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Employment and PDP

Employment and PDP. in the Biological Sciences Debbie Holmes, Lorraine Weaver Institute of Science and the Environment. The development of the Biology PDP gave the opportunity to:. make much better use of the opportunities given by personal tutorials

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Employment and PDP

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  1. Employment and PDP in the Biological Sciences Debbie Holmes, Lorraine Weaver Institute of Science and the Environment

  2. The development of the Biology PDP gave the opportunity to: • make much better use of the opportunities given by personal tutorials • helping the students to reflect on the skills that they need to develop to attain the next step within their degree • in preparation for employment

  3. The development of the Biology PDP gave the opportunity to: • highlight the special features of a UW Biological Sciences degree which could give advantages when applying for employment

  4. Practical skills • normally have a 4 hour session each week for each module • usually includes a practical or field work • in each session there are opportunities to develop skills and attributes which are not assessed • the students are given signed slips which record these and they keep them in a portfolio

  5. We made it mandatory to attend at least two personal tutorials each semester and linked this to passing specific modules.

  6. Personal tutorials include: • guidance on feedback etc. • reflection on skills achieved • on how these, and other activities, could be useful when applying for employment • the opportunity to encourage relevant voluntary work etc. • discussion of the possible opportunities presented by the Independent Study

  7. Careers information included in modules • general careers talk, mandatory modules • S2 of level 4 • second careers talk, mandatory module • S2 of level 5 • visit to careers office in small groups, looking at job advertisements etc. • S2 of level 5 • mandatory capstone module • S2 of level 6

  8. Level 6 Capstone module This module will enable the students to: • reflect on the knowledge and skills that they have obtained and how these might be applied • review and reflect on their skills portfolio • prepare a CV and take part in a simulated interview situation

  9. Evaluation of student attitudes, experience of seeking employment • questionnaire, in December 09 • LEVEL 4 (n = 42) • only at UW for about 12 weeks • formal input in relation to the careers service was during induction

  10. Evaluation of student attitudes, experience of seeking employment LEVEL 5 (n = 47) above plus also one session introducing the careers service in a mandatory module, invited speakers LEVEL 6 (n = 16) one session in mandatory module in year 2 consider skills looked for in graduate, evaluation of student skills, invited speakers

  11. Areas considered in survey • knowledge of careers service • advice from science staff • students expectations and perceptions • PDP

  12. Knowledge of careers service • No contact / information about careers • LEVEL 4 95% • not really surprising, induction? • LEVEL 5 69% • reflects attendance at session, recall • LEVEL 6 81% • of concern • reflects attendance at formal and optional sessions, recall

  13. Have you asked for advice?

  14. Have you asked advice? • Student comments indicated advice was nearly always (95%) helpful • This is an under utilised resource

  15. Students expectations 6 months 20 – 30% students hope to be in subject specific employment 5 years 60 – 80% students hope to be in subject specific employment (15 -20% retrain) as a group aware of large number of possible occupations

  16. Changed direction

  17. Relevant skills • Are you undertaking any outside activities that may be relevant to you obtaining employment? • If ‘yes’ are these social, employment or other, tick all relevant categories.

  18. Relevant skills About 50% in each year group said no If said yes, then ‘employment’ identified most often as being relevant

  19. Employability and PDP • Students split on whether would like more embedded careers activities • Also no consensus on what these might be • Use of PDP files (80% - 60%) but staff not consistent in providing relevant information for inclusion

  20. ACTION • Knowledge of careers service • may be that we need to jog students memories • discuss with careers service which are most useful links to add to all module Blackboard sites • any other ideas? • Have you asked advice? • encourage staff to initiate these discussions

  21. ACTION Relevant skills already addressed in Level 6 S2 module Employability and PDP review provision of ‘skills lists’ facilitated by work by intern

  22. Comment from a year 1 student: ‘studying and education is a joy in itself, don’t spoil it with careers stress too early’

  23. Comments? • Suggestions?

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