitute the Certificate of Professional Development are delivered by student-peer trainers. These individuals come from a range of undergraduate and post-graduate courses, and have received specialist training in order to carry out this work. As a result of their input, we are able to offer a larger timetable provision this year than in previous years, and for this we are extremely grateful.

Opportunities to become a student-peer trainer for 2013-2014 will be announced during the 2013 spring term. We will be looking to recruit enthusiastic, gregarious and competent students who possess excellent presentation skills. If this role interests you and you would like to be considered to become a Student-Peer Trainer, please keep an eye on our Campus Groups pages for a recruitment call.

Acknowledgement

Student-peer trainers

1 | SDS - supported by

‘A degree alone is not enough. Employers are looking for more than just technical skills and knowledge of a degree discipline. They particularly value skills such as communication, team working and problem solving. Job applicants who can demonstrate that they have developed these skills will have a real advantage’ – Lord Digby Jones, former Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry

‘SDS courses are a great way to meet new friends and learn new skills which you will use for the rest of your life’ - testimony from Cardiff student

About the SDS

The Skills Development Service (SDS) provides a range of courses aimed at improving your transferable skills, building your confidence and increasing your employability potential. From targeted employability skills, such as how to become a great leader or deliver effective presentations, to specialised courses in subjects as diverse as British Sign Language and Self-defence Techniques, the SDS is dedicated to providing sessions and courses which will set you apart from other candidates in the employment market.

The Skills Development Service, formerly known as the Student Development Unit, was established in 1995 and has since then enabled countless students to improve their employment prospects through participation in sessions and courses.

The Skills Development Service Programme is a curriculum of essential ‘soft’ skills which are not only of benefit to you as a student, but are highly regarded by employers in today’s competitive jobs market.

Welcome to the Skills Development Service Programme 2012-2013

SDS - supported by | 2

Course Information

The SDS programme is broken down into three main areas- the Certificate of Professional Development, the Certificate in Health, Safety & Hygiene and Externally-accredited Courses.

The majority of SDS courses take place in the Students’ Union, although sometimes courses are moved to other University locations. Attendees will always be notified if there is a location alteration.

SDS courses/sessions take place throughout term-time during both daytime and evening slots. First Aid courses usually take place on Saturdays.

Eligibility

All current Cardiff University students on degree and post-graduate courses, including doctorates, are eligible to attend SDS courses and sessions. Additionally, Masters students who have completed their studies and are awaiting the results of their autumn dissertation may attend SDS courses and session in the autumn term.

Fees

All of the sessions and courses provided by SDS, apart from British Sign Language and First Aid, are entirely free of charge.

There are costs associated with the British Sign Language and First Aid courses due to instructor and certification fees.

Course leaders

SDS courses and sessions are led by a variety of people, including staff, specially-trained student peer trainers, University staff, outside instructors and the programme sponsor, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC).


There are so many great reasons to take part in the courses and sessions provided by the Skills Development Service. Here a just a couple for you to think about. Transferable skills are getting more and more valuable. In today’s economic climate, companies think incredibly carefully before they take on graduates and new recruits. Now that degrees are becoming the norm, it is additional skills such as communication, leadership and presentation skills which allow employers to differentiate from pools of exceptional candidates. Employers often cite a distinct lack of soft skills and awareness in graduates, so do them a favour and make yourself stand out!

Taking time outside of your studies to invest in your skills and develop yourself positively reflects very well on yourself. Potential employers like to look for qualities which set certain candidates apart from others, and are impressed when they see that individuals have taken the opportunities available to them to improve their prospects.

The vast majority of SDS courses are completely free. When you leave university, you will find that undertaking this kind of program will be extremely costly. It makes much more sense to take advantage of them now, rather than waiting until you really need them and have to pay.

SDS courses are a great way to meet new people and make friends. Group courses like the ones offered by the SDS provide the perfect opportunity to network in a fun and informal environment with people who have the same interests and ambitions as you.

The service provided by the SDS is unique – only a handful of other Students’ Unions across the country provide anything similar to the SDS. Make the most of your experience as a Cardiff student and use the opportunities which are available to you now – you’ll miss them when they’re gone!

Why should I do an SDS course?


Certificate of Professional Development (CPD)

There are three groups of skills in this scheme – Communication, Personal Effectiveness and Leadership. Each of these leads to a certificate that is signed jointly by the Vice-Chancellor of the University and the President of the Students’ Union.

