Working together to support the Careers

1
Working together to support the Careers
Employment needs of International Students

• Margaret Dane, AGCAS CEO

2
Aims of the workshop

• To update participants on develpments at national
  and institutional level to help meet the
  expectations, needs and aspirations of
  international students in relation to their
  careers employment
• Update on improving employability through PMI 2
  Employability projects and the partnership
  between AGCAS, HECSU NASES
• To share knowledge and experiences of what works
  and to encourage greater collaboration in these
  important aspects of international student
  development

3
Wider student experience

• Context of global economic downturn and concerns
  about the future
• Numbers mix of international students
• Integration into the university community
• Integration into the local community
• Opportunities to learn and practise English
• Opportunities to develop professional skills
• Opportunities to develop wider cultural and
  commercial awareness

4
Areas of dissatisfaction requiring further focus

• Students largely satisfied but concerns about
• Cost of living opportunities to earn money
• Difficulty of making wider circle of friends
• Opportunities for relevant work experience
• Careers advice from academic staff
• Making contacts for the future back home
• Opportunities for developing professional skills,
  business awareness and contacts
• English language development

5
Areas of dissatisfaction requiring further focus

• Employers (UK)
• Visa difficulties cost and hassle factor
• Sometimes poor English language skills
• Mobility retention business case
• Experience, knowledge, fit
• Employers (back home)
• Lack of relevant work experience
• Weak English language business skills
• High expectations re roles and salaries

6
Some Chinese employers views

• Mass marketing and perceived lower entry
  requirements of UK education has devalued the
  brand of UK higher education
• University rankings have high importance
• Value of UK 1 year taught masters degrees is
  questioned against longer equivalents
• Entrepreneurship is highly valued in China - UK
  educated students are seen to lack sufficient
  entrepreneurial skills
• Lack of relevant work experience of many UK
  educated Chinese graduates is perceived as a
  strong disadvantage in the job market

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Benefits of recruiting international students

• Focus on positive, additional qualities
• Enhanced global competitiveness / reach
• Increased talent pool
• Address skills shortages (more STEM)
• Add cultural and linguistic diversity
• Often strong work ethic
• Often young and independent
• Widen horizons of other staff

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What can be done at institutional level

• Cultural awareness training for all staff
• Recognise huge diversity of international
  students listen to what they are saying
• Work with local and national employers
  emphasise the benefits of recruiting IS
• Set up structures to enhance integration
• Offer on-going language development
• Internationalise the curriculum for all
• Build alumni networks overseas
• Give IS opportunities to meet employers

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What is being done at UK level

• Background Context of PMI 2
• Phase 1 recruitment of International Students
• Phase 2 Improving the Student Experience
• - findings of International Student Barometer
• - focus on wider personal social experience
• - concerns about careers employment
• AGCAS, HECSU, NASES UKCISA work

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Range of materials support for international
students

• Resources for International Students/Graduates
  seeking work in the UK and overseas
• On campus support, advice resources
• AGCAS / Graduate Prospects materials tailored for
  students interested in working globally - country
  profiles etc
• Access to best practice through networking
• International Country Guides i-graduate
• Database of employers of IS in UK abroad

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PMI 2 Student Experience Employability Projects
2007 -9

• Organised by AGCAS NASES for careers and
  employment staff focus on information training,
  networking new developments
• Virtual Learning Environment
• Staff Training Events
• International Staff Visits China and India
• Online Web Community
• International Morethanwork Website
• Student Induction and Orientation Package
• Student Mentoring Package

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PMI 2 Student Experience Employability Projects
2007 -9

• Organised by UKCISA
• Events for international student advisers
• Reports on CPD, quality standards, benchmarking
• Good practice guides, case studies projects
  (several with careers services)
• Overseas Study Visit Scheme
• Resources for students
• Prepare for success pre-arrival guide
• International student calculator how to spend
  time money efficiently

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PMI 2 Student Experience Employability Projects
2009-11

• AGCAS high profile events with AGR for employers
  to help them recruit inter-national students and
  graduates in the UK and abroad
• A UK-wide International Virtual Recruitment Fair
  to provide a central contact point for
  international employers and students
• Training for Careers Employment Staff working
  with International Students
• Funded institutional small projects to develop
  eg. international alumni networks, overseas
  workplace contacts case-studies of successful
  employment abroad

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Some Examples of Specific provision for
international Chinese students in the UK

• Employer talks for Chinese Students Society,
  Newcastle University
• Doing Business in China event for Small and
  Medium Enterprises (SMEs), Brunel University
• Jobhunting in China CD Rom, Oxford Brookes
  University
• Employer Networking event in Shanghai,
  Loughborough University
• Chinese Graduate Fairs, Universities of
  Manchester, LSE, Imperial, Cambridge etc.
• Chinese Culture training for Careers staff,
  University of Westminster

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Challenges

• Government expectations
• International student parents expectations
  based on fees paid
• Importance of work experience
• Employer expectations, attitudes involvement
• Employer perceptions in UK and abroad
• Worldwide economic situation
• Institutional budgets and priorities
• Staffing implications

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Useful Websites

• www.agcas.org.uk
• www.nases.org.uk
• www.prospects.ac.uk
• http//targetjobs.co.uk/graduate-jobs/
• www.hecsu.ac.uk/hecsu.rd/index.htm
• www.ukcisa.org.uk
• www.ukcisa.org.uk/pmi/index.php
• Thank you!

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Contact details

• Margaret Dane, AGCAS Chief Executive
• 25 Thomson Road,  GB - EDINBURGH EH14 5HT
• Tel [phone]   Fax [phone]
  2771 
• Email margaret.dane_at_agcas.org.uk  Website
  www.agcas.org.uk