The student’s engagement with support was intensive, given the multiple barriers they faced, and the adviser covered several areas of skill development, including: job and placement application support; professional networking platform tutorials; CV development; empowering disclosure; and identifying and enhancing existing skillsets. The student also attended numerous workshops hosted collaboratively by the Career Readiness Support team and Careers Consultants. In addition, the adviser arranged a group work taster with the university’s Library and Information Services team. The student provided positive feedback about the opportunity, confirming it informed their consideration of future career pathways. Furthermore, the Career Readiness Support had provided a forum for the student to engage with other student peers with similar interests and career goals

The team prioritised sourcing the student a paid placement, and following extensive support with the application process, the student successfully secured a full-time, four-week paid summer placement with the university’s Accessibility and Inclusion team as a Student Services Summer Project Assistant through the competitive ABERforward scheme. Again, the student provided positive feedback that highlighted the department’s contribution to supporting students with additional barriers and recognised the skills, confidence, and networks they had built during the placement. Since completing the placement, the student has submitted an application for a permanent role as a Study Skills Tutor within the Accessibility and Inclusion team.

With the help of the Career Readiness Support Programme the student developed confidence in approaching employment:

“The work that the student did over the four weeks of their placement was invaluable. They undertook research and totally revamped and edited event PowerPoint presentations, information sheets and created brand new visual guides of navigating campus and accommodation. They fitted into the team very quickly, asked questions and was very able to work independently. Our head of Department was impressed with elements of their work that he believes could be rolled out to all new students.”

Following a 1-1 discussion, the adviser created an action plan for the student, which set out the employability service support available. This included how to navigate existing resources, CV development, and work experience options. The student was concerned that he lacked the practical experience and qualifications required to secure specialist work experience or employment in the sector. Together, the student and adviser identified that a chainsaw qualification was the best option to help enhance his specialist skills and improve his employability.

The team booked the student on a recommended course with Phil Dunford Chainsaw Training, which was held locally to the student’s home address. The team removed the financial barriers for the student by funding the cost of the qualification and making a direct payment to the course provider.

Since attending the course, the student has successfully secured work in the forestry industry at both his term time and home locations. The course also introduced him to contacts in the industry and has re-ignited his enthusiasm for his degree course.

"I was feeling disconnected from my area of study. Having got this additional qualification in my industry I feel more motivated than ever to excel in my academic studies”.

Lis Owen, Work Experience Support Manager explains the difference the bursaries are making to students lives: “It was great to be able to offer this opportunity to the student. It demonstrates the significant impact this bursary support has had on his self-esteem, motivation and employment opportunities. The training has opened doors to paid work and the more specialist work experience he was looking for.”

To meet her aim of gaining professional writing experience the Project Officer from the Career Confident team managed to secure a paid placement for Katherine with Promo Cymru to write content for its blogging website, “The Sprout”. Before the placement began the team arranged for Katherine to meet with Promo Cymru to discuss the requirements of the role and establish both parties’ expectations. This enabled Katherine to set out her objectives for the work placement and provided an opportunity to disclose her caring responsibilities and disability, and agree any reasonable adjustments that may be required, which included flexible working hours and home working.

As the placement commenced the Career Confident Project Officer contacted a previous GO Wales student who was employed full time at Promo Cymru, to work with Katherine during her placement, serving as her mentor

“Katherine was confident and comfortable speaking to the team, presenting her ideas in a clear and effective manner. She brought original ideas to the team, was professional and confident in her attitude to work and produced good content. We would be happy to welcome her back in future” Andrew Collins, Digital Communications Consultant, Promo Cymru.

Katherine was encouraged to attend numerous networking opportunities which included an employer-led publishing event and a “Priority Group” lunchtime event arranged by the university. These helped to increase her knowledge of the industry and the recruitment process as well as providing Katherine with the opportunity to engage with students with similar backgrounds to her own.

Towards the end of her placement, there was a clear improvement in Katherine’s confidence and her eagerness to try new things, so the Project Officer encouraged her to present at a Career Confident event for disabled students to share her experience. Katherine successfully presented at the event, which demonstrates the impact of the support she received on her employability confidence and skills development.

"I would absolutely recommend the programme to anyone, especially those in final year worried about leaving university with no experience. I was able to manage both work and studying without it impacting my grades too much and it’s given me more than just studying was able to”.