To achieve a Certificate of Professional Development, you need to:• Attend and actively take part in the five core segments under each skill group• Complete an evaluation form after attending the fifth segment

You may work towards achieving all three groups if you wish. If you prefer not to attend all five segments, you may choose those which interest you, although no certificate is awarded for part-completion of a CDP.

Student testimony, upon completion of a CDP:

…Undertaking the CDP was very useful and I found that it could easily be fitted around my studies. Everyone involved was very friendly and approachable, and at no point was I afraid to participate. All in all, it was so worthwhile — not just in terms of gaining valuable skills but also meeting new people…

For a detailed break-down of the content of the CDP sessions, please turn to page 8.

Group A: Communication

Complete all 5 core segments, each of 2 hours duration:

1) Speaking & Presenting Stage 1 (theoretical aspects & preparation)2) Speaking & Presenting Stage 2 (practical presentations)3) Listening & Awareness4) Negotiation Skills5) Customer Communication Skills


Upon completion of this course, you will possess the necessary skills to conduct yourself verbally in the workplace. “Eighty percent of the people who fail at work do so for one reason: they do not relate well to other people.” Robert Bolton, author of People Skills.

Group B: Personal Effectiveness

Complete any 5 from the following 7 segments, each of 2 hours duration:

1) Problem Solving2) Teamwork3) Time Management4) Motivation5) Successful Networking6) Dealing with Perfectionism7) Commercial Awareness

Personal effectiveness is all about developing an effective get-up-and-go, ‘can do’ attitude. Upon completion of this course, you will possess the necessary skills to be able to co-operate and co-exist effectively in team settings, prioritise and utilise time more effectively, create drive and energy to fulfil goals, identify networking opportunities, activate realistic working practices and promote a self-assured business acumen.

Group C: Leadership

Complete all 5 segments, each of 2 hours duration:

1) Leadership Styles2) Coaching Skills3) Tackling Poor Performance4) Assertiveness5) Team Briefings (self-study format)

Upon completion of this course, you should possess the necessary skills to lead effectively and deal with the problems and issues which leaders face.

‘When selecting candidates, we look for people who will have a positive impact on others’ – Ed Fox, Barclays Bank.


Certificate in Health, Safety& Wellbeing

Complete any 5 from the following list of 2 hour sessions from the choices below. The certificate is jointly signed by the University Director of Registry and the Training & Development Co-ordinator of the Skills Development Service (SDS).

• Don’t Let the Worry Blues Get You Down – dealing with general anxiety

• How to manage anger & communicate effectively – dealing more effectively with angry feelings in yourself and others

• Under Pressure – dealing with stress

• Nightmare on Uni Street – surviving exam anxiety

• Sleepless in Cardiff – overcoming stress-related sleeping problems

• Overcoming Presentation Anxieties – learn to deliver presentations without the worry

• Self-Defence Techniques

• Food Hygiene & Safety

For a detailed break-down of the content of the Certificate in Health,Safety & Wellbeing, turn to page 15.

• British Sign Language (2 evenings weekly, October-March, 50 hours tuition, certificated by Signature)

• STEPS To Excellence For Personal Success – how to increase self-belief, raise levels of motivation and personal accountability & improve ability to set goals (5 x4 hour sessions, usually over Wednesday afternoons, certificated by the Pacific Institute)

• Emergency First Aid For The Appointed Person (6 hours)

Externally-accredited Courses


Group A: Communication

At the end of this section, students should be able to:• Prepare a short presentation• Deliver a short presentation• Demonstrate effective listening• Negotiate a settlement• Identify their own responsibilities in exceeding customers’ expectations

Upon completion of this course, you should possess the necessary skills to conduct yourself verbally in the workplace. “Eighty percent of the people who fail at work, do not fail due to their lack of technical skills but rather because of their inability to relate well to others” – Robert Bolton, People Skills (1986)

Good speaking and presentation skills are essential in all environments. Most graduate jobs today will require a presentation as part of the interview process, so these skills deserve to be mastered. This segment is comprised of both theoretical and practical areas. Stage 1 covers preparation, speaking techniques and overcoming nerves, while Stage 2 deals with the actual delivery of a presentation to a peer group. You will have the opportunity to practice using various resources and equipment to enable you to effectively convey your message to your audience.

