It's Not All Doom and Gloom...

Further to the earlier post "What Do Graduates Do?", the AGCAS Quarterly Survey of Vacancies and Employer Activity suggests a positive trend during the summer of 2011.

Vacancies in IT, retail, marketing, advertising and PR all rose during that period, while the survey also reported increased vacancies from smaller companies, some of whom may have been recruiting graduates for the first time.

At the other end of the scale larger companies, who might have ceased recruitment altogether in earlier recessions, have continued taking on graduates - perhaps to avoid future shortages - although many have reduced numbers and are making more use of internships and temporary posts.

AGCAS reports that the overall picture is mixed as there are still plenty of graduates from previous years competing for posts, but there are some clear signs for optimism.

This will be the last post this year, so here's to wish all reading this a Merry Christmas and an Employable New Year!

NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme in Cumbria

The deadline for this year's applications closed last Friday but, for future applicants, some useful information was provided by reps from Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust at last week's Mini Careers Convention.

The Trust is keen to support future Management Trainee placements for all four streams of the programme - General Management, Financial Management, Health Informatics (ICT) and HR.

Management Accountant Simon Norbury tells me that Financial Trainees can chose to qualify with the following Accountancy professional bodies: CIMA, CIPFA or ACCA. I also gather that, separate from the Graduate Scheme, Simon is willing to receive CVs from applicants who hold the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) qualification and wish to become fully qualified accountants.

Chartered Institute of Marketing...Local Meetings

I have learned that the Chartered Institute of Marketing have a local group that meets in the Cumbria area. Students interested in a career in marketing would be welcome to attend.

More details are available from University of Cumbria Business Studies Lecturer Linda Danielis who is a member of their local committee.

Polish Up Your Public Speaking Skills

Carlisle & District Speakers Club are running on public speaking in the work place, covering Presentations, Chairmanship and Impromptu Speaking.

The workshops will take place at Morton Community Centre on Saturday 21st January 2012 from 12.30-4.30 pm at a cost of £10 per head to include a light lunch.

The workshops are particularly aimed at those people that are planning to have a career change, or are looking for work, in order to increase their work/life skills. The workshops are also appropriate for anyone considering speaking in public be it in politics, local causes or dissertations.

The closing date for booking a place is 20th December 2011 and application forms are available from Fusehill Street and Penrith libraries.

Information provided by Susan Trafford of Carlisle and District Speakers Club

Want to study abroad? - Degrees Ahead http://ow.ly/7RU5x

Registered Teacher Programme in Cumbria

Careers information can change incredibly fast!

The Registered Teacher Programme (RTP) enables Teaching and Learning Assistants to be come qualified teachers through on-the-job based learning.

When I recently told some students that they could apply for RTP via the Lancashire GRTP Consortium I was upset to find that I was giving duff information. The consortium now only deals with the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) - the job-based route for graduates. I can now find no trace of an RTP provider for Cumbria.

Incidentally the closing date for GTP applications is 16th January for entry in September 2012.

MINI Careers Convention in Carlisle

There will be a Mini Careers Convention at Fusehill St Campus on Thursday 8th December 12 noon - 2.00 pm, Ground Floor, Learning Gateway, to help students find out about possible career opportunities. Available at the event will be:

* Simon Norbury of Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust on the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme, which covers opportunities in General Management, Finance Management, Human Resources and Health Informatics (ICT). The scheme is open to potential gaduates (including Nursing and Health Diploma students) who are expecting a 2.2. For more information see www.nhsgraduates.co.uk

* Linda Danielis (representing the Chartered Institute of Marketing) who will cover opportunities in marketing – one of the career areas most often sought after by graduate employers.

* A selection of careers materials to take away

Note: The deadline for application for the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme is 10.00 a.m. on Friday 9th December so it would be well worth while to start planning your application before Thursday.

Supply Teaching - Is It Worth It?

...by Amanda Novis, PGCE student at Lancaster Campus

With government cutbacks, the number of jobs available for newly qualified teachers is dwindling. This is a cause for concern for many students at the University of Cumbria, which trains a number of teachers for each key stage and subject. Instead of a fixed post, many graduates are having to spend some time in the supply sector. But what is supply work really like?

“The best part is seeing what pupils are learning in other subjects,” says Janet, a graduate in PGCE Secondary RE currently doing supply work. “You know what they're doing in your specialisation at different levels, but other subjects are kind of a mystery until you get in there.” She also enjoys meeting the different classes but sometimes being a supply teacher with a new class can be difficult.

“The kids know you're just a supply teacher. They might never see you again, so they're less worried about acting up. That's particularly a risk with older children. They're pleased to see you at first – they think they're just going to get a video to watch when a supply teacher comes in – but when you tell them that's not the case, that you will be teaching them a proper lesson, they can become difficult.” Once you've been in the same school a few times and developed your relationship with classes more, this becomes less of an issue.

It's not just the kids themselves that can be problematic. Communication can be poor, with no work set for the classes or a lack of clear instructions. On one occasion, Janet was left a note telling her to continue with the work set in the textbooks. However, when the textbooks were not in the classroom and even the head of department didn't know where to find them, the job got tricky.

“But it's definitely worth it,” Janet assures me. “It's just a hard market at the moment. Plus, it looks much better on your CV if you've shown that you're willing to do supply work.” There are also some easily overlooked benefits: “When new jobs come up at the start of term, people currently in teaching jobs can't apply for them because of their notice periods. So there's a little less competition.”

Janet has some tips for those wanting supply work: “Be flexible,” she says. “Be open minded. I'm on contract to travel up to an hour away, so I'll be considered for more work. You can agree to only take long term posts or to teach day to day, but if you want as much experience and opportunity as possible you've got to be willing to take day to day work.” She also recommends signing up for as many agencies as possible to increase your chances of getting work.

Col's note: Education students unable to attend our Teaching Careers Fair on Monday 5th December can find details of teaching supply agencies active in Cumbria and Lancashire at www.delicious.com/skillzone/supply

What Do Graduates Do?

The 2009-10 version of "What Do Graduates Do?", produced annually by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU) based on annual graduate destination surveys has recently become available. It shows some interesting trends in graduate employment as it follows nuances of the economic downturn.

While large numbers 2008 - 09 graduates entered the public sector in preference to previously glamorous opportunities in banking and finance, the trend was reversed in 2009-10 as public expenditure cutbacks started to bite. The financial services sector recovered to 2008 levels with some quite spectacular rises in specific areas, including a 45.9% rise in financial analysts and an 81% rise in personnel and recruitment consultants/advisers.

On the public sector side, the numbers of graduates becoming nurses and teachers did not fall markedly, but there was a general decline in administrative posts in public administration and defence, and there were considerable reductions in the numbers of social workers and physiotherapists recruited.

Overall, the private sector comeback lead to a slight decrease in the level of graduate unemployment (down to 8.5%) although there was little rise in the level of salaries offered.

