Placement Employability: Challenge & Change in an Evolving Landscape

Computing students have enrolled on a four-year course which has a mandatory 'placement' year embedded into it. Previously we have highlighted an approach to embedding employability in the courses through an AWARE Framework. AWARE offers progressive employability refinement; from year 1 Awareness, year 2 Work preparation, year 3 Acquire experience (placement) and final year Reflect/refine/refocus with the graduate aim to be Employed! We also highlighted some practice, in particular in year 2 for Work preparation. Yet many challenges continue to arise in a changing and evolving employability landscape for our students. This poster outlines those challenges and three recent developments: Creation of a Drop-in Employability Clinic; Mid-Year Assessment of Engagement; and Year 1 onwards employability support through Studies Advisors.