AGCAS Annual Conference 2021 programme

ANNUAL CONFERENCE Future Ready: The changed world of HE careers professionals 22–24 JUNE 2021

ONLINE, VIA HOPIN

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2021 Parallel sessions are free choice on the day, see pages 11–22 for details

Tuesday 22 June 2021 AM session: The impact of policy on careers practice

PM session: Developing the careers profession

Please note content can change without notice

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@AGCAS

3 DAY PROGRAMME

#AGCASAC21

Wednesday 23 June 2021 AM session: Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on students and graduates, and how we support them

PM session: Equality and diversity in practice

Please note content can change without notice

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3 DAY PROGRAMME

@AGCAS #AGCASAC21

Thursday 24 June 2021 AM session: New ways of working

PM session: The global picture

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Please note content can change without notice

WELCOME TO THE AGCAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2021 It goes without saying that this last year has been an extraordinary experience for all of us, and not what we expected when the word coronavirus was first mentioned. That said, AGCAS members have stood up to every challenge we have faced throughout the last fifteen months, and in so doing have demonstrated all of the creativity, adaptability and innovation we have come to expect in supporting our students and graduates. Plus, of course, a load of sheer hard work and perseverance!

I see at Newcastle University the gratitude of our students and graduates when we help them secure their first job, start a new business or gain acceptance onto a postgraduate course. And I know that this will be the case in every institution in which our members work. Our aim now has to be to take the best things we have learned from the last year or so, and make sure that we take this forward into the best possible form of blended support.

While we have faced huge challenges during this period, it has also surfaced opportunities, and it is now our responsibility to adopt these within our work.

Reflecting on the last year it is equally, if not more, important that we focus on issues of equality, diversity and inclusion, both in the support we give to our students and graduates but also within our profession. During the conference we will have opportunities to discuss these important issues, and we must ensure that we adopt both our learning, and our commitment, into practice.

To help us draw inspiration in supporting all of our students to be successful, I am delighted to introduce our conference this year, which is aptly titled ‘Future Ready: The changed world of HE careers professionals’. In so doing, I want to thank everybody who has contributed to the organising of this event. I want to thank our supporter organisations, who have supported the conference and other AGCAS activities throughout the year.

And most of all I want to thank all of our colleagues who will share their experiences and insights with us.

I am delighted that we will be launching the AGCAS Professional Pathways during this conference, to support, enable and articulate the professionalism of individuals who deliver within our profession.

And, I look forward to celebrating this excellence and innovation through our AGCAS Awards on Friday 25 June. Having had the privilege of being on the final judging panel for the AGCAS Awards, the standard of entries is phenomenal. Please join us on Friday to hear more, and to celebrate everybody who has been shortlisted.

Finally, I just want to say that I am thrilled that more than 1100 people have registered to attend this week. I look forward to meeting many of you over the next few days, whether you are new to AGCAS or have been around for a few years, or more.

Marc Lintern

AGCAS President PAGE 4

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Tuesday 22 June

KEYNOTE

KEYNOTE

Debbie McVitty

Dr Nalayini Thambar

Editor

AGCAS Quality Director

Wonkhe

Director of Careers and Employability University of Nottingham

Debbie McVitty is editor of Wonkhe, the home of

Nalayini Thambar is the Director of Careers and

the higher education policy debate, contributing

Employability at the University of Nottingham. A

to Wonkhe articles, email briefings, events, and

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a

the Wonkhe Show podcast. Debbie is interested

qualified careers adviser, her work has involved

in the social impact of higher education, learning,

teaching, professional practice and leadership

teaching and curriculum, institutional change and

across all areas of student employability. Her

innovation, and in bringing to light under-

doctoral thesis, an exploration of the professional

represented voices in the HE policy debate. She

identity of university careers advisers in the new

has previously worked in policy and

employability climate, was completed through

communications roles at Universities UK, the

Bradford School of Management.

University of Bedfordshire and the National Union of Students. She holds a DPhil in English

Previously, Nalayini was Assistant Director at the

Literature from the University of Oxford and an

University of Leeds Careers Centre, responsible

MRes in higher education research, evaluation

for business engagement. Following an

and enhancement from Lancaster University.

expansion of Nottingham’s UK Careers and Employability Service in 2013, she has established the delivery of expert services centrally and within faculties, and the development of non-clinical placement activity across the university.

Nalayini is a lead trainer on the AGCAS/Warwick Management of HE Careers and Employability Services course, and speaks regularly at conferences on the importance of expertise, professionalism, effective leadership and management for the fulfilment and profile of the HE careers profession.

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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

KEYNOTE Dr Michael Tomlinson Associate Professor Education School

Wednesday 23 June

KEYNOTE Gabi Binnie AGCAS Policy and Research Manager

University of Southampton

Michael Tomlinson is an Associate Professor at

As AGCAS Policy and Research Manager, Gabi

Southampton Education School, University of

supports the delivery of the Research and

Southampton. His interests are broadly in the

Knowledge and Advocacy strands of the AGCAS

areas of the higher education and the labour

strategy, including the delivery of AGCAS

market and he has extensively researched issues

supporter research and funded research projects.

around graduate employability. His work on the graduate capital models has been actively

She was lead investigator and author of

incorporated in the University of Southampton

Making good on the promise: supporting

careers and employability strategy and adopted

international graduate employability (January

by many international institutions and

2021), Evaluating the effectiveness of employer

researchers.

engagement activities (September 2020) and AGCAS’s careers service resourcing after a

He is the author of two key books which have

pandemic report series (2020/21). She is

brought together his thinking in these fields,

currently conducting research with the University

Education, Work and Identity (Bloomsbury,

of Southampton, funded by UKRI, and research

2013) and Graduate Employability in Context

in collaboration with Group GTI and Shortlist.me.

(Palgrave Macmillan, 2017). He also serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Education and Work, British Journal of Sociology of Education and Higher Education Policy.

