1. Career Development Centre Skills Award LLLLN Development Fund Dissemination Event Dr Wayne Clark 8 April 2011

2. What is the Skills Award? A new initiative designed to enhance student employability Support students in developing and articulating key skills valued by employers A structured programme of careers coaching, activities, reflection and work experience Certification Employer feedback

3. Skills Business and commercial awareness People skills (customer care, networking) Project management (planning and organisation) Team working Self management (time management, flexibility and resilience) Problem solving Communication

4. The current economic climate means that it is more important than ever to consider the range of skills that graduate employers are looking for. Candidates who can demonstrate a combination of academic skills through the achievement of a good degree and the crucial softer skills that are so important in business are most in demand. Active participation in a well structured careers award such as the one run by the Career Development Centre at the University of Westminster will help you to develop those soft skills, and will give you a wide range of experiences to draw on when you engage with employers. Ultimately, the experience will make you stand out from the crowd and help you to demonstrate what you can bring to their business. Gary Argent Business Operations Manager Association of Graduate Recruiters

5. educating for professional life Structure 1. Preparation 2. Skills development activities 3. Work experience 4. Reflection –Points are awarded for each part of the scheme –Participants need to acquire a minimum of 100 points –Launch of High Achievers scheme for extra points

6. educating for professional life Who is eligible? All current level 4 and level 5 undergraduate University of Westminster students 26 students selected for the first cohort (from a competitive selection process) A limited number of places on the scheme are reserved for students who have entered University through non-traditional routes (i.e. not via A-level qualifications)

7. Time Commitment –Required to commit approx 75 hours to the scheme –Skills Award is flexible to fit around student availability –Complete the Award in a minimum of six months and a maximum of one year –Students may have already participated in eligible activities (September 2010 onwards) educating for professional life

8. Delivery Blackboard site e-portfolio (Google Sites) Schedule of events One to one coaching Access to CDC resources and support Emails from Skills Award team Skills Award exclusive events Awards ceremony educating for professional life

9. - Application form - CV - Employer testimonial - Log of events - Log of work experience - Points total - Reflection on progress - Action plan(s) 1. Document storage 2. Activity log 3. Reflection & planning educating for professional life e-portfolio

10. Progress –Development of structure and content of Award (October) –Recruitment of Project Administrator (November) –Advertisement and recruitment of 26 students, including 4 non A-level HE entrants (1-20 December) –Design of e-portfolio and Blackboard VLE site (January) –Training with Careers Consultants (January) educating for professional life

11. Progress –Skills Award Launch event (26 January) –Career coaching sessions #1 (February) –Drop-in advice session (2 March) –Microsoft Office Specialist induction (9 March) –Graduate Game (24 March + 8 April) –Video interviews with students (x3) (March) –Ongoing CDC events, workshops etc educating for professional life

12. CONTACT Project Manager: Dr Wayne Clark Tel: 020 7911 5000 ext 66091 Email: W.Clark@westminster.ac.ukW.Clark@westminster.ac.uk Project Co-ordinator: Norma McEnery Career Development Centre University of Westminster 101 New Cavendish Street http://www.westminster.ac.uk/skillsaward