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.