Improving Students’ Employability

There is currently much debate about students’ employability. Input from employers, students and recent graduates, has confirmed that employability has three components: a good degree, generic skills, and a set of personal attributes. This study has looked at how steps are being taken to enhance the employability of civil engineering students by helping them to understand the processes of collecting evidence, reviewing evidence, and action planning. The Development Objectives of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) have been used as a framework for this activity. Various approaches have been used with Level 1 students in order to help them understand the importance of documenting their progress and the work has been linked to the requirements for becoming a chartered engineer. Local employers and recent graduates have been involved in supporting this work. A design project has provided a context for the students to demonstrate their skills and personal tutors have helped students to articulate their progress. Learning theory has helped students understand the cyclic nature of the process of skills development.