This is a national survey which doesn't necessarily reflect local trends, but it is interesting to note that the University of Cumbria Jobshop has been receiving large numbers of vacancies for recruitment consultants over the past year. Other frequently advertised opportunities have included information technology, marketing and sales jobs.

For a more detailed look at the current employment situation as perceived by University Careers Services, see www.agcas.org.uk/articles/462-Mixed-picture-on-graduate-jobs-front-HE-careers-services

University of Cumbria - Teaching Careers Fair

Advance notice for our Education students and graduates that this year's Careers Fair is on Monday 5^th December 2011 (Lancaster Campus)

The Fairs is an ideal opportunity for all final year and PGCE students to gain direct information about potential employers, job opportunities, induction, and application and interview tips and advice.

Guest speakers include representatives from Lancashire County Council, London and surrounding areas, a Secondary School Headteacher and a Supply Agency. There will also be the opportunity to speak directly with exhibitors.

Please see the programme for further details

Transport from Fusehill Street will be provided free of charge - leave Fusehill Street 12.15pm (prompt) Return from Lancaster 5.15pm. See Blackboard for more information

Watch Out for The Informer...

...message from Jonny Irving (Informer Online Editor)

Student Newspaper The Informer has just launched and is available on campus now. It is also available digitally at http://issuu.com/thisisio/docs/informernov2011

The issue is a joint effort between University of Cumbria journalism and graphic design students.

Some of the top stories include: a victim of a sexual attack in Carlisle that was previously unknown, Helen Skelton's bake off in Carlisle, the Brampton Road shop situation and some successful graduates.

The editor Steven Ramshay has lead the team to produce what I think everyone is the best looking Informer yet which contains some very strong articles.

People can keep up to date with the Informer team on Twitter @informeronline

FE to HE Transitions

Recent research from the University of Westminster has shown up some of the prevailing attitudes of students who have entered University by non-traditional routes.

Reported in Phoenix, it shows that many students :

• had few plans for their future
  
  
• had low levels of awareness about University and were not proactive about seeking assistance
  
  
• viewed themselves negatively and often felt they were incapable of going to University
  
  
• although aware of the advice and guidance available at University, did not see themselves as potential users of it
  
  
• saw themselves as needing to rely on their personal resources and hard work rather than making use of support services

As it might be viewed that these are precisely the kind of students who should be making the most use of students services such as careers advice, these findings make interesting reading.

Supply Teacher Service Nursery Primary Secondary Teaching Vacancies in Cumbria Lancashire | Step By Step Education http://ow.ly/7vJ9X

Can Facebook Get Me A Job?

More and more students and graduates are using social media to search for jobs and make themselves known to potential employers.

If you would like to know how, come along to this free lunchtime workshop for University of Cumbria Students and Graduates - presented by Colin Taylor of LISS – Careers.

When: Thursday 24th November, 12.30 – 1.30 p.m.

Where: Room CH8, Bowscale Building, Fusehill Street Campus

The session will include an opportunity for hands-on practice

N.b. To avoid disappointment, please book in advance via careers@cumbria.ac.uk as a limited number of computers are available on the day.

Youth Unemployment: A Student’s Perspective

an article provided by Sam Curran, an Education Student at our Lancaster Campus

If you have wandered round a nondescript town centre dispensing as many CVs as you possibly can (for no reward) or looked on the Job Centre Plus site every day or even been forced to claim benefits then you will know all about the effects of recession. Whilst media coverage tends to focus on redundancy and lack of jobs for middle aged people it is actually the younger generation, those who are in-between the ages of 18-25 that are suffering the most.

Youth unemployment is at a record high and the number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) has risen by an incredible 100 per cent in some areas of the country. According to recent statistics the worst hit area is the North East (where I’m originally from) where the benefits claims of 18-25 year olds has risen a staggering 43 percent in the last year. Interestingly in the more affluent South East benefit applications have dropped 5.9 per cent. The situation is further compounded by the obvious fact that the government has to make cuts to try and stimulate economic growth and many benefits claims will either be rejected or reduced. How on earth will this benefit people of my generation?

However the effect of youth unemployment cannot just be gauged by simple statistics (although on average benefits applications have increased by 8 % across the UK in the last year), the effects seem even more pronounced when you look at each individual case. Take my situation for my example:

I’m an 18 year old student studying secondary teaching with maths at the Lancaster Campus at the University of Cumbria. In three years’ time I will graduate from my degree and have £25,000 debt to contend with. Will I have any kind of savings to fall back on whilst paying this debt? Not in the current economic climate I won’t. For the past two months I have been searching (fruitlessly) for a part-time job to boost my savings. I have put in over 200 job applications, given out so many CVs I must have covered every shop in the town centre twice and searched on the net for job vacancies and what do I have for my efforts…….. absolutely nothing! Most firms can’t even be bothered to reply and the ones that do trot out the vague phrase: “good candidate, but not enough retail experience”. How much experience do they want?!? For the record, I have had a proper temp job in the past and gone in every Saturday religiously to volunteer at Oxfam in my home town of Darlington. The fact is there is very little chance to get retail experience these days.

Perhaps I’m one of the lucky ones though. I have a loan to cover my living and tuition fee costs but what about when I leave Uni? £25,000 worth of debt and nothing to fall back on. What do I do then? Withdraw from the bank of Mum and Dad? Take out an overdraft? None of the options are desirable, especially when it is even harder to get a foot on the property market these days so it would seem I will be consigned to renting a house for the next decade with no realistic hope of actually ever owning my own house.

Some might say that I’ll be fine: I’ll be earning more than enough as a teacher and they are “paid far too much” anyway. Realistically though the starting wage of a teacher is £20,000 which sounds a lot but looks a lot less impressive when you take away bills and paying off my student loan. The fact is not getting a job now will harm me in the long term.

Some suggestions have been mooted by the government: they plan to make anyone unemployed carry out a six month “community work programme” for 30 hours each week. It is compulsory: anyone who refuses will have their benefits taken away. This would not solve the problem though: in fact it could exacerbate it if some people refuse to carry out these work placements.

So it seems I and a number of people of similar age are consigned to a period of unemployment and no chance of earning some extra cash. I’ve now got to the point where I’m doing surveys online to try and earn a little bit of money (although the most I can make is £40 per month). I’m also considering volunteering again at a charity shop although will that even look good on my CV to employers? In short, youth unemployment is a big problem and it doesn’t look like it is going away any time soon.

Teacher Training News

Here are some latest highlights on developments in teacher training:

FE Teachers Able to Teach in Schools?

Subject to approval by parliament, schools will from April 2012 be able to employ teachers who hold qualified teacher learning and skills (QTLS - the professional status for teachers in further education). Head teachers will have the freedom to employ the qualified teacher that best meets the requirements of the job, regardless of whether their background is in schools or further education. Currently, QTLS holders cannot take up posts in Secondary schools.