N.B: If you attend the theoretical part of this session (Stage 1) but are unable to attend the practical element (Stage 2), you may use an individual presentation undertaken as part of your degree studies towards completion of this segment.

• CIEH Level 2 Award in Health & Safety (6 hours, certificated by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health)

For indepth information about the externally-accredited courses that theSDS offers, turn to page 20.

Certificate of ProfessionalDevelopment: Detailed Breakdown

Speaking & Presentation Skills (2 sessions)


Listening & Awareness

Negotiation Skills

Customer Communication Skills

Active listening is a somewhat undervalued skill, but its importance cannot be overstated. In this segment, you will learn to listen and engage effectively, which will help you in a multitude of ways during your professional life - whether you’re listening to colleagues, clients, or simply trying to follow the thread of a discussion during meetings. Moreover, in the short term your academic studies will benefit enormously from your heightened ability to listen and engage during lectures and tutorials.

Effective negotiation skills enable you to achieve the most favourable outcome in a range of scenarios. While now you may exercise your negotiation skills in order to get the best room in your student house, or persuade your tutor to defer an assignment deadline, in future, you may have to persuade a manager or client. This segment aims to improve your negotiation skills by looking at how to prepare your goals and take part in a negotiation situation.

The emphasis on communication skills relates to the growing importance of the customer. All businesses have customers, and being able to communicate the correct information in user-friendly language to both internal and external contacts is considered to be of vital importance to the service being provided. This segment concentrates on the part played by communication in meeting and exceeding customers’ expectations, thereby creating a lasting positive image.


Group B: Personal Effectiveness

At the end of this section, students should be able to:• Identify and utilise a range of problem solving tools and techniques• Co-operate and co-exist effectively in team settings • Create drive and energy to fulfil goals • Prioritise and utilise time more effectively• Identify networking opportunities

Problem Solving

What differentiates an optimist from a pessimist? The most successful organisations and individuals turn pessimistic thinking on its head by viewing problems as opportunities. In future, you will encounter situations where problems arise and you must deal with them effectively. This segment introduces you to a range of methods which help to identify the sources of problems, and provides both theoretical and practical advice to help solve them.

Teamwork

The ability to work effectively as part of a team is extremely important across a range of working environments. As a reflection of a growing need, teamwork projects are starting to be included in many undergraduate courses, enabling students to hone their team working skills in a safe environment before utilising them in the workplace. Effective team working takes place when the different qualities possessed by individuals are harnessed in order to achieve successful outcomes. This segment involves an interactive session during which you will have the chance to take part in a team challenge. This session will enable you to identify the range of roles required to make the ideal team, and provide you with the chance of reviewing how effective teams should work.


Motivation

Why are we able to accomplish some tasks with relish yet struggle to motivate ourselves to complete others? How can we be flexible enough to undertake responsibilities which we don’t like doing? This segment is an interactive journey designed to help you to understand how to create the drive and energy required to raise your standards and accomplish all tasks with enthusiasm.

Time Management

Ever wondered why you’re always doing that essay at the last minute or you’re always late for meetings? Time management is designed to help you prioritise and organise your life so you can get the most out of all your commitments. This segment will help you to identify poor time management behaviours and teach you techniques to harness your time and improve your productivity.

Successful Networking

Networking has been referred to as the ‘new way of working’ and is thus a critical skill that everyone should master. You will encounter situations in the future where you will need the confidence to sell yourself and the ability to ask the right questions at the right time. This segment will teach you how to recognise and quantify your assets, create a positive impression and maximise the opportunities to get yourself known by potentially influential people.


Dealing with Perfectionism

“When you aim for perfection, you discover it’s a moving target” - George Fisher

Are you frequently self-critical or disappointed in yourself? Do you have such high standards that you feel low, anxious or worried because you cannot attain them? This segment is aimed at equipping you with ideas and techniques necessary to gain a healthier balance in your life, and to help you to focus on achieving a high, realistic standard, rather than pressurising yourself to attain the unattainable.

This session is brought to you by the University Counselling Service.

Commercial Awareness

Put simply, ‘commercial awareness’ is the ability to view situations from a commercial perspective. It is an understanding of what makes any business or organisation successful and the factors that influence this success. Employees from all disciplines need to show business awareness of their market in order to perform satisfactorily in their role. This segment will teach you some simple steps which will enable you to become more commercially aware during your time at university, and impress potential employers with this knowledge when you enter the job market.


