Careers and Access to Work funding

1. Careers and Access to Work funding Deb Viney, SOAS Using information provided by the University of London Careers Service Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

2. Why think about careers now? • For some careers, degree choice is crucial (e.g. for teaching some subjects are unacceptable; for psychology some courses are not fully recognised by the BPS) • Some degree subjects / courses have better results than others in terms of students’ employability • It never hurts to plan ahead! If you know where your interests are you can seek appropriate volunteer / work placements in vacations to get experience. Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

3. What can the Careers Service provide? A full range of products and services such as: • confidential, one-to-one careers advice • information and advice on volunteering • a careers information room with dedicated student computers • information on internships, full-time jobs, part-time jobs and recruitment agencies • a full programme of events • the chance to practise your interview skills (ahead of the real thing) • Graduate Careers Case Studies can inspire under-graduates … Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

4. Some examples of Careers events Recruiter-in-Residence: Civil Service Fast Stream Graduate opportunities with Standard Chartered Sportsmark: Paid Opportunities at the Olympic Games 2012 Jones Day Presentation Recruiter-in-Residence: Reuters Day in the Life of…..a Barrister Law & Justice Fair Non-law students: Interested in a Career in Law? GDL Taster Recruiter-in-Residence: Trowers & Hamlins Day in the Life of….an MPs Private Secretary • What can I do with a degree from SOAS? • Jobs Fair • International Committee of the Red Cross • SEO London: Under-represented Ethnic Minority Backgrounds - Securing Internships in the City • MBTI Personality Test • Breaking into the museum and galleries sector • Teach First • Linklaters Presentation Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

5. Got an idea to start a business? • The Enterprise Office and Careers Service can help! • They can offer you a range of workshops, events, competitions, sign-post opportunities for funding and give you some friendly advice to enable you to achieve your full potential. Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

6. Improving your CV • The Careers Service offers individual appointments to review your CV • Consider voluntary activities • What about Students’ Union clubs and societies? • Try to get some work experience – especially in the vacations (Careers Service has information on Internship Schemes and so on) • Consider what skills you have developed as a direct or indirect result of your disability Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

7. Getting a job • Expect to have to make multiple applications, give each one individual attention, tailor the information in the application to the job description and person specification. • If your disability is obvious or you will need adjustments for the interview / other aspects of the selection process, then provide the employer with this information promptly, either with your application or as soon as you are offered an interview. • Emphasise the benefits which you have accrued from learning to manage your situation (e.g. resilience, people management skills, self confidence) and say something about the adjustments you will need (if any) to undertake the advertised post. • If your impairments are hidden, and you need no adjustments during the recruitment process, you can inform the employer after you receive the job offer. Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

8. Employers • Must not refuse a request for reasonable adjustments – that would be direct discrimination – though they may negotiate with you about how a need is met. • Should not make assumptions about what your disability means in terms of your ability to do the job. • Should not ask a disabled person any questions during interview they would not ask someone else. • Apart from offering adjustments during the interview, they must not ask about health / disability until AFTER they have offered the post. Pre-employment screening questionnaires may not be used until after the offer. Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

9. Access to Work funding • http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/Employmentsupport/SupportWhileInWork/index.htm • The employee must apply for A2W funding, this cannot be done by the employer – and you must apply in the first 6 weeks of employment (or before starting) • Employers make a contribution to the costs Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

10. A2W can help with • Communication support during a job interview • Transport costs for travelling to / from work (where these are increased as a result of your impairment) • Transport costs incurred during work where these arise from your disability • Support workers needed during employment activities (e.g. personal assistant, notetaker, BSL interpreter or lipspeaker) Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

11. The First Destinations Survey • The Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey undertaken every year by most UK higher education institutions continues to provide the most valuable indicator of the value of a degree. • The survey collects data from graduates approximately six months after completion of their studies and focuses on their current activities. • This data is used as one of several benchmarks to rank universities on their overall performance in publications such as The Times Good University Guide. • Over the last eight years the “What Happens Next” report has provided, for the first time, real evidence of the effect of a disability on a graduate’s prospects in the labour market. For the most part the reports have indicated that disabled graduates generally fare well in this regard, or at least better than had generally been assumed previous to the report’s inception. Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

12. The 2011 First Destinations Report • This year’s report indicates that the full force of the economic recession struck the graduate employment market in 2009, showing significant decreases in the numbers of both disabled and non-disabled graduates entering full time employment and higher numbers of both groups unemployed. • The proportion of both disabled and non-disabled graduates entering employment in 2009 fell sharply although the decrease for disabled graduates overall was marginally less than for their non disabled peers. • The numbers of graduates choosing “further study only” as an option following graduation rose this year for both disabled and non disabled graduates - though the percentage increase for those choosing this option was greater among disabled graduates. • Unemployment levels went up for both groups although the increase was slightly greater for non-disabled graduates, the opposite of last year. Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

13. The 2011 First Destinations Report • The type of impairment continues to affect leavers’ prospects, with graduates with a Specific Learning Difference and those with “unseen disabilities” generally achieving more favourable outcomes than those with more apparent disabilities. • Graduates with mental health issues and those who are wheelchair users, or have mobility impairments exhibited the lowest levels of full-time employment and the highest levels of unemployment. • The proportion of graduates entering “graduate level” employment dropped this year, with comparable figures for both disabled and non disabled graduates. • There was little difference in the types of industries both sets of graduates entered, repeating similar results from previous surveys. The sector attracting the highest numbers of both disabled and non-disabled graduates was “Human health and social work”. The sector demonstrating greatest disparity between the two groups was “Arts, entertainment and recreation” with significantly more disabled graduates entering this area. Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011

14. The 2011 First Destinations Report • There was similarity between disabled and non disabled graduates in terms of the occupations they entered, although this year saw marginally higher numbers of disabled graduates entering “management” level occupations than their non-disabled peers. • A significantly higher number of disabled graduates chose self employment as an option than non-disabled graduates. [This preference for self-employment is also reflected in the Access to Work funding data] • Earnings of disabled graduates compared well with non disabled graduates although overall average starting salaries were down for both groups. Careers and Access to Work 27.09.2011