2. Agenda… What is the Ulster Edge Award? What do I Need to do?
When will I receive the Ulster Edge Award?
FAQ’s

3. Career Development Centre
Visit our Information Room 13G01 (UUJ), H214 (UUC), MF226 (UUM)
Find out who your Career Development Adviser is –
Make use of Career Development Centre Resources

4. Factors to consider
Did you know that there are over 85 applications for every graduate job Employers are recruiting graduates who not only have a degree but also key transferable skills View what EDGE graduates say

5. What is the Ulster EDGE Award?
An employability Award for F/T Undergraduate Students
Provides official recognition and evidence for activities outside your programme of study
Taken in addition to your degree
You have up to 4 years to complete the award.
You will receive it with your degree at graduation

6. How do you achieve the EDGE?
There are 3 steps to complete: 1, 2, 3
Register for the Ulster EDGE Award
Choose and complete activities (during the length of your degree programme)
a) EDGE Award: complete 4 activities which are NOT all from the same category
b) EDGE Excel:  complete 6 activities across 3 categories (no separate registration)
**Ensure that each activity is verified within the academic year that you complete the activity**.
Apply for the Award (in final year) once you have completed activities
Ulster EDGE Award: Written application – (end of April)
Ulster EDGE Excel Award : Written application & Employer-led panel interview – (mid April)
**Gain the EDGE Excel Award – You will be considered for the ‘EDGE Award student of the Year’**

7. How do you achieve the EDGE?
EDGE: Complete 4 activities (they CAN’T all be from same category)
EDGE Excel: Complete 6 activities from across 3 categories
Category 1: Accredited co-curricular modules
Category 2: Work Experience, Study Abroad and Enterprise
Category 3: Internal & External Opportunities
Category 4: Formal University-wide Opportunities

8. Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4
Accredited co-curricular modules
Work experience, Study Abroad and Enterprise
Internal and External Opportunities
Formal University Wide Opportunities
Open to 1st Year students
Building your skills PPD105 
Developing Skills for Work PPD104 
Graduation- what next? PPD102
Open to all students
Skills Development through Student Representation
Open to Law, Psychology, Pharmacy, Built Environment, Computing and Engineering students
Peer Assisted Study Skills 1 PPD037
Peer Assisted Study Skills 2 PPD051
Open to Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences students
National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) Student Champion PHA001 
Open to Criminology, Politics and Social Policy
Student Global Village PPD196
Open to Nursing Students
Reflect on Me PPD131
Open to Creative Arts students
Design Portfolio and CV Production PPD240  
P/T job
Work Experience Skills Builder Module PPD 184
Year long Placement – DPP(I)/DIAS
Year Long Placement Study USA
Study Abroad International Student Exchange Programme (ISEP) Language Assistant Ulster Sports Outreach Educational Placement Programme Erasmus
Short-term placements (listed below)- only if you complete module 'Employability through work experience' PPD100
Washington Ireland Program IAESTE Placement
Short-term placement (open to Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences students)
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science Spanish Summer Placement Project PHA506  
Preparation Module (only open to computing students) Placement Preparation PPD120
Open to all
Sports/Students Union Club or Committee Member
Student Union Rag Volunteer
Volunteering with External Organisations
Open to Social Work students
Social Work Individual Practice Development Days
Open to Sports students
Ulster Sports Outreach Education Induction Training Programme
Ulster Sports Outreach Sport for LIFE programme
Open to UBS students
Entrepreneurship Competitions
CIMA Accredited SAGE certificate
Open to Nursing students
Disaster Risk Reduction
Immediate Life Support
Open to Computing & Engineering
Stem Ambassador
Open to Media, Film & Journalism
Student Innovation Competition (with EDGE)
Open to Sports and Creative Dance
Dance for Life Programme
Open to Biomedical Sciences Students
Developing job application and interview skills
Open to Law Students
Street Law Programme
Open to Engineering students
Formula Student
Tutoring in schools
Students Union Enterprise Competition Team Member
Sciences and Ethics: Debates and Dilemmas
Developing Digital literacy
External opportunities
Business Enterprise Academy
Business Bootcamp
Leaderhsip Development Programme Module 1 &2

9. FAQ’s
Do you have to complete a certain amount of activities in a year?
No the amount each year is up to you, as long as you have four activities completed before you graduate.
Can activities I completed last year count?
No, Only CPPD modules from last year can be counted as this will already be recorded onto the universities database.
How much time do I need to volunteer for it to be included as an activity?
You must volunteer for at least 30 hours.

10. FAQ’s
What steps do I need to take if I volunteer for an organisation outside of the University?
You need to check that the organisation you are volunteering has signed up with the SU (check SU website). You need to fill out a log book from the Students Union to record the hours and the activities you took part, has to be signed off by your volunteering supervisor and verified by the SU
What if the voluntary organisation is not registered with the SU?
You need to encourage the organisation to register with the SU otherwise if you are doing 40 hours over a year with the organisation you can engage with ‘work experience skills builder module’ CPPD module

11. Students Union Activity Logbook

12. Targeting Your CV
Can activities I have completed during vacation periods throughout my degree be used?
Yes, any activity that is completed during your degree can be counted towards the award provided that it has been approved by the EDGE award team.
How do I get my activity credited towards the award?
Once you have completed the activity it will be your responsibility to hand in your log book so that staff can go online and confirm successful completion within that academic year.
Can part time/short term employment count towards this award?
No, unless you engage in the CPPD module ‘work experience skills builder’ allowing you to reflect on the skills which you have developed

13. FAQ’s Jordanstown: edgeJN@ulster.ac.uk
How do I check my progress on EDGE?
the Ulster EDGE Team:
Jordanstown:
Belfast:
Magee:
Coleraine:
I have completed all four/six activities… now what?
Once all four/six activities have been completed you must then apply for the award. You will receive an prompting you to do this when the time comes.
What happens if I withdraw my application?
If you decide you no longer wish to participate in the award, contact a member of the Ulster Edge Award team.
Drop into the Career Development Centre for more information