A rationale for the development of an extracurricular employability award at a British university

Abstract This article examines the rationale behind the development of employability awards in universities in the UK. Whilst recognising the value of the embedding of employability skills within the formal curriculum, the benefits of extracurricular activity are examined and it is argued that there is a case for the development of a wider range of activities to support the development of employability in students. The case for an extracurricular employability award scheme is presented, and the development of one such award, the Worcester Award, is put forward. The initial findings of a small scale enquiry into the benefits of this award are outlined, and it is suggested that there are two perceived employability-related benefits of the award – that of the process of taking part in the award and the product of the actual certificate or achievement. Initial findings show that students are likely to value both process and product, although employers are more likely to value the process of participation in the scheme to enable students to articulate and evidence their skills and experiences in relation to future work. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the benefits of the award to those who participated in it, and to identify positive elements to inform future development of the award. Further research could investigate the student experience of the award in more detail, in particular looking at factors which encourage or inhibit participation in such schemes. Keywords: employabilityextracurricular awardsemployability awardshigher education