The Kings of Wessex Higher Education Conference III

Thursday 3 April 2014

Why go on to higher education?

• Gold standard

• Independence

• Opportunities

• Employability

• Stretch and challenge

• World class competition

• Fun

What you should do

• You should be making your choices now - prospectuses

• Look at Open Days now – competition for places

• Type of course

• Distance from home

• Assessment methods

• Modules

• Admission tests

• Work experience

• Look at bursaries and scholarships – free money but only if you apply

Preparing for your application

• Results are key • Passion for subject - evidence • Wider reading • Check the university entry profiles on UCAS site

against your personal statement (job spec and letter of application) – SELL YOURSELF

• Volunteering • Work Related Learning • Leadership • Participation

What does “university” mean for you?

Train for a particular

career

To get a good job Social life

To gain knowledge and skills

New experiences

Personal growth

Academic excellence

Passion for subject

To realise an ambition

Graduate employment "A degree alone is not a passport into a graduate

job and it isn't right for everyone....

.... the job prospects of graduates - and especially those who take advantage of some of the many opportunities both within and outside the curriculum to gain experience and learn relevant skills - are much rosier than those of 16 and 18 year old job seekers, and look certain to remain so”.

AGCAS President, Anne-Marie Martin, 2011

What do employers want?

Subject knowledge?

• For work-related (vocational) courses - Yes

• 60-70% graduate jobs do not specify subject

SKILLS – Top 10 from graduate recruiters 2011

• Commercial awareness, Communication, Teamwork,

Negotiation, Problem solving, Leadership,

Organisation, Perseverance, Work under pressure,

Confidence

From your degree and.....EXPERIENCE

• PT work/work placement,

volunteer, extracurricular, gap year

• EVIDENCE for skills

First degree choice (BA, BSc, LLB etc)

Spectrum of subjects

Academic Semi-vocational Vocational Old - e.g. English e.g. Business Studies e.g. Medicine

New - e.g. Japanese e.g. Environmental Science e.g. Architecture

Most don’t directly use their degree...

...PLAN...

Most do use their degree in job...

• 1,800 degree subjects • 40,000 degree courses • 300 universities and colleges in UK

What are “graduate” jobs

Type % Examples

Traditional 25 Barrister, doctor, engineer, architect

Modern Management, accountancy, IT, journalism

New 42 Marketing, Advertising, Nursing, Physiotherapy

Niche skills Hotel & Leisure centre manager, retail manager

Non-graduate 33 Degree not necessarily a requirement (but it may give you a head start)

What are the subject options?

Subject area e.g. Options.....do your research

Business & Administration e.g. International Relations, Marketing

Social Sciences and Law e.g. Applied Economics, Social Work

Medicine & Health e.g. Audiology, Optometry, Radiography

Science e.g. Cell Biology, Polymer Chemistry, Sports Science

Maths, IT & Computing e.g. Artificial Intelligence, Mathematical Modelling

Engineering & Building Management e.g Building Surveying, Geotechnical Engineering

Arts and Creative Arts e.g. Multimedia Design, Calligraphy

Arts, Humanities & Languages e.g. Chinese History, Ancient Greek, Japanese

EXPLORE the options...but ...what do graduates from that course do?

How to choose a degree • Entry requirements – check!

- GCSE, AL grades, work experience, tests

• Course content – in detail, all different

• Course structure – Foundation, Bachelor’s degree (BA, BSc, MD LLB, MEng etc)

– Single, Joint, Combined Honours

• Work (sandwich) placement – good for employability

• Teaching quality www.qaa.ac.uk and department facilities

• Research quality www.rae.ac.uk and department facilities

• Year abroad – study, work, language

• Destination statistics (DHLE)- employment after 6 months

Grades or points? The UCAS tariff

A Level AS Level A* = 140 (A* = 70 for EPQ only) A = 120 A = 60 B = 100 B = 50 C = 80 C = 40 D = 60 D = 30 E = 40 E = 20 www.ucas.com/students/ucas_tariff/tarifftables/ Points can be awarded for other recognised exams

e.g. Music grades 6+, British Horse Society, Sports Leaders UK

Points offers vary depending on course/institution, may also specify points from particular subject(s)

Extended Project Qualification equivalent to an AS (A*-E)

How to choose a university

• Campus, collegiate, city or smaller town, new, old... • Teaching style – lectures, tutorials, contact time, labs • Assessment – exam or continuous assessment/course work • Facilities – e.g. Student’s Union, Sports, Arts • Tuition fees - £9000 (or less?) and living costs • University scholarships and bursaries How to decide: • Do your research – for an informed choice • Open days – you do need to visit • Taster days or Summer schools • League tables and comparison websites

Strategies for Success (1)

1. “Vocational specialist” e.g. Health, engineering, technology, technical services

– Reputation with employers > important than uni

– BEWARE pseudo-/semi-vocational courses E.g. Music Production, Media Studies – check course

employability before you apply if you want a job in the sector

– Can be hard to research the possibilities

– Large range of opportunities for graduates

– “Easiest” route to employment?

Strategies for success (2)

2. “Good all-rounder”

– First or 2i from a top university (i.e. best uni, best degree)

– Employer will accept “any degree subject”

– Lots of work experience

– Plenty of extra-curricular activities

– Strong commercial and personal skills

– Demonstrate interest in chosen job/sector

–Best choice if you are “not sure”?

“Make the most of your 1000 days”

To leave with a DEGREE (taught) and a JOB (up to you!)!

• Start thinking about your future career options as soon as you start your degree (or even before)

• Get involved in plenty of extra-curricular activities

• Organise work experience with different employers (in the future recruiters may just recruit through internships) – gap year, internships, placement year

• Develop as many business skills as you can

• Research employers and prepare applications early

Concerned about £ cost ?

• NHS Health and Social Work courses – NHS Student or Social Work Bursary for some

courses - www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students.aspx

• Scholarships and bursaries – universities and charities – £millions unclaimed

• Sponsorship – Companies, armed forces,

merchant navy, apprenticeships

• Work-related or distance learning

Useful websites Information about university and student life • www.brightknowledge.org/ • www.thestudentroom.co.uk/

Course choice • www.ucas.com Course Search • www.ukcoursefinder.com Power search & Questionnaire • www.centigradeonline.co.uk Centigrade online £20

What do graduates do ..and what can I do with ......? • www.hecsu.ac.uk/assets/assets/documents/WDGD_Sept_2013.pdf

www.prospects.ac.uk Careers Advice/Options with your Subject

Comparison – universities/courses • http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/ • www.bestcourse4me.com

League tables • The Times, The Guardian, The Complete University Guide

The application process

Decide on courses (multiple hours) Draft personal statement (use others’ but don’t plagiarise) -

4000 characters including spaces (3 hours) Register on UCAS site – login & password (10 mins) Complete personal details and education - apart from AS

results (2 hours) Enter AS results (10 mins) Enter choices (1 hour) Finalise personal statement (2 hours) Check (2 hours) Pay and send (2 mins) October half term deadline We write your reference and send to UCAS

University Challenge!

1. Which degree can’t you study in UK?

A. Chinese Medicine B. Watersports Technology

C. Equine Science

2. Which is the largest university in the UK?

A. Manchester B. London

C. Open University D.UWE (West of England)

2. Which is the oldest university in the UK?

A. Oxford B. Cambridge C. Durham