Plans for Primary Teacher Training

From 2012/13 the Training and Development Agency (TDA) will prioritise primary courses that offer a specialism, particularly in the sciences, mathematics or modern languages. For 2013/14 they expect to adjust financial incentives for trainees to favour trainees on specialist primary courses with a good A-level in mathematics, a science, or a language, over those on generalist courses. They will also require most trainees to hold a 2.1 or first to be eligible for a bursary.

PGCE Bursaries for 2012-13

In line with a new TDA strategy to prioritise trainees with the best qualifications, bursaries for 2012-13 will vary considerably according to the level of degree attained by the applicant as well as teaching shortage areas.

So a Secondary Maths, Physics or Modern Languages student will receive £20,000 if they achieve a first class degree but only £12,000 if they only get a 2.2. The comparative figures for Primary trainees with the same qualifications will be £9,000 and £0.

Information Source: AGCAS

Col's Comment:

Along with the proposal to allow former HM Forces employees to enter teaching if they can pass relevant skills tests, the new bursary structure may be the most controversial part of the new teacher training strategy. It has been well-researched that students from prosperous backgrounds are more likely to achieve high grades, thus entitling them to the de-luxe level bursaries. Some may therefore query the lack of an 'inclusiveness' element in the new strategy and feel it reflects the political preferences of current policy makers.

Study in the USA - Help from the Fulbright Commission

The Fulbright Commission is generally agreed to be the best starting place for all students and graduates looking to study in the USA.

The help they can offer includes:

• Study in the USA Events
  
  
• Postgraduate Study in the US Seminars and Webinars
  
  
• Fulbright Awards (scholarships for postgraduate study and research, tenable in any field at any university in the US in 2013-14)
  
  
• monthly newsletter

To find out about all these goodies, you need to start by registering on their website - www.fulbright.co.uk

NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme - 2012 Intake

Final numbers are yet confirmed, but the NHS will be recruiting up to 150 posts covering all four specialisms (Finance, General Management, HR and Health Informatics).

The Scheme will open for applications on 31st Oct and close on 9th December at 10 a.m. Competition is likely to be very keen.

For more details and to apply, visit: http://www.isthenhsforme.co.uk/

You can also follow the Scheme's Twitter account: http://twitter.com/NHSGradScheme
and sign up to its Facebook page

Volunteers Needed at Carlisle Youthzone

Carlisle Youthzone are still keen to recruit volunteers to help with sessions for young people, especially the ones that take place over the weekend:-

• Friday Gym Club (3.30 - 6.00 pm)


• Senior Club (Friday evenings for 13 -21 year olds)


• Inclusion Project (for youngsters with disabilities on Saturday mornings)


• Junior Club (8 - 12 year olds on Saturday afternoons)


• Saturday Night Session

For more info and contact details, visit www.carlisleyouthzone.org

Thanks to Julia Mullarkey of Carlisle Youthzone for this update.

Chrysalis Cumbria

Based in Wigton, Chrysalis provide a range of services for adults with learning disabilities in Cumbria.

I understand Chrysalis are happy to receive speculative CVs from students who are interested in working or volunteering for them, and may have some current opportunities for relief support workers.

You can find out more about Chrysalis from their website http://www.chrysalis-cumbria.co.uk

Do Employment Agencies Use Shady Practices?

A recent encounter with a disgruntled job seeker (who understandably wishes to remain anonymous) has drawn attention to a number of websites that suggest that some employment agencies are prone to using some rather iffy practices. The key accusations levelled are: mentioning spurious vacancies, knocking down clients' salary expectations in order to increase profits and elliciting unnecessary information from clients to promote the agency's own interests.

A quick google leads to web pages such as http://www.contractoruk.com/agencies/recruitment_agency_tricks.html http://www.it-training-advice.com/it-recruitment-agency-tricks.html or http://www.employmentking.co.uk/job-information/recruitment-agencies-a-bit-trickly/ which tell of similar tricks, and a few more besides.

But is it all true? Are some agencies simply disreputable 'bad apples' that let the responsible ones down, or are all agencies prone to using certain 'tricks of the trade'?

A look at the above websites will at least give you a good idea of things to watch out for when dealing with agencies. But how does this all tally with your own experience of employment agencies?

Comments welcome...

Are you thinking about a career in teaching?

We are running two sessions for University of Cumbria undergraduates, principally those in their second and third years.

For information on entry routes and how to make a successful PGCE application, come along to:

Applying for a PGCE seminar

Wednesday 19th October 12.30-1.30 pm

Lecture Theatre 1

Brampton Road campus, Carlisle

GTTR applications workshop

Wednesday 2nd November 1-3 pm

Room 102, Learning Gateway

Fusehill Street campus , Carlisle

For information on the sessions or for advice on planning your next steps after graduation, email: careers@cumbria.ac.uk

Source: Joanne Watson

Getting Into Publishing

Applications to attend 'Penguin’s Annual Graduate Open Day: Getting into Publishing 2011' are now open.

The event will take place this year on 3rd November 2010 from 9:30am – 2:30pm at 80 Strand, London, WC2R 0RL. It is a chance for students and recent graduates, particularly those from ethnic minority and other diverse backgrounds to find out more about career options at Penguin and in publishing.

To apply, students and graduates should send a CV and a short covering letter no longer than 200 words on why they would like to attend to: gettingintopublishing @penguin.co.uk by 14th October 2011.

We will email to inform applicants if they are successful. Any queries should be directed by email to dele.fatunla@pearson.com

Vacancies Across the Border

At a time when neither graduates looking to start their career - nor new students looking for part-time work - are having an easy time, there is at least some encouraging news with a little spate of vacancies being advertised in the Dumfriesshire area.

Here are some links to those that may be of interest:

http://www.talkatlas.co.uk/recruitment.html
Atlas Communications

http://www.dghp.org.uk/admin/current-vacancies
Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership

http://www.spectrum-care.com
Home Carers (Dumfries) - contact direct for application details

http://www.aberlour.org.uk/vacancylisting.aspx
Aberlour Trust

http://www.sppa.org.uk/job_vacancies/sppa_vacancies.html
Scottish Pre-School Play Association

www.myjobscotland.gov.uk
Youth Information Worker (Dumfries)

The last is a particularly useful resource as it covers Local Authority jobs across the whole of Scotland.

Here's a handy new link - Graduate Schemes with Early Deadlines on Timetoast timelines http://ow.ly/6IxYi

Careers Fairs at Manchester

Her are details of forthcoming careers fairs organised by Manchester University:

Wednesday 5 October 2011 - Ethnic Diversity Fair (graduate careers and student work experience, organised primarily for black and Asian students/graduates);

Wednesday 19 October 2011 - Engineering, Science & Technology Fair (graduate jobs and student placements);

Thursday 20 October 2011 - Finance, Business & Management Fair (graduate jobs and student placements);

Tuesday 22 November 2011 - Law Fair (law firms offering training contracts and placements, course providers offering training courses, professional bodies such as the Bar offering advice);

Wednesday 23 November 2011 - Postgraduate Study Fair (universities and training organisations promoting their postgraduate study places for 2012 - this is NOT a jobs fair for postgraduates);

Wednesday 13 & Thursday 14 June 2012 - Graduate Recruitment Fair for graduate jobs and courses commencing 2012.

