Developing the Employability of Students from outside the UK

1
Developing the Employability of Students from
outside the UK

• Patricia Quinn and Tom Jackson
• Sheffield Hallam University Careers and
  Employment Service

2
Key issues

• Expectations and needs
• Role of UK Careers Services
• Sheffield Hallam Careers and Employment Service
• What support we offer
• Plans for the future

3
The facts and figures

• International students a substantial and growing
  proportion of the UK HE population
• Two thirds of students on taught postgraduate
  courses are from outside the UK.
• International students are attracted to study in
  the UK primarily through the reputation of the
  higher education available, and the perception of
  increased employability following their studies.
• An increasingly competitive market

4
Student expectations

• Many initially keen to work in the UKthen
  reality dawns
• Students find work-permit bureaucracy,
  regulations which favour EU students and problems
  with English language very challenging
• Employment with multi-nationals perceived as a
  more likely prospect for some
• Employer targeting of certain Universities
  Leverhulme Trust research
• . Students from some countries (predominantly
  Asian and American) expect programmes of study to
  be more employment focused

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Student expectations

• Cultural difference between roles of careers
  services in UK and some other countries
• Disappointment that UK university careers
  services do not place students in jobs, either
  during or after studies.
• Many do not see the immediate value of a CAS
  designed to enhance employability as opposed to
  directly providing employment.
• International students often critical about lack
  of support they receive, believing that UK
  universities keen to get them in but then provide
  limited support particularly with regard to
  careers.
• Students would like lists of employers

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Work whilst studying?

• International students may be dismayed at the
  types of part-time work on offer in the UK, which
  very often have no direct relevance to their
  course of study and are low paid.
• Also confusion amongst both students and
  employers about the regulations applicable to
  international students undertaking paid work
  whilst studying
• International students are often disadvantaged by
  inadequate English and may lack work experience.
• Problems of racism that these students encounter
  when applying for part-time jobs.

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Course-specific work placements

• International students are legally permitted to
  work full-time for one year on a work placement.
• Work placements are valued but comparatively rare
  in UK higher education
• Certain employers prefer students who will be
  able to remain in the UK after graduation,
  viewing the work placement as a trial period of
  employment.

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Work in UK after study?

• Only a minority of international students seek
  work in the UK after graduation. Those who do
  face immigration regulations and competition with
  home candidates.
• Employment may be possible through government
  work schemes or employment with multinational
  companies but many employers are still
  discouraged by the bureaucracy
• As finding work overseas is usually more
  realistic for international students, careers
  advisory services are beginning to provide more
  information about overseas employers

9
Work in country of origin?

• Sometimes, having studied in the UK could
  actually be a disadvantage because of lack local
  contacts to help find employment
• In some countries university is seen as the time
  when you make your contacts. Thailand is a very
  good example of this.

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The facts and figures 2004 survey

• 36 intended to work in the UK after graduation
• 15 wanted to continue studying in the UK
• Students from Asian subcontinent (59),
  South-East Asia (52), Africa (43) and Asia
  (41) were the most likely to intend working in
  the UK after graduation
• 21 of the total sample indicated they would stay
  for one or two years.
• Males were slightly more inclined than females to
  stay longer

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The role of Careers Services

• Most offer similar services to home students,
• but with additional specific advice and
  information
• More services are employing careers advisory
  staff to work with international students.
• Concern about mismatch between service and
  expectations
• No false hopes but aspirations should be raised
• Developments in post-graduation contact with
  students, alumni databases and international
  student destination data.
• Available resources being improved

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National Careers Initiatives

• Full list of PMI projects available at
• UKCOSA web site
• Prospects web site
• AGCAS International students task group
• Going Global
• Employer survey

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Sheffield Hallam Structure

• International student portfolio within Student
  and Academic Services Directorate
• international marketing
• pre-arrival and induction
• on course support
• employability development
• Internationalisation of the curriculum
• Cross cultural activities

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Career management within the employability
framework

• ESSENTIAL FRAMEWORK FEATURES
• Progressive development of autonomy.
• Skills development (intellectual subject
  professional Key Skills).
• Personal Development Planning (PDP).
• Inclusion of activities reflecting external
  environments.
• Reflection on the use of knowledge and skills
  between contexts.
• THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAREER MANAGEMENT SKILLS.
• Engagement with learning from work (LfW).

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Career Management Skills Sessions

• A 3 part short course piloted in 2005
• Faculty based delivery to complement existing
  embedded career management activities
• 1. Develop Your Self Awareness
• 2. Sources of Careers Information
• 3. Make the Most of Your Potential -
• Applications, CV's and Interviews
  
  

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How are the sessions delivered?

• Power-point Presentations
• Reflective and interactive exercises
• Questionnaires
• Key Information handouts
• Q A
• Open Discussion
• Expectations, review and evaluation, feedback

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International Students Job Club

• Led by Careers and Employment Service
• ISJC Launched Feb. 2nd, 2007
• Initially as pilot project under PMI
• Based in a dedicated room with 25 pc's
• Plus newspapers job bulletins
• Careers staff provide at- elbow support with p/t
  and graduate job search
• Half hour skill sessions/presentations
• Blackboard IT communication tool
• Every Friday 11am 1pm

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International Students Job Club

• 105 students have visited since 2/2/2007
• programme of 30min. talks commenced Friday
  16/3/2007 CV's. Other topics will include cover
  letters, interviews etc.
• will aim to generate discussion and info sharing
  between students and CES
• promote best practice

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Future Plans

• More work with local employers
• continued work with faculties re placements and
  work related learning
• Better links with alumni
• Country specific information
• student assistants
• country based agents

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Any questions?