Get Career Ahead

The University of Sussex has become the first university to take on a brand new scheme to help international students develop the best employability skills possible

Employability is key in the eyes of a student, for their future, for their continued success and for all that hard work to be worth it; they need to come out of education feeling like they have the right skills to get the job they want, or at least the means by which to develop those skills.

A recent survey showed that 97% of students recognise the importance of developing employability skills, so once they’re out of the system, they quite rightly expect to put their developed skills to good use; 79% of students expect to be in a graduate-level job within six months after graduating. So how do they go about developing those skills? Most often, they gain employability skills through going out and getting work experience or undergoing an internship. Over 90% of students describe gaining an internship or work experience during their studies as either ‘essential’ or ‘somewhat important’ in helping secure a job in their preferred sector.

Equally, as the job market gets more and more competitive, the education sector has to up its game; to keep up with the market and to battle against others in the fight to win students. At this point in time, students come to the UK in their thousands to get a good education, and post-education employability must reflect that.

Study Group, a Brighton based global leader in Higher Education for international students works closely with universities and education partners around the world to create and market innovative study pathways for students. They recently launched a new employability scheme called CareerAhead, which is the first programme of its kind, focusing on improving international students’ employability skills. More and more students across the globe are looking outside their home country for quality education that will give them an advantage over others in their chosen career path.

CareerAhead is a service designed to give students a head start in this competitive graduate employment market by helping them become confident, highly skilled and extremely employable graduates. With more and more universities and schools looking to attract international talent, such a service that stands out from the rest is hugely beneficial. James Pitman, Managing Director, Higher Education UK and Europe, Study Group said: “A 2014 British Council survey revealed employability as one of the most important reasons the UK appeals as an international study destination. It’s therefore imperative for any higher education institution, looking to attract the brightest and best non-EU students, to demonstrate its leadership in this area.”

Study Group analysed graduate employment market data to identify the main skills that students needed for success and built the programme into the University of Sussex ISC foundation and pre-masters courses. The scheme was introduced after consulting with students, partners, teaching staff and agents and identifying employability as a vital area of focus for students and in September 2015, 520 students began the initial programme at University of Sussex, where it was piloted before now launching at various other universities across the UK. It will ultimately be introduced across all of its UK International Study Centres (ISCs).

James Pitman, MD Higher Education UK and Europe commented: “Employability is high on the agenda for international students. Career prospects came third in a 2014 British Council survey of important factors for international students, demonstrating that they realise businesses want more than just academic knowledge. Soft skills such as communication and creativity have become important differentiators, and the CareerAhead scheme has enabled us to provide better value for students by delivering quantifiably better student experiences and outcomes.”

As James points out, with this program, students leave the ISC and progress to degree study equipped with skills relevant to employment markets in their home countries, plus a personal career development plan, a CV and a personal statement. They also have an understanding of how graduate recruiters assess candidates and the skills that are important for their chosen career. James added: “We piloted the CareerAhead scheme at The University of Sussex International Study Centre, and over 570 international students have completed it so far. It has boosted international student engagement with on-site careers services, which is great for any progressive university that wants to show it is focused on graduate employment.”

As one of the leading universities for research and development in the country, this puts the University of Sussex in a good place for becoming an international education hub also. Clare Mackie, Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Sussex commented: “We welcomed the CareerAhead programme’s integrated approach as a way of increasing student engagement with careers services. We recognise how important it is to help students with their careers and equip them with the necessary skills to succeed not just in their degrees, but also in the workplace.”

James concluded: “If more universities throughout the UK offer forward thinking careers services then the UK’s reputation as the best place to pursue higher education can only be enhanced. As the number of international students looking for an education abroad is increasing by at least six percent year-on-year, this country’s universities’ employability services could make a serious difference to student recruitment in future and the UK’s £18 billion education export industry, which is the second biggest contributor to our balance of payments after financial services.”

To find out more about Study Group and CareerAhead, go to www.studygroup.com or email partners@studygroup.com