Where will yours take you? Welcome Session to the Graduate PassportCareer Destinations

October 2010

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What is the Graduate Passport?

• Achievement record, recognising and rewarding students like you, for activities not accredited to your course.

• Provides a supportive and flexible framework to enhance your graduate attributes/employability skills.

• Open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

• Throughout your time at University. However only activities completed or started after 21st October 2009 can be submitted.

• Points based programme which consists of a selection of over 60 activities which are completed to achieve your passport.

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What the Graduate Passport is NOT

• It is NOT only for 3rd years or Graduates (It is open to all students)

• Its is NOT a real Passport!

• It is NOT part of any Visa applications and will not help with the tier 4 visa application process.

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How do you gain points and achieve your passport?• To achieve the passport you need to successfully obtain 200 points.

• 35 points are accumulated by completing the Core Programme which is mandatory for all students.

• The next 75 points are accumulated by selecting and completing one of our packages; Active Citizen, Entrepreneur, Global Graduate, Developing Professional Package.

• The remainder of your points are gained by completing individual activities in the packages or ‘general options’ events.

• Once you have successfully achieved your passport you will be presented with a certificate at the end of the academic year.

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Core Programme • 35 points are accumulated by completing the Core Programme

which is mandatory for all students.

• Core Programme Activities – CD Induction Tour, Personal Reflection Sessions, Guidance Interview, Submission of a professional CV, submission of a school reference.

• Personal Reflection Sessions:

1. Introduce you to different reflection models to enable you to identify the skills and experiences you have gained from different activities and provide evidence for these attributes.

2. Present to each other discussing your progress so far on the Graduate Passport and acknowledge highlights and lowlights of your journey and activities undertaken. Provide feedback to one another.

3. Discuss your experiences and whether your perceptions have changed and what you will take away form the Graduate Passport. Individual action career plans.

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Core Programme Activities

Activity Name Points

Maximum number of times activity can be submitted for

points Career Destinations Induction Talk and Tour 5 1

Personal Reflection Session - One 5 1 Personal Reflection Session - Two 5 1

Personal Reflection Session - Three 5 1 Guidance Interview 5 1

Submission of a professional CV for feedback 5 1 Submission of a school reference 5 1

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Active Citizen Package• Focus on community involvement and citizenship

incorporating activities such as volunteering work, becoming an active member of societies and representing your school department or union.

• Develop the top 3 soft skills employers look for in graduates: communication, team-working and integrity.

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Active Citizen Package Activities

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The Entrepreneur Package• Focuses on business, social enterprise and creativity

and initiative through various projects and activities.

• Attendance at an enterprise event, member of a recognised enterprise club or society, setting up a small business, getting involved with media projects.

• Develop commercial awareness, leadership skills, creativity and ingenuity.

• All are increasingly desirable with employers and organisations.

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Global Graduate Package• Developing international awareness either through

travel/work abroad or engaging with different cultures in the UK.

• Attendance at a Global Awareness Conference, study/work/volunteering abroad, International buddy or befriender and presenting at an international conference or event.

• International awareness is a key skill many employers value in the global market place.

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Developing Professional Package• Enables you to participate in a range of activities across

the 3 other packages to develop a broad spectrum of experiences to reflect on.

• Ideal for those who wish to experiment with a wide range of experiences or who are undecided about the direction of their career path.

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General Options • You can also choose to do any of the activities in the

General Options Section to accumulate your required 200 points. These options are available for all packages:

• Eg. Attend a welcome to the graduate passport session. Participate in a mentoring scheme, Complete a work placement, Attend an assessment centre experience.

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Event Guide 2010/11

• Summary of services & events on offer

• Improved employer interaction

• Get that boost toward your successful future

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How Career Destinations Can Helpwww.southampton.ac.uk/careers/events

• Career Destinations Events including:

Business Simulation Career Fairs Career Destinations Tours CV Clinics: Group, 1:1 with employers Employer Presentations Mock interviews Prepare Sessions – for the Fairs, for Speed Networking Speed Networking Starting Point talks Skills Workshops

• Regular e-mails: upcoming events and other useful opportunities

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Why should you get involved?

• Ever increasing competitive market - to stand out from the crowd a good degree is essential, but is not enough.

• The passport provides an opportunity for you to develop your graduate skills and attributes within a supportive, flexible framework.

• Supported by employers. (Santander, Mott Macdonald, Southampton Voluntary Services)

• The passport will give you the confidence to stand out from the crowd in the market place by completing reflective sessions analysing the skills you have developed.

• Gain recognised credit for activities you are already doing.

• Discover new activities/clubs/events to get involved in!

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What next…

• Fill in the Action Planning Sheets

• Attend the events and activities you wish to claim points for and the collect evidence (email confirmation, sign in sheets, photos).

• Graduate Passport Proof of activity/event completion forms can be downloaded from the website or picked up from Career Destinations. Fill in the form, get signed by relevant person then submit to Career Destinations with some extra evidence attached if possible.

• We will then upload your points and they will be visible via your Student Portal. Please allow 4-5 working days for your points to show on the system.

• (More information about points collecting on the Website)

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Contact Details: • Find out more by:

– Visiting the website www.southampton.ac.uk/graduatepassport

– Send an email to graduatepassport@southampton.ac.uk

– Visit the Career Destinations team in building 37

– Call us on 02380 593501

– Find our Facebook Page: "University of Southampton Career Destinations”

– Follow us on Twitter: “UoS_Careers”