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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Wednesday 23 June

KEYNOTE

KEYNOTE

Piers Wilkinson

Neelam Thapar

Student Voice

Head of Careers

Commissioner

and Employability

Disabled Students

London Metropolitan

Commission

University

Piers Wilkinson was appointed to the Disabled

Neelam has 30 years experience in higher

Students’ Commission as a Student Voice

education in placements, careers guidance and

Commissioner in March 2020, and day-to-day

embedding employability in teaching and

supports Diversity & Ability's work as their HE Policy and Partnerships Lead. Piers was the last NUS Disabled Students' Officer, and they have

learning. She became Head of Careers and Employability at London Metropolitan University in 2014, where 96% of students come from at least one underrepresented group, with

been deeply involved in disabled student responsibility for the leadership and strategic representation for over seven years.

development of careers and employability provision to students and recent graduates.

Piers has worked as an access consultant specialising in inclusive design within education,

Recently, she has been co-leading the

digital accessibility, user design learning, and

development and implementation of a Careers

inclusive campaigns.

Education Framework; an approach to employability based upon an ethos of social

Previous work includes the 2016 UNCRPD

justice.

inquiry, as a commissioner for the Arriving at Thriving report, and providing expert advice on various projects such as Student Minds’ Mental

Neelam has a MSc in Education and Training, Diplomas in CEIAG, Personal Performance Coaching and Neuro LInguistic Programming

Health Charter, and the 2019 Plastic Pollution and spent over 10 years as volunteer trustee of a Bill.

charity, United Kingdom Thalassaemia Society, with responsibility for co-leading a national Asian Awareness Campaign and is now an Ambassador for the charity.

View all parallel session descriptions on pages 11–22

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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Wednesday 23 June

KEYNOTE

PANEL MEMBER

Bob Athwal

Ali Orr

Global Lead for

Head of Graduate

Racial Diversity and

Outcomes and

Early Careers

Employability

Skyscanner

Kingston University

Bob Athwal is the Global Lead for Racial

Ali Orr is Head of Graduate Outcomes and

Diversity and Early Careers at Skyscanner. Bob

Employability at Kingston University, where he

has a unique background and perspective as he

oversees the Careers & Employability and

has been an employer, a vendor and a University senior leader.

Study Abroad teams. He is currently leading a cross-institutional project on enhancing graduate prospects.

He is a regular International conference speaker specialising in Early Careers, Social Mobility and Racial Equity, Student Experience and Student Outcomes. He has been the recipient of several industry awards relating to graduate recruitment

Since 2016, Ali has served as an employability expert on the TEF main panel and subject-level pilots. He is also a member of

and development as well as careers preparation

the AGCAS Academic Alignment Working

within universities.

Party, which supports AGCAS member services to contribute to the integration of employability

Bob is the co-founder of the Global Career

within their institutions.

Services Summit which now includes the International Network of Employers and University Career Service Associations. He is also the co-founder of the 1 Hour Project, an initiative

Prior to joining Kingston, Ali was Talent & Employability Consultant for the National Centre for Universities and Business where he

designed to level the playing field based upon his led on a range of skills and early talent PhD to help advance social mobility amongst graduates.

projects.

Bob was the first recipient of the ISE fellowship who did not serve as CEO or Chair, recognising his contribution to the sector as an employer and university educator.

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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Thursday 24 June

PANEL SESSION PANEL SESSION Sam Gilbert Patricia Shaw Author and researcher CEO and Founder Bennett Institute for Beyond Reach

Public Policy

Consulting Ltd

University of Cambridge

Sam Gilbert is the author of Good Data: An

With 20 years’ experience as a lawyer in

, and an Optimist's Guide to Our Digital Future

technology, regulatory and government affairs.

affiliated researcher at the Bennett Institute for

Patricia has expertise in data, financial services,

Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. An

public sector (Health- and EdTech), and smart

expert in data-driven marketing, he was

cities. Through her consultancy, Patricia supports

employee number one and chief marketing

the delivery of ‘ethics by design’ across the whole

officer at Bought By Many, an award-winning

AI lifecycle to build trust with customers, industry,

fintech start-up named as one of Wired's hottest

and wider society and develop organisational

start-ups in Europe and ranked in the Sunday

capability, competence, and culture internally.

Times TechTrack100 list of the UK's fastest growing companies. Previously, he was head of

Beyond Reach helps develop AI/Data ethics

strategy and development at the data company

strategy, designs and implements AI/data ethics

Experian and head of consumer finance at

public policy engagement, bespoke AI/data

Santander. He lives in Copenhagen.

ethics governance frameworks, provides expert advisor services, and curates AI/data ethics

PANEL SESSION Simon Martin

Advisory Boards. In short, providing a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to AI and Data governance from the top down and bottom up.

CEO Group GTI

Public speaker and writer, she is co-author of The AI Book Technology Governance during a Time of

Simon Martin has worked in platform and data

Crisis report

businesses since the mid 90’s in start-ups,

IEEE Certification Criteria for COVID19

Experian and Mumsnet. He is CEO of Group

tracing technologies

GTI, responsible for teams across UK, Ireland and

iTechlaw’s 2021 Update to the Responsible

USA. GTI helps students realise their potential in

AI Global Policy Framework and new

the world of work working with educators. Brands

Responsible AI Impact Assessment

include TARGETconnect, TARGETjobs and

Sweet and Maxwell’s book The Law of AI

gradireland. Simon has a 1st class degree in Information Systems from Birkbeck, University of London. A member of the Magic Circle (tricks not

Further co-authored publications to follow in Spring 2021 include Edward Elgar publishing, The Law and Regulation of AI book, and a paper

the law firms) and dad to 3 children, one of which

to be published by Springer concerning AI and

is starting university in September.

digital responsibility for an equitable society.

