The Professions Portal

1. Linking London Progression & the Professions 11 February 2010 The Professions Portal Professor Andy Friedman Director of PARN

2. Professional Associations Research Network - PARN • Set up in 1999 • A research institute with members investigating issues of concern for professional bodies • 134 members 110 UK 13 Ireland 6 Australia 4 Canada 1 Kenya

3. PARN Mission To increase the profile of issues relating to professionals, professionalism and professional bodies through research and networking with the aim of determining and promoting professional good practice To encourage professionalisation; particularly of professional bodies

4. Governance of PARN Not for profit organisation Steering Committee • 15 representatives from our members • Meets twice a year • Consulted on all major issues Membership criteria to have or be moving toward: • Entry requirements, based on education/experience • Code of conduct/guidance • Systems to maintain standards and quality • Commitment to CPD

5. Research projects Main areas of research • governance and strategic management • CPD • professional ethics, standards and forms of regulation • member relations and routes to membership • operational strategy: professionalisation of professional bodies • diversity in the professions/professional bodies • Access to the professions Aim to generate • models that add value to benchmarking research • recommendations based on principles of good practice

6. Upcoming PARN Activities Conferences 24 March 2010 The Future of Member Networks: embracing social networking technologies 20 October 2010 Three Pillars of Professional Standards Books • Member Networks and Social Networking Technology, 2010 • Governance and Volunteers, 2010 Professions Portal • TotalProfessions.com

7. Background • Since 2008, Marketing Directors from leading Professional Bodies looking to work collectively to raise profile of professionalism and role of Professional Bodies in UK • In July 2009, MP Alan Milburn’s Panel of Fair Access to the Professions published “Unleashing Aspiration” report • "Bright children from middle class families as well as those from poorer backgrounds are missing out on top professional jobs. Many professions are working hard to put this right but their efforts need to be intensified.“ • PARN and Ashridge Communications formed Joint Venture to address this issue on behalf of Professional Bodies

8. Approach What are our aims? • Resource for aspiring professionals, professional bodies, careers advisors and employers • Respond proactively to the Panel on Fair Access recommendations • Raise awareness of the many routes into the professions • Raise awareness of the multitude of professions that exist

9. Advisory Panel Members • UK Inter-Professsional Group • Chartered Institute of Insurance • Chartered Institute of Housing • Institute of Hospitality • Department of Business, Skills & Innovation (observer) • Equality & Human Rights Commission • ADAB Trust • Chartered Management Institute • Social Mobility Foundation • Association of University Advisors • Institute of Careers Guidance • Oxford Brookes University • Institute of Field Archaeologists • National Skills Academy Financial Services • Science Council

10. Advisory Panel Members • UK Inter-Professsional Group • Chartered Institute of Insurance • Chartered Institute of Housing • Institute of Hospitality • Department of Business, Skills & Innovation (observer) • Equality & Human Rights Commission • ADAB Trust • Chartered Management Institute • Social Mobility Foundation • Association of University Advisors • Institute of Careers Guidance • Oxford Brookes University • Institute of Field Archaeologists • National Skills Academy Financial Services • Science Council

11. Advisory Panel Members • UK Inter-Professsional Group • Chartered Institute of Insurance • Chartered Institute of Housing • Institute of Hospitality • Department of Business, Skills & Innovation (observer) • Equality & Human Rights Commission • ADAB Trust • Chartered Management Institute • Social Mobility Foundation • Association of University Advisors • Institute of Careers Guidance • Oxford Brookes University • Institute of Field Archaeologists • National Skills Academy Financial Services • Science Council

12. Target Audiences • Students at university and recent graduates • Children & young adults at school & college • Careers advisers • Employees keen to develop their career • career switchers, returning to work, entering professions, CPD • Employers and organisations supporting professionalism

13. Selection of Supporting Organisations

14. Advisory Panel Members • UK Inter-Professsional Group • Chartered Institute of Insurance • Chartered Institute of Housing • Institute of Hospitality • Department of Business, Skills & Innovation (observer) • Equality & Human Rights Commission • ADAB Trust • Chartered Management Institute • Social Mobility Foundation • Association of University Administrators • Institute of Careers Guidance • Oxford Brookes University • Institute of Field Archaeologists

