How universities prepare graduates for the workplace

All third-level institutes in Ireland offer career development services to help their students figure out their career options, help them identify a career path, and run different programmes to aid students prepare for life after college. Such services are available to all students, not just those in their final year. Here, some of the institutes outline their approach to getting their students job-ready.

University College Dublin (UCD)

At UCD, our career consultants meet students for individual coaching sessions and teach career development modules which students count as credit towards their degree. We take a number of approaches to get graduates ready for their next step. Last September we launched MyCareer, a digital platform that enables students to access career resources 24/7, including video and e-learning content. The platform includes a feature whereby a student can upload a CV or record a video interview and get instant feedback online.

We also runs a Working Life series - an eight-week programme of employer-led, interactive skills-based workshops to promote and develop employability skills.

Our UCD Advantage Award is for students who have demonstrated engagement in co-curricular activities from volunteering to involvement in clubs and societies, and much more besides. With this award, a student can demonstrate to an employer that they are motivated, highly engaged and passionate about what they do, giving them an edge when it comes to finding their desired job.

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Another opportunity for students to get workplace-ready is via the UCD mentoring programme. Working with the alumni office, this provides opportunities for students with its alumni as mentors across a range of disciplines. A student can get advice on how to get into a particular industry and how to prepare for an interview from someone who has been through the experience themselves. In UCD, internships are embedded in programmes across all subjects and provide significant opportunities for students to develop their skills and gain experience in particular industries and roles. As a member of Universitas21, which aims to bring leading global universities together to improve the student experience, UCD students can participate in micro-internships where they work in international groups and provide input into real life challenges, most recently around the area of sustainability. For those graduating this year, we held Graduate Bootcamps as well as a Professional Skills Bootcamp, at the end of May. These sessions covered a variety of topics that students could opt in to, from CV and interviews to presentation skills, effective communication, teamwork, networking skills and transitioning to a professional work environment. UCD graduates can avail of the university’s services up to two years after they graduate. For more see ucd.ie/careers/

Ollscoil na hÉireann Gaillimh/National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway)

Our Career Development Centre in NUI Galway aims to provide students with quality career guidance and information, which puts them at the centre. It is focused on facilitating and empowering students to plan and manage their own career development and make effective career transitions to the world of work. We achieve this by offering a comprehensive range of employability focused events and skills development through our Employability Award, Digital AI toolkit for CVs; Mock Interview Skills and one-to-one career guidance appointments.

We also run employability events in partnership with employers across all industry sectors and we align these to the key skills which employers want to see in new graduate hires. These events focus on topics such as Kickstart your Job search; Navigating the Graduate Labour Market in Ireland; Make the most of your final semester; Emotional Intelligence; Communication in the Workplace; Building personal brand; Building resilience; Career options for variety of sectors; applying to graduate programmes; Digital Skills; and CV and interview skills workshops.

We also draw on our 110,000 alumni and with their support host graduate panel discussions.

These provide valuable insight to soon-to-be graduates, allowing them to hear real experiences of those who’ve gone before them into the world of work and securing a job.

NUIG also runs a Transition to Employment, a personalised career readiness programme for graduates with disabilities or mental health conditions. This programme aims to promote self-efficacy with disclosure, seeking accommodations, networking with employers and enhance employability skills. It collaborates with organisations such as AHEAD, Specialisterne Ireland and Employability Galway who provide follow on supports for graduates with disabilities.

We also curate a Student Sharepoint – an important and practical online portal with extensive careers resources, exclusive to NUIG students, including information on different career paths, online, careers modules and a watch-back of all of virtual events.

The Career Development Centre supports graduates up to three years after graduation and students can access services through NUIG’s online student portal - Careers Connect (nuigalway.ie/career-development-centre/careersconnect/) , calling the Career Development Centre ( 091 524411) or emailing careers@nuigalway.ie.

TU Dublin

From their very first semester at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), our students engage in practice-based learning designed to develop the knowledge, skills and experience that help our graduates stand out in a competitive job market. Our students are not only assessed on their depth of knowledge, but how they apply what they have learned in tackling problems creatively through project-based learning. Our student-engaged education model also connects students with the entire university community, providing them with an unrivalled learning experience of working in vertical teams with people from a diverse range of disciplines.

Another vital attribute cultivated by our innovative education model is embedding sustainability as a learning outcome creating responsible, sustainably-minded graduates in many economically crucial sectors. As a technology-focused university, our students are not only equipped with the skills to develop innovative technologies; but also, to consider the human impact of these creations, from driverless haulage trucks to the depletion of our natural resources required to produce the latest consumer technologies.

When it comes to taking the next step in their careers, TU Dublin has a range of supports available, delivered by the Career Development Centre, which is managed by staff with expertise in Arts and Humanities; Business; Science, Digital and Data; and Engineering and Built Environment. From their first year, students can work with our Career Coaches to develop an understanding of what jobs they are most suited to based on their interests, strengths and abilities and what type of work will lead to career satisfaction throughout their lives. Students also get the opportunity to learn what makes a winning CV, practice their interview skills, and how to start building a network during their college years.

The Career Development Centre also hosts regular virtual Career Fairs where students can learn what employers are looking for and get up-to-speed on the latest employment market trends. They can also connect with leading graduate employers via a built-in text chat function, on one-to-one calls, or by visiting breakout rooms. Work Placements are also an integral component of many TU Dublin programmes, and the Career Development Centre is always on-hand to advise students on which placement opportunities are most suited to their particular career path. For more, visit tudublin.ie

Univerity College Cork (UCC)

UCC has a clear vision to deliver a high quality, inclusive, and innovative career service to support students’ professional development and their successful transition to the workplace. Our approach is to work collaboratively with students, academic departments, and industry representatives to offer meaningful employer-student connections.

Through the Careers Service, students have access to a myriad of in-person and digital supports including careers advice and coaching, employability skills development classes, industry led workshops, events, and experiential industry learning opportunities.

All students have access to information and guidance from our professional team of expert Careers Consultants who provide an impartial, person-centred, confidential advisory and coaching service.

Consultants facilitate the decision-making process and the achievement of student goals that are aligned with personal strengths, values and interests.

Careers staff work in partnership with university colleagues to deliver customised employability workshops and events to meet the needs of students. A comprehensive events calendar includes topics such as Your Best Future, Your Personality Your Career, Your Employability Audit, Your Job Search, Your Interview Strategy and Your Next Assessment Centre.

Throughout semester one and early in semester two, employer presentations are a regular feature in the Career Services calendar. These presentations, along with networking events and the annual Graduate Recruitment Fair are ideal opportunities for students and recent graduates to meet and connect with national and international employers.

Industry partnership is vital to UCC in preparing graduates for the workplace. By providing a range of work-ready initiatives including work placement, UCC places almost 4,000 students annually with employers. Work Placement, a partnership between the student, the employer and the university, has undeniable benefits for students, offering an invaluable opportunity to gain real-world experience related to their studies.

In preparation for placement, students undertake employability modules where they draft their CV, assess job opportunities, research companies and prepare for the interview process. During their placement, students develop transferable skills, apply theory to practice, enhance their CV, explore career areas, network, and build self-confidence. For more information visit the UCC Career

Services website (http://bit.ly/3uGYIxx )