{"id":750,"date":"2023-10-19T14:26:47","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T13:26:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.cardiff.ac.uk\/student-futures-framework\/?page_id=750"},"modified":"2024-05-20T15:05:30","modified_gmt":"2024-05-20T14:05:30","slug":"using-the-student-futures-framework","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.cardiff.ac.uk\/student-futures-framework\/student-futures-framework\/using-the-student-futures-framework\/","title":{"rendered":"Engaging with the Framework"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Student Futures Framework is designed to enable Employability to be fully integrated into the student experience via the 4 key stages identified by Advance HE (2019).<\/p>\n

\"A<\/figure>\n

Advance HE (2019) Frameworks (02): Embedding Employability in Higher Education.<\/p>\n

For full accessibility, please download the Advance HE document here<\/a>
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\n Chevron right<\/title>\n <\/path>\n<\/svg> Stage 1: Defining Employability <\/h2>

Within this framework, Student Futures uses the term \u2018Employability\u2019 to encompass career development learning, enterprise and entrepreneurship education, global citizenship education, including international mobility, and work-based learning, including placements. These terms are defined within the Defining Employability<\/a>\u00a0section.<\/p>\n<\/div> <\/div>

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\n Chevron right<\/title>\n <\/path>\n<\/svg> Stage 2: Auditing and Mapping<\/h2>

Student Futures encourage schools to undertake a broad and holistic review of their Employability provision. The four Employability Threads can provide a useful starting point for mapping out where a programme is delivering good practice and where there are gaps to be addressed.<\/p>\n

If they are to be impactful, Graduate Attributes<\/a> need to be visible to students and the significance of them understood. Ideally, the attributes should be a \u2018golden thread\u2019 woven through all aspects of the student experience. Graduate recruiters state that students often have a wealth of achievements and experiences, but they are not able to translate these into the skills and attributes that employers are looking for, and therefore they are not able to articulate them in their CV, LinkedIn profile, applications or at interview.<\/p>\n

Many of the attributes will already be embedded in academic programmes, so they need to be surfaced and acknowledged. The recommended approach is to map the attributes against the key knowledge and skills acquired on each module. Student Futures can provide schools with a template to support the mapping process. Where gaps are identified, there may be options to embed additional, relevant activities into the module, or to signpost the extracurricular activities that students can undertake to gain experience relevant to the attributes.<\/p>\n

Graduate Attribute Maps<\/a> can be developed in collaboration with schools to help students understand what the attributes are, why they are important, where they can gain them in their programme of study, and what extracurricular activities are available to further develop attributes or address any gaps. Information is also provided about the support and additional opportunities that can be accessed via Student Futures. The maps are also a tool to support personal tutors and Student Futures staff to have informed conversations with students about their career development. Typically, maps will be developed following the programme approval and revalidation process, but schools can request one at any time.<\/p>\n<\/div> <\/div>

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\n Chevron right<\/title>\n <\/path>\n<\/svg> Stage 3: Prioritising Actions<\/h2>

The Student Futures Framework is designed to support a shift from working in a responsive and transactional way, to a more strategic approach. The focus of the Framework is embedding employability activities in the curriculum that are accessible, impactful and sustainable, and which equip students with the skills and attributes they need for their future career development. There will always be an important role for extracurricular activities, but not all students opt to participate and some are unable to take part due to responsibilities outside of university life, or the need to earn an income. A key challenge for Student Futures is that it is often the most capable students who use the service and engage with the full range of extracurricular opportunities.<\/p>\n

As such, Student Futures will prioritise in-curriculum delivery, particularly on core, credit-bearing modules that are cross-discipline and targeted at the League Tables KPI group, i.e. home, full-time, first-degree students. Support will also be prioritised for schools that are developing new programmes or undertaking revalidation. The team will work in partnership with academic teams leading on the programme approval and revalidation process, providing consultancy support in relation to embedding employability activities into programme and assessment design. To facilitate this, Student Futures will limit the amount of delivery in schools that is not timetabled for students, as experience shows that these activities are the least well attended and have least impact.<\/p>\n

Whilst there is no \u2018one-size-fits-all\u2019 approach to embedding employability into the curriculum, the following table uses an \u2018Explore, Develop, Compete\u2019 model to highlight a range of employability-related developmental needs that students may have along with a range of suggested activities that could be embedded into their learning to help them address those needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Developmental phase <\/b><\/td>\n Developmental need<\/b><\/td>\n Suggested curricular activities <\/b><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Explore<\/b><\/td>\n\n
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  • Self-awareness<\/li>\n
  • Career Exploration<\/li>\n
  • Sector or Industry Research<\/li>\n
  • Career Planning<\/li>\n
  • Professional Exposure<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
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    \n
  • Personality profiling and Graduate Attributes Assessment<\/li>\n
  • Career Development Planning<\/li>\n
  • Employer Talks and Industry Panels<\/li>\n
  • Work Insights such as Taster Days, Field Trips or Career Fairs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Develop <\/b><\/td>\n\n
    \n
  • Opportunity-searching skills<\/li>\n
  • Professional Social Media skills<\/li>\n
  • Professional Networking skills<\/li>\n
  • Enterprise and Entrepreneurship skills<\/li>\n
  • Practical skills (degree-specific)<\/li>\n
  • Work Experience<\/li>\n
  • Professional Training and Qualifications<\/li>\n
  • Professional Etiquette<\/li>\n
  • Global Awareness and Cultural Competence<\/li>\n
  • Global Citizenship Values and Social Responsibility<\/li>\n
  • Community Engagement skills<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
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    \n
  • Integrated Work Placements<\/li>\n
  • Integrated Enterprise Projects<\/li>\n
  • Live Business Projects<\/li>\n
  • Industry briefs or Case Studies<\/li>\n
  • Employer-led talks and events<\/li>\n
  • Integrated Cardiff Award<\/li>\n
  • Year in Industry via Professional Placement Year Programme<\/li>\n
  • Year of Study or Work Abroad via Global Opportunities Team<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Compete<\/b><\/td>\n\n
    \n
  • CV and Application writing skills<\/li>\n
  • Interview skills<\/li>\n
  • Psychometric and Aptitude Testing skills<\/li>\n
  • Self-employment readiness<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
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