ED309A/ED359A Work Experience: Employability Skills Development
This innovative 15-credit, Level 3 Work-Related Learning course is structured for DHPA students to secure their own placement, part-time work or personal development project which is approved by the School. An underpinning part of the course encourages students to reflect on their personal and professional development and to make connections between their degree programme and the world of work. The Careers and Employability Service supports the course and students’ learning via a series of workshops.
ED309A/ED359A enables students to identify and evidence a range of skills and qualities that employers look for in graduates, including communication, team working, problem-solving, reflection and professionalism.
For further information on ED309A/ED359A, contact Dr Joy Perkins: j.perkins@abdn.ac.uk.
- Thomas Alexander (Philosophy-Psychology)
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Why did you decide to take ED309A Work Experience: Employability Skills Development?
Throughout my degree, I’ve always found it difficult to ‘sell myself’. I always found it was very difficult to work out and properly articulate what my strengths are, especially as I find it quite easy to work out what I am not as good at and need to work on improving. I thought that doing a course that encourages reflective practice and the development of employability skills would help me identify what my strengths are, and how to better sell myself to future employers after graduation.
What did you enjoy about the course?
I enjoyed the element of reflective practice that the course offered – it was nice to be able to articulate all my thoughts throughout my internship down on paper, and be able to look over how I’d developed during the course. An element of the course also involved writing an online profile for Linkedin and constructing a CV. These exercises were really helpful, as they were not something I’d considered doing before. Having a strong online profile on Linkedin can help connect you to future employers and opportunities, and a strong CV is of course a must for any job application. Doing these activities now and being able to get feedback on them was immensely helpful, and something that will help with finding a good job after graduation.
How has taking ED309A been beneficial to you in terms of your future employment and opportunities?
I think my online profile is a lot stronger now, which will help me see opportunities advertised in the future. Being able to reflect on previous performances and use reflection for future development is also a crucial skill in any workplace. Being able to demonstrate evidence of reflective practices will be useful in any job application and interview. My confidence has also improved a lot during the course. I was able to look back at my development over the course and see how my skills and performance have improved over time. I’d never been able to see that before, and I feel a lot better about it!
What advice would you have for other students looking to enhance their employability?
My best advice would be to go for any opportunity and try something at least once. Any experience is better than no experience, so don’t be afraid to seek out opportunities, ask questions, and try out something you think you might be interested in. There is no better time than now to experience new things and get some valuable experience to enhance your employability. Your future self will thank you, and you might just find what you want your future career to be along the way!
- Ellen Williamson (Art History-French)
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Why did you decide to take ED309A Work Experience: Employability Skills Development?
I decided to take the course because I had secured an internship and wanted to make sure I got the most potential out of it. I knew that the course would be helpful during the internship as it would highlight key skills that would help me perform well and allow me to showcase my best employability skills.
What did you enjoy about the course?
I enjoyed reflecting on what I had been doing during my internship in an academic format. I hadn’t really sat and reflected on every aspect of the internship until I was completing the assessments and it helped me to see how beneficial the whole experience really was.
How has taking ED309A been beneficial to you in terms of your future employment and opportunities?
In terms of future employment and opportunities I found that the course helped me focus on what employability skills I should be showcasing to the employer, and I did get a graduate job offer at the end so it has been great in terms of my career!
What advice would you have for other students looking to enhance their employability?
I would always advise going to the university careers service with CVs and cover letters, they are excellent and it is really worthwhile trying some internships to see what you really want to do. Then if you do secure an internship this course is really an excellent way to reflect that hard work and achievement academically. It is a great addition to a university transcript and looks great to employers.