Careers and Employability Service

Graduates today need a range of complex skills and qualities in order to compete successfully in a changing work environment. For example, they need to make links between academic skills and learning experiences from other contexts, in order to meet the demands of selection processes, and also to be proactive in generating their own opportunities.

Ways of enhancing student employability include integrating career management skills within courses. The Careers and Employability Service have developed Careerplan, an online Career Management Skills programme, elements of which could be linked to your modules.

A number of programmes at The University of Northampton now have some career management elements within the curriculum, often supported by our professional careers staff. Content might include:

graduate employment trends
career planning and self-evaluation
maximising the benefits of work-based learning
making effective applications

All these can be tailored to your subject area.

Some activities accessible by your students may already be in place within your School. In some subjects where a dedicated careers module is part of the curriculum, we have helped with initial staff development, while making some contribution to delivery. Alternatively we can negotiate delivery of a limited number of sessions, adapted to fit the level, subject and specific needs of your students, or advise on other appropriate support. Many useful resources are available via the HE Academy and on the Prospects website.

If you would like to discuss possibilities, please contact the Academic School careers advisers.

Employer links

The Careers and Employability Service have contacts with a number of local and national employers. These, with those of the University's Alumni Association, may be able to provide input to professional development modules.

We hold an annual Graduate Careers Fair in the Autumn Term and welcome details of potential exhibitors. Additionally there is a Teacher Recruitment Fair held in December.

Support for academic School open days

If you have a School open day during the working week and would like a careers adviser to attend, please contact the Careers and Employability Service and we will do our best to meet your needs.