Month: January 2021

Helping students get ahead – Careers, Skills and Graduate Employment

Richard Prest Leave a comment

Here at the University of Exeter our Careers Service help prepare students for life and work after University, offering quality assistance and advice throughout their course, and for as long as they need it after Graduation. At our Career Zone, we support students with their career planning, whatever stage they are at. Whether it’s a case of not knowing the sector they are interested in yet or the options that their degree offers them.

At registration each year, every new or continuing student indicates their current level of career planning by picking one of ten statements. The Career Zone then aims to equip students to ‘Decide’, ‘Plan’ and ‘Compete’ for opportunities and follow their chosen graduate career path. Our Careers Zone and Careers Information Desks help with a wide range of enquiries, such as:

  • CV and application form advice.
  • Booking 1:1 appointments.
  • Advice on finding work experience, graduate jobs, or postgraduate study.
  • Guidance for interviews and assessment centres.
  • Helping students decide which of our free workshops and events will be right for them.

The University of Exeter is committed to widen participation in higher education, raise pupil attainment and put students on a level playing field to ensure they enjoy the best possible outcomes at University and as graduates, and as such offer additional support to students from a Widening Participation background.

Access to Internships

This fund helps undergraduate students who meet the Widening Participation (WP) Criteria, to arrange a 4 week (or 140 hour) paid internship with a UK: Micro, SME (an organisation with less than 250 employees) Charity, Statutory Organisation or University of Exeter Academic or Professional Service, by fully subsidising the cost of the internship wages. A bursary may also be available to help with any personal costs on a UK paid internship. All funds are issued on a first-come-first-serve basis. Students can apply for one employer subsidy and one ‘help getting to work’ bursary, if eligible, per year.

Confidential Guidance Appointments

The appointment can be either face to face or via telephone or skype. They are designed to offer personalised one to one advice and guidance and give time to discuss student’s career questions and concerns. They normally last about 30 minutes, but we can offer extra time if needed for complex queries.

Equality & Diversity Employability Support Pages

This includes information around disclosing a disability as well as employer initiatives and opportunities for those from WP backgrounds.

Career Mentor Scheme

The Career Mentor Scheme is a popular employability scheme which matches a student or graduate with an experienced professional, for sector insight and one-to-one careers advice and guidance, over a 6 month period.

The eXepert Scheme

The eXepert scheme is a fuss-free way to connect with University of Exeter alumni to ask careers questions.

 

Click here information on the careers support offered to students at the University of Exeter

Support available for care experienced students

Amy Williams Leave a comment

The University of Exeter has specialist provision to support care-experienced students’ progress to Higher Education. I hope that the following information helps when you are discussing future pathways with students who have been or are currently in care. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team if you have any questions.

Support before university studies:

  • Exeter Scholars
    If your students are care experienced they may be eligible to be part of the Exeter Scholars programme, by completing one of three pathways which feature events and activity. The free programme provides opportunities to develop knowledge about university and experience what it’s like to study a subject at University level. Find out more about Exeter Scholars
  • Admissions support
    During our admissions processes we recognise the impact that being in care can have on a student’s attainment and this may be taken into account when we are considering their application. This might mean that the applicant is made an offer at the lower end of the grade range, or made an ‘aspirational’ offer if their predicted grades aren’t quite in line with our expected levels. In addition, some GCSE requirements may be waived.
  • Designated contact points
    If your students are considering higher education and need advice or guidance before (and during) the application process please do point them in the direction of our designated point of contact for care experienced students: Natalie Bracher: careleaver@exeter.ac.uk

Financial support for care leavers *

  • Fee Waiver Care Leavers starting undergraduate or PGCE courses at the University of Exeter will not have to pay tuition fees. In order for the University to provide this support, a care leaver must indicate they they have been in care on their UCAS application form. Our Admissions Team will contact the student asking for further information.
  • Care Leavers’ Bursary The bursary is intended to help with the cost of accommodation during the summer vacation period after first and subsequent years of study (but not final year). The bursary amount is not fixed, but is decided by taking into account the additional cost of accommodation needs.

* At the University of Exeter we define a care leaver as a young person (up to the age of 25) who has been looked after by the local authority for more than 13 weeks since they were 14, including some time at age 16 or 17.

Academic and careers support

While studying at the university of Exeter, students who are care experienced  have access to a range of support services including:
– one on one meetings with the university’s designated member of staff for care leavers and care experienced students.
-care experience support groups
-Peer mentoring scheme for care leavers and estranged students
– career and employability support and guidance throughout the duration of their degree, and continued support after graduation.

For further details regarding how the University of Exeter supports care experienced students please visit https://www.exeter.ac.uk/students/wp-support/supportfor/careleavers/

Please get in touch with our outreach team if you have any questions about how we support students considering their university options: outreach@exeter.ac.uk