Careers Adviser Research Staff/Postgraduate Research Students

Improved knowledge of own employability, different career opportunities within and outsdie academia and greater confidence in articulating those skills to others.

Participants will leave much more aware of the skills, experiences and knowledge that they have and how to communicate this to recruiters.

Improved employability as demonstrated by achievement of individual career objectives and goals

What is the rationale for doing this?

How does it fit with institutional strategy?

What are the main features of the provision?

What are the aims and expected outcomes?

This provision recognises that research staff and students require specialist support in planning and developing their skills within their current role and for their subsequent careers. This specialist provision fits within the University's strategies for the management of research staff and its commitment to encouraging research staff and students to plan and develop their careers. The Careers Adviser works collaboratively with staff in the Graduate School and the Professional Development Unit in order to contribute to university wide training programmes, as well as contributing to faculty and other projects and is also a member of the University;s Research Only Staff Group. The post is core funded by the University.

The service offered to researchers includes Individual careers guidance, career planning workshops Information and career planning resources with dedicated web pages for research staff and postgraduate research students available on the Centre for Career Development website and links made to other university and national resources. This level of provision has been available since March 2005. Career management workshops are delivered across all academic disciplines.

To develop the employability of researchers through enabling them to understand and value the skills and experience they are developing. To be able to use this understanding to manage their careers in or outside academia. A full range of careers service provision is now available to the research community: individual guidance interviews, web and information resources, and career planning workshops delivered through the Central Short course programme or customised for faculties/disciplines. This provision for research staff has not been available previously.

Are there any pre-requisites for engagement, e.g. levels of skill, years of experience, essential pre-activities?

How many participate in each 'activity'?

The programme for Research Students is designed to engage them in career development activities throughout their PhD from a "Thinking Ahead" session for first and second years to an "Action Planning " session for final year research students. Sessions for Research Staff are open to all levels of experience. Workshops are commonly delivered for between 8 and 20 participants.

How do you monitor effectiveness?

Who do you seek feedback from?

Do you have benchmarks?

Measurements of usage have shown a steady increase from the establishment of the service in 2005. Individual and workshop feedback has indicated that researchere value the dedicated provision available. A recent Impact Survey (September 2010) reinforced the benefits to those who had used guidance and workshops.

The continuing challenge lies in raising awareness of the service to a diverse community and in engaging research staff, in particular, in career development training activities. On-line provision and the use of web based learning is being developed and expanded.

Implementing and encouraging the use of the RDF is a priority as is incorporating it into professional guidance practice. Expanding web based training resources is underway in order to offer opportunities for part time researchers to engage in career development.