{"id":163,"date":"2024-04-15T15:30:54","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T14:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/pvc-student-experience\/?p=163"},"modified":"2024-04-16T08:50:12","modified_gmt":"2024-04-16T07:50:12","slug":"visiting-careers-a-new-space-and-a-support-service-for-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/pvc-student-experience\/2024\/04\/15\/visiting-careers-a-new-space-and-a-support-service-for-all\/","title":{"rendered":"Visiting Careers: a new space and a support service for all"},"content":{"rendered":"

For my latest blog about support for our students, I visited the new Careers space on campus and spoke with Helen Stringer (Director of Employability & Student Success) and her team, as well as Aastha Gupta, a current student in Psychology who works for Careers as a Student Employability Coach.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

\"\"
Cassie meeting with colleagues and Aastha in the Careers Centre<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cassie (CW): Aastha, it is lovely to meet you for the first time, could you tell me a bit about your role?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Aastha (AG):<\/strong> Here at Careers, I\u2019m a Student Employability Coach (SEC) and I work with a variety of different students to help them prepare the best CVs, cover letters or applications they can. A typical shift for me comprises anything from helping with the Careers helpdesk, to serve as a first line of contact for any walk-in student inquiries, to 1:1 drop-in support with the aforementioned documents. The latter essentially can both be a client-led or an advisor-led session, depending on the student\u2019s preferences as we understand and appreciate both.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

CW: That\u2019s great. Helen, Careers moved from the Virgil building in the city centre onto campus quite quickly after you started in post. How did that go?\u202f Can you tell me about the space you now have here on campus?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Helen\u202f(HS):<\/strong> There had been plans for some time to move Careers back onto main campus and coming into post gave me the opportunity to forge ahead with this, but it was absolutely a collective effort and endeavour! The bank space had been sat empty for some time and it seemed a natural home for a student facing service like Careers \u2013 not to mention very close proximity to the Fresh shop. Could we have found a better spot?\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, it wasn\u2019t simply moving into the new space, there was also the question of re-positioning and, in a sense, re-launching Careers. You may have spotted (at least, I hope you have!) the bold and engaging imagery, which was the product of internal consultation and external expertise, as we worked closely with colleagues from IDPS. We wanted a look and feel that was striking and managed to exemplify our professional and inclusive approach. This new branding is also an important part of onto our online presence.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Providing the best, most accessible service to our students has always been the overriding priority. We now have a lovely welcoming Helpdesk space, a couple of spaces where we can have drop-in conversations with students, as well as two consulting rooms for individual appointments.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AG:<\/strong> I think the central location of being near the Library and the Fresh shop has proven to be an incentive for students. You can also just work on actionable advice given by our lovely Careers Consultants\/Advisors in the peace and quiet of the library and reward yourself with a little treat from the shop!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
An image of the Careers Centre on campus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

CW: That\u2019s brilliant, what other benefits do you think this is making, or going to make, for students and staff going forward?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

HS:<\/strong> It\u2019s already making such a difference to our students. Careers and employability is so central to the student experience but for many it\u2019s never really urgent or critical, and that means it\u2019s sometimes easy to ignore or overlook. Having this central spot certainly raises awareness and prompts students to \u2018drop by\u2019 \u2013 it was a rare occurrence at the Virgil Building. To capitalise on our new location, we changed our delivery model, and now offer daily drop-in from 10-4. Students are coming in all through the day at a time that suits them, and feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Our Information Team has been central to this shift in delivery and are using interactions with students to help us further refine and develop our in-person and online offer.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AG:<\/strong> I think having it be so central encourages so many students to come in, especially if they\u2019ve got, say, a gap between lectures and have been meaning to come in or have a random question pop up that they can almost always get some sort of an instant answer to by dropping by! It can be so much quicker and easier sometimes because I know sending off e-mails can be challenging when you don\u2019t know how to fully express your concerns in writing. In fact, even when I\u2019m not working, I have actually just popped in for some advice myself as a final year student who\u2019s applying to work on what\u2019s next for me. I think this is also reflected in some of our decisions such as switching to a daily drop-in model as compared to set-day drop-in based on popular student demand. We\u2019ve definitely seen students just come in and ask if we\u2019ve got drop-ins for CV advice, for example. Before the new model, we\u2019d have to recommend returning at specific times\/days or booking an appointment. However, with the new model, I think it provides a much better support structure to students for either any last-minute queries or if they\u2019re a nervous first-timer!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I think either way, we have and continue to always strive to have students go away with at least something constructive and meaningful that puts them in a better position than they came in. Based on informal feedback from students as well as more formal ones, I believe that we\u2019re doing well to deliver on and meet our aims. The people I am so fortunate to work with are all very lovely and always willing to help!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

CW: And in your role Aastha, do you think there are benefits with the fact you are a student advising other students? And what are the challenges?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

AG: <\/strong>I believe that having a student representative trained and well equipped to help peers out with Careers related questions can be quite important to meet students at a more relatable level. My fellow SECs and I all had to go through the application process to be offered our current positions which not only adds to the credibility of our advice but also provides the students reassurance that they can do it too. Beyond that, I\u2019ve had students also ask about my degree and background and I think for them to hear that my experience with the careers process is also quite recent, if not ongoing, can potentially make them feel less alone and more understood.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Being a psychology student, I understand the importance of empathy and confidentiality when clients open up to us and have received further, more specific training for my role as an SEC as well. I think this aspect of my degree has helped me immensely in my current position and at the same time, being a SEC has also helped me put my learning into practice and have received positive feedback for it. Therefore, I think employing SECs from diverse backgrounds can add a lot to how we deliver the best service to the students. This is also because this helps ensure that the students have a direct representation amongst those advocating for them. I think also with the word of mouth spread through us and our fellow students, it encourages more students to approach us either online or offline. From personal experience, working with Careers has given me a lot more insight into the type of help and support available and has helped me help others by disseminating this information and honestly discussing the value in our work from a student perspective.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