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KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Thursday 24 June

PANEL SESSION

KEYNOTE

Sherry Cuoto

Glenda Quintini

Serial entrepreneur

Senior Economist

and angel investor

Organisation for

Non-Executive

Economic Co-operation

Director

and Development (OECD)

Sherry Coutu is a serial entrepreneur and angel

Glenda is a senior economist at OECD where she

investor who serves on the boards of

leads a team of economists looking at how skill

companies, charities, and universities.

needs are changing in the labour market and identifying effective policy responses, particularly

She is currently a non-executive Director of

in the area of adult learning and on-the-job

Pearson plc, London Stock Exchange plc,

training. The team provides advice to countries on

DCMS and raspberry pi trading. Sherry has

their skills-related policies and carries out

decades of experience chairing Remuneration

comparative analysis, covering both OECD and

Committees of FTSE plcs, acting as Senior

developing countries. Glenda’s team also

Independent Director and Nominations

contributes to the development and analysis of the

Committee chair and serving on audit

OECD Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) and the

committees. Philanthropically, she supports

accompanying employer module on skill gaps.

Founders4Schools, Digital Boost, Raspberry pi

Over the years, Glenda has devoted a lot of

Foundation and Cancer Research UK.

attention to issues of skills mismatch, skills use at work, work-based learning and automation.

Sherry has an MBA from Harvard, an MSc (with

Glenda holds a PHD in Economics from the

distinction) from the London School of

University of Oxford.

Economics, and a BA (Hons with distinction) from the University of British Columbia, Canada.

She has been awarded Honourary Phd's from the University of Bristol, The University of Manchester and The Open University for her work in Education and the Economy.

She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to entrepreneurship in the New Year's Honours List 2013.

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PARALLEL SESSIONS A

ALL PARALLEL SESSIONS ARE

TUESDAY 22 JUNE 11:45–12:30

A3 PGTips: Working in partnership to support PGT employability

FREE CHOICE ON THE DAY Jayne Sharples and Anna Flatt, University of Birmingham; Caroline Baldwin, University of

A1 Metrics and measures: interpreting and Bath; Janice Simpson, York University and Kate

using data in the current policy landscape

Machent, The Open University

Ben Cooper, Manchester Metropolitan With the student experience being in the spotlight more

University and Stephen Davie, The University of than ever, we will explore how PGT specific support is

Sheffield

This session is aimed at those interested in learning how data is being used in a fast-changing metric-driven policy and regulatory environment. Join members of the AGCAS Graduate Data Group for a whistle-stop tour of the key metrics within the national data landscape. Learn which metrics are used to measure impact and the value of

changing and adapting. During this panel discussion we will hear how careers teams are working with partners to develop initiatives such as: a PGT tutorial resources project at Birmingham University; a PGT award at the University of York; and the University of Bath Stay Connected programme, to support PGT students with their career and professional development.

looking beyond existing measures to help to build an alternative narrative around interpretations of student and graduate success.

We will also explore the external and internal policies that are influencing these developments including the new Graduate Route Visa and its potential benefits and challenges for international PGT students.

A2 The graduate labour market in a pandemic Charlie Ball, JISC After a year and more of COVID, how does the graduate labour market look? How do you examine the labour market at times like this? Who and where have seen the greatest effects? And what might the future hold?

Join Charlie for a fast-paced, lively discussion of the challenges of Covid-19 for the labour market and the implications for advice and guidance – remember to come with lots of questions! Oh, and we’ll do a quiz, of course.

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PARALLEL SESSIONS A

TUESDAY 22 JUNE 11:45–12:30

A4 Showcases

(A4a) From idea to industry: the value of

(A4b) Using Access funding to generate

intellectual property for creatives

opportunities for widening participation

Roxanne Peters, University of the Arts, London

students Helen Green, Queen Mary University of London

Educators and creatives adjusted rapidly to new ways to connect digitally in 2020, whilst continuing to support all

Queen Mary is one of the most diverse Russell Group

areas of creative process and practice - exchanging

universities, with a high proportion of business students

ideas, creating new work, planning final showcases and

from BAME and low family income backgrounds.

building relationships with industry.

In this session we will discuss the process for applying and Collaborating in ever more interdisciplinary and global

securing access funding, how we delivered the project –

spaces, it’s important that students and graduates feel

an online Student-led Transition Programme – the

confident when negotiating job opportunities, working on

challenges and achievements. We’ll also share student

shared initiatives or starting a business from the ground

and participant outcomes and further access projects

up. Intellectual property (IP) plays a vital role as part of

planned for 2020–21.

their creative practice to make sure their voices are heard, their skills are respected and their contribution to society is recognised.

(A4c) Graduate opportunities research in collaboration with Group GTI Gabi Binnie, AGCAS and Mark Mitchell, Group

From idea to industry: valuing your creative rights is UAL’s response to embed IP education into the curriculum. Developed with and for creatives, this digital resource mirrors non-linear practice, considering

GTI

How can SMEs differentiate themselves in the graduate labour market?

intellectual property and ethical steps when creating, managing and sharing content.

Using data from over 70,000 students who completed the 2020 Trendence (now Cybil) survey, we explore

Join us for a showcase of our new online resource and an opportunity to connect.

differences in employer brand priorities, salary expectations and career influencers between students who want to work in large organisations after they graduate, versus those who want to work in SMEs and start-ups.

Alongside TARGETJobs click and search data, we identify popular SMEs and some of the tactics they use to stand out from the crowd.

After sharing the findings, we’ll leave you to discuss: How can careers and employability services use this knowledge to guide their SME partners?

What does the data mean for virtual, face-to-face and blended approaches to employer engagement with SMEs? In the context of local economic recovery, what else can we do to help local SMEs build back better?

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PARALLEL SESSIONS B

B1 Academic alignment research in collaboration with ShortlistMe

TUESDAY 22 JUNE 15:30–16:15

College London’s careers service are using to address race-related structural and strategic barriers present in our organisation. Colleagues and students bring different

Gabi Binnie, AGCAS; David Dewey, Shortlist.Me and Iwan Williams, University of Liverpool

life experiences to our workplace, and for us to gain from all these experiences, we are taking new approaches to embed a culture of growth to enable us all to benefit from our diversity.

