A strategy which places working at the centre of learning has put the University of Northampton (UON) in the top ten places to study to start a career.
This week employment agency TargetJobs announced its shortlist of ten Universities for the Best University Employability Strategy Award which includes UON.
The UON employment strategy is embedded throughout the student experience and is supported by a dedicated Student Futures Team.
They ensure students have one to one support throughout their studies to help them focus on what employers want and to give them better context for their studies.
Martin Perfect, UON’s Director of Student Futures said they support thousands of students each year, but the University strategy goes far beyond traditional reactive careers support.
He added: “The Student Futures team are passionate about giving students the skills they need to extract the maximum value out of their studies, because students are not here just for a certificate. They need real-world experience to get their foot in the door with employers and to be able to build skills and confidence to hit the ground running.
“That’s why at UON we have experiential learning embedded throughout our curriculum. UON has a proud track record of building industry links and each year we deliver over 7,000 placements of all shapes and sizes built around busy student lives.”
The University also has an in-house employment agency, Unitemps which allows students to earn while they study, gain additional experience and fulfil the need for temporary or seasonal workers for local businesses.
In its latest innovation Student Futures is now bridging the gap between education and the working world through a Professional Mentoring programme.
Over 80% of Mentors are Alumni of UON and come from a variety of employers including Apple, Red Bull, Barclays, Jaguar Land Rover and IBM.
As experienced business professionals volunteering their time to support UON students, they can bring to life what the working world looks like today and can build professional networks.
UON representatives are set to attend the awards dinner in London in April to find out if they win the award.
To find out more about the UON employment strategy, visit the Student Futures homepage, or visit the UON Employment Promise webpage.