Developing Tailored Careers Support for Humanities Students

1. Developing Tailored Careers Support for Humanities Students David Gee Careers Consultant www.uwe.ac.uk/careers

2. Introduction • Key employability issues faced by humanities students • 3 examples for addressing these: • Humanities GDP level II workshop – considerations when training staff • The Graduate Futures Project • English Independent Learning Module

3. Key issues facing humanities students • Uncertain career trajectory • Diffidence compared to contemporaries • Recognising/articulating the marketability of their subject • Recognising/articulating the marketability of their experiences • Work experience within non-placement courses

4. English Language GDP workshop: Using your second year effectively:Identifying your skills and building your CV

5. Introducing the graduate labour market • Highly competitive – need to make yourself stand out • More than half of all vacancies open to all graduates • Relevant work experience is a crucial factor • The most proactive get the jobs

6. Introducing career pathways • Careers related to Linguistics/English Language – Signposts sheets • Careers beyond subject – the ‘66% rule’ • Selling skills of your degree as well as subject • Using destinations

7. Introducing skills • We are looking for strong communication skills and an accurate writing style. You should have a meticulous approach, with strong research skills and attention to detail.” • “You'll need to be a real team player and an effective negotiator and communicator...” GradSouthWest Vacancy Database

8. Key transferable skills • Communication skills • Problem solving • Teamwork • Time management • Presentation skills • Flexibility • Initiative • Interpersonal skills • Willingness to learn • Numeracy • IT skills

9. Selling your English language degree • Traditional/well-recognised subject • Academic – means academic rigour • High-level literacy; advanced written communication skills • Verbal communication skills • Research • IT skills

10. Introducing ‘evidencing’ – examples for communication skills • Essays; dissertations; reports etc. • Presentations • Group projects • Customer service in part-time work • Speaking to public through voluntary work • Student ambassador work • Member of student committees

11. Evidencing exercise

12. Introducing skills articulation:competency-based questions • Describe how you have achieved a goal through influencing the actions or opinions of others.” • “Describe a situation where you have worked in a team context to achieve a particular objective.” • “Describe a challenging project, activity or event which you have planned and seen through to a conclusion.” • “Describe a time when you were required to change your approach and do something in a different way? “

13. S.T.A.R • Situation • Target • Action • Result

14. S.T.A.R Example

15. Introducing the role of work experience • UWE Community Volunteering Programme • Employability and Diversity Project • UWE Outreach Centre • Student newspaper, radio etc. • Speculative Approaches/Networking • www.uwe.ac.uk/alumni/mynetwork

16. Graduate Futures Project • Based on the ‘Blueprint for Life’ model (www.lifework.ca) • Aimed at developing employability and enterprise skills • Ultimately at improving performance in the recruitment process • Accredited by Institute of Leadership and Management • Pilot with Business (non-sandwich), Psychology and English students • Students to have recent work experience • Students complete a portfolio against ILM assessment criteria • Culminates with student presentations to ‘panel’

17. Implementation • Delivered over 3 full days by specialist staff • 25 places offered to each cohort • Students complete a personality type indicator and learning style tests, and prepare CV in advance • Also one-to-one contact with Careers Consultant to review work experience and CV.

18. Content • Day one: Self Awareness • Day two: Enterprise and creativity skills for success in the labour market • Day three: Putting it into practice

19. Graduate Futures findings re: English students • Found the language and concepts of career management and planning particularly challenging • On day one felt that it was ‘gobbledygook’ • However by the end of the course felt they had vastly increased their understanding and that this would enhance their employability. • Excellent presentations – ‘better than MBAs!’

20. Student quotes • “Especially good for humanities students as it makes us think in a different way to on our course” • “It has got me thinking about my skills and relating them to experience and the future” • “It has increased my confidence and my understanding of careers” • “Very useful in gaining more understanding about the skills I have learnt on my degree and how they are transferable to the workplace”

21. English Independent Project Module • Final year students • Produce a piece of investigative writing • Total 10,000 words • Look beyond the dissertation • 7 options – take into account common career aspirations of English students

22. 7 options – links with careers/employability • Dissertation • Research-based creative writing • Criticism and review (journalism) • Module design (teaching) • Editing and Anthologising (publishing) • Group project • English in the workplace

23. Work experience option • Includes a 2,000 word reflective piece on work experience • Can also refer to work experience in main body of work • Students seek work experience at the end of the second year • Careers service involvement: support process of finding work experience; careers discussion in final seminar of year III

24. Summary • Careers support should be underpinned with the key requirements of humanities students • These include: understanding/developing career options; marketability of studies; role of work experience, and articulating skills effectively • The Graduate Futures Project enables students to understand and also use key skills through exercises such as developing ‘brand’ presentations • The English Independent Project module is an example of how to relate a humanities subject to the world of careers

25. Key Resources • www.uwe.ac.uk/careers – staff pages • www.prospects.ac.uk • www.heacademy.ac.uk • www.lifework.ca • http://pdp.northampton.ac.uk/subject-index.html