“They didn’t ask me anything about my studies or travels!” A recent graduate back from a gap year might have a wealth of experience to share in future workplaces but without the ability to demonstrate transferable skills they gained, they might not get the job.
With current employers valuing skills and attitude over knowledge they can teach “on the job”, students need to be made aware of the skills they are developing, and have confidence to articulate them.
When asked about skills such as problem-solving or leadership, many students can give an example from their sports team or volunteering experiences. However, these competencies are also taught in the classroom. Students are often unaware of this. The iceberg metaphor illustrates the phenomenon: the skills may be there but students must look beneath the surface to see the full extent of them.
How do you help them notice the skills your carefully planned lesson develops? The group work that teaches them to communicate effectively, get curious and solve problems? How do you give your students goggles so they can see beneath the waterline?
A large part of the solution is effective collaboration with your careers service and other professional services teams. Careers advisers and academic developers can help you translate the skills hidden in your curriculum and authentically embed additional skills to prepare your students for life beyond university. They are your links to current employers and the student voice.
Careers colleagues bring real-world perspectives, industry connections and labour market expertise. Academic development staff are experts in pedagogy and skills development, many with recognised accreditations. Coming out of silos and collaborating better serves the needs of students, staff and employers.
Plan and upskill
A coherent approach to skills development and collaboration between academics, employers, careers, digital skills teams and students increases belonging, makes obligations and expectations clear, flattens hierarchies and reflects the workplace.
Involve a careers expert early in your course design process – we encourage our staff to do this. For instance, a recent discussion between teaching and careers service staff gave an archaeology course organiser confidence about how to surface skills and increase students’ employability in the field in a way that feels authentic and relevant.
Encourage your teaching teams to use academic development opportunities and learn from colleagues within the institution – whether via communities of practice or by pursuing an award such as the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice. Training all teaching staff – including lecturers, PhD tutors and undergraduate students who work in peer support – in pedagogy techniques, will enhance their skills while benefitting the student body.
Design learning and teaching activities that highlight skills and help educators talk about these in their sessions. Let them know, for example, that when introducing a group project they should highlight collaborative skills such as effective listening, time-sensitive negotiation and decision-making skills that the activity will build on.
- Spotlight guide: Get your students workplace-ready
- Tried and tested ways to teach your students soft skills
- Show off students’ employability with e-portfolios
Create a shared language and visual code
Collaborate with your careers colleagues to make language consistent and recognisable to the student and the industry. Does your field prefer “problem-solving” or “crisis intervention”, “decision-making” or “case management”? Our Skills for Success framework uses terminology that applies across subject areas and graduate destinations, developed with input from students and employers (via careers consultants). Including students in the conversation ensures language is relevant and recognisable.
Incorporate visual clues on course materials to highlight and reinforce specific skills. We use specific icons across the institution so that students can recognise critical thinking (interlocking cogs) and other skills they will learn on any of their courses. Take care to ensure that your visuals are both accessible and recognisable. Use this shared language and visual code across subjects and in co-curricular student development activities. Normalise the work of recognising the presence of skills – seeing the iceberg in its entirety.
Cultivate reflective observers
Students need to be able to articulate their skills in a way that is meaningful to them in different contexts. To support this, embed reflection into your teaching – a reflective portfolio and video log discussing skills gained in group projects works well. Careers teams also offer opportunities for students to develop their skills through targeted guided reflection. This can take the form of a session with a careers consultant, for example, or a co-curricular skills development course such as our local Edinburgh Award and Student-Led Independently-Created Courses.
Large, multidisciplinary universities often operate in silos. These must be broken. When academics work with careers service professionals, teaching builds employability, setting students up for career success and increasing the number of graduates going on to skilled jobs. A cohesive approach aligns knowledge and understanding with employment needs and creates a holistic environment that supports both academic success and career readiness.
Lorna Devlin is senior design lead of the University of Edinburgh’s Skills for Success framework.
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