PA 108/11
At a time when graduate opportunities are at a minimum and every vacancy is swamped with applications, employers are looking for job seekers to have ever more impressive CVs.
As a result The University of Nottingham is committed to providing students with a range of opportunities designed to boost their employability, through the Centre of Career Development (CCD).
These opportunities are being eagerly sought by students, while companies have been delighted by the quality of intern available, leading to a rapid expansion to CCD’s reputation and awards cabinet.
After picking up a ‘Judges Commendation’ from the National Council for Work Experience for its Talent Builder scheme in January, CCD is now celebrating again.
This time the Nottingham Advantage Award has been recognised, winning the ‘Graduate Development Preparation in Higher Education’ category at the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) awards.
To complete the award students must select three extra-curricular modules from a wide range on offer. The modules, which can either be directly related to the student’s future career or cover a general area of interest, include the opportunity to fill volunteer and work experience positions, study abroad or boost leadership skills.
The AGR were impressed by the value that the Advantage Award adds to student development, skills and employability. Judges also highlighted how the contribution of university staff and graduate employers has provided opportunities to over 1000 students in the two years since the Advantage Award was launched.
Following recognition from AGR the Advantage Award has also been shortlisted for a NACE Excellence in Innovation Award in the Student Engagement category. The international award is presented by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, based in the USA.
Nottingham Advantage Award Manager, Vicky Mann, explained that the team were delighted that the positive work The University of Nottingham does to support student employability has been recognised by graduate employers.
She said: “Nottingham Advantage Award activities provide students with opportunities to get recognition for extracurricular activities, take up new experiences, collaborate with peers, network with employers, gain exposure to the commercial world, reflect upon their skills development and learn how to articulate their university experience in a way that is meaningful to the world of work.
“Students continue to provide positive feedback about the Award, citing increased confidence, self awareness, skills improvement and enhanced employability as the main benefits of taking part.”
Stephen McAuliffe, Head of the Centre for Career Development added: “Our graduates do well – we have some of the highest employment and further study rates in the UK, and our average salary levels for Nottingham graduates is above the UK average. But importantly, those who put time and effort in whilst at University do exceptionally well.
“CCD is here to help people from the earliest point in their studies through to those who may have graduated years earlier. With initiatives such as the Advantage Award, we are perfectly positioned to provide our students and graduates with knowledge of the labour market, the concepts of learning for career development and awareness of job and career opportunities.”
From the 2011/12 academic year, the University is to increase the number of Nottingham Advantage Award participants from 1000 to over 2500. The Award will also be offered at Nottingham’s campuses in Malaysia and China which will greatly enhance opportunities for intercultural learning.
— Ends —
Notes to editors: For more information about the Nottingham Advantage Award, please visit
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/careers/students/advantageaward/index.aspx The University of Nottingham, described by The Sunday Times University Guide 2011 as ‘the embodiment of the modern international university’, has award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the QS World University Rankings. It was named ‘Europe’s greenest university’ in the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking, a league table of the world’s most environmentally-friendly higher education institutions, which ranked Nottingham second in the world overall.
The University is committed to providing a truly international education for its 40,000 students, producing world-leading research and benefiting the communities around its campuses in the UK and Asia.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranked the University 7th in the UK by research power.
The University’s vision is to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health.
More news from the University at:
www.nottingham.ac.uk/news