All details are on the Manchester University website at: www.manchester.ac.uk/careers/fairs

Changes for International Graduates Wanting to Work in the UK

From April 2012, the legal arrangements allowing international students to work in the UK after they graduate will change when the current scheme is replaced by a new provision under the new Tier 2 Sponsored Skilled Workers programme. Full details may however not be released until as late as March 2012.

The information on the new Tier 2 scheme is that applicants must have a job offer from an employer before their student visa expires (currently the length of the course, plus 4 months), and must be paid a minimum salary that is likely to be in the region of £20,000 (or the salary specified in the Standard Occupational Code published by the UKBA). The individual also has to meet points requirements. The employer will not have to apply the Resident Labour Market Test, unlike the main scheme under Tier 2 arrangements for those looking for long term employment in the UK.

Possible sources of help for those affected by the changes are:

• Tier 2 Register of Sponsors

• UKBA Employer Helpline: tel 0300 123 4699 or via email

• UKCISA advice line open from Monday to Friday, 1pm - 4pm: 020 7107 9922

Source: AGCAS

CV Tips for Vocational Students

Here at the University of Cumbria, we have a large numbers of students on vocational courses – teachers, nurses, allied health professionals and the like, who often ask for help in compiling their CV as they apply for their first professional post.

Over time it has struck me that CVs for all the vocational students I encounter have several features in common. I would like to share them with you now, working through each of the key CV headings:


Personal Details

A key point for new entrants to a profession is, if possible to include your professional registration details with your basic contact information. This will be in the form of a registration or pin number supplied by the professional body you need to register with, such as the UK General Teaching Councils, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, etc. If you do not yet have the number at the time of application, you should say “Registration Number Awaited” or similar.

Incidentally, if you are not yet applying for professional posts but are trying to find placements half way through your course, it is a good idea to quote your CRB registration details here if you are looking for placements that involve contact with young people or vulnerable adults.


Summary Statements

A snappy summary, often written in brief phrases (rather than full sentences) below your contact details is worth considering for almost any CV but of particular value for vocational students. Include two or three adjectives that sum up your key skills as a practitioner and say something about what sort of post you are looking for. If you feel you can, you might wish to mention aspects of the career that particularly interest you, or in which you might want to specialise later.



Education

A common mistake here is simply to put the details of your vocational degree and possibly a grade forecast and leave it at that.

It is important with a vocational degree to add a bit of commentary about your degree as employers may well want to ask you about it at interview.

Angles you could consider here are:

* Listing key module titles (but keep it short!)
* Parts of the course that fascinated you or represented major leaps forward in your learning
* Aspects of the course that you know to be excellent in comparison to those offered elsewhere

You might want to have an extra entry or section to cover any additional in-service training or certificates you took as a result of doing the course.


Employment

It is vital to include some detail here on any course placements or periods of work experience you have undertaken, and some comment showing the activities you undertook and/or skills you acquired on each. If you have undertaken a large number of placements, you may want to consider a separate heading for them (e.g. “Placement Experience” as distinct from “Other Work Experience”).

If you have done a large number of short or variable duration placements with the same employer, don’t feel obliged to list them all individually. It’s OK to put the name of the organisation, the period during which you undertook placements there and the total time you were on placement there altogether (e.g. October 2008 – April 2011 : Total 14 weeks).


Interests and Achievements

There is a little ambiguity here as some employers (notably schools) want to hear details of outside interests that might have relevance in the workplace, whereas others merely want to see some evidence that you are a ‘rounded person’ who has interests outside the work arena. The only real way forward is to try and suss out what the expectations are likely to be, if possible.

This is also the ideal place to put your driving licence details, essential if the job you are applying for requires the use of a car.


References

For completing students generally and fledgling professionals in particular, the golden rule is to give one reference from the academic sphere (e.g. personal tutor or course leader) and one from the world of work. Most normally the world of work reference will come from a recent placement, but the key thing is that you pick the referee who will give you the most glowing endorsement.


Last of All

CVs are typical of virtually everything to do with careers. Advisers try to make things as ‘scientific’ as possible by formulating a set of rules for you to follow. Unfortunately the science can all break down when your CV is read by a human being rather than a robot, as there is no accounting for the unpredictability of human behaviour or the capacity of individuals to behave in an unscientific manner.

However, if you follow the tips above, you will be on the right lines – more or less.

For a series of websites on CVs bookmarked by University of Cumbria Careers Advisers, see http://delicious.com/skillzone/cv

Enterprise Support Agencies in Cumbria

In addition to Business Link, there are a number of agencies in Cumbria that can offer advice, training and support on becoming self-employed depending where you live:

Cumbria Chamber of Commerce covers Copeland District and Carlisle area (n.b the web reference only mentions Copeland).

Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency covers Eden District and South Lakes.

Furness Enterprise covers Barrow area.

West Cumbria Development Agency covers Allerdale District.

Follow the links to see exactly what is available in each case.

NHS News

£1,000 Grants for Health Students

A new financial package means all health students are entitled to a £1,000 grant a year and can also apply for a means-test bursary and loan. For details see http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/Changes-to-financial-support-for-healthcare-students.shtml

The funding applies to both undergraduate and postgraduate study such as the 2 year accelerated nursing courses for graduates in related disciplines and ends the discrepancy of funding regimes for Nurse training, whereby degree students could not claim an NHS bursary.

NHS Jobs Website

Applicants for posts on www.jobs.nhs.ukshould bear in mind that they may need to apply before stated closing dates as adverts may be withdrawn early if sufficient applications have been received. Using the advanced search facility may be helpful when searching for less common jobs.

Source: AGCAS

Using Social Networks to Advance Your Career

Here you can find some information about using LinkedIn, Delicious and Twitter, the main social networks Careers Advisers at the University of Cumbria have found useful for careers purposes.

We don't currently use Facebook. Although Facebook can be used for careers purposes, we tend to feel that Facebook is more of a leisure facility. There are also reports that employers sometimes reject candidates on the basis of their Facebook profiles.

On the other hand My Space and YouTube have been successfully used by musicians and performers trying to make themselves better known.

LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com is becoming the most important social networking site for students and graduates who want to advance their career opportunities. A recent survey at the London School of Economics showed that, although students were initially more aware of Facebook, many have turned to LinkedIn as the main way of extending their career and professional network.

LinkedIn is a sort of Facebook for professionals but as such there are some major differences:

• Because of the professional context, there is no place for the frivolity that can be found on Facebook, such as drunken photos or dating activities
• You cannot link to any other LinkedIn subscriber unless you do actually know them, or know someone who knows them
• You can however look for jobs, research company details and the career progression of the people that work for them. You can also ask for personal recommendations from people you have worked with.

