Aims

The module aims to enhance:
1) the students’ awareness of the wider occupational context of graduate destinations related to their
discipline and personal interests and
2) their resourcefulness in relation to personal development though reflecting on skills and attributes and
formulating professional and personal development strategies.

Outline Of Syllabus

The Module offers students an opportunity to explore an occupation (industry sector or research) holistically and engage in personal development. It is 100 hours of time to focus on their future.

Through a case study the students will independently research an occupation of personal interest (this may be in for example, the commercial sector, research e.g. PhD, own business, teaching). This will involve inter alia: using current / previous job descriptions and role descriptions or PhD opportunities; contacting people in that industry (recent alumni) through informational interviews to gather information on career paths, a typical day, career prospects, other roles within the industry. The student will also research the current state of the industry, future direction / developments, global issues, sustainability current key legislation. As a result, students will increase their awareness of ethical, legal and commercial issues / frameworks governing the industry/research/self-employed sector that they may wish to enter. They will summarise this in an assessed presentation in a “careers fair” type event to peers and Stage 1 and 2 on their course. This will be before the main exam period.

In addition, students will also reflect on their current skills and consider their own career development targets in the light of requirements for their chosen career and put together an action plan to enhance their personal skills and employability. Students will engage with at least 3 development opportunities. For example, those delivered by the careers service; a resourcefulness and emotional agility seminar; social networking for professionals; good practice in web-design; on-line courses or other professional or personal development (this could include workplace shadowing / conference attending). While students will be guided towards events offered by the careers service and other supporting materials, they can be innovative in their approach to self-development.

Before the Semester 2 exam period, students will undertake a formative role play interview (15 minutes) which will be structured like part of a job interview for a graduate position. It will include a range of seen questions for which the students can have prepared answers. It will include a question on reflection of personal and professional development. This will help to consolidate learning of all the module learning outcomes – as well as building confidence in the student’s oral communication skills under this realistic employment scenario.

PLEASE NOTE THIS MODULE IS LAUNCHED IN SEMESTER 1 TO GIVE STUDENTS ACCESS TO A WIDE RANGE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVEOPLEMENT OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY THE CAREERS SERVICE. Students can change modules and join in semester 2, but have missed out on some opportunities.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The majority of the module is student led: researching into areas of interest or undertaking development opportunities. The first lecture launches the module with an overview and the tasks it entails, with further formal lectures outlining the assessment formats. There are compulsory tutorials for the student to update on their progress. There are optional drop-in sessions to offer further face to face individual support, and formative feedback.

The use of varied workshops and protected time allocated to this module to attend these increase the opportunity for students to tailor this protected time towards their individual interests and their future career aspirations.

Teaching methods are a blended approach incorporating some pre-recorded instructional/lecture-type material supported with follow-up present in person seminars to consolidate / enhance knowledge plus question and answer / drop-in sessions which are present in person and synchronous online, to enhance skills developed aligned with increased use of online meetings in the workplace. Students will also have in person meetings and online meetings with their designated mentor. Students are paired with a student to each offer mentorship to the other.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The preparation for the assessment covers the learning outcomes. The presentation summarises the salient points and enables all students to enhance their knowledge of related sectors including other stages. The formative role play interview helps create an authentic scenario in which students will be assessed in the work place. It also gives students the opportunity to interview each other, again a useful confidence building experience, for which they will receive immediate personal feedback.