1. Enabling World Ready & Work Ready Graduates
Seamus McEvoy,
Head of Career Services,
UCC

2. Update on employability activities in UCC?
Agenda
Why employability
Update on employability activities in UCC?
Current situation
UCC Works
BA work placement module
2012 graduate destinations

3. The challenge to Higher Educational in Ireland - Employability
The Hunt Report emphasises the need for higher education to put more emphasis on generic skill development
‘The undergraduate curriculum needs to place more emphasis on generic skills, especially those required for the workplace and for active citizenship’.
National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 (Hunt Report) - Jan 2011
‘The simple acquisition of knowledge is not enough to count as a complete education in today’s world’

4. What are Generic/Employability skills?
Hunt refers to an OECD project on higher education learning outcomes as an indicator of international thinking on the key generic skills required by students today:
 Analytical reasoning
Critical thinking
The ability to generate fresh ideas
The practical application of theory
Written communication
Leadership ability
Ability to work in a group
A set of skills, knowledge and personal attributes which ensure that graduates are capable of being effective in the workplace and the community to the benefit of themselves, their employers and society in general.
AHECS (Association of Higher Education Career Services)

5. Definition of employability (cont)
Taken from ‘time well spent – embedding employability in work experience’ C.B.I. (Confederation of British industry 2008)

6. UCC Strategic Plan
‘We will provide opportunities within each programme for student placement either through volunteering activities, international placement or work placement so that all UCC students have the opportunity to develop the generic and transferable skills needed for effective engagement in the workplace and society’.
Over 80% of UCC undergraduate programmes now offer placement opportunities
(work placement/clinical placement /year abroad)

7. UCC Strategic Initiative 2013/17 Provide opportunities for all students to develop employability skills
Work Experience Pathway
UCC Campus internship
UCC Works
External work placement/internship
Clinical Placement
Community Involvement Pathway
Volunteering
Service Learning
Community Based Research
UCC Community Engagement Pathway
Societies participation
Sports club participation
Culture and Arts
participation
Internationalisation Pathway
Develop Language Competencies
Work or Study Abroad
Development Work Abroad
Proposal approved by Academic Council July 2012

8. Accredited Work based learning in UCC
Student works full time for a period of time as an accredited part of their academic programme.
Approx. 900 students per annum take formal paid block work placements, some abroad, usually of 6 months duration
Block placement
Students spend periods of their academic programme in the workplace under the direct supervision of a tutor e.g. medicine, nursing, dentistry etc.
All students undertake clinical placements as part of their academic programme in the College of Medicine and Health
Clinical placement
Students spend timetabled periods during term in a supervised work setting e.g. education, social work, etc.
Approx 200 students p.a.
Practice placement

9. NEW WORK PLACEMENT MODULE
College of Arts, Celtic Studies & Social Sciences
(CACSSS): ENHANCING STUDENTS’ EMPLOYABILITY
NEW WORK PLACEMENT MODULE
From 2013, the College of Arts, Celtic Studies & Social Sciences is offering its BA students an opportunity to take a 5 credit work placement module, which will include a work placement and which will be listed on the student’s transcripts

10. BA Work Placement Module - key points
Pilot 5 credit elective module in 2013/14 in 5 disciplines
Plan to make option available to all 2nd year BA students in UCC as part of their degree programme in 2014/15.
Administered by the Career Services on behalf of the College
Academic staff work with students to agree learning outcomes and assessment of module.
The programme involves
preparatory training,
Work-placement organized by the University (min 150 hours)
post-placement assessment of learning outcomes designed to help students to articulate what they have learned from the placement.
Work-placements can be completed in one of two periods
During Term – Weekly hours Placement
During the Summer - Block Placement within months June to Sept

12. 2013/14 version - Introducing three Pathways

13. Two steps to success

14. The Reflective Report
Demonstrate how you developed …..(competency) by participating in your chosen pathway. (select 4 of the 6 skills listed)
Demonstrate how having an understanding of the workplace and employer’s requirements will help you with your career goals.
In what way has participating on the UCC Works Internship Award influenced your future career goals?
Students encouraged to use the STAR technique
Questions based on employer application forms
Students required to update their CV
Teamwork
Problem-Solving
Interpersonal skills
Planning
Skills
No more than 200 words/answer

15. Class of 2012 – Graduate Destinations Survey
Main features
4,626 students graduated from full time programmes in UCC.
In spring/early summer 2013, the Career Services surveyed these graduates to identify their current employment status
3,777 graduates (82%) responded to the survey.

16. UCC Graduate Destinations 2012 Survey summary – all graduates
57% (2,135 graduates) were in employment with 86% (1,844) of these working in Ireland
30% (1,143 graduates) continued onto further study primarily in Irish H.E. Institutions
9% (333 graduates) were actively seeking employment and
4% (166 graduates) were not available for employment
More detailed survey information will shortly be available on

17. UCC Graduate Destinations 2012 Survey summary – Primary degree recipients

18. UCC Graduate Destinations 2012 Survey summary – Higher degree recipients

19. THANK YOU!