1. Employability Initiatives in Humanities and Social Sciences: Success Story and Future Plan Dr Sandra Dunster Programme Leader for History Dr Craig Morris Departmental Employability Officer Social, Political and Cultural Studies

2. Success History Work Placement Module (level 6, 30 credits) Future Plan Sociology Employability Module ‘Working in Sociology’ (level 5, 15 credits)

3. History Work Placement Module Has been running successfully for 5 years Offered as a final year optional core for single honours and an option for combined honours Each year c. 50% of all history students take this option Around 25 placements per year

4. History Work Placement Module Students find their own placement – Schools & Heritage Industry Assessment – 150 hours in placement – Project (60%), Employer report (10%), Reflective log (30%) 85% of Greenwich History graduates are in employment or further study (UNISTATS) Student feedback is excellent

5. Working in Sociology A new course, starting next week ‘The course will aid students in developing understandings, habitual dispositions (attributes) and practices that are important in increasing their employability’

6. Working in Sociology Two main issues: Content and Student Engagement Content – what are the ‘must haves’? What are the key issues to give students understanding and experience? – Researching employers, CV, application form statement, psychological tests, numeracy tests, networking and preparing for a job interview.

7. Working in Sociology Student engagement – The content has to be embedded in sociological material or engagement will suffer! – The sociology of (graduate) work – Social theory – e.g. Bourdieu on the individual, social and cultural capital and life (employment) opportunities – A research project in which students answer the question ‘What factors maximise the employability of sociology graduates?’

8. Why do we think these initiatives work /will work? Student focused Timely Relevant to the discipline Enhance employability skills and increase student self-awareness and self-confidence High levels of engagement and positive student feedback