The UK’s European university

Writing an Employability StatementTim ReedHead of Careers & Employability Servicewww.kent.ac.uk/ces

Writing an Employability Statement

• I am not going to insist you write a Statement in a particular way!

• Advice and helpful hints on “your” Statement

• These tips are based on experience and good practice

Writing an Employability Statement

• Why have training on writing a Statement?

• Why have a Statement?

• University of Kent Employability Strategy

• What should a Statement look like?

Why have training on writing a Statement?

• Because you asked for it!

• First time for everything

• Not all Academic Schools do Employability in the same way, so it is useful to have an opportunity to display the variety of practices and approaches re. a Statement

• To share ideas

Why have a Statement?

• Provides focus and direction (e.g. placement commitment, support for WP students)

• Helps to highlight good practice and achievement of targets (e.g. graduate destinations aims/outcomes, student participation and engagement)

• Supports meeting the expectations of external review (e.g. QAA HE Review, Professional body accreditation)

• Helps staff to understand their roles, tasks and purpose

• Affords emphasis for evaluation

University of Kent Employability Strategy

• Planning and Strategy page of Kent website (Student Experience)

https://www.kent.ac.uk/about/plan/studentexperience/employability/

• PDF at

http://www.kent.ac.uk/about/plan/studentexperience/employability/employability-strategy-2013.pdf

What should a Statement look like?

• Is it a Statement, a Policy or a Strategy?

• Who is it for?

• Who should write/revise it?

• Where should it be kept?

• What should it contain?

What should a Statement contain?

• An opening statement?

• Who you are

• Your key stakeholders (e.g. professional bodies, employers, alumni, training providers)

• Your priorities (e.g. to increase placement numbers/graduate-level employment)

• What you do (curriculum, extra-curricular) and what works well

• Reference to the School Plan, the Student Experience, the Employability Strategy, the Institutional Plan

• Main interactions with CES, Alumni Relations, KIE, other AS, Kent Union, Kent’s Employability initiatives (e.g. Employability Points Scheme, CEA Award on Moodle, KSCV)

• Reference to your online content or social media (how you communicate)

• Key Employability skills/attributes of students

• Examples of significant events, activities, achievements, key performance indicators

• How you review employability provision and use student feedback

• A Statement review date

Any Questions? Time for group discussion.

The UK’s European university

Writing an Employability StatementTim ReedHead of Careers & Employability Servicewww.kent.ac.uk/ces

THE UK’S EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY

www.kent.ac.uk