Case study: Embedding careers and employability learning in Engineering
The School of Engineering requested input onto a taught professional skills module from Student Careers and Skills (SCS). Working in partnership, SCS developed marking schemes for three pieces of summative assessed work including a CV submission, a personal statement submission, and a reflective piece on career journey. SCS staff delivered taught elements of this module and then assisted with the marking and feedback for the assignment.
Department(s) / colleagues involved
Engineering: Georgia Kremmyda, Carolyn Toney. Student Careers and Skills (SCS): David Molyneux, Ian Scrase
Our aim was to …
- Embed career learning into the curriculum from an early state to equip students to better take advantage of placement and internship opportunities in their second year
- To engage with their reasons behind making careers decisions at an earlier stage
- To ensure careers and employability was seen as integral from an early stage to the Warwick Journey
What we did …
As part of the standard lecture series, SCS staff ran a one hour workshop about effective CV and personal statement writing. Students were then set the task of applying for a preselected job.
Around 300 submissions were received and these were then then split between members of staff from both departments for marking and were completed within a three week time frame. The reflective pieces were then marked by personal tutors.
The outcome has been …
We received excellent feedback from School of Engineering staff on the standard of the training materials and on the utility of the marking schemes.
The benefit/impact has been …
Almost the entire 1st year Engineering cohort engaged with the module, and produced a CV and personal statement which they then received feedback on.
This supports the Education Strategy by …
Making engagement with careers far easier for students, and encouraging early participation in activities which other students may leave until much later in their time at Warwick.
The response of students / staff has been …
Positive, with School of Engineering staff being particularly positive about the work that was done.
Our next steps will be …
To review the module for next year and take steps to make efficiencies with regard to the amount of marking required. From next year, the CV and personal statement will be marked together rather than separately.
To find out more, you can contact …
David Molyneux, Senior Careers Consultant, Student Careers and Skills - David dot Molyneux at warwick dot ac dot uk