Supporting the personal development of students

Pippa Waller, Careers Adviser

Helen Smith, Employability Skills Development Co-ordinator

Today’s session• Introduction to the Sprint programme

• What we did in 2016-17

• How it went

• Participant feedback

• Next steps

• Your thoughts

• Questions & answers.

Sprint objectivesEnable women to:

• take clear practical realistic steps to take more control over their lives

• explore what they value

• make decisions and take action based on their values

• balance study and personal lives

• assert themselves and gain greater influence in organisations & society

• achieve their long-term goals.

Why women?

2012 graduate leavers:

• Immediately, men earned an average of £2,000 more than women (even applied in subjects where women are the majority)

• 28% of male graduates have starting salaries of £25,000 and above, compared with 17% of women graduates.

HECSU, 2012: Futuretrack Stage 4: Transitions into employment, further study and other outcomes

Why women?In 2016:

• Women constitute 26% of executive board members of FTSE 100 companies; 17% of FTSE 250 boards featured no women at all

• Pay gap remains at 9% for full-time employees and 19% for part-time employees

• Graduate £2,000 salary difference remains.

Cranfield University, 2016: The Female FTSE Board Report

HESA, 2016: Destinations of Leavers 2014/15

Sprint at University of Plymouth 2016-17• Two undergraduate and one postgraduate

programme

• Trialled different timing and delivery patterns

• 39 undergraduate STEM / STEM related women (64% completed all four days)

• 14 postgraduate taught & research women (43% completed all four days).

How it went

Created a safe environment

Good group dynamics (inc.home groups)

Majority of topics well received

Teaching & learning

strategies

Guest speakersParticipant

presentations

Challenges What went well

Scheduling dates

Rooms (bookings &

space)

Staff timeParticipant attendance

Translating narrative into

action

Managing balance of

personalities

Impact on participantsFyona Parker

BSc Mathematics with Education

Elisabeth Brokenshire

BSc Biomedical Science

Sprint undergraduate programmes 2016-17 participant feedback

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

The Sprint Workbook is excellent

The programme has exceeded my expectations

My future success is under my control

I feel more optimistic and positive

I am able to find the support that I need

This programme will help me achieve a better work/life balance

I now feel more confident in work environments

This programme will help me deal better with the pressure and stress of academic life

I now feel more confident in tutorials

I am managing my time better

This programme will improve my effectiveness at studying

I am more likely to approach challenges positively

This programme will enable me to make the best of myself

I now feel better able to speak up and voice my opinions

I feel comfortable with my sense of personal power

I can communicate well with people at all levels

I have clear career/study goals

I have clear personal goals

Agree Neutral Don't know Disagree

Participantfeedback

Which aspects of the programme have

been most valuable to you and why?

Guest speakers - interesting and motivational. Dealing with and

talking about feelings.

Tools for self-care, looking at goals and values, tools for

assertiveness. Hearing a variety of different stories and paths.

What are the career benefits to you of

attending the programme?

Feeling more confident. Being more

aware about my strengths and weaknesses.

Increased confidence in the workplace.

Network of contacts. Acknowledgement of

my worth / power.

How has this programme

complemented your academic studies, or

how do you think that it will?

It has given me encouragement to work harder and have more of

a positive outlook.

It has taught me how to be assertive and how to manage my

time.

Next steps• Planning for 2017/18 Sprint programmes

• Piloting the Boost programme in 2017/18:

– Mixed gender personal development

– Designed to develop students with some work experience into confident professionals

– Pilot year in 2017/18 targeting certain groups and individuals.

Over to you…

• Sprint for men? How can we encourage male undergraduates to engage in personal development?

• Personal development for postgraduates: what type of personal development activities would work for researchers and taught postgraduate students?

Summary and questions• Introduction to the Sprint programme

• What we did in 2016-17

• How it went

• Participant feedback

• Next steps

• Your thoughts

• Questions & answers.

www.bit.ly/plymsprint

sprint@plymouth.ac.uk

Pippa Waller, Careers Adviser (Faculty of Science & Engineering)

Helen Smith, Employability Skills Development Co-ordinator