In recent AGCAS research, embedding employability into the curriculum was rated as one of the top three upcoming

B3 Showcases

priorities for heads of careers services, but what does embedded employability and academic alignment look like in institutions? In this interactive session, we share

(B3a) NTU Employability Task Groups – Developing and continually improving our

brand new research, in collaboration with Shortlist.me, that illustrates:

service

How the academic alignment landscape is changing

Debra Easter and Michele Zala, Nottingham

and how this is impacting careers service delivery

Trent University

The role of technology and students in embedding Within NTU we come together across teams within 14 employability in curricula active ‘Task Groups’ focussing on current key areas; for How to influence the employability and academic example, Race Equality, Social Mobility, Disability and alignment agendas in your own institution.

Wellbeing, International Students, Sustainability and Gender. The main purpose of these groups is to gather Our findings are based on a thematic review of together colleagues who share a common interest and employability strategies, focus groups with heads of passion from across our broad team. Task Group service and a roundtable event with AGCAS members members are encouraged to grow their expertise and and sector organisations. This workshop aims to further become department experts in their chosen/specialist develop the research through discussion and debate. areas, link with AGCAS Task Groups and professional bodies to explore how we can push the careers and

B2 The room where it happens: Learning, development, and leadership to advance

employability agenda forward. The team members have found these groups to be extremely useful and strategically powerful, with additional funding secured for

race equity

Jai Shah, King's College London, The Careers Group

the team where we have clearly identified the problem and made recommendations for a potential solution. This has led to significant outputs; the Women’s Development Programme, international student strategy, race equality

George Floyd’s murder ignited workplace conversations about racism and discrimination, which can be

charter, and a Careers Consultant for Disability and Wellbeing.

uncomfortable for all of us to discuss. In The Careers Group, it has highlighted the lack of ethnic diversity in

(B3b) The National Careers Service – What is it

leadership positions within our organisation. Confronting discrimination in our workplace, both in student facing practice, and in our learning and development is crucial

and how can we work collaboratively?

Julia Goodall, National Careers Service

to delivering equitable and inclusive careers education.

The National Careers Service provides high quality, free Using live examples and case studies, this workshop

and impartial careers advice, information and guidance to

demonstrates approaches The Careers Group and King’s

adults across England, irrespective of their level of qualifications or the stage they may be at within their career

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PARALLEL SESSIONS B

TUESDAY 22 JUNE 15:30–16:15

journey – though many university careers advisers are

how we altered our planned delivery to respond to the

unaware of its existence. This session will provide a brief

unfolding pandemic and how we have worked together

introduction to the National Careers Service, including its

to build a sense of community and shared experience

area-based model, funding, services and resources from the

among these graduates. We will touch on how we

perspective of a careers adviser working for one of the

changed our approach to communicating with

prime contractors – and will explore ways in which the

graduates to include newsletters and podcasts and how

National Careers Service can work in collaboration with

the relationships that we have built provided a strong

university careers services for mutual benefit, such as

foundation on which to base all of this work. We will

delivery of group sessions and sharing of LMI and

also outline the benefits that we have already started to

resources.

see in adopting this new approach, both internally and in terms of graduate engagement.

(B3c) Our “digital first” approach to IAG

Stephen Davie, The University of Sheffield

(B4b) How collaboration between QMUL

When we were all thrown into the world of working from

Enterprise and Queen Mary Innovation can

home, our ‘drop in’ approach to IAG unfortunately could

enhance QMUL PhDs and researchers’

not work online. Instead, we offered bookable

employability

appointments, which were incredibly popular. However,

Julie Kouamo, Queen Mary, University of London

many students attended appointments to discuss very simple queries and hadn’t looked at the wealth of

In the United Kingdom, some 30,000 jobs could be lost

resources we had available online. Students were

in the university sector post pandemic, according to a

attending without being prepared and as a result they

London Economics report issued in April 2020. This

couldn’t make the most of the time available.

means academic positions will be even more competitive and doctoral students will be looking at

We therefore introduced a new approach to IAG. Before

careers outside traditional academic pathways.

students could book an appointment, they first had to

Doctoral students often overlook entrepreneurship as a

complete a ‘digital pathway’ which guided them through

potential career, even though they develop similar skill

resources (web articles, on demand videos, exercises)

sets to entrepreneurs throughout their studies. To

which they can complete in their own time. Upon

develop QMUL researchers’ employability in a post-

completion, students are able to book an appointment

Covid world, QMUL Enterprise and Queen Mary

should they still feel necessary. If not, students are still able

Innovation (QMI) have collaborated on a four-stage

to use all of the online resources, which has made a large

Enterprise Programme. This new initiative will focus on:

proportion of our service open to students 24/7.

Developing an entrepreneurial mindset recognising their entrepreneurial skills

B4 Showcases

Researching a business idea and developing a business concept

(B4a) Careers and alumni: Working together to support the class of 2020

Developing the business opportunity Writing and pitching successful funding applications.

Kirsten Roche and Sonia Mullineux, The University of Edinburgh

Julie Kouamo will be sharing how her and QMI’s teams Successful partnership working between the careers

identified needs and combined resources to offer an

service and alumni department has been the key to

innovative and collaborative programme for

successfully supporting our graduating class of 2020 at

Researchers.

The University of Edinburgh. In this showcase, we highlight PAGE 14

PARALLEL SESSIONS C

WEDNESDAY 23 JUNE 11:30–12:15

C1 The time to reflect is now! Who do you

C3 Showcases

want to be and how can you get there?

(C3a) Leeds untied (not a typo!)

