1. Cooperative Education & Careers Division
Gavin Connell
Cooperative Education & Careers Division
You are very welcome, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule. My name is Gavin Connell (HOC).
This morning I am going to bring you through the student centered model of careers supports provided by UL. In term of context for 2nd level students-my service message is that UL is distinctive in the way that we enable students to bridge classroom learning, personal development and future employability.
You will be getting a briefing on the range of academic programmes but my focus will be on work of CECD.

2. First and largest Coop programme in Ireland
Integrated Coop & Careers Division
Student centred focus
Opportunities to work and study overseas
Connected with employers
Excellent record in graduate employment
What’s distinctive about UL?
How do we do this? This is an overview of our model and the following are our key indicators of how effective UL is in this.
40 year history- Integrated Cooperative Education and Careers Division nationwide
Largest mandatory accredited programme in Ireland placing 1800 students from over 50 courses across 4 faculty.
We deliver over :1 sessions and also an average of 250 employability classroom based sessions. One of the key outcomes of this is that have a 97% placement rate-with 23% undertaking placement overseas in 25 countries such as Japan, New Zealand, Australia, North and South America, South Africa, Ghana, and countries right though Europe.
Working with over 4500 organisation contacts with 14% new contacts to secure placements with approximately 800 companies.
Both large multinational corporations and SMEs work with us on the programme.
Strong market sector knowledge to allow us to move with external market drivers. 2

3. Developing Employability: 4 year process
PRE
POST
Developing Employability: 4 year process
Year 1 – 2
Career focus,
Choosing options,
Coop preparation .
Year 2/3 –
Coop placement,
Faculty visits,
Recording skills development
Year 4 –
Career consultations,
Career fairs & events,
Job search techniques
Course related skills
Relevance of modules
Monitoring of experience
Assessment
Reflection
Assimilation
Integration
Model that we base the “student experience” on, it is core to the founding ethos of UL.
Engaging with students from 1st year through co-op onto 4th year and into postgrad study.
Specialist advisors for mature students and postgrad students.
Partnership: Faculty, Employers, Careers

4. First Destinations of 2015 Graduates: All Faculties Primary Degree
UL Employment rate 18% higher than the HEA’s most recently-available national average figure
92% of primary degree graduates are in employment or further study
Average starting salary of approximately €25,510

5. Salary by Ranges

6. Region of Employment – Primary Degree

7. Region of Employment (abroad) – Primary Degree

8. Employment Sectors: Primary Degree, All Faculties

9. Employment by Faculty : Primary Degree

10. Placement as main predictor of future graduate employment
Employment outcomes--FDR
Generic skills development on Coop
Getting your degree/Using your degree
Why this is important to your conversation—Heading (Getting your degree/Using your degree)
Placement as main predictor of future graduate employment
Employment outcomes--FDR
Generic skills development— 10