USING YOUR CAREERS CENTRE TO CREATE A VIBRANT ECONOMY

By linking Government strategy, University objectives, and the labour market to students and graduates

11 April 2015

Sue BennettDirector, Student Careers & Skills, University

of Warwick

This session will coverLinking Careers Centre work to Government policy, University objectives, labour market knowledge and employers

Foundations of your service

The Careers Centre’s work with students and employers

Your next steps

UK Government policyEconomic growth is responsibility of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS)

Invests in skills and education to promote trade, boost innovation and help people to start and grow a business

UK FundingThe Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) distributes public money for teaching and research to English universities and colleges (most are public, not private)

Students pay tuition fees, currently £9,000 p.a. for UK and EU students, (loans repayable after graduation) = 2,475,000 KZT p.a.

50% of UK students work part-time during study

Completion rates for undergraduates at all UK universities is 91.4%, Warwick 94.2%, total student pop. of 388,915

Linking to Universities

In return for funding, the UK Government expects universities to contribute to society and to the economy by:

Educating students at the undergraduate and postgraduate level;

Undertaking world class research;

Enabling students to become suitably qualified graduates in the labour market

And in Kazakhstan?

What are the Government’s expectations of universities in Kazakhstan?

How does your University translate Government policy into its objectives?

Why does this matter? Because to be effective and to secure staff and resources you must link your Careers Centre’s work to the University’s strategy

E.g. University of WarwickOur vision is to be a world-class university. One with a dynamic, enterprising approach to solving global challenges; one that enables students to create their place in the world; one that defines the university of tomorrow

Our mission is to produce graduates who are global citizens, who are equipped to make an important contribution to the economy and to society in our inter-connected world; to serve our local region, academically, culturally and economically

University objectives

Our values: pursuit of excellence; ambition and drive; enterprising; making a difference; community; accessible; global perspective; independence

Our goals: enable students to succeed; deliver world class research; secure global position; engage our communities; champion social, cultural and economic growth; secure financial sustainability

Links to our work:Enable students to succeed and create their place in the world; be global citizens; serve local region

Ambition and drive; enterprising; making a difference; global perspective; independence

→SCS’s mission: to enable students to become successful students and employable graduates

“we prepare graduates for jobs that don’t yet exist, who will have to solve problems we don’t yet know about” → future proofing graduates

And your Careers Centre?

What is the mission of your Careers Centre?

Why does this matter? Because you will have to work hard to secure the resources you need to provide a high quality, impactful and impartial service. Clarity about your purpose will give you determination and drive

UK labour market

Historically low unemployment at 5.7% of working age population

Broad range of sectors, inc. service industries and knowledge economy

Recovering well from the financial crisis

Increasingly buoyant labour market; some sectors struggling to recruit suitably qualified graduates → but still fiercely competitive to enter

70-75% of employers want “graduate skills and expertise” rather than a particular degree

Know your labour marketRole of Government and relevant ministries

Sectors: extractive industries; agriculture; construction; teachers; medics, health

Which are stable, growing, declining + causes?

Do you understand the expectations of local, regional and international employers?

Segmenting labour market: e.g. by turnover; by number of employees; by market share; how many of your graduates are of interest to them, and are interested in them

Define your labour marketWhat sectors of the economy do your graduates enter/want to enter?

What labour market do you serve?

How would you segment your employers and what is the rationale for this segmentation?

Why does this matter? You must know to be able to provide impartial, informed advice to your students

Employers want graduates with:Good degree from a good university

Work experience

A record of achievement, e.g. sports, societies, volunteering

Ability to understand what is right for them, and how to tell their unique story, and adapt it for different audiences

The skills to succeed in recruitment

Employers* will not recruit graduates who Cannot work with, and get things done, through others

Are not practical enough to think through problems clearly and deliver outcomes

Cannot show a passion for chosen career or industry

Are not flexible or resilient enough to work in a challenging, changing environment (or prepared to sometimes do dull work that needs doing)

Cannot work with people from different cultures

Have no interest in what is happening in other countries and cultures

*Stephen Isherwood, Chief Executive, Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), with 300 members, Recruiters’ Club forum, May 2014

Link to CareersEmployer views and labour market data are historical. So be well informed to ensure advice to students is current and impartial

Aim to be one step ahead of emerging labour market trends

Be informed not led by employers

Have careers staff qualified in guidance, with sector knowledge. Consider AGCAS

Establish and maintain excellent employer relations

What is AGCAS?*

The professional association for Careers Centre staff

International membership of 2,500, 150+ institutions, with access to 2m+ students

Conferences, training, and qualifications

A welcoming network of professionals

*Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services

Helping your students to succeedEmbed employability in curriculum

Enable and promote work experience, internships, placements

Help them to meet employers

Interpret the labour market for them

Encourage and expect independence

Aid them to reflect and Tell their Story

Help them succeed with the recruitment process

Work experience – it’s all goodEarly access to graduate job / application process

Try without committing

Contacts useful for career ? ?