15. Site Design & Navigation

17. About to graduate?

18. Choosing a Career • Work experience • -Career advice • Professional Qualifications • Further Study • Graduate Schemes • International Opportunities • Job Search • Interaction • News • 7-11 year olds • What do you enjoy? • What is your favourite subject? • What jobs are there? • 12-16 year olds • What happens after GCSE’s? • 17-18 year olds • University? • Work? • Gap Year? • Choosing exam subjects • Interaction • For Parents • News School Advisers University Advisers Career Changers Working with Associations Association Contacts Resources Job Search News Routes into Professions Changing Careers Improving Prospects -CPD -Role of Professional Bodies Returning to Work Business Coaching Job Search News Role of Professional Bodies What it means to be a professional Fair Access Regulatory Bodies Employers -Employee development Find a Professional Events Press Centre News Role of Professional Bodies Sector descriptions Fair Access Choosing a Career CV and Interview Tips Site Map Complimentary Navigation About us Site map T & C’s Professions are not for me? Association administration Contact us

19. Collaboration with icould.com

20. Profession Finder Pages

22. Example of Expanded Entry

23. Profession Finder Sector Index • Professional Bodies select one or two sectors:

24. Regulatory Bodies • Featured in specific area of website for Regulatory Bodies • Two levels of entry • Standard Entry – Logo, Name of organisation, 80 words of text, website link • Expanded Entry – Logo, Name of organisation, 240 words of text (with chosen sub-headings), two URLs

25. Professional Service Firms and Employers • Opportunity to secure advertising different places on the site • Home Page • Sector-specific pages • Audience-specific pages

26. Reaching our Target Audiences

27. Reaching our Target Audiences • Search Engine Optimisation • Targeted marketing campaigns • Students • Career advisers • Social Media • Consumer PR campaign • Promotion through partners and Professional Bodies

28. Search Engine Optimisation • Comprehensive keyword research; identifying phrases target audiences use when searching for information on professions, careers and jobs • Rigorous application of keywords within content • Frequently updated news articles to drive traffic to site via search engines • Information on specific professions will boost search engine rankings • Incoming and outgoing links drives traffic and builds search engine rankings

29. Online Display Advertising • Targeted at students just prior to graduation, graduates upon graduation and graduates twelve months post graduation • Digital media scores highly for TGI indexing for this demographic • Advertising on the leading pre and post graduate sites in the UK. • http://targetjobs.co.uk/graduate-jobs/ • http://www.get.hobsons.co.uk/ • The homepage and career clueless are the most popular pages • Display advertising for three months, combined with targeted e-mail campaigns to c.100,000 subscribers

30. Targeting Career Advisers • Targeted campaign to Heads of Career Service at universities via AGCAS • TotalProfessions.com as rich resource for students • Site specifically provides contact person at Professional Body for career advisers • Targeted campaign to school career advisers

31. Social Media • TotalProfessions.com pages on FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube • Connections with Professional Body pages, including these

32. Facebook Page

33. Consumer PR Campaign • Recent wide media coverage of government acceptance of recommendations from ‘Unleashing Aspiration’ report • Social mobility and related issues regularly gain public and media interest • Targeted PR campaign to key consumer press titles for launch of site, and its role in encouraging entry to professions • Targeted PR campaign to key trade media

34. Future Development • The Brightside Trust charity dedicated to supporting disadvantaged individuals to achieve their potential via education, employment or training; running successful e-mentoring projects for more than six years • Customised e-mentoring platform on TotalProfessions.com, connecting professionals and young people aspiring to be a professional • Programme includes rich content and range of mentee activities encompassing career and course pathways, employability skills, raising confidence and self-esteem (and others) • Online mentor training programme • E-mentoring programme part of Phase 2, Autumn 2010

35. Timings • ‘Soft launch’ end of February • Fully promoted launch end of March/early April