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School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

April 24, 2023

iLEARN, iRESEARCH, iWORK,in SAPD

Alistair Murdoch

(CCMS FellowJoint CMS Tutor)

Nick BeardSenior Tutor

Joint CMS Tutor

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

How do our studentsmatch up to the competition?

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Can they spot opportunities?

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

What about threats?

School of Agriculture, Policy and DevelopmentSAPD Case Study

• Issues– CMS and its link to PARs– Poor engagement and therefore attendance at PAR

meetings– Employability focus (NFB to emphasise) Changes to CMS

from summer 2007– CMS just a one-off (seen it, done it, forget it)– Poor awareness of skills acquired at Uni

• Integration of various initiatives –– Individual learner profiles– Skills development (SOAR and modules)– CMS and The Destinations website– Work experience (GF)

• Baseline data survey

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Career Management Skills (CMS)in SAPD up to 2007• A 5-credit, Level 2 module at end of Part 1• 3 contact sessions

– CAS plus others• 5 assignments

– Personal profile– Job study– Action plan– CV– Covering letter

• Handed back by personal tutor or by CMS tutor in Autumn of Part 2

• That’s about it!

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

StrengthsWeaknesses

• Gets students thinking early about gaining experience including placements (CETL-AURS)

• Too early for graduate level jobs

• PDP link absent• Limited follow-up in years

2 and 3• Some topics missing (e.g.

interviewing)• Weak link to PARs –

efficacy never assessed

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Aims and objectives of changes

• Phase 1 - Migration Migrate from old CMS website to Blackboard and

Destinations

Blackboard linked to Destinations

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Aims and objectives of changes

• Phase 1 - Migration Migrate from old CMS website to Blackboard and

Destinations • Phase 2 – Drip-feeding

Objective 1 Career learning inputs in all Parts of degree programmei. Parts1-2 focus on gaining experience and skillsii. Parts 2-3 focus on getting graduate level job

Objective 2 Strengthen careers & skills dialogue with tutorsi. Encourage tutors to discuss careers, actions plans

& CV development with tutees in PAR meetingsii. Three out of every four tutees known to leave with

up-to-date CVs

School of Agriculture, Policy and DevelopmentCurriculum changes

• Career inputs throughout degree programmei. Parts1-2 Gaining skills, experience ii. Parts 2-3 Towards a graduate level job

• Strengthen careers dialogue within PAR meetings

• Constraints:– Timetabling for several degrees– Needs of students on 4 year sandwich degrees– Tutor: “I can’t do this! I am not a careers’ adviser”

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Meeting objective1Career learning inputsthroughout degree programme • End of first year: Level 2; 2.5 credits

Gaining skills & experience•Action plan for 2.5 years•Finding your profile•Employer visit•CV for work experience•Covering letter

• Early summer, at end of Part 2: Level 2; 2.5 credits Towards a graduate level job

•Revise and update action plan for next 1.5 years•Graduate level job study•CV for graduate level job•Covering letter•Interviewing skills/ Assessment centre

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Meeting objective 2Strengthen careers &skills dialogue with personal tutors• September –November 2007

– Tutors’ seminar on CVs– Collection of baseline data– Return CMS reports via tutors

• September 2008 – March 2009– Tutors’ review seminar– Evaluate process– Return CMS reports via tutors– Tutors to encourage all to have up-to-date CV as part of

PAR• Spring 2008/9/10

– Assess how many students are likely to have graduate level CV on leaving

• 2009/2010– Informally assess impact – changes in graduate

employment/stats/student evaluation/tutor evaluation

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Implications for PAR and PDP

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

PAR & CMS Agenda Excerpts

Part 1 Autumn Term Weeks 5-7 Part 1 Individual Learner Profile (ILP) questionnaire

Summer term first year CMS I (2.5 credits)

Autumn Term Weeks 5-7 Part 2 ILP questionnaire Tutors hand back and discuss CMS

assignments. CV update agreed. Spring Term Development of work experience

CV and career aspirations

Part

2

Summer term 2nd year CMS II (2.5 credits)

Autumn Term Weeks 5-7 Part 3 ILP questionnaire Tutors hand back and discuss CMS

assignments. CV update agreed.

Part

3

Spring Term Development of graduate level CV and career aspirations

School of Agriculture, Policy and DevelopmentWhere next?

• Joined up thinking about skills development and career development – integrated action plans

• Supporting personal tutors• Closer and more efficient links with alumni

– How do you achieve this?– How can we develop and use these links with CMS?

• Addressing the needs of postgraduates– One year taught courses– Research degrees (2-3 years)

• Monitoring impact (tutors and students)• Any other questions and discussion points

School of Agriculture, Policy and DevelopmentMany thanks

School of Agriculture, Policy and DevelopmentQuestions and Discussion

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

CMS - Baseline data collection

Tutor’s name ___________________How many of your tutees graduated in 2007?

If >0, then…

of tutees graduating in 2007 …How many discussed plans for future employment with you between October 2006 and March 2007 ?

How many showed you their CVs between October 2006 and March 2007 ?

How many already have a job?

Of those with jobs, would you say it is “graduate level”?(jobs for which a degree would normally be expected)

How many do you think left with an up to date CV?

Please circle

• 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 don’t know

• 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 don’t know

• 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 don’t know

• 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 don’t know

• 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 don’t know

• 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 don’t know

Many thanks for your help – Alistair Murdoch and Nick Beard, October 2007