A helpful introductory video is available at: http://learn.linkedin.com/students as well as a number of pdfs which our students can access on the Blackboard virtual learning environment.

You’ll see that much of the above material is heavily US influenced, but there are already 24 million LinkedIn accounts in Europe and there are plenty of people from the University of Cumbria you may find it useful to link to when you create your account.

Delicious.com

http://delicious.com is the ultimate resource for “useful links”. Following the massive rise in the number of careers websites over the past decade it has become very popular with University Careers Services looking to organise weblinks that are likely to be useful for their students.

The University of Cumbria is no exception and we have collected the links we feel may be useful to you at http://delicious.com/skillzone

http://delicious.com/skillzone/nursing will bring up all the sites that are likely to be relevant to potential nurses, while http://delicious.com/skillzone/cv will bring up all the sites that have been tagged “CV”.

Of course this is just the start of the story. You can also look for more links on Delicious outwith our skillzone area. You can open your own Delicious account and use it to start storing your own favourite “useful links”. There are a number of tutorials on www.youtube.com that will help you do this. Another similar resource is www.careerstagged.co.uk from Careers Group London.

Twitter

Twitter isn't just about celebrity gossip. As well as telling us what Stephen Fry just had for breakfast, Twitter has become a very important source of information about job vacancies and careers information.

Examples of some currently active job feeds are http://twitter.com/EducationJobUK or http://twitter.com/charities_jobs

University of Cumbria LISS-Careers follows a number of useful job and information feeds at http://twitter.com/uoccareers We also subscribe to an automatic daily newspaper, the LISS-Careers Daily at http://paper.li/uoccareers The result is a "mash-up" of stories produced from our tweets and those we follow, including items tweeted from this blog.

You don't have to follow any twitter feeds to be able to view them all on http://twitter.com Twitter can get complicated but it's easy enough to start up your own account so you can follow tweets and tweet yourself. www.youtube.com contains plenty of beginners' and advanced tutorials on using twitter for those who want to get more involved.

Health Visitor Training - The Facts

The Nursing and Midwifery Council have recently published a document aimed at clearing up some misapprehensions about training to become a Health Visitor.

Some of the key points they stress are:

• You do not have to have practised for a minimum period as a nurse or midwife before you enter a health visitor programme. Qualified nurses and midwives can enter the programmes at any stage as long as they can demonstrate that they are able to study at the required educational level.

• It is not necessary to undertake a secondment or sponsorship for a full year as training routes are flexible.

• You do not have to be an adult nurse to enter a training programme. Any registered nurse or midwife is eligible to apply.

You may have seen a previous article on this blog about an anticipated major shortage of health visitors. You might also wish to note that, by a great stroke of fortune, the University of Cumbria is currently offering places on the BSc Hons Course in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (Health Visiting) to start shortly at its Lancaster campus.

Opportunities for Unemployed Graduates in West Cumbria

If you are still looking to connect with a job opportunity in Cumbria, here are details of two current opportunities that may be of interest to you:

Routes2Work offer a Graduate Employment Programme to unemployed graduates living in specific areas of Allerdale and Copeland Districts, West Cumbria. Introductions to employers and wage subsidies are available.

To find out more and for a no obligation chat please telephone Julie Wedgwood - Routes2Work Manager on 01900 873371.

Young Million courses are open to all unemployed 18 - 25 year olds. The three day course is scheduled to take place on 10th, 11th and 17th August at Energus, West Cumbria. It offers the opportunity to experience real workplace environments and develop the skills and self confidence that employers are looking for.

To apply, visit the Young Million website at youngmillion.commonpurpose.org.uk and download the application form for your nearest location.

Trainee Solicitor Vacancies at Cartmell Shepherd, Carlisle

We understand that Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors have decided to recruit three trainee solicitors to start in work September 2013. Enquiries about these posts should be made to Monica Hendry, Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors Viaduct House, Carlisle CA3 8EZ or email mmh@cartmells.co.uk and general information about the firm is available at www.cartmells.co.uk

Please note however that Cartmells have already filled their trainee vacancies for 2011 and 2012.

Young Talent Awards - A Way into Advertising

The Action Planning Group (APG), representing the "world's leading communications strategists", run a biennial competition to award the best thinking by students in full-time education.

The deadline for this year's APG Young Talent Awards is Friday 26th August 2011. According to APG's Gareth Goodall, this is what you need to do to enter and what you stand to gain:

"In not more than 1,000 words, tell us about a brand that you would like to invent that would appeal to people your age. The brand should be invented completely from scratch. The best three entries will be given a prize at the 2011 Awards Ceremony, before an audience of leading strategists from London's top advertising agencies. This would give you a great way of securing a job in the ad industry: of last year's winners, two are now in full-time employment in advertising agencies and the third will walk into a glittering career when she graduates."

You can find the Rules of Entry and more details at http://www.apg.org.uk/?p=1163

Essential Swatting for PGCE Candidates!

The Coalition Government is undertaking a wide-ranging review of educational provision, so those applying for PGCE places this year need to be aware of the proposals contained in policy documents such as:

• The white paper on The Importance of Teaching, which includes proposals for new school structures, changes to performance tables, funding and initial teacher training, and new ideas on behaviour management. http://www.education.gov.uk/b0068570/the-importance-of-teaching

• The green paper outlining a new approach to special educational needs and disability Support and Aspiration http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/sen/a0075339/sengreenpaper
  

• A matched funding scheme to help primary schools teach systematic synthetic phonics – see press release http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/inthenews/a0076456
  

• The Wolf Report on changes to vocational education http://www.education.gov.uk/16to19/qualificationsandlearning/a0074953/review-of-vocational-education-the-wolf-report

Source: AGCAS Teaching and Related Professions Task Group Bulletin

Become a Careers Adviser?

Places are still available for the September 2011 intake of the Postgraduate Diploma in Career Guidance and Development at the University of the West of Scotland (Paisley Campus) and Edinburgh Napier University (Sighthill Campus).

Both centres are Institute of Careers Guidance (ICG) approved and successful completion leads to the additional award of the ICG’s “Qualification in Career Guidance and Development”. Both courses attract SAAS Postgraduate Awards and encourage applications from ethnic minorities as well as those living outside of the central belt of Scotland.

Our understanding is that there is a shortage of applicants for Careers Adviser posts from applicants who hold the postgraduate qualification.

Back To Nature

Col's Blog is again undergoing a short period of inactivity as I have been away birdwatching in East Anglia. Key targets were some of the exotics that are extremely or somewhat unlikely to appear up here on the Solway coast e.g. bearded tit, reed warbler, bittern, spoonbill, marsh harrier, hobby, avocet, spotted redshank.

However, to put a bit of a careers gloss on this, my successes have been partly down to advice I received from RSPB volunteers and an Education Officer (or I assume that's what she was) with Natural England.

