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  • As Kaplan alumni, you'll be preparing to start your time at university, but how can you effectively continue your career journey whilst studying? 

    This resource focuses on four topics and will help you to: 

    1. Reflect on how your goals have developed since your time at college and develop self-awareness. 
    2. Consider your personal brand and how to present yourself professionally. 
    3. Find work experience opportunities
    4. Make the most of all opportunities that will help you reach your potential.

    For each topic, you will find a short video, a helpful resource, and a suggested activity. The videos will introduce you to each topic and discuss how you can use your college and university experiences to further develop the skills and characteristics needed for your career journey - whether that will be research, entrepreneurship, or employment.

    You can access this resource at anytime. For the fourth topic, you'll be invited to join a webinar with GradLink, an award-winning specialist careers website for international students and graduates who have previously, or are currently, studying in the UK.

    You'll hear from career experts and international graduates who will provide you with advice about engaging with careers and employability opportunities whilst at university, work experience, skills and business English development, and developing your digital presence and linking with alumni.

    We hope you find this resource helpful as you prepare for university!

    Reflect on Your Goals & Develop Self-Awareness

    Now that you have finished your time at college and are getting ready to start university, it is the perfect time to review your goals. Take some time to reflect on all of the hard work you've put in, and think about how this will help you with the next step of your journey.

    What were your goals before you started college? It is likely that one of them was to do well and progress to university - but now you've achieved that goal, what comes next?

    Over time your goals might change, or you might think of brand new ones you'd like to add to your list. That's why it's important to keep reflecting on them during university. That way you can start working towards them now, making steady progress that will have a big impact in the future.

    But how do you get started and decide on your goals? In the below video, Dr Victoria Wilson-Crane, our Senior Director for Innovative Student Learning here at Kaplan International Pathways, shares a great resource which may help you to approach goal setting from a different perspective.

    VIDEO:

    RESOURCE:
    As Dr Victoria Wilson-Crane suggested, you may like to order a fee copy of the book '80,000 Hours' by visiting the website: https://80000hours.org/

    ACTIVITY:
    Access the activity sheet by clicking the link here: Activity Sheet for Topic 1

    Develop Your Personal Brand & Build Your Professional Profile

    Now that you have thought about your personal development and redefined your goals ahead of starting university, it is time to consider how you would like to present yourself by developing a personal brand. Your personal brand is how you want people to see you. It involves visibly presenting the values you stand for and showcasing your blend of skills, experience, and personality. Developing a strong personal brand can help you achieve your goals.

    In the video below, Stef Foley (Project Developer – Employability, Kaplan International Pathways) discusses why your time at