Exploring the role of reflective practice in helping students to navigate the graduate labour market in the context of Covid-19 Gayle Leach and Tracy Scurry, Newcastle University

Marc Steward, University of Leeds and Ben Robertson, Leeds Beckett University

A serendipitous encounter at an AGCAS event a few years ago, and subsequent conversations about collaborating together, finally came to fruition during the pandemic when Leeds Untied

Covid-19 has had significant implications for the graduate

(Not a typo!) was created by career consultants Ben Robertson,

labour market. Availability of employment opportunities, the

from Leeds Beckett, and Marc Steward, from the University of

ways in which they might be accessed (virtual/new forms of

Leeds.

working) and a potential shift in values and career expectations have arguably resulted in an even more complex and uncertain

Our key purpose is to deliver careers and employability activities,

environment for students to navigate. What are we doing

integrating core principles from the Chaos Theory of Careers,

differently to help prepare our students for this changing

Design Thinking and Growth Mindset, that are innovative,

landscape?

informative and entertaining, encouraging input from attendees to both shape the content and reinforce the messages we are

This world café will look at how reflective practice might be

delivering. Topics covered are current and relevant to our students

further incorporated into HE student experiences to help

and graduates and prepare them for an ever-changing future

students make sense of their learning, development and future

world of work.

potential. We will draw on theories of learning design and reflective practice to explore how academics and careers

Highlights include discussing creative job search strategy in

practitioners can work together to embed reflective practice

Episode 1: Curiosity Killed the Cat(astophe) and putting the

more widely within programmes. We will reflect on different

record straight regarding job opportunities and media

approaches from across the sector and draw on participant

misinformation in Episode 5: Debunking the Funk: Covid-19 and

experiences to discuss the challenges and identify strategies for

Career Myths.

taking this forward.

(C3b) After the storm, a brave new internship programme

C2 The future of the creative industries in a LaiLeng Fong, The University of Warwick

post-Covid world The cancellation of Warwick’s 2020 internship programme due

Rish Baruah, Nottingham Trent University and Elli Whitefoot, Leeds Arts University

to the unpredictability and risk caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has necessitated the creation of a flexible and sustainable programme that is responsive to the needs of our stakeholders,

The creative sector was one of the hardest hit as the Covid-19

and transcends the challenges of an uncertain climate.

pandemic took hold. Although many office-based jobs could move to remote working, designing, manufacturing and production ground to a halt; some sectors are still struggling to find ways back, with increased costs due to PPE and social distancing requirements, and reduced revenues. Furthermore a significant proportion of creatives work for themselves, either as freelancers or self-employed, with little or no financial support to assist them through the pandemic.

The new Warwick Internship Programme enables internship hosts to take on interns when it suits their business needs and allows students to benefit from high quality work experience that fits into their individual study/work pattern. Configured online support for students and internship hosts mitigates the challenges from lack of face-to-face engagement. A new and more “technological reliant” way of working is vital. Collaboration is key…

•

This session aims to support practitioners working with students and recent graduates of all subjects, who want to work in creative roles. What are the barriers? Where are there rays of hope?

What strategies can they use to take their next steps into a shellshocked sector?

with IT to create a combined “programme and L&D” e-

support for students •

with internship hosts to create safe yet high quality

opportunities •

with temp agency to address remote work employment

•

within the team to sustain wrap-around

communication/intervention to support our stakeholders.

PAGE 15

PARALLEL SESSIONS C

WEDNESDAY 23 JUNE 11:30–12:15

(C3c) Guarding against “Netpotism” – why

(C4b) Career Wellbeing

businesses are relying on closed

Hannah Woolley and Vicky Harsant,

employment networks (and what we can do

University of Nottingham

about it) Clare Adams, Handshake

During this showcase session, we will provide an insight into

Early career network and career management platform Handshake will explore the impact of Covid-19 on graduate recruitment processes, warning universities and employers alike that they must guard against ‘netpotism’ the process of relying on closed online networks to fuel the workforce. Drawing on new research and its experiences of working with universities and employers around the world, Handshake offers practical routes to ensuring a more diverse and inclusive recruitment pipeline.

our Career Wellbeing project. We know that students can find thinking about their career, applying for jobs, and moving into the workplace exciting, but we also know that sometimes it can present challenges and might be a source of stress or anxiety, particularly in our current context. That’s why we have developed new, collaborative ways of working with colleagues from our counselling service, support and wellbeing teams, specialist mental health service and the SU. We’ll discuss how this approach has allowed us to share insight and expertise at a time when students really do need support, and we’ll provide an

C4 Showcases

overview of the initiatives that we’re developing together in order to encourage students to explore areas of concern,

(C4a) A collaborative approach to building resilience for final years and graduates during

support one another, and access information, advice, and inspiration.

a global pandemic Cathy Moore and Gail Hamilton, Ulster University

(C4c) Risk alerting: across careers, counselling and how we might support the holistic student

In collaboration with employers, previous graduates and academic staff, we designed and delivered a scalable

Jo Howell, Birmingham City University and Mark

two-part Graduate Transitions Programme which focused

Mitchell, Group GTI

on Resilience, Mindful Leadership, Professional Communication and Networking.

This session will compare two examples of how two Universities use casebooks for risk rating students, for similar

Part 1 - Graduate Resilience for Final Year Fully embedded within a variety of final year modules, the two-week emancipatory learning experience was co-

purposes but in different contexts – and how in future risk rating might be combined, ie risk rating between careers and counselling, to better support students.

delivered with module co-ordinators to 350 full-time undergraduate students across several faculties in

We will explore how Birmingham City University (BCU)

2020–21. This was a re-designed online version of the

Careers+ Team use casebooks to assess the needs of

Graduate Resilience Programme and was mapped to the

graduates, rank them by risk, and provide suitable

QAA Benchmark for HE - Education in Enterprise and

interventions based on this – in a careers context. We will

Entrepreneurship Education.

also take a look at how Durham University Counselling and MHA teams use casebooks in a very similar way, to flag or

Part 2 - UnLockU for recent graduates UnlockU was a personalised programme launched in

ascribe a colour of risk ranking to students – but in a counselling context.

June 2020 providing networking opportunities and skill development to raise the ambition of graduates. Given the online nature, we were able to harness our global Alumni to provide international networks. 220 graduates participated and each received tailored 1-to-1 support

Co-presented by BCU and TARGETconnect, this session will involve outlining each use case, and showing how data and methodology might combine to use risk rating to drive targeted interventions and assess impact across services.

throughout the programme.

