WORK PLACEMENT: GATEWAY TO GRADUATE RECRUITMENT

1. WORK PLACEMENT: GATEWAY TO GRADUATE RECRUITMENT Carl GilleardChief ExecutiveAGR

2. WHAT IS AGR? Mission: To set the agenda for change in graduate recruitment • Not for profit membership organisation • 720 member organisations • Recruit 25,000 plus graduates a year • Services include: - research - training and conferences - information and advice - networking - representation - www.agr.org.uk

3. THE CHANGING WORLD OF WORK • Technology • Globalisation • The power of the customer • Flatter structures • Multi- skilling of the workforce • Re-skilling • Change is the only constant • Uncertainty and volatility

4. THE CHANGING CAREER • Only 65% of graduates go straight into work • Many go into jobs rather than careers after university • End of a job for life • Many will have several careers in their working life • Changing life styles “A career path is like crazy paving and you have to lay it yourself!”

5. FROM Clarity Ladders Employer Job Career Progression Rising income and Security Training TO Fog Bridges Customer Adding value Portfolio Personal Growth Maintaining employability Lifelong learning THE NEW LANGUAGE OF CAREERS

6. CHANGING RECRUITMENT PRACTICE • Seeking needles in haystacks • Using on-line technology - high volume low access to - low volume high success • On-line applications • Self-deselection tools • Competency based selection models • Employment trials

7. WHAT EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR IN GRADUATES • Talent • Intellect • Rising expectations • Qualifications plus skills plus experience • ‘Oven ready’ graduates • Shortfall

8. 1.Motivation and enthusiasm 2.Team working 3.Oral 4.Communication 5.Flexibility 6.Customer focus 7.Problem solving 8.Managing own learning 9.Commercial awareness 10.Planning and organisation 1.Commercial awareness 2.Leadership 3.Risk taking/enterprise 4.Project management 5.Managing own learning 6.Second language 7.Problem solving 8.Customer focus 9.Report writing 10.Cultural sensitivity SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES CHECKLIST THE TOP TEN IN 2006 Difficult to find skills Important Skills

9. THE VALUE OF WORK PLACEMENTS TO EMPLOYERS All kinds of work experience count Value to the employer (as a provider) • Better informed candidates • More self aware and self confident • Enhanced skills • Extra pair of hands • Insight into what students can do (in general) • Contribute to student development • Building brand Value to employer (as a recruiter) • A recruitment marketing tool • A recruitment selection tool (NCWE 2003) • Employment trial – two way • Better understanding of the world of work • And employer expectations

10. VALUE OF WORK EXPERIENCE TO THE STUDENT/GRADUATE • Income • Employment trial • Strengthened CV • References • Maturity • Relevance to the degree being followed • Personal and intellectual development • Skills development – interpersonal, project management, planning, etc. • More self-aware and self-confident • Better sense of how their studies ‘fit-in’ to the world of work • Owning their own learning Little and Harvey (2006) ‘learning through work placements and beyond’

11. MAKING THE MOST OF WORK PLACEMENTS Employers • Plan ahead • Structure the placement; include a project • Mentors and buddies • Supervision • Trouble shooting arrangements • Feedback throughout and at the end of placement Students • Record, reflect and reuse the experience

12. ADVICE FOR STUDENTS Summer Placements (internships) • Plan ahead – and start early • Use the services that are there to help – careers service • Explore every kind of opportunity – shadowing, casual work, volunteering • Use every experience good or bad, to reflect on what you have learnt • Reflect on where you would ideally like to work • Capture the experience • Learn how to articulate what you gained from the experience Part-time Working • Use the services that are their job to help – job shops etc. • Use your own network of contacts • Be pro-active (knock on doors) • Target sectors that you are interested in • Don’t ignore SMEs • Volunteer yourself just to get in the door • Don’t be blinkered ‘If only I’d known’ – Hawkins and Gilleard

13. CHALLENGES • Not enough quality placements • Securing student engagement 79% feel they could not afford to gain this experience by working for free Manpower Survey 2006 76% believe relevant work experience is necessary to secure the career they want

14. CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITIES • Employers putting their money where their mouth is! • Tax incentives • Engaging with SMEs • Building up employer contacts • Sharing networks within universities • Using alumni • Students helping themselves • Developing a framework/template for employers and students to use • Look at ways of using part-time work

15. STUDENT ENGAGEMENT • Start early • Build into curriculum • Accreditation • Use employers and alumni to get the message across • Work with student associations

16. Questions and comments