Employability

Are your students encouraged to obtain work experience?

The benefits conferred on a student's employment prospects by a period of appropriate work experience cannot be over-emphasised. Indeed some employers look initially ONLY at applications from graduates who already have career-related work experience. ALL work experience can be beneficial if the student is aware of, and can enunciate, the skills and experience gained. Students should be encouraged to regard even term-time part-time jobs, usually taken on primarily to reduce student debt, as opportunities to develop skills and commercial awareness. But even better are vacation placements, sometimes referred to as internships, that offer project work and appropriate training. There is a clear trend for employers offering these to make them part of their graduate recruitment process. Those students who make a strong impression can be offered graduate traineeships to be taken up on graduation. Perhaps the most valued experience for both student and employer is that of a sandwich nature lasting 6 months to one year and this also can effectively be a golden key which opens doors to employment and, where technical experience is gained, to further (PhD) study.

All work experience is CV-enhancing as long as it is presented to employers in a positive way with a clear indication of the challenges met, and the skills and business awareness gained. It does not have to be paid work. Unpaid course-related work, e.g. as part of an academic project, or voluntary work for a charity or public sector body, is just as valuable.

Encouraging and assisting students in their search for work experience both within and outside the formal course is very useful and should not be limited to opportunities within the discipline. Students may need help to ensure that their plans, especially for term-time part-time work, are compatible with their academic and other commitments.

It is appropriate that recognition of work-related activities is provided either through a recognised 'sandwich' degree or by the provision of appropriate certificates. The City and Guilds of London Institute (City and Guilds) provides formal recognised certification of work-based experience at a variety of levels and may be a useful way of focusing students on what is gained in the workplace and providing formal certification of the activity.

Links relevant to work experience

The following links are primarily to resources for academic staff who wish to support students as they apply for and gain from work experience. Websites aimed at students that are simply lists of vacancies or organizations likely to offer work experience are not included. Contact your careers service for these.

Hills, J.M., Robertson, G., Walker, R., Adey, M.A. and Nixon, I. (2003) Bridging the Gap between Degree Program Curricula and Employability through Implementation of Work Related Learning. Teaching in Higher Education, 8(3), 211–231

Centre for Recording Achievement (CRA)
A web-based resource that aims to support good practice in recording achievement and personal development planning in the curriculum, extracurricular activities and work experience. It includes case-studies and a forum to share and discuss ideas and problems.

The Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE)
CIHE’s research includes the enhancement of employability through work experience and other aspects of the higher education experience. See the website for reports and other publications.

Enhancing Student Employability Co-ordination Team (ESECT)
As part of its work on enhancing student employability ESECT is researching and disseminating information about existing practices and will offer support and guidance to academic staff and other groups within HE. The contribution that extra-curricular involvement, including work experience, makes to employability is addressed. Information and resources will be added to the web pages as they are produced. See, for example the Employability Briefings.

Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)
The Innovations Fund projects scheme that is administered by HEFCE encompasses a number of projects relating to the acquisition by students of employment skills through work experience, often with small and medium sized enterprises.

International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE)
An international exchange programme for higher education students in science and other technical subjects seeking experience relating to their studies.

The Keynote Project Work Placement Guide
A practical guide, with sections for students and tutors, to help students to gain work experience placements and benefit from them.

Volunteering England
The Centre provides information for potential volunteers and their managers including news and current events, and the latest research. Student volunteers seeking career related opportunities can link to volunteering opportunities in different work sectors and access relevant advice and help.

National Council for Work Experience
NCWE produces training and support materials for students and their tutors to maximise the development of students’ employability skills from work experience.

Realworld Project
A phase 3 FDTL project which aims to enhance employability of students within the disciplines of agriculture, environment, forestry and organismal biology through the integration of work-related learning activities into the curriculum.

Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA)
Some of SEDA’s publications focus on schemes for work-based learning and recognising and accrediting independent work experience.

STEP
Aimed at second and penultimate year students STEP provides details of 1000s of project-based summer placements with small and medium sized organizations, and makes available a Skills On-line facility to enable students to record and reflect on skills development.

Windsor Fellowship
The Windsor Fellowship helps ethnic minority people to become leaders in the work-place and in the community. Black and Asian students can apply for a 2/3 year Fellowship involving a work placement, participation in a community activity, and a personal enhancement programme to develop career-related skills.

Working Out? Graduates Early Experiences of the Labour Market (1999) Purcell, K., Pitcher, J. and Simm, C. IER for AGCAS, CSU and DfEE. Manchester: CSU.
This study of the career progress of a large cohort of 1996 graduates includes information about the importance of pre-graduation work experience and other extra-curricular activities in skills development. Data is linked to degree disciplines. Copies of the report are available for purchase from Prospects website.

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