Student Career Support: Reimagining Service Delivery in a Changing Landscape
In a competitive job market and regulatory environment in which institutions are increasingly judged on their ability to provide good graduate outcomes, supporting students' career development is more crucial than ever. UK universities have long recognised this, offering dedicated career services.
However, with changing student needs and a need for efficiency in financially challenging times, innovation in service delivery is paramount. So, how can careers and employability professionals leverage creative approaches to enhance student engagement and outcomes?
Understanding the Evolving Landscape of Employability Support
Student expectations: Today's students are tech-savvy. They are best served by personalised experiences and on-demand career support that fits seamlessly into their busy lives.
Skills gap: Employers increasingly focus on transferable skills like communication and problem-solving, requiring universities to bridge the gap between academics and workplace needs.
Resource constraints: Budgetary pressures necessitate creative solutions that maximise impact without overburdening staff.
Reimagining Service Delivery
Against this backdrop, delivering effective and impactful careers support to students can present difficulties. Below we outline 4 key ways careers services and professionals can rise to the challenge.
1. Embrace Technology
Technology can help to make careers support more efficient, timely and accessible for the modern university student.
Develop dynamic online platforms: Create interactive portals offering career resources, skills assessments, and virtual appointments.
Utilise AI-powered chatbots: Offer 24/7 support for basic queries and career exploration guidance.
Livestream workshops and events: Increase accessibility and cater to diverse commitments and time zones.
2. Personalise the Experience
Each student brings a unique set of skills and experiences, so their career trajectories will inevitably present different challenges and opportunities. A personalised approach can help to support differences in experiences and ensure students are able to develop the skills and pursue the opportunities that best fit their aspirations.
Implement career mentoring programmes: Connect students with industry professionals for personalised guidance.
Offer micro-credentialing opportunities: Equip students with in-demand skills through short, focused courses. This could be recognised on official transcripts or documentation such as a Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR).
Leverage data analytics: Identify student needs and tailor support based on individual interests and aspirations.
3. Foster Collaboration
Careers professionals should work together with external organisations and academic departments, as well as encouraging students to share knowledge and support one another.
Partner with external organisations: Connect students with internships, job shadowing opportunities, and industry events.
Collaborate with academic departments: Integrate career development activities into the curriculum.
Build peer-to-peer support networks: Encourage student-led workshops and resource sharing.
4. Measure and Adapt
Having a strong sense of what’s working – and what’s not – is key, in addition to being able to make amendments to improve service delivery.
Track key metrics: Monitor student engagement, job placement rates, and employer satisfaction. Use data such as the Graduate Outcomes Survey (GOS) results to your advantage.
Conduct regular feedback surveys: Qualitative insights are just as important as statistics. Gather student and employer insights to inform service improvement, especially after events or interventions.
Embrace an agile approach: Be willing to adapt and experiment based on data and feedback.
By embracing these innovative approaches, careers and employability professionals can transform student support services, empowering students to navigate the job market with confidence and succeed in their chosen careers.
How Are Universities Rising to the Challenge?
Supporting graduate employability and student outcomes is a major challenge across the sector right now. HE Professional’s content explores how universities are innovating in this field. Click below to explore our upcoming events and free content for employability professionals.