PAGE 16

PARALLEL SESSIONS D D1 New approaches to supporting neurodiverse students

Alison Skellern, The Open University and Keren

WEDNESDAY 23 JUNE 15:30–16:15

disabled students, and argue that achieving an award can make considerable differences to a student’s progress when compared to a control sample of non-award students. We will provide ideas for how to implement

Coney, Liverpool John Moores University similar measures for any kind of skills award or student What do neurodiverse students want from their careers

development programme, explaining how this data driven

services? In this session, we will outline two examples from

approach can assist with advocacy and support from

practice that have evolved from consultation, and even co-

other university and employer stakeholders. The full report

design, with students from this cohort. The first example,

will be available on the AGCAS website.

from The Open University, focussed on engagement with the Careers and Employability Service by neurodiverse students, particularly student facing services. Outcomes

D3 Session cancelled

included Powtoon animations and infographics to support students booking and preparing for 1:1 appointments; and documents for staff and students providing advice on the appointment process.

D4 Showcases

In order to enhance the support offered to autistic students at LJMU, a group of autistic student consultants were recruited to co-design a series of workshops. These students identified elements that would help these

(D4a) Careers and employability support for student carers: The carer voice

Jackie Pickles, The Open University

workshops to be more inclusive, made possible by the technology the university has been using since the “You put your life on hold being a carer…. you’ve put pandemic began and demonstrating some of the yourself on pause” I want to “be able to show employers innovation and positive outcomes emerging from these our skills”. challenging times.

“Identify and support carers in education” is a key

D2 The impact of Skills Awards on student success: A collaborative research project

recommendation of the Carers Week 2020 research report. Up to 13.6 million people are now thought to be providing unpaid care in the UK, and those in higher

Nick Wright, University of Bolton; Maxine Sims, education are highlighted as a group who are more likely

University of Bristol; Jessica Jung, Newcastle University and Hannah Allison, Lancaster University

to face barriers to completing their studies or progression o higher skilled jobs. In this session, I will outline a study carried out with students carers at the OU to better understand their reasons for and against declaring carer

The Skills Award Task Group will present the highlights from a collaborative research project on the impact of Skills Awards on students’ career readiness, skills development, and personal attributes. We will illustrate three case study examples showing different ways of measuring learning gain from skills awards using student data surfaced from three institutions: the Universities of Bristol, Bolton and Edinburgh. We will share evidence for how awards can be useful tools for engaging distinct groups such as BAME and

PAGE 17

status, to explore how being a carer has impacted their career identity, and identify ways we can more effectively support them to realise their career goals. I will highlight the key recommendations and some examples of how we have used the research to inform service delivery.

PARALLEL SESSIONS D

WEDNESDAY 23 JUNE 15:30–16:15

(D4c) EDI Matters – how talking can help (D4b) ELEVATE: Racial equity in practice

create, shape and deliver a new CES initiative

Hawa Mansaray and Zion-Sengulay-Thomas,

Caroline Nolan, Hayley Williams, Alex Owusu,

Kingston University

Matthew Vincent and Mark Dean, University of Nottingham

With Kingston University at the forefront of efforts across

Last year challenged us all in many ways, offering an

the HE sector to address issues of racial inequality, the

opportunity to reflect and act on our conversations with

Careers and Employability Service (CES) launched

colleagues and external stakeholders. A result of a

ELEVATE, an accelerator programme for Black home

conversation and impact of Black Lives Matter, we

students. Innovative and AGILE in its approach and

evaluated our position and created an interactive

execution, this multifaceted programme has, in the space

employer led programme, focusing on challenges our

of five months, already garnered immense engagement

students with protected characteristics experience when

from all stakeholders (students and employer partners in

undertaking the recruitment process and how we facilitate

particular).

and support their career journey. Belonging in the Workplace is a joint venture, supported by colleagues

The continuous growth of the ELEVATE programme is a

from our Student Union through the Get Connected

collaborative effort executed by an internal working

workshops, CES Data Team and employers.

group which consists of members of all three strands of the CES team; The Employer Engagement Team, The Faculty

Belonging in the Workplace is also actively informed by

Employability Partners and Careers and Employability

the work of our CES EDI Group. This group looks at the

Advisors, as well as students and the Head of CES.

wider picture, ways in which careers professionals can move forward and embed EDI in engagement with

Our external collaborators include employers, alumni and

students, CES staff and colleagues across UoN and

leaders of external initiatives and organisations which

external stakeholders. We will showcase our

add additional value to the student employability journey.

engagement, challenges and future steps.

PAGE 18

PARALLEL SESSIONS E

THURSDAY 24 JUNE 11:30–12:15

E1 The ‘skills’ value of my degree: A student perspective Sarah Wenham, University of Leeds with four student presenters

delivery that we piloted during the 2020/21 academic year to re-focus the careers support offered to subjects across the institution. It was agreed that we would use a range of

The value of a degree is often skewed towards employment and earnings and doesn’t recognise what students’ actually value from undertaking their qualification. This presentation will consider a current research project being undertaken by four student interns at the University of Leeds. The project is gathering student voice around how they identify with their course (and where skills fits within this); what ‘skills’ they believe are developed through their course and whether they believe that there are skills-gaps within their programme of study. The findings are being used by our Student Careers Service and academic colleagues, to jointly support a change in focus re: where and how skills are surfaced through academic study alone. This is part of a wider university

metrics to identify subjects for an enhanced careers offer to ensure that our resources were allocated and utilised as effectively as possible. Subject areas were identified through an analysis based on a number of variables and positive graduate outcome indicators for each subject over the short to longer-term. Nine subject areas were identified for the pilot and agreed with the respective Heads of School.

Designated careers and academic staff from each of these subject areas worked together to agree a delivery plan which was captured in a partnership agreement, with the aim being to enhance the career thinking of students from the start of stage one. Delivery plans were individualised to subject areas and covered all stages of study.

discussion around what student success is and how we can support students to personalise their student experience.

