Employability

Do your students have confidence and high aspirations?

A proportion of students have very low self-esteem and aim low with regard to career aspirations. This may be a particular problem with students entering through a widening participation route. The situation is generally not helped by having world leaders in research talk about their work and background as 21-23 year olds find it difficult to relate to such individuals.

Being aware of the employment destinations of their predecessors helps students to know what they can aspire to. Talks given by graduates of a few years ago can help students to realise that others to whom they can relate have succeeded and consequently they can too. It is important that the whole range of employment opportunities are addressed. For example, there are a number of regional systems to support graduate recruitment into small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as well as the larger employers. The following sources list all employers, small as well large, in various regions:

Graduate Link for information about employers in the Yorkshire and Humber Region.

Merseyside Graduate Employer Directory for information about employers in the North West.

University of Edinburgh Careers Service for links to sources of information about employers of graduates in all UK regions.

It is important the curriculum is designed and implemented in way that encourages students to believe they can develop and change and rise successfully to new challenges.

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