I didn't need use my binoculars to observe that both these agencies are actively looking for volunteers in various capacities, so for those who may be interested, here are the appropriate web references:

www.rspb.org.uk/volunteering

www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/enjoying/gettinginvolved/volunteering/default.aspx

Make It Happen

Make It Happen is a national mentoring service for students and graduates thinking of starting up their own business. The service is an online website href="http://www.mihmentoring.com/" www.mihmentoring.com and the service is very student focused. Everything has been designed in response to students’ feedback in forums and questionnaires.

For example Make It Happen run twice weekly webinars on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6pm on a variety of topics about starting your own business. Many of the speakers are from well-known companies e.g. HSBC.

Currently 2% of graduates decide to go into business for themselves after completing their studies.

Note: This information was provided by Sarah Fox, Senior LISS Adviser Careers and Employability, University of Cumbria

Making The Most of Your Time in Higher Education

This report from the CBI/NUS is available at http://ow.ly/58zac and contains lots of wise words on how to improve your value in the employment market after you get your degree.

It covers areas like:

• thinking about what you want from your time at University
• the value of early careers advice and career decision making
• the key skills employers say they want and how satisfied they actually are with the skills of new recruits
• how to use your course to improve your workplace skills
• the value of work placements and voluntary work
• getting the most from life at University
• the importance of reflecting on and recording your progress...

...plus lots of more detailed advice on what to do to maximise your potential in all of the above areas. Overall a good, common sense read for everyone who wants a successful career after University and a bit of an antidote to the more cynical view of employability I posted on a couple of months ago.

Useful Web References for International Students on Working in the UK

The following information has been provided by Karen Shaw, Senior Adviser (Academic Liaison) at the University of Cumbria following the introduction of new restrictions on the entitlement of international students to work in the UK:

Once in the UK, the majority of EEA nationals are able to work unrestricted hours, nor do they require permission to do so. However we would advise students to confirm this by visiting the UK Border Agency website for further details. Students will require a National Insurance (NI) number and can apply for one by visiting the application page on the Directgov website.

Any non-EEA nationals in the UK should have a visa which indicates the restrictions relating to employment. Visit the UK Border Agency working in the uk webpage for more information.

Normally students on a Tier 4 visa studying in the UK on a full time course which is level 6 or above are restricted to a maximum of 20 working hours per week during term time (except if the work is part of the course and you have permission to do so from the University of Cumbria). Visit the UKCISA working in the uk during your studies webpage for more information.

Students on a Student Visitor visa are not able to work in the UK.

Students who wish to remain in the UK to work after completing their course should refer to UK Border Agency working in the uk webpage UKCISA working in the uk after your studies for information.

Please be advised that it is your responsibility to ensure that you do not break the conditions of your visa. If you are in breach of your visa, you are likely to be asked to return home.

Closure of the Student Associates Scheme

The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) has decided to close the Student Associates Scheme (SAS), which was used by PGCE applicants looking for work experience in schools, with effect from 31 July 2011.

TDA will launch a new, single School Experience Programme (SEP) from September 2011. The new programme will be available not just to students, but also to other people who are considering entering, or in some cases, re-entering teaching.

Source: Sue Spence, Chair AGCAS Teaching and Related Professions Task Group

Graduate Careers Advice On Video

An interesting development over the past few months has been the continuing rise of careers information resources using video based material.

The latest contributor offering graduate careers advice by video is Career Player but they are certainly not the first and you can find some earlier samples we have saved for the benefit of University of Cumbria Students and Graduates at http://www.delicious.com/skillzone/video

Whether it's any better than what you can find in your local lending library or on sites like Prospects is for you to decide... but video careers information looks like it's here to stay.

The Guardian International Development Journalism Competition

Write the World, a sponsored competition run by The Guardian is looking for enthusiastic writers who want to demonstrate their journalistic abilities by exploring crucial issues that face the developing world.

Entrants need to write a 650-1000 word article by June 13th on an aspect of global poverty needing more media exposure than it currently receives.

For more details see http://www.guardian.co.uk/journalismcompetition/2011-about-the-awards

Source: Letter sent by The Guardian

Fancy Entering the Dragon's Den?

The BBC series Dragons’ Den is open for business once again, giving entrepreneurs from across the country the opportunity to pitch for investment and fulfil their business ambitions.

Last year the multi-millionaire investors offered their own money to 17 worthy entrepreneurs.

The rules are simple: entrepreneurs can ask for cash investment in return for equity in their business. However, they must get at least the amount they ask for or they will walk away with nothing.

The Dragons want to invest in the very best that British business has to offer. They're prepared to listen to a pitch for any type of business but they have to believe that it requires investment and will make money before they'll back it with their own cash. If you’re genuinely seeking investment for your business idea or invention, we’d like to hear from you. For an application form please send an e-mail to dragonsden@bbc.co.uk or visit www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden/apply for details on how to apply.

Source: Email received from Universities UK

Note: Apparently Dragon's Den are very open to applications from students and graduates.

New NHS Nursing Careers Website

NHS Careers have just launched a new website on Nursing careers - www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/nursing

NHS Careers say they wish to promote the wide range of nursing careers available as nurse training shifts from a mixture of diploma and degree courses to an all-graduate entry profession by 2013. In the next three years, they think the nursing profession needs to attract enough applicants to fill thousands more degree places.

The new website includes an interactive personality quiz to help people explore their suitability to different areas of nursing, real life stories and video interviews with nurses talking about their jobs.

Without having had the time to take more than a superficial look, it does appear to be a very impressive resource. Whether there will be a major increase in nursing opportunities in the Cumbria area by 2013 is a different matter altogether.

Update on Teaching in Ireland and Northern Ireland

An article on the Irish Teaching Council website states that students commencing teacher training courses in other European states after 1st January 2011 must also complete an induction/NQT year in that country before applying for recognition to teach in Ireland.

If taken literally, this directive looks certain to affect Irish teachers who train in the UK.

Full details are available at http://www.teachingcouncil.ie/latest-news/important-notice-for-those-commencing-a-teacher-education-qualification-outside-of-ireland-from-2011.513.html

Meanwhile, the Department of Education (Northern Ireland) suggest that vacancies are advertised in the Belfast Telegraph, Irish News, News Letter and in Educational Journals.

Teachers there are employed by Management Committees, a list of which is available at http://www.deni.gov.uk/index/85-schools/10-types_of_school-nischools_pg.htm#board_addresses

It is also possible to apply for substitute (supply) teaching contracts through the Northern Ireland Substitute Teachers' Register

Graduates Earn More

The National Office of Statistics recently reported (again) that graduates earn more than non-graduates.

According to NOS the average difference between graduate and non-graduate salaries averaged £12,000 over the past ten years.

Apparently the average UK salary for graduates is now £29,000 per annum.

Maybe it's still worthwhile to put up with the hassle of getting that degree?

I'm on holiday...

