Career Ahead - University of Cumbria's Employability Award

Career Ahead is now coming to the end of its first year and it is with great pride that I have seen the accomplishments of our students developing their employability skills through an amazing array of activities. From bar jobs and shop work to volunteering with St. John's ambulance, student ambassador work and student mentoring while successfully continuing with their academic studies.

The Award has provided students who participate in extra-curricular activity the opportunity to pull all their experience together, providing evidence of attending workshops, coaching, voluntary and paid work to develop an e-portfolio which show-cases their skills to prospective employers.

The Award enables students to make the most of their university experience, to increase their employability skills and provide a method of evidencing their activities outside their university course. Consequently, students are not only developing their skills but also they are learning how to promote themselves through practical experiences such as paid/volunteer work, training, workshops and sports etc.

Elements of the Award consist of personal development - reflecting on what skills you have and what skills you need to develop further in order to get the job you want. Developing 4 key employability skills while taking part in 100+ hours of extra curricular activity throughout your time at university. Job searching, completing a job application form, developing a CV and attending a mock interview are all elements of the Award that develop skills helping students find their ideal job when they graduate.

We now have students that have completed the Award and it really is inspiring to see the dedication and effort that these students have put in to developing their e-portfolios. These students are the ones's that will be ready when they graduate to tackle the jobmarket, they will have all the skills that you need to get the jobs, they will stand out from the crowd because they put that extra bit of effort in while they were at university. I therefore want to applaud those students and congratulate them for completing the Award and hope that other students realise not only the importance of developing their employability skills but also realise their own potential to achieve their career goals and realise their dreams.

Well done and congratualtions!

For students interested in knowing more about career Ahead taking please email me, Libby, at careerahead@cumbria.ac.uk

Carlisle Careers Fair

The Career Ahead- Carlisle Careers Fair took place at the Fusehill Street campus on the 30th January, 2013.

On the day prior to the event the careers staff delivered workshops on creating successful CV's and networking, there was also the opportunity to attend a presentation on setting up as a sole trader. Students registered for these workshops online and attended various sessions throughout the day. Examples of student comments about the workshops are below:

"I feel more confident and more prepared for tomorrow and future networking"

"The CV exercise encouraged us to get thinking of ways to promote ourselves"

"Brought points to my attention that I've missed on my own CV"

"Concise, factual, engaging"

"Clear, concise information. Everything I wanted to know to start me off with CV writing"


The aim of the workshops was to prepare students for the Careers Fair the next day, enabling students to use their networking skills and market themselves more effectively to employers. A mix of 27 employers, agencies, professional bodies and advice and information services attended the event over 2 floors of the Learning Gateway.

As well as providing information and advice for students the representatives welcomed the opportunity to build relationships with the University of Cumbria including the Careers team, Unite with Business, the Student Enterprise Coordinator and many more, developing a greater awareness of university provision.

Students were encouraged to investigate and register for volunteering opportunities in a range of career sectors. Also many employers provided details of part-time vacancies as well as advice on their organisation and future recruitment. Many employers also committed to support Career Ahead - University of Cumbria's Employability Award, by offering opportunities for volunteer placements, mentoring schemes and mock interviews.

Overall, Carlisle Careers Fair was a success, with many representatives commenting on how well organised the event was and that they would be willing to attend similar events in the future.

Special thanks to Joanne Watson (Senior Adviser - Careers and Employability) for all her hard work in organising this event.

Careers Fair Coming Soon

It is just two weeks to the University of Cumbria 2013 Career Ahead Two Day Careers Fair at the Learning Gateway, Fusehill Street Campus.

Day 1

Join the UoC Careers Team on Tuesday 29th January for free workshops on Successful CVs and the Art of Networking. Sign up in advance at www.cumbria.ac.uk/careersfair - first come first served!

Day 2

On Wednesday 30th January between 10.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m., browse 30 stands in the Learning Gateway offering a mixture of job, paid placement and volunteering opportunities as well as advice on getting ahead in your career, setting up a business and how to impress employers.

Employers represented will include: BBC, Carlisle Youth Zone, Lake District National Park, Cumberland Building Society, Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, Eden Carers, Sainsbury's, Smith's Hotel, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Enitiative Media, Good Companions, Teach English in China, Burnetts Solicitors, Unite with Business...

All UoC students (all year groups and courses) and graduates welsome!

Career Ahead - Careers and Employability Fair

This is advance notice of the University of Cumbria's first ever all-inclusive Careers Fair will take place at Fusehill Street campus on Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 January 2013. 
Students from all year groups and faculties and recent graduates from the University will get the chance to research job, voluntary, postgraduate and self-employment opportunities as well as the new Career Ahead Employability Award currently being piloted by Learning and Student Services.


The Learning Gateway at Fusehill Street

On the Tuesday, students will be able to attend workshops to help them make the most of their chance to meet employers the following day. Workshops will include The Art of Networking and Successful CVs and will be run by members of the careers team.

From 10.00am – 3.00pm on the Wednesday, around thirty local and national organisations will be available to offer advice and information to students in the ground and first floors of the Learning Gateway.

More information will follow in January on how to register for the event, but in the meantime contact Joanne Watson  if you would like to know more or have employers you would like us to invite. This event is part funded by the European Social Fund.

There are still opportunities for employers to take part on the 30th and any firms interested can register at https://www.survey.bris.ac.uk/cumbria/careersfair2013

Come and Meet Us at Freshers' Fayre...

This is a notice for University of Cumbria Students!

Careers Advisers will be at both Freshers' Welcome Fayre events for new students next week at both Lancaster and Fusehill Street campuses next week.

Dates and locations are as follows:

• Fusehill Street Learning Gateway, Tuesday 25th September (from 10.00 a.m.)
• Lancaster Campus Old Dining Room, Wednesday 26th September (also from 10.00 a.m.)

While long-term career planning isn't usually the first thing on students' minds at the beginning of term, you might want to:

• Find out about sources of possible part-time jobs
• Learn about 'Career Ahead', the University's newly-introduced Employability Award
• Try our cryptic careers competition and possibly win a £20 voucher
• grab any freebies we manage to put together on the day

Here's the faces to look out for:

Joanne Watson, Linda Powell, Sandra Baron, Colin Taylor, Libby Davies