Appreciation of the higher level skills gained via study

Unique experience for reflection and future reference

Self reliance & self understanding

Employability skills – teamwork, communication, customer skills

Expectations, understanding, feel & culture of the workplace

Developing application and interview skills

Broad category of placement, experience or internship

‘Non graduate’ work

experience

Experience in any graduate

field

Academic work, e.g.

URSS

Experience in chosen graduate

field

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Characteristics of a successful careers centre

Strong leadership and management with students at the heart of your service

Qualified careers advisers

Employer liaison

Employability

Placements/internships

Links to rest of University

EssentialsVision and policies will give a secure foundation →clarity of purpose, senior management support, ways to work with students and employers

Qualified Careers advisers who offer informed, impartial and confidential advice

Excellent Employer links which draw employers to your University so students can meet them, learn about sectors, and make good choices about their futures

Essentials, 2Employability and careers staff to guide students on career decisions and how to be successful in recruitment

Internships and placements, as part of course or extra-curricular provide essential employer contacts + work experience

Links to rest of University, e.g. recruitment, alumni, academic departments will enable you to contribute to the University’s goals in a joined up way

Career guidanceInformation and resources for students to research their options, look at different sectors, employers, vacancies– Student portal; Drop in Help Desk; Vacancies database

Advice and guidance so students can make decisions that are right for them– AGCAS Qualified Careers consultants who offer 1:1

expert advice and guidance, with in-depth, up-to-date knowledge of different sectors

– Helping students get a job: CVs, applications, interviews

– Career Management skills sessions

Foundations for your serviceBe attractive and accessible, easy to use

Know your students, faculty and labour market

Have competent, qualified staff who are committed to student success

Have variety of ways to engage (e.g. online, in person, by email)

Be informed and up-to-date

Be impartial and confidential

Encourage early engagement

Know your students, facultyFor example, Warwick has 4 faculties, 26 departments, governed in x way . . .; and 24,000 students, of whom 13,000 are undergraduates, 9,000+ are taught postgraduates, and 1,800 are research students.

25% of undergraduates are international students, 33% of total population

128 languages spoken on campus

Know your students, faculty 2Disciplines, cohort size

Student interests and ambitions during University, and for their futures

Academic priorities

Senior management priorities

Networks, networks, networks!

Why does this matter? To deliver a good service you must understand your stakeholders

What about you?What are the student demographics at your university? E.g. UG/PG, subject split, cohort sizes

What do you know about your students?

What are the priorities of academic and senior management?

Why does this matter? To deliver a good service you must understand your stakeholders

Everyone’s journey will be different

How can you measure success?

Student completion rates

Graduate employment rates and salaries, x months after graduation

Number of your graduates employed in different sectors

Student feedback, employer feedback

How well you meet labour market needs

How well you serve your local economy

Graduate Employment*69.6% in paid work

13.1% in further study

5.4% combining work and study

7.6% still seeking work

4.4% not available/other

66% in a “professional” role

£20,500 median salary (full-time work)+*Latest available data on UK/EU graduates who studied in the UK, collected for the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA). Undergraduates and graduates combined, data collected in January 2014, 6 months after graduation+ = 5,500,000 KZT

Measures 2National Student Survey (views of finalists)

International Student Survey (learning; living; support; arrival)

High Fliers Survey (views of finalists and Top 100 graduate employers)

Informal and formal Employer feedback

Internal student surveys, evaluation of sessions and workshops

And what about you?How will you measure the success of your service with students, employers, etc.?

How will you use measures and feedback to improve your service?

Why does it matter? Because resources are always scarce, and you will face questions on whether your services makes a difference, so have the measures of success to prove it!

Our advice to students

Get the best degree you can by focussing on academic & professional skills

Get work experience

Make the most of University life

Develop skills and confidence (volunteering, work experience, clubs and societies)

Meet employers to find out more about them

And decide what matters to you, and how to present yourself