Col's Blog is on holiday until 20th April.

Meanwhile, if you have any items you would like to submit for the blog, please feel free to send them to me.

New University of Cumbria Jobshop

The University of Cumbria Jobshop is our new online vacancy service for students, graduates and employers in the Cumbria and North Lancashire area.

Students and Graduates can access the system by registering at http://cumbria.prospects.ac.uk

You can search for current vacancies, placements, internships, casual and part-time vacancies notified to us. You can also ask to be notified of vacancies that are likely to be of interest to you and search to see which employers and other organisations have advertised previous vacancies. All employers advertising on the site have indicated that they are interested in applicants living in the North West of England.

Employers can access the system by registering at a separate portal http://employer.cumbria.prospects.ac.uk

You can input graduate vacancies, work experience opportunities, voluntary positions and casual jobs FREE of charge to our site. The system is quick and easy to use and allows you to create, edit and copy vacancies. Posting a vacancy online gives you control of the content of your advertisement and allows you to keep track of how many views your vacancy has received. Your adverts will also be sent out via job alert emails to the registered job seekers.

If you wish to advertise vacancies at other Universities in the North West, you can do this too at www.ucsm2.prospectsnet.com

Job Prospects for Social Work Graduates 2011

Having heard suggestions that job prospects for newly-qualified social workers from the University of Cumbria are likely to be tougher this year, I have produced a brief information sheet giving a bit of detail on the likely situation in our own catchment area.

If you are qualifying in Social Work shortly and want to work in the area, please feel to request one from careers@cumbria.ac.uk marking your request f.a.o. Joanne Watson or Colin Taylor.

Next Steps Replacing Jobs4U?

News from the Careers Information front has emerged that the jobs4u database, which has not been updated since June, has effectively been archived. A Direct.gov site (see http://ow.ly/4srBP) points users instead to the Next Step database.

For non careers-techies who may be wondering about the implications of this, Next Step was originally a careers information system targetted at adult learners developed via Learndirect, whereas jobs4u was the system used by the connexions service and was specifically for young people.

The Next Step articles are perfectly adequate introductions to the careers covered and written in a slightly less formal style than the parallel jobs4u. However, the jobs4u articles contained more sophisticated information and the open question is whether the Next Step article format will be adjusted to cover the same scope.

Dinosaur careers advisers such as myself can also recall that jobs4u was derived from the "Careers Officers' Handbook" (COH) by the former organisation COIC, after it became part of the former Manpower Services Commission. As the title suggests, COH, originally developed by Careers Advisers in the London area for their own use, was the national information handbook used by Careers Advisers everywhere as a basic research resource when working with young people.

The cynics among us might wonder where Careers Advisers will now get their information from. Or maybe all they need to do is refer everyone to careers websites?

Studying in the US Next Year?

Here is a message from the Fulbright Commission:

The US-UK Fulbright Commission, EducationUSA and US Embassy London would like to make you aware of ways we can support you, as you prepare to go to the States.


1. Survey & Facebook Group: Complete our survey on study abroad – and you could win £500 toward your costs in the US! If you respond, you will also be invited to join a private Facebook group with other British students studying in the States this year.


2. Online Pre-departure Guide: Hear from students who have already studied in the US. Learn how they made the most of their time abroad, and get practical tips on everything from packing and travelling to getting involved on campus and making friends.


For More information: Visit www.fulbright.co.uk/pre-departure

We look forward to hearing from you!

Lauren, Jamie and Danni Fulbright’s Advising Team

News from the Financial Services Sector

A recent meeting of Carers Advisers with members of the Association of Graduate Recruiters turned up some interesting facts about attitudes of employers in the Financial Services Sector:

-Some employers have started recruitment schemes for school leavers, sometimes including degree sponsorships

-Accountancy firms are often not keen to recruit applicants who are already part-qualified and the same attitude applies generally to applicants with postgraduate qualifications

-Several employers report that graduate recruits from 'non relevant' degrees perform just as well as those who have studied relevant degrees

-Barclays Corporate are no longer using UCAS points as a selection tool

-All firms are predicting increased recruitment of graduate trainees, and for 12 month and summer internships over the next two years

-The quality of applications is rising but key student failings are the inability to explain their motivation to work for a particular company or to provide evidence of competencies

Comment: Some clear evidence here that job opportunities in the finance area are on the move. However, standards for many companies will remain demanding and good preparation is the secret of success.

IT Job Market Continues to Improve

Demand for candidates with ICT skills in the UK now outstrips supply, according to Sector Skills Council e-skills.

The latest Labour Market Bulletin from e-skills shows that the number of advertised vacancies for ICT staff rose for the fifth consecutive quarter to a total of 101,000 positions, while the unemployment rate for ICT staff fell to 3.1% as opposed to 8.3% for the workforce as a whole.

This news tallies with the large number of graduate vacancies being advertised recently at cumbria.prospects.ac.uk

For a closer look at the IT labour market, visit www.e-skills.com/Research/Research-publications/Labour-Market-Bulletin to download the full version of the Bulletin.

Campaign for Work Experience

A recent report from High Fliers Research stated that students who offer no previous work experience are unlikely or very unlikely to be offered a place on a graduate scheme or a training contract.

This campaign is aimed to highlight the importance of gaining as much work experience as you can before you leave university.

For more details, see the AllAboutCareers.com website.

For more help on finding work experience, try the following:

www.delicious.com/skillzone/work_experience

http://cumbria.prospects.ac.uk

graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk

Manchester Careers Fairs 2011 - Finalised dates

Following an earlier post, here are the finalised dates for this year's careers fairs at Manchester

Wednesday 15 June and Thursday 16 June 2011 Graduate Recruitment Fair;

Wednesday 5 October 2011: Ethnic Diversity Fair;

Wednesday 19 October 2011: Engineering, Science & Technology Fair;

Thursday 20 October 2011: Finance, Business & Management Fair;

Tuesday 22 November 2011: Law Fair;

Wednesday 23 November 2011: Postgraduate Study Fair.

Please see www.manchester.ac.uk/careers/fairs for details.

N.b. Students from other Universities other than Manchester are very welcome to attend.

Retail Recruitment Sector Overview

We hold a copy of a recent summary of recruitment requirements and deadline dates for dome of the main graduate employers in the retail sector.

Some of the employers covered are Vodafone, HSBC, the Co-op, Marks and Spencer, Asda and Tesco.

If you would like an electronic copy, please send a request to careers@cumbria.ac.uk

Mini Convention At University of Cumbria, Fusehill Street Campus

There will be a Mini Careers Convention (Placements Special) at Fusehill St Campus on Thursday 24th March 12 noon - 2.00 pm, Ground Floor, Learning Gateway Building.

Key Exhibitors will be University of Cumbria representatives from the UNITE (Student and Graduate Placements) and KTP (Placements for Graduates) projects.

Placement experience has been shown to be a key factor in gaining graduate employment and those offered through the University are paid.