Initially, the team began by helping Naajib to recognise the experience and skills he had already acquired to date, and how these could be tailored and applied to different working environments. The adviser coached him in several areas of support, including in-depth research into potential sport related career options, CV development, industry networking and using social media.

Given work experience was a particular priority for Naajib, the Careers Coach focused on securing opportunities in Naajib’s particular fields of interest, namely elite sport and public health. They identified the local charity ‘Elderfit’, which delivered tailored exercise classes to elderly people, as a suitable option. The adviser supported Naajib with the application, and after successfully securing the positon, he began by shadowing the exercise classes, which then progressed to him independently delivering warmups.

“Naajib has been volunteering with us for the past year and has been hugely beneficial for us as an organisation, engaging with our participants, offering additional advice around more specific strength and conditioning issues. It has been a privilege to have him attend”.

Using his newly acquired job searching skills, Naajib identified a strength, conditioning, rehabilitation and massage placement with Dragon’s Rugby. The Widening Success team spent time advising and supporting Naajib with the application as well as undertaking interview practice. Following a competitive process, Naajib was successful in securing one of only two places.

With the help of the Widening Success team, Naajib has a newfound confidence in applying his skills and connecting with the sports industry: “These meetings helped me to gain work experience at Elderfit and land a placement with Newport Dragons Academy. I feel much clearer now in my career directions and how to get there. These meetings would be perfect for anyone. I'd highly recommend it”.

Initial conversations with the OU in Wales’ Employability Adviser helped Emily to identify her support needs, and recognise her strengths and transferable skills that she could bring to the workplace. Through a series of discussions, the Adviser and Emily focussed their objectives on gaining a greater understanding and experience of the international development industry, as well as further insight into career options Emily might like to pursue. She also sought to improve her self-confidence, independence and time management skills.

Despite Emily’s fear that living in a rural area would be a barrier to finding work experience opportunities in a niche sector, the Employability Adviser secured a placement with the Welsh Centre for International Affairs (WCIA) in Cardiff. The GO Wales: Student Employability team funded Emily’s travel and subsistence, so that the work experience was affordable. The placement provided invaluable networking opportunities and experience within the industry, culminating in Emily writing reports and articles related to international development events and issues.

In addition to the work experience, Emily attended numerous employability events and workshops led by the Careers and Employability Service. These included sessions focussed on job search strategies and discovering and achieving your goals, which helped her secure a part time job with an outdoor experience organisation providing marketing support. Her GO Wales journey concluded with Emily presenting to the OU in Wales’ Project Board to share her experiences of participating in the programme. The OU in Wales took account of this feedback in planning future delivery.

After graduating, Emily accepted a permanent position with the outdoor work experience organisation, working 30 hours a week. She continued to engage with the OU in Wales’ mainstream careers service to continue to build on her success, expand her established networks, and navigate her future career path.

“The new employability programme has been an invaluable resource to me! Not only has it helped me identify where my strengths are and what areas I can improve on, but it has also helped me secure an exciting internship. Ros has been instrumental and unbelievably supportive in that process, and I am very grateful for all the help she has given me. I would definitely recommend the employability programme for anyone looking for self-improvement or to start/change a career”. Emily, OU in Wales Student.

The Career Boost team identified several areas for development, which included opportunities for professional networking, mentorship and business start-up advice to address the student’s lack of confidence and motivation as they approached the end of their first year of study. They also felt disillusioned and unprepared for the reality of running a business.

The Career Boost team searched for local osteopath businesses through which the student could make professional connections to help improve their confidence and focus their career direction. An owner of a local Osteopath clinic agreed to act as a mentor and offered the student a work shadowing opportunity, which would enable them to observe a greater variety of patient cases and treatment plans outside of the university environment.

The team encouraged the student to attend a university led employability talk on ‘Realising Your Potential’ and signposted them to the Career Development Course that focused on different employment elements including career action planning, CV development and business start-up. Additionally, the student was accepted onto the enterprise team’s training event ‘Boost Your Idea’ where they successfully pitched their business idea and details of their business case to the group, resulting in the offer of start-up funding.

Student feedback at the follow-up appointment confirmed that the student felt more motivated and confident, and had a clear vision for their future. Work shadowing had provided valuable and realistic insights into the skills and effort required to set up and maintain an osteopathy business, and engaging with Career Boost had helped to develop external networks with osteopaths across the region, which provided an excellent foundation in preparation for graduation. The team’s support, through both structured guidance and moral support, has helped them navigate the pathway towards establishing a new business.