(E3b) Pedagogy in a pandemic, it’s all up for E2 What is a virtual careers fair? grabs: Navigating online learning and Andrew Wright, King's College London; Lucy

embedding employability

Everett, The University of Edinburgh; Paul Clatworthy, Kingston University; Emma Laws,

Adrienne Jolly and Sophie Reading,

The Open University and Maryane Mwaniki,

University of East Anglia

London School of Economics In the race to move teaching online, students were anxious The pandemic has turned the careers fair, traditionally the about their futures and academics were juggling multiple most effective employer engagement activity careers services priorities. Rather than seeing ‘employability’ deprioritised or offer, on its head. Trying to move careers fairs online has as an additional pressure, we identified opportunities to work created a plethora of offerings that are hugely varied. It has collaboratively with academics to recognise possibilities for made us question and unpick what makes up a careers fair enhancing pedagogical approaches for employability, from both employer and student perspectives. This will be a sharing ideas and practices. panel conversation with reps from different AGCAS Services, and potentially employer partners. The panel will discuss Today we share how we leveraged discussions about student different models that have been trialled, the pros and cons of engagement, digital capabilities and confidence in that, and what we might want to keep or move back to in a presenting online as a springboard for a wider exploration of hybrid future. There will be time for questions from the ways to enable students to navigate and negotiate learning audience. and working in a virtual world now, and for their future

E3 Showcases

careers. We successfully ran an institution-wide Unconference framed by Tomlinson’s Graduate Capital

(E3a) Using a data informed approach to

model, expanding this further at the annual Learning and

enhance curriculum based careers delivery

Teaching Day. As we prepare to move from online to

and graduate outcomes Siwan Tyack, University of Plymouth

blended learning, we invite you to share how your institution has adapted to the seismic change, and the pedagogical approaches that you have taken.

We would like to share an approach to curriculum

PAGE 19

PARALLEL SESSIONS E

THURSDAY 24 JUNE 11:30–12:15

(E3c) Starting from scratch: Embedding

(E4b) Transforming careers resources through

employability at scale for maximum impact

student-centric content design

Jennifer Delaney, University of Liverpool

Victoria Worrall, The Open University Transforming careers resources through student-centric

As a newly formed faculty careers team at the University of Liverpool, we entered academic year 2019/20 setting ourselves a big challenge to reach ALL School of Life Science students through employability-focussed curricular

content design will take attendees on a journey that is still on its way to its final destination. After months of research, collaboration with multiple internal teams and students, The Open University’s Careers and Employability Services user

assessments and activities. ‘Scalability for inclusivity’ was our

needs database was established. But that was just the

driver, encouraging a cohort of students who had

beginning of evolving mindsets, redefining processes, and

traditionally disengaged from central career events to ‘own

instilling a culture of resource creation. The user needs

their employability’. We started from scratch and two years

database has informed and reshaped service design

on, we now reach 1,400 students through collaboration with

principles and is now being used across all elements of

academics on ‘all school’ essential skills modules. This session

careers communication and support, from webinars,

will showcase how we gained influence to collaborate with

infographics and website content to marketing, social media

department leads, using data and employer-focussed research to embed innovative tasks and assessments to achieve the maximum impact we could at scale. We have now begun to measure our success and will discuss the impact our approach has had on student participation levels, connections with employers and career registration data, as

and even paper-based resources. The session will introduce people to the user needs database and the tale so far; explaining why it was created, the impact that it has made not only for students but internally across the Careers and Employability Services and wider teams within the OU. The user needs database will continue to grow as student requirements, staff and technology change. The process

we prepare for hybrid delivery next year.

E4 Showcases

thrives off collaboration and is something that all HE career professionals should and can become a part of.

(E4a) Improving student video interview

(E4c) No university is an island – how the

performance through the innovative use of

University of Bradford is growing community

Shortlist.Me

and business partnerships to support graduates

Kate Bassett and Samantha Brown, BPP University, Jenna Huckle, Shortlist.Me

Patricia Farren and Alison Hedley, University of Bradford

Working in partnership with Shortlist.Me video interviewing has enabled us to adapt and expand our video interview offering across all campuses and areas of study. Rather than using the platform simply for students to practice video interviews and self-review their performance, we introduced innovative ways of applying Shortlist.Me across new and existing employability schemes. Integral to this success was collaboration with faculties and employers.

As a student at a socially inclusive university, a wide range of support services are easily accessed, but some graduates can find themselves adrift once they leave the confines of the institution, especially in a depressed post-Covid economy. To support a successful transition to independence, the University of Bradford switched perspective, moving from an institution-centred service inviting graduates in, to a graduate-centred model delivering services as needed to support them in their new

We introduced video applications as an alternative to the traditional form for a cross-region mentor scheme, and launched an interactive workshop with a global firm allowing students to submit an interview for feedback and advice on improvements. Our Placements Team and Business School used the platform for interview week, helping over 2,000 international students build self-confidence in communication skills practising for employer placement interviews. We gave access to our legal apprentices and encouraged employers to add interviews so students could practice real questions.

situation as members of the community. Using a coaching approach, delivered through collaborative multi-functional team working, graduates may be referred to partners for debt management, housing, or mental health support etc., as well as developing employability skills, work experience, and confidence to enable them to set and reach career goals. The University of Bradford will share how partnership working has transformed their Graduate Programme to provide a personalised network of support and opportunities for each graduate.

PAGE 20

PARALLEL SESSIONS F

F1 Supporting diverse ethnic first generation and international students to make career enhancing choices, whilst balancing the

THURSDAY 24 JUNE 15:30–16:15

•

How can we work with employer contacts to

raise awareness of the Graduate Route and harness the potential for international students to meet skills gaps in the UK labour market?

challenges of personal ambitions and familial expectations

Oby Oputa, St Mary's University; Jason Law,

•

How can careers services work more closely

with other university teams, such as alumni offices, to support international students looking to find graduate employment in the UK?

University of Leeds and Gill Frigerio, University of Warwick

This session provides an opportunity to explore, identify

F3 The global jobs market: A discussion of the

and appreciate the unique challenges and situations

impact of Covid and joint UK-institution

diverse ethinic first generation and international students

initiatives to harness new international

face when pursing their career goals, particularly with

opportunities for our students balancing familial expectations and influences. Through a positive facilitated learning and inclusive space,

Esther de Perlaky, University of Warwick and

practitioners from all backgrounds are welcome to

Noeleen Hammond Jones, University of

contribute to discussions, share best practice, gain insights

Manchester

and confidence that will better equip and support these particular student cohorts.