Group C: Leadership

At the end of this section, students should be able to:• Explain different styles of leadership• Identify and fill gaps in poor performance situations• Identify effective coaching techniques • Communicate in a more assertive fashion• Describe the principles and practices involved in team briefing

Leadership Styles

Leaders need to act in different ways depending on the situation they’re faced with. This segment covers the roles and functions of leadership, identifies the different types of leader which exist and shows you how to develop leadership qualities and characteristics in yourself.

Tackling Poor Performance

No leader likes having to confront an individual whose performance is below standard, and many handle these situations indifferently, resulting in poor working environments. However, approaching such scenarios diplomatically can improve colleague relations and boost staff morale. This segment looks at the delicate professional skills required in handling such situations in order to address the issue and bring it to a successful conclusion.

Coaching Skills

When you are coaching someone —whether or not you regard it as such— you are likely to develop a special relationship with the individual involved. This segment aims to help you mentor, motivate, and inspire others without harming their self-esteem. It will help you to develop sensitive skills and techniques which can be utilised to show someone that every little piece of effort is a significant step leading to greater achievement.


Assertiveness

Do you ever wish you had that little bit more assertiveness and self-confidence to be able to delegate or make yourself heard? This segment explores the different types of behaviours which can have an adverse effect upon personal and working relationships. It also aims to help to improve your confidence and enable you to state your point in a firm but assertive manner.

Team Briefing (Self-Study Pack)

More and more organisations recognise the value of passing on vital information to subordinates in an effective fashion. Team briefing is about good face-to-face communication between three parties – the manager, the team leader and the team. This segment covers the briefing process and explains how to select appropriate material for distribution within a team.



Certificate in Health, Safety & WellbeingAll sessions in this section are two hours in length.

Don’t Let the Worry Blues Get You Down

Dealing with general anxiety

Sometimes we find ourselves unable to focus on anything apart from our worries. It can feel impossible to think about anything else, and these worries can prevent you from being able to relax, switch off or sleep peacefully. This in turn leads to further frustration and worry about being unable to sleep, and falling behind on your studies – effectively, you find yourself trapped in a worry cycle.

This workshop will help you to understand the process that leads you into, and perpetuates, this worry cycle. You’ll be taught techniques and strategies to challenge these worrying thoughts and deal with your anxieties. You will be given useful tools including worry diaries and a ‘worry script’ which will help you to begin to regain control over your thoughts, thus enabling you to get a healthier, more balanced outlook on life.

While these techniques will be extremely valuable while you are a student, they will also serve you well once you graduate from Cardiff. By learning to think more calmly and worry less, you will enable yourself to handle the stresses and pressures of the work environment more effectively, thus increasing your employability.


How to manage anger & communicate effectively

Dealing more effectively with angry feelings in yourself and others

Anger is a natural emotional which we all experience in response to two main triggers: feeling frustrated or threatened, either physically or psychologically. The difficulty arises when we are unable to manage those feelings healthily, which can lead to us expressing our anger loudly and aggressively, or brooding on the cause of our anger, and seething inside for fear of the force of our anger if we let ourselves express it.

This workshop will teach you that instead of holding onto these feelings and building up an internal store of anger, you can deal effectively with situations that trigger angry feelings. You will also learn how to manage and express angry feelings in a healthier and more constructive way.


Under Pressure Dealing with stress

“What I fear most about stress is not that it kills, but that it prevents one from savouring life” - Jean-Louis Seven-Schreiber

Remember: stress is normal! We all need a certain amount of stress to help us to focus on our goals and identify what is important; after all, if we were completely relaxed all the time, we would not bother about meeting deadlines or prioritising tasks. Stress is a large factor of University and work life - so it’s important to learn how to manage it now. This workshop, which is delivered by qualified professionals, explores the triggers to stress, how you can avoid it and what to do when it happens.

Nightmare on Uni Street Surviving exam anxiety

Everyone finds exams scary – some people are just better at hiding it than others. Anxiety is a normal emotion to have when faced with the stress of exams. A little bit of anxiety can help to focus us on the task in hand, while too much overwhelms us and can be debilitating.

This workshop is designed to help you better understand the impact of anxiety upon your thoughts, feelings and physical behaviour. You’ll be taught effective strategies to gain control over your anxiety, enabling you to concentrate and think clearly when studying for and sitting your exams. The session will include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques to help you recognise and challenge unhelpful thinking patterns, and relaxation techniques to help you calm your body.




