Graduate employability –
what’s it all about?
Philippa Hewett
Head of Careers
SOAS, University of London
What does graduate
employability actually mean?
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How are graduate employment
outcomes measured?
Destinations of Leavers of
Higher Education (DLHE)
• Annually, 6 months after
graduation.
• Data used in KIS and
League Tables
• Pitfalls?
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How will graduate
employment affect HEIs?
Teaching Excellence Framework
•Based on
• Student satisfaction
• First year drop-outs
• Graduate employment
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The offer: the career journey
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Careers Registration questions
(subjective)
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Text
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I am not ready to start thinking about my career yet
Grouping
Decide
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I have no career ideas but want to start thinking
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I have some ideas about my career and I am ready to start planning
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I have a career in mind and intend to gain relevant work experience
Plan
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I know what I want to do but am not sure how to get there
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I want to spend a year gaining experience
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I am ready to apply for graduate level / professional opportunities
Apply
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I am ready to apply for further study
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I have been applying for opportunities and so far I have not been successful
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I have a job, further study or my own business plan confirmed
Other
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Careers Registration questions
(objective)
I have gained work experience through:
A placement year during my degree
A summer internship with an organisation
A vacation internship (not summer) with an organisation
If internship questions are ticked, the following appears:
The organisation was………….. located in……….. .and I worked for
……...weeks.
Work shadowing
A short placement as part of a University module (eg 10 or 20 credit modules)
Part time work alongside my studies
A holiday job
Volunteering
A position of responsibility in a club or society
Full time work prior to my course (two years or less)
Full time work prior to my course (more than two years)
Self-employment / running my own business
I have no work experience to date
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Careers Registration questions
(preferences)
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Possible action plan
(decide / plan stages)
• Explore ideas & get feedback
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Research
• Try things out
•
Take Careers Fairs and events seriously
•
Research application windows
(some already opened in August)
Key issue for HEIs –
career choice
‘The first year is the new Third Year’
• Types of student in year 1 (there are more…)
• The already sorted (though beware changes)
• The ‘worried well’
• The optimists
• The ‘head below the parapet’
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Useful resources for schools
Prospects: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/
Quiz, lots of role descriptions
Icould: http://icould.com/
More teen-focussed than Prospects – try Buzz Quiz
(I am a dolphin!)
Target Jobs Career Options:
https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/degreesubjects-your-options
Useful occupational profiles relating to degree
subjects
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Your questions!
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