Career Development Module

1. Career Development Module • “My advice for graduates is to make sure you reflect on what you have learnt, both at university and in extra-curricular activity, and be able to articulate it in your applications and at interviews, think about what transferable skills you might have gained and how you’d apply your knowledge and experience to different situations. If you are able to get into that mode of thinking, you will be immediately more attractive to employers.” Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters.

2. Gain work experience for academic credit! • Three routes: • Student Tutoring in Schools, Colleges and on Campus • Student Volunteering (on/off campus) • Learning from Work (using existing part-time work) Optional 20-credit module Different, challenging and worthwhile!

3. Student Tutoring in Schools, Colleges, and on Campus • Primary, secondary and special school placements (and opportunities to work with visiting students on Campus). Placements assigned in October. • Work in a classroom assistant • role using personal enterprise • and other skills to plan activities • and take on more responsibility • Not just for those thinking of teaching career!

4. Student Volunteeringthrough Students’ Union • Opportunities include: • President, Secretary or Treasurer of ratified Club or Society • Work for Courier or Newcastle Student Radio • Other internal Students’ Union projects • External placements including: • Oxfam, National Trust, Barnardo’s, St Oswald’s etc • Working with ‘at risk’ groups – young offenders/people at risk of offending/homeless etc

5. Volunteering route Information Talks • History Room, NUSU Building: • Thurs 1st May - 1pm • Tuesday 6th May - 12pm • Thursday 8th May - 1pm • Email cdm.union@ncl.ac.uk to book

6. Learning from Work • Use part-time term time work you have arranged (paid or unpaid, including self-arranged ‘internship’ or running your own business). • Set challenging personal goals • reflect on the skills you are developing • build a portfolio evidencing your achievements at work The module will enable you to articulate these skills to prospective employers, and push you to achieve more in your workplace.

7. This year’s Business School students • Student Tutoring • Two primary schools; Two SEN schools; Three secondary schools; Choysez (alternative education) • Student Volunteering (external) • Oxfam Finance; • Marketing support - Success4All; • Events management - Teenage Cancer Trust; • Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society; • Young Enterprise; • The Cyrenians; • St Oswald’s Hospice;

8. Student Volunteering (internal) • President, Entrepreneur Society; • Treasurer, American Football Society; • President and Secretary of Chess Society; • Treasurer, Malaysian Society; • President, Gaelic Football Society; • Volunteer, Nightline; • Volunteer, SCAN Environmental Projects; • Learn from Work • Business Development at a local SME and a National company; • Marketing at a local SME; • PR volunteer at Third Sector Marketing; • Hospitality and Marketing at Newcastle United; • Sales adviser for home builder; • Business Analyst at Insurance Broker; • Market Research for local firm; • Roles at Waitrose, All Saints, Stand Comedy Club, Red Bull; • NU Officer Training Corps; • Four businesses continued from 2nd Year Business Enterprise • module.

9. Why do Career Development? • Flexible, self-directed learning and • reflection; • Do something practical, in • a different context; • Different assessment methods; • Challenging – set your own goals • to expand your role and take you out of your comfort zone; • Promote your subject, gain work • experience and an understanding • of the skills developed

10. Skills and Assessment • Support through timetabled seminars, tutorials and study groups to: • set personal goals • carry out appropriate research • reflect on your progress • develop skills of communication, teamworking and personal enterprise (essential in all graduate roles!) • Assessment: • Written work based on goal setting and action planning (25% - formative feedback available) • Evaluation from supervisor at end of placement (25%) • Final Assessed Interview or Assessed Presentation reflecting on skills developed and achievements on placement (50%)

11. Students said: “Well organised, highly effective way of direct teaching (seminars, tutorials etc), good advice for organising non-directed learning, overall a very good module in terms of content and teaching” “I really enjoyed this module and it pushed me out of my comfort zone. I did more for my placement due to this module.” Click here to hear what a previous student thought (YouTube link) “I think the module is well structured, my module tutor offered excellent support and the interview process was not as daunting as I expected. Most of all I absolutely loved my placement and I'm really grateful for the opportunity.”

12. What next? • Check options with Degree Programme Director • Select Career Development through S3P in sign-up week immediately after Easter - must be a first choice module • NCL2007 – Career Development for Second Years • NCL3007 – Career Development for Final Year students • NCL3008 – Advanced Career Development (NCL2007 is pre-req) • Choose route/organise placement before summer vacation • Web: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/careers/develop/cdm.php • Contact: jessica.jung@ncl.ac.uk • Volunteering: cdm.union@ncl.ac.uk