Sleepless in Cardiff

Overcoming stress-related sleeping problems

When you’re stressed and anxious (such as during the exam period), or adjusting to changes to your normal routine (for instance, embarking on a new experience like coming to University), it’s perfectly normal for your sleep pattern to be disturbed. Some people find that their sleep naturally sorts itself out when the stress is over or when they settle into the new routine or situation. However, others find themselves stuck in this disturbed pattern, which increases their stress levels and makes it more difficult for them to find the energy to get on with life.

The first part of this workshop is theoretical and will help you to increase your understanding of the effects of poor sleep, identify different types of sleep disorders, and explore the physical, emotional, lifestyle and environmental causes of sleep problems.

The second part will then focus on teaching you practical strategies to improve your sleep, including relaxation techniques, and help you to recognise and challenge unhelpful expectations and anxious thoughts surrounding sleep. It will teach you techniques to ‘re-train’ yourself to sleep properly and give you a series of useful sleeping tips, along with a list of books and websites for further reading and information.

Improving your sleep pattern will have a positive knock-on effect on many other aspects of your life. Being able to sleep properly will increase your energy and concentration skills and will help you to be at the top of your game in the workplace.

Improving your sleep pattern will have a positive knock-on effect on many other aspects of your life. Being able to sleep properly will increase your energy and concentration skills and will help you to be at the top of your game in the workplace.


Overcoming Presentation Anxieties

Learn to deliver presentations without the worry

It is perfectly normal to feel anxious or nervous at the thought of giving a presentation in front of your tutor and your peers, especially if this is something that you are not used to doing.

Although some people are better at hiding anxious feelings than others, we all feel nervous in these situations. Some of us get so overwhelmed by these feelings that we can’t concentrate on preparing for the presentation, and may even get so anxious that when we have to stand up and speak, our legs feel like jelly, our mouth goes dry and our mind goes blank. For some the anxiety is so great that they avoid giving presentations altogether, even if that means losing valuable grades.

This workshop is designed to help you to understand how your body reacts to anxiety. It will teach you the skills necessary to first identify the unhelpful thoughts that exacerbate and maintain the anxiety, and then challenge these thoughts and re-focus on to your strengths. You will also learn how to use relaxation techniques to help you calm your body down, in order to regain control of both your body and mind during stressful situations, such as giving presentations.

By learning to think more calmly and be more confident when delivering a presentation, you’ll arm yourself with a highly valuable skill which potential employers will find very attractive.




Food Hygiene & Safety

Poor food hygiene is responsible for countless episodes of stomach-related illnesses each year. This session helps understand problems such as cross-contamination and bacteria and promotes a positive and healthy approach to storing and preparing food. This session is especially popular with food and drink-oriented societies.

Self-Defence Techniques

This workshop aims to increase your awareness of potential dangers and introduces you to self-defence techniques which can be used to counter them. There are a great many simple actions which can be taken to defend oneself if an assault becomes physical. This session is delivered by a qualified instructor, who will take you through some practical exercises and then teach effective techniques designed to keep you safe and get you away from the assault. The session also aims to improve confidence and help you to remain calm if attacked.


British Sign Language Level 1

Always a popular course, British Sign Language Level 1 runs through three terms and gives students the knowledge and practical skills necessary to be able to communicate through the medium of British Sign Language (BSL), an officially-recognised language. The course is delivered by an external training provider, Community Learning Wales. It costs £120 in total (£50 tuition plus £70 examinations. If you completed this cost externally, the cost would normally be £200). There are a maximum of 20 places available on this course. If you are interested, please contact the Skills Development Service (details on page 26) for more information.

STEPs to Excellence

Hit an obstacle with an assignment? Worried about your career after graduation? Ever wondered how to raise your self-esteem and keep it there? If you’ve answered yes to any of these or would like to think in a positive way and change the way you live your life then you should sign up for The Pacific Institute® STEPS® course.

The STEPS® programme is designed to help students to unlock their potential by encouraging them to take a fresh look at their lives. It helps students to see how much they are truly capable of achieving and offers tools to help them make it happen. It enables them to realise that life is full of opportunities and shows them how they can pursue these opportunities with confidence.

Regarding employability, it enables people to take greater control of their work situation and to become solution focused. It also provides a common language of vision for achievement, which extends the range of possibilities for improving the quality of life, both within the workplace and beyond.