A display of current careers information will also be available.

Is 'Employability' A Smokescreen To Mask Labour Market Failings?

If you don't mind ploughing your way through a bit of theory, there's an interesting article "The Shifting Sands of Employability" by Nick Wilton in the latest edition of CESR Review from the Centre for Employment Studies, Bristol.

Taking an etymological approach, Wilton looks at the use of the term 'employability' from the 1940's to the present day. Early definitions focus on assessing people's ability to work in the light of characteristics like age, family backgound, ability or medical condition.

Following many variations the term has, since 2006, focussed on graduate employability - in particular, the supposed responsibility of graduates to acquire a set of key skills that will meet the demands of the labour market.

Wilton's argument is that this emphasis on 'tooling up' graduates for employment overlooks the fact that the graduate labour market has not kept up with the rise in graduate numbers. Social and education characteristics (e.g. type of University attended, gender, ethnicity) may be more likely to account for difficulties in finding graduate employment rather than the acquisition of employability skills.

To quote: "As such, in its current guise, employability is associated with the attribution of fault rather than seeking remedy for unemployment and effectively disregards structural explanations for unemployment or underemployment such as geographical immobility, the collective experience of labour market inequality and the recruitment behaviours of organisations"

Heady words indeed, but is it all true?

It is certainly true that come organisations concentrate their recruitment efforts on a limited number of prestige universities, which, combined with academic stipulations often based on UCAS points ensure that they are far more likely to recruit candidates who are from priveleged backgrounds. Unpaid internships and high costs of study are making some career routes virtually inaccessible for those who are not.

On the other hand there are some companies with active diversity policies who go out of their way to encourage applications from under-represented groups, just as there are some individuals who are so determined to succeed and have so much belief in their own success (the 'locus of control' theory) that they succeed against all the odds.

Are employability skills a useful addition to the graduate skillset - or just a cover up for the lack of decent jobs? What do you think?

BUPA Predicts Care Shortfall

Private health and social care organisation BUPA forecasts that 100,000 old people may not be able to have access to care home places over the next ten years.

The BUPA report "Who Cares" claims that Local Authority cutbacks in this period will lead to a shortage of 81,000 care home beds, leading to largescale bed blocking in the NHS because of the resulting increase in elderly hospital admissions.

The report also makes a plea for the ringfencing of £2 billion allocated to Local Authority provision for adult social care by 2014-15, before going on to provide a full review of the funding of adult care provision.

The fact that a private organisation is showing concern about public sector cutbacks they might be expected to benefit from becomes more comprehensible when you realise that 70% of BUPA care home residents are in receipt of state funding. Presumably many receive Local Authority funding as well.

It can however only be bad news for graduates and others who are looking to make their career in the care sector over the next few years.

Read the full report at
www.epolitix.com/fileadmin/epolitix/stakeholders/BUPA_Who_Cares.pdf

Note: I first found it through a tweet @social_care which looks a good source for those interested in developments in Social Care provision.

BBC Production Trainee Scheme

The BBC Production Trainee Scheme will be open for applications from 1st to 14th March 2011.

Trainees complete an 18 month programme, with training and placements in radio, TV and online broadcasting.

The Beeb have stressed that they want students from all academic disciplines to apply - visit www.bbc.co.uk/jobs/pts for more details.

Finance Insight Course for Disabled Students

From an email sent by EmployAbility:

The Financial Services Authority has partnered with EmployAbility for a 3 Day Insight Programme this summer.

The FSA offers a three day programme to first year undergraduates designed to give a full overview of their multi-faceted work. The Insight will combine a mixture of networking with graduates and business representatives, case studies to give students an insight into the work of the FSA and skills sessions to help them succeed in the assessment process.

Requirements

To apply for the programme undergraduates will need to:

• be a first year undergraduate.
• have 300 UCAS points or more.
• submit the short application form
• have a short telephone interview, demonstrating a motivation for a career in regulation. They will be informed shortly afterward if successful in obtaining a place on the programme.

If there are extenuating circumstances which may have affected grades, this must be clearly stated on the form and/ or EmployAbility contacted for further information.

Apply now

The completed application form must be returned to applications@employ-ability.org.uk by 20^th February, 2011.

Please contact Justin Penney on 07776 090 508, info@employ-ability.org.uk should the form be required in an alternative format or for any questions.

Fancy a Career on the Telly?

The Network is the charitable arm of the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival and provides the opportunity to attend four days of FREE training in Edinburgh preparing delegates for a career in television.

The Network takes place between 25 and 28 August 2011. Highlights from last year include a masterclass with writer and creator of Shameless, Paul Abbott, a research workshop with Charlie Brooker and the team behind Would I Lie To You? and masterclasses from Putul Verma, Series Producer, Dragons’ Den and Jay Hunt, Chief Creative Officer, Channel 4.

All the people involved are passionate about passing on their skills and insights to those starting their career in television

The Network has helped to launch hundreds of TV careers.

With the exception of travel to and from Edinburgh, everything else, from accommodation and food to the actual workshops, is entirely free. Applications open on February 14 2011 and applications are sought via our website at www.mgeitf.co.uk/thenetwork. Applicants can save their application form and come back to it as many times as they like until the closing date - 15 April 2011.

Note: This is a shortened version of an email we received from The Network

Jobsites in Scotland

If you are looking for work North of the Border, here are some sites you may find useful:

• www.s1jobs.com
  
• www.scottishjobs.com
• www.monsterscotland.co.uk
• www.stvjobs.com
• www.myjobscotland.gov.uk

Large Retail Employers Don't Want CVs...

...according to the input of Retail Sector members of the Association of Graduate Recruiters at a meeting with Careers Advisers' representatives last month.

They felt it is particularly important to understand that larger companies only have an online application system and do not accept CVs.

A “Please see my CV” response to questions on the online application has been a recurrent problem for them. Recruiters also say that the questions asked on applications should be approached just as intensively as an interview question.

In particular Asda has noted that despite receiving 4,000 applications online, many were of poor quality and the company is still recruiting.

Ever heard of a Support Time and Recovery Worker?

Talking of opportunities that are not well-covered on standard careers websites, etc., have you any idea what a Support Time and Recovery Worker does?

Basically, it is an NHS role involved with mental health patients in a support and advocacy role.

You can find more details on the appropriate section of the NHS Careers website.

Completing Application Forms

Surprisingly little material seems now to be around on the subject of completing application forms. It is as if a lot of the big Careers websites have decided to rely on the fact that many large companies produce their own guidelines.

Fortunately, the University of Cumbria has found its own solution in the form of a voiceover presentation narrated by myself and my colleague Joanne Watson. You can view it at https://stream.cumbria.ac.uk/ap/careers/AppForms/index.html (n.b. answer 'no' if you get a security warning on the way in.)

The result is unlikely to draw the interest of Holywood producers but it does give you a decent guide to the business of filling in those pesky forms!