Paul Mcconnell, School of Psychology, is a postgraduate student who took part in EP and explained his perspective on the scheme.
As a graduate re-entering university for a masters, I’d already seen how tough the job market could be. To be frank, I was naive to believe I could leave university with just good grades and expect to walk into my ideal graduate job. Whether you like it or not, standing out in today’s unprecedentedly competitive graduate job market requires demonstrating your capabilities beyond just academics.
When I heard about the Employability Points Scheme, I remember thinking “Thank god this exists!” It was exactly the programme I thought should have been, but wasn’t there when I was on doing my bachelors. The scheme has so many benefits. First of all it helps keep you abreast of all available opportunities for you to increase your employability, for example attending careers fairs, joining or starting societies, taking a careers award and more. The scheme meant that I could now get recognition for these efforts in a way that I hadn’t before. And, silly as it sounds, the simple possibility of earning those points motivated me to get out and experience super cool things I otherwise may not have. But of course, points are worth more than bragging rights; I was lucky enough to use mine to secure what turned out to be a dream internship.
In my summer internship, I got to work as a researcher on sustainability in the fashion industry. An opportunity to develop my skills in a practical manner, showing that my hard earned statistics marks were more than just learning to pass exams. Incredibly, I was also able to receive earnest and dedicated mentorship from a former head of research and insight at some of the biggest firms in the world. I can honestly say this was the perfect finish to my academic year. On completion, I was able to proudly place on the top of my CV the job title Business Researcher and Statistician. And on top of all this, I got paid!
In an age where these kinds of opportunities are too often reserved for those with family connections, financially able parents, or simply those lucky enough to live rent free in London, the Employability Points scheme is a real model for how universities can help offer fair and equitable chances to all students looking to get the best possible start in their working life.
When those dreaded strengths and competency based interview questions came up, thanks to the Employability Points Scheme, I had a lot more experiences to draw from to come up with those impressive answers! I couldn’t be happier to say that I’m now choosing between a graduate scheme in the Post Office or a management role in the Civil Service.
I couldn’t hold the Employability Points scheme, or it’s dedicated and supportive staff, in higher esteem!
To read more about Paul’s experiences, see his Case Study.