In this collaborative discussion session, we’ll explore the emerging post-Covid global jobs market for graduates,

F2 Gearing up for the Graduate Route

sharing international trends and employer and student feedback. We’ll also share insights from the joint UK

Sarah Cooper, University of Bristol; Helen

University Digital Asia Careers Insight Series, which took

Atkinson, Newcastle University and Julia Hilton,

place during March 2021, and discuss opportunities for

University of Oxford

additional partner universities and their students to be involved.

The Graduate Route is the biggest change in policy affecting international students' employability for nine years. Are careers services geared up to cope? The AGCAS Internationalisation Task Group's recent survey found significant appetite among international students to stay in the UK for work or further study, with 86% likely to use their careers service after graduation. How can careers services help these graduates - alongside their UK peers - into high skilled jobs, in an economy severely damaged by the Covid-19 pandemic? Following a brief presentation of the key survey findings on students' aspirations and support needs, the Task Group will facilitate discussions of questions such as: •

How can careers services prepare for increased

demand from international students post-graduation without any additional resource?

PAGE 21

PARALLEL SESSIONS F

THURSDAY 24 JUNE 15:30–16:15

F4 Showcases (F4a) The Connect Series: A collaborative approach to international employability

Kylie Skinner and Teresa Corcoran, University of Nottingham

In this session, colleagues from the Universities of Birmingham, Nottingham and Warwick, will share insights and experiences of working in partnership to support the international employability of their students and recent graduates. Whilst an established annual careers fair in Shanghai had to be postponed, the collaboration has benefitted from borderless working by developing and

(F4c) New ways in digital technology to

expanding activity into new areas. The design and

engage and inspire students

delivery of a series of digital international employability activities has connected students with international

Dr Kate Robins with Ross Huffen, Michele Zala,

employers and alumni across China, India and Africa, as

Fiona Winfield, Katie Ray and Greg Chisholm,

well as providing access to a suite of country-specific bite-

Nottingham Trent University

sized digital resources focusing on application advice.

Hold on tight whilst we take you on a whistle-stop tour of

This facilitated discussion will outline how we have

the globe!

capitalised on digital technology to continually engage and support both postgraduate and undergraduate students along their employability journey. We hope to

(F4b) Inclusive Masters employability

inspire you through reflecting on your current practices

training – better than Netflix

and build your confidence in trying new and innovative digital methods to reach and assist your students:

Katie Dallison, Imperial College London

How do you engage time poor Master's students in careers

Pre-arrival modules – supporting students before they

and skills development in a meaningful, yet flexible way?

embark on their studies, capitalising on their keenness

Imperial College London’s Faculty of Medicine and careers

and helping them focus this on networking, looking for

service collaborated to develop an interactive online short

placements or job roles and applications.

course, Attributes and Aspirations (AA), to tackle this. AA is built around an innovative career decision making tool called

Podcasts – engaging students through providing a

Plan: Me and uses diverse archetypal student personas or

platform for their peers, alumni and experts to express

‘Avatars’ to allow students to connect with the content and

their thoughts and tell their story. Easy to consume,

learn alongside different ‘students’ that reflect elements of the

inspiring, informative and (hopefully) entertaining.

cohort. Students are taught the fundamentals of reflection,

Delivering insights on careers through a relaxed and

networking and decision making alongside a range of other

informal take on employability issues.

transferable skills to give them the independence to progress their own journey, no matter if that’s onto a PhD or into

e-learning mini-programmes – allowing students to

industry. Come along to see how online content can be fun,

further develop and explore employability topics at their

engaging and truly inclusive. One student even gave

own pace, reflecting on their learning and applying it to

feedback that they would rather do AA than watch Netflix!

their lives.

PAGE 22

CONFERENCE SPONSORS Thank you to our conference sponsors. Hear from one of our sponsors at the end of each conference session, and visit our sponsor booths in the Exhibition Hall.

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PAGE 23

Prospects is now part of Jisc, the UK's technology solutions organisation for higher and further education. This unique and established position in the sector, along with our unparalleled knowledge of graduate careers, allows us to manage and support a range of key initiatives within higher and expand these services into further education.

Prospects.ac.uk is the UK's biggest graduate careers website with more than two million monthly student and graduate users accessing expert ACGAS careers content and opportunities and delivering highly effective and targeted campaigns for recruiters. Prospects Hedd, the UK higher education's official degree verification service, helps universities to manage incoming verification requests from employers, agencies and other universities, and plays a leading role in combating degree fraud. We also deliver Prospects Luminate, the home of student and graduate labour market information accessed by more than 17,000 careers professionals and HE sector stakeholders.

As a trusted partner in higher education for more than 20 years, Symplicity is committed to putting the university first by empowering our clients with innovative, easy-to-use solutions that enable them to streamline processes, improve outcomes, and cultivate positive relationships with their students, customers, and communities.

Over 1,300 higher education institutions globally trust our comprehensive solutions to provide students with the tools and connections they need to enhance their employability while preparing to succeed in today’s job market. We are committed to ongoing investment in technology innovation to ensure we meet the needs of our customers today and in the future, and guarantee data protection, security and ownership.

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PAGE 24

AGCAS SUPPORTERS The

AGCAS

Supporters

programme

gives

organisations

working

with

higher

education careers services privileged access to the AGCAS community. It is an opportunity

for

organisations

to

demonstrate

their

support

for

HE

careers

professionals, and the AGCAS mission and vision, by collaborating with us on activities to support the community in the development of thought leadership and best practice in student career development and graduate employment.

Thank you to all of our Supporters.

PLATINUM SUPPORTERS

GOLD SUPPORTERS

PAGE 25

AGCAS SUPPORTERS

SILVER SUPPORTERS

BRONZE SUPPORTERS

PAGE 26

www.agcas.org.uk

@AGCAS

#AGCASAC21