Employability: Successful futures in Sociology and Criminology

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Critically reflect on your learning and skills development
• Demonstrate your understanding of the job specifications in your chosen sector(s).
• Have prepared an application starter pack of curriculum vitae, sample cover letter, skills map, and reference details
• Critically engage with the literature to identify the role of the labour market in postgraduate transitions.
• Articulate (verbally and in writing) your strengths and weaknesses, providing appropriate evidence from your degree experience

Session 1. Understanding the labour market – using labour market data

Being a newcomer in the labour market. This session will explore the obstacles and opportunities for young people in the labour market. On the one hand it will consider the role of experience, social networks, and savings, making the young more vulnerable to economic shocks and unemployment; on the other we will examine the significant and increasing role education plays for successful careers of young people (Cefalo, Scandurra and Kazepov, 2020; Kalleberg, 2020).

Session 2 Outline the skills you acquired in your degree. Understanding the role of higher education in young peoples’ transitions – Linking that to your programmes at Southampton.

This session will explore the key skills students have gained in their modules so far, which are aligned with the skills in the Successful Futures programme. Students will also reflect on any other extracurricular activities they have completed in the previous years and how these can be mapped onto their skills mapping exercise. This session will involve the students exploring assessment 1of their portfolio - Mapping of skills gained from their degree through each specific module.

Session 2. Networking - Seeking academic references for your future career.

This session will assist students in maximising the support their referees can offer when applying for jobs or pursuing further education. It will cover reflecting on the insights your referee can provide about you, effectively communicating your interest in specific opportunities, and how to engage with your referee regarding the support process. This session will involve the students exploring assessment 2 of their portfolio - Complete a reference request form for their chosen academic referee.

Session 3. Recruitment in the digital age - Using social media to increase employability.

This session will support students to use sites such university recommended sites as Linkedin to create a profile, engage in e-learning, and increase their visibility. This session will involve the students exploring assessment 3 of their portfolio - Create a Linkedin profile and complete a career goal in my Career Journey on Linkedin Learning.

Session 4. Criteria what do employers want - Matching skills to opportunities.

This session will guide students in exploring job descriptions and reflecting on how their skills align with a chosen job description. It will assist them in the reflective process of evaluating what additional training or experience they may require and how to craft their cover letters to emphasise their strengths. Identifying two areas of employment and/or study and mapping competencies to specific vacancies. This session will involve the students exploring assessment 4 of their portfolio - Identifying two areas of employment and/or study and mapping competencies to specific vacancies.

Session 5. Supporting the final assessment - Preparing your application portfolio.

This final session will involve the students exploring assessment 5 of their portfolio - Producing a curriculum vitae and submitting this to CV360, then editing this and writing a covering letter for one of the vacancies identified in the previous task.

This module is delivered via a programme of 6 x 2-hour interactive workshops in semester 2 by SSPC staff. In addition the session content will include guest segments by alumni and careers staff. The workshops will be centred on and support students through the creation of the portfolio of assessments. There will also be a weekly seminar for students to work and receive guidance on their assessments.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.