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.

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.