Enhancing Employability: The Importance of a Geography Degree
This initiative explores the significance of a Geography degree in securing meaningful employment. An analysis of our students’ career trajectories reveals challenges such as low engagement with career services and underutilized alumni networks. In response, we launched the compulsory 10-credit module "Workplace Geographies," aimed at maximizing employability through skill development, CV preparation, and interview training. With interactive workshops and the establishment of a LinkedIn alumni group, we are committed to connecting students with career opportunities in various sectors.
Enhancing Employability: The Importance of a Geography Degree
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Presentation Transcript
Department of Geography & Careers Service Workplace Geographies: Informing on theimportance of a Geography degree leading to a careerKevin Tansey & Mandy Weston www.le.ac.uk
Do our students get good jobs?Why bother?What evidence did we have?
Evidence and context • Destinations survey results • Geographers got jobs – but not graduate jobs • Third years dis-engaged • No CV, no visit to the careers service in some cases • Hosted events poorly attended • No information on our alumni • When do they get onto a career path?
Actions taken • Kick started a LinkedIn alumni group • Engage with this group and to bring them eventually into the career development process • Internships, work experience, advice • 476 connections and growing
Actions taken • We introduced a 10-credit module called Workplace Geographies • Semester 2 in year 2 • Compulsory for all year 2’s not taking our education module • 88 in current year • Approx. 30 hours contact time: workshops and lectures • Run by academics, careers advisers and external consultants/recruiters • Assessment by CV/Cover letter and essay
Learning outcomes • To maximise employability. • To maximise the opportunities to gain work experience. • To understand the job market for geography graduates, in public, private and voluntary sectors. • To produce a high-class CV and covering letter. Furthermore to develop skills for successful interview. • To gain awareness of subject-specific and other transferable skills and to reflect on and identify any skills gaps that can be addressed.
Module Highlights • Career aspirations and finding information • Job market talk by Simon Reichwald • Skills self-assessment and evidence • A career development action plan • The application process: CVs and Cover Letters • The Interview Day with external recruiters • Internships were offered on the day • Assessment centres and psychometric testing • Business game with Enterprise Rent-A-Car • In-Tray exercise Exhausting ... at least for us ...
Challenges and Issues • Timing of the module –move to semester 1? • Perception of time in the workshops • Assessment methods and guidelines • Attendance – dropped off towards the end • Vary in-team workshop exercises • Students choose the job theme • Follow up of the career action plan in year 3 • Managing increasing numbers -> 100+