Externally accredited courses

Community Learning Wales

Addysg Cymunedol Cymru

21 | SDS

This course would normally cost approximately £200 if you completed it externally, but the Skills Development Service can offer it to you completely free of charge. All we ask in return is that you attend each session and actively participate in the whole course. For further details about this course, or to book your place, please contact [email protected].

This course is certificated by The Pacific Institute®

“The course content helped me to find out more about myself and how to use my potential more effectively to achieve my goals - at university, at work as well as in my private life” – Testimony from Cardiff student

Emergency First Aid for the Appointed Person

(1 session of 6 hours)

This course covers the essential basics of First Aid including CPR, bandaging etc. Certification, which is valid for 3 years, is awarded upon successful completion of course activities and assessment. The course fee of £20 covers the cost of tuition, resources and certification. If you are interested in taking part in this course, please contact the Skills Development Service([email protected]) for more details.


CIEH Level 2 Award in Health & Safety in the Workplace

(1 session of 6-7 hours)

The overall aim of this course is to give you the practical information and advice necessary to ensure that your work activities are carried out safely and hygienically, thus reducing risks of this nature to yourself and others. The course covers a wide range of topics and concludes in a thirty minute multiple-choice test.

This course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)

23 | SDS

The Cardiff AwardThe Skills Development Service is proud to be a part of the Cardiff Award.

The Cardiff Award provides Cardiff University students with an opportunity to gain official recognition for the learning acquired via extra-curricular activities. It aims to improve your employability, increase your self-awareness and will enable you to effectively sell yourself and your skills to future recruiters.

Through attendance at workshops, support from employers and actively engaging in extra-curricular activities, the Award will ensure you are better prepared for the world of work, ultimately making you more employable.

The Cardiff Award is a collaborative project and uses expertise from industry, University Schools and the Students’ Union, this ensure it meets the needs of students and recruiters.

“As a student of Cardiff University you will develop many marketable, work related skills and attributes both through pursuing your degree scheme and through your various extra-curricular activities. In a challenging time for graduate recruitment the Cardiff Award will help you to talk persuasively about these skills to employers. I commend it to you.” - Dr David Grant, Vice-Chancellor

For more information visit www.cardiff.ac.uk/cardiffaward


To sign up for most SDS courses/sessions, you will need to select them from the timetable on Campus Groups. You can also book and pay through PayPal for First Aid courses. If you don’t book a place on a course/session in advance, it is advisable to check availability on Campus Groups. If a session is shown as full, it may be worth checking on the day whether any spaces have become available due to non-attendance; however, SDS cannot guarantee spaces arising.

The following courses are quota-controlled:• CIEH Level 2 Award in Health & Safety• British Sign Language• STEPS To Excellence

These courses are not currently bookable through Campus Groups and students expressing an interest in them will be advised directly about how to secure places in advance of the start date.

Campus Groups

To enrol to the SDS through Campus Groups, follow the instructions below:

1. Go to Campus Croups (groups.cardiffstudents.com) and click on the ‘Login’ tab.2. To be able to log in you need to first register as an SDS ‘member’, so input your used ID and password, using your Cardiff University e-mail address, ending cardiff.ac.uk (not cf.ac.uk).

If you have never logged on before, enter your university e-mail address and click on ‘Forgot password’. You will receive an e-mail asking you to reset your password. Once your password has been reset, you will be able to log on with the password you have just created.

N.B. When you first log on, you should check your profile to ensure that your details are correct. With the installation of this new software, it is possible that some profiles are inaccurate. You can change your profile details at any time.

Enrolment


3. Once you have entered the system, click on the ‘Groups’ option.4. Click on ‘Development & Volunteering’5. Tick the Skills Development Service (SDS) option and click ‘Join’.6. Input your details onto the joining page, and then click ‘Submit’.7. This should confirm your profile, which will then be sent to the SDS for validation. We will endeavour to validate your profile as soon as possible; however, there may be a slight delay if you apply at off-peak times or at weekends. Once you have received validation, you will be able to join all available SDS sessions by selecting them from the list and applying.

Following validation:

1. Go to Campus Groups and log in2. Click on Calendar3. Remove the ticks from the following: Sports clubs, Societies, Associations, Student Run Services and Student media. Leave a tick in the Development and Volunteering entry.4. Activate the calendar as appropriate5. Click on the actual event of interest6. Go to registration on the right-hand side.