CW: So other than \u2018moving house\u2019 and the new space, what else has changed within Careers and employability, Helen?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

HS:<\/strong> Lots! We are looking at ways to harness AI, not just to enhance our services but also aiding students in the use and application of AI for career development and job applications. There\u2019s an enthusiasm within the team to embrace the potential of GenAI and look at developments across the sector. \u202fThere\u2019s also been a shift in recruitment and working practices during and post Covid, and we\u2019re making sure to keep abreast of changes through our connections with ISE (Institute of Student Employers) and our employers.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re also conscious of students\u2019 approach to \u2018career\u2019 which is increasingly more values driven; students are keen to understand more about companies\u2019 climate and sustainability policies, \u2018greenwashing\u2019 and general commitment to EDI.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One thing that hasn\u2019t changed is our client centred, impartial, approach, which means helping students identify and realise their individual career goals, providing advice and guidance to steer them through the process and successfully compete for graduate roles \u2013 whatever the sector. Student agency and choice remain central to our philosophy and ethical standpoint<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

CW: I think a lot of staff are guilty of presuming the Careers team only supports taught students. What other support or services do you provide? \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

HS:<\/strong> It\u2019s a common misperception! We work with all students, from first year undergraduates to doctoral students on the cusp of submission. Ghislaine Dell, Head of Careers, has a specific remit to work with doctoral students and has been developing the careers offer for this population, in tandem with colleagues from the Doctoral College. Our team of careers consultants also work across and within departments to support PGT students, and I think you may be surprised at the wealth of information, quality of resources and range of provision tailored to this group. We also continue to help our students after they have graduated, should they need us. Cat Knocks (Employer Engagement Manager) has partnered with Matt Rusling (Head of MBA Operations) to co-ordinate a bespoke employer fair for PGT students \u2013 it\u2019s small but growing!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

CW: It sounds like a lot is going on and Careers works closely with many other parts of the university\u2026 spanning Doctoral, academic departments, Placements, the SU & more. How can we ensure we are all working toward the same goal & in a joined-up way?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

HS:<\/strong> \u202fThat\u2019s an important question Cassie and one I frequently ask myself. As you know, I am working with colleagues to develop an employability strategy and hopefully this will enable us to define a strong offer for Bath students, and a unifying vision for others to get behind. Bath has excellent employability provision, but there\u2019s no coherent theme or narrative just now and that\u2019s something I would like us to change. Placements are fantastic and a strong, central pillar of what we do here at Bath, but ultimately, we need to look holistically and that requires a collective effort from academics, professional services and the SU. Communication and transparency are key. We are also keen for students to not feel overwhelmed by having to use numerous systems relating to employability and skills. This is why we continue to collaborate closely with the Skills Centre, Students\u2019 Union, Placements teams and the Doctoral College on the rollout of <\/span>the UniHub system<\/span><\/a> around campus. We also recently launched an <\/span>Employability Map and checklist<\/span><\/a> to help students feel less overwhelmed with career planning. It was a real collaborative effort putting it together, with the aim of helping students navigate the range of enrichment and development activities available while studying and signpost to professional and support services if more personalised help and advice is required. We really hope students will find it beneficial, and that colleagues will from across the university and SU will signpost students to it \u2013 for example, it would be a perfect resource for Personal Tutors to share with their tutees! <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

CW: And finally, if you had one piece of advice for colleagues who are considering employability and how it fits into their work or a project, what would you say?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

HS:<\/strong> \u202fEmployability fits any and everywhere. It\u2019s about helping students develop the skills and mindsets to succeed and thrive \u2013 often it\u2019s a case of surfacing and articulating what\u2019s already there. Employability is a shared endeavour and collective responsibility \u2013 no one individual \u201cowns\u201d it. And to some degree we are all on \u2018employability journeys\u2019 as professionals.\u202f\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re fortunate here at Bath to have so many experienced and engaged people working in the employability space, willing to share their insights and support their colleagues. We know that employers want future focussed graduates, who can help solve big, knotty problems. Helping students develop the language of employability and take ownership of their future is vital.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Colleagues and students can contact me at pro-vc-se@bath.ac.uk<\/a> to ask questions, or request future topics you'd like to hear about on the blog.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For my latest blog about support for our students, I visited the new Careers space on campus and spoke with Helen Stringer (Director of Employability & Student Success) and her team, as well as Aastha Gupta, a current student in...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1669,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[28,27,9,8,6,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-careers","category-employability","category-skills","category-staff-development","category-support","category-transition"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":188,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.bath.ac.uk\/pvc-student-experience\/2024\/07\/30\/summer-reflections-and-postgraduate-opportunities\/","url_meta":{"origin":163,"position":0},"title":"Summer reflections and postgraduate opportunities","author":"Cassie Wilson","date":"30 July 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"For many colleagues and undergraduate students, the summer period can be used to rest, take a break, and then prepare for a new academic year in September. 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