N.B Once all places have been filled, the session will no longer be available. In this event, please choose an alternative.

If you encounter any problems during this process, please [email protected]


The Skills Development Service (SDS) is part of a brand new development project in the Students’ Union bringing employability services to where students need them most. The new Centre for Skills, Enterprise and Volunteering is located on the 2nd floor of the Students’ Union and comprises the Skills Development Service, Student Enterprise and Student Volunteering Cardiff.

Alongside the SDS courses, other recognisable ways in which to bolster your CV include volunteering through Student Volunteering Cardiff and taking part in enterprise courses through Student Enterprise.

Student Volunteering Cardiff

Student Volunteering Cardiff (SVC) is a charity run by the student at Cardiff University. We volunteer in and around the city of Cardiff working with the elderly, young, disadvantage and vulnerable members of the community on a wide variety of different projects.

Volunteering is a great way to make a difference in the local community and to meet new people. It’s also a lot of fun! You can gain lots of new skills and experiences to help prepare you for life after university. SVC has a wide variety of projects to choose from, so you’re bound to find something that interests you.

To find out more about what SVC do, visit their website(www.SVCardiff.org) or drop into their office in the 2nd floor Centre for Skills, Enterprise and Volunteering.

Additional SkillsDevelopment Options


Student Enterprise

Student Enterprise is a joint initiative between Cardiff University and Cardiff University Students’ Union aimed at helping students realise their full potential in business and entrepreneurship. It focuses on developing students’ enterprising skills and knowledge in order to identify creative solutions to problems and put their ideas and innovations into practice. Enterprise is about creativity, spotting opportunities, making things happen and developing skills for life. It’s not just about business — it’s about helping you to make the most of yourself. Student Enterprise runs workshops, competitions and sessions about running your own business or social enterprise, some of which are detailed below.

To find out more about Student Enterprise, visit their website(www.EnterpriseCardiff.net/) or drop into their office in the 2nd floorCentre for Skills, Enterprise and Volunteering.

Student Enterprise Workshops and Sessions

Meet an Entrepreneur (2 hours)

Entrepreneurial people are everywhere. In this workshop, you will meet local entrepreneurs and get to hear about their experiences at running an enterprise. Details of guest speakers will be revealed in October 2012 and January 2013.

Innovation Challenge (7 days & 1 mystery object)

Every year, societies and AU teams are encouraged to bring together a team for the annual Innovation Challenge. Each participating team is given a mystery object and asked to use their ingenuity and creativity to make as much ‘value’ from it as possible, for example, artistically, monetarily or by having a social/community value. The results are then submitted in the form of a short 3 minute video and the winners are selected by a panel of prominent judges.

If you’d like to take part in the next Innovation Challenge, please e-mail Student Enterprise at [email protected].


Ignite 2012/13

Ignite is an intensive 50-60 hour programme designed to take you on a journey towards becoming enterprising in your chosen career - be this in a business start-up, a social enterprise, the voluntary sector or within an established organisation.

You’ll be put into teams with students from Cardiff University, University of Glamorgan, Cardiff Metropolitan University and University of Wales Newport. Throughout the contact time you will be working together to develop your ideas, build your skills and use your skills of innovation.

The week ends with an ‘Apprentice’ style challenge in which each team is given seed funding and must use the money within one day to make a profit. As long as it’s legal, how you do this is up to you!

Postgraduate Enterprise Courses

The Enterprising Researcher (2 hours)

‘Entrepreneurship is not solely about business skills or starting a new venture – it is a way of thinking and behaving relevant to all parts of society and the economy’ (NESTA Sept 2008).

This workshop will examine the relevance of entrepreneurship to the research process. Topics to be covered will include:

• Understanding the entrepreneurial ‘lifeworld’ • Using enterprise skills and values to enhance an approach to research • Developing and handling effective relationships with stakeholders • Opportunity identification • Idea generation • Creative problem-solving • Strategic thinking • Selling your concept to others


Enterprising people are equipped to fulfil their potential and to create their own futures. During the workshop you will be given opportunities to develop or enhance your range of skills, through practice and application, and will be encouraged to unleash your inner entrepreneur!

I-Solve (9 week programme)

Modelled on the i-Teams programme from MIT Boston and Cambridge University, i-Solve is now running successfully at Cardiff University. Open to postgraduate students and research staff, selected participants operate in interdisciplinary teams to investigate real commercial opportunities for breakthrough technologies and innovative projects being developed right now at this University.

An important part of our commercialisation and knowledge transfer activity is that i-Solve is not virtual, and it’s not a game; it’s a real business process. Participants benefit from making an impact on a real project and gain a broad range of skills. No specific business skills are required – just enthusiasm and a willingness to generate ideas, explore, analyse and identify solutions. Each team is mentored by an expert from the business sector, and the programme includes guest speakers and engagement with past participants.

i-Solve is an exciting, challenging and rewarding programme, providinghands-on experience at gaining commercial awareness and capitalising upon your research skills.

Enterprise Start-Up Workshops

Discover the intricacies of how businesses operate and learn how to build your own. Attending a set of workshops will enable to the attendee to obtain certification. There is no charge for Student Enterprise activity.


Start Your Own Enterprise - An introductory session (2 hours)

Consider the advantages and disadvantages of self-employment for you as well as motivations for starting a business. This session also covers networks of support, sources of funding and some of the legal implications of running own business.

Know Your Market & Competitors (2 hours)

Understanding your market will help you to make informed business decisions and form the basis of your marketing strategy. This will in turn help you to quantify the level of demand for your product or service, and determine whether you can compete in the market place.

Developing a Marketing Strategy (2 hours)

This module explores what marketing objectives are appropriate for your business and helps you to develop your own strategy.

Business Operations (2 hours)

Efficient management and operational systems are essential to the success of a business. This module provides key information on the operations of a business, including the resources required, systems and procedures, health and safety, production and quality.

Costing & Pricing (2 hours)

When starting a business, it is important that costs are researched thoroughly since they will provide the foundation for pricing your product or service correctly and making accurate financial projections. This module will assist you with this task, which often constitutes the first step of the financial planning process, enabling you to identify the types of costs your business will incur.


Financial Planning (2 hours)

Bank managers and other funding bodies may request a cash flow forecast of the money coming in and going out of your business, as well as a profit and loss account and a balance sheet in the first year of trading. This module takes you through the process of preparing financial statements and shows you how to analyse them.

Financial Administration (2 hours)

Financial administration is important in order to keep your business practises legal. This module explains how to deal with important elements such as Income Tax, Self Assessment, National Insurance Contributions and Customs & Excise. It will explain how to complete VAT Returns and set up a PAYE system if you employ people.


Cardiff University Careers and Employability Services

Skills Development Service (SDS)

Centre for Skills, Enterprise and Volunteering2nd floor, Students’ Union buildingPark PlaceCF10 3QN

Tel: 029 2078 1489E-mail: [email protected]

Student Volunteering Cardiff (SVC)

Centre for Skills, Enterprise and Volunteering2nd floor Cardiff University Students’ UnionPark PlaceCardiffCF10 3QN

Website: www.svcardiff.orgE-mail: [email protected]: 029 29078 1494

Student Enterprise

Centre for Skills, Enterprise and Volunteering2nd floor Cardiff University Students’ UnionPark PlaceCardiffCF10 3QN


Opening Hours

Reception: Monday - Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm

Library: Monday - Friday, 9.00am - 5.00pm(opening times may vary during vacations)

Graduate Employment Advice Centre:Monday - Thursday,11.00am - 3.00pmFriday 11.00am - 1.00pm

Website: www.cardiff.ac.uk/enterpriseE-mail: [email protected]: 02920 781442

The Careers & Employability Centre

50 Park Place (top floor of the Student Support Centre)CardiffCF10 3AT

Email: [email protected]: (029) 2087 4828

Cardiff Uni Careers

@CardiffCareers

www.youtube.com/CardiffUniCareers


The Employer Liaison and Marketing Team

5 Corbett RoadCardiffCF10 3EB


The Centre for Work Experience and GO Wales

5 Corbett RoadCardiffCF10 3EB


Heath Park Campus Student Support Centre

Cardigan HouseHeath Park CampusCardiffCF14 4XW


Opening Hours

Monday - Wednesday, 9.00am - 5.00pm

Skills Finder (http://skillsfinder.cardiff.ac.uk/) – a one-stop skills site designed to help you identify skills you might need to develop throughout your time at university, and to help prepare yourself for employment.


We look forward to assisting you in your skills development in the coming year.

The Skills Development Service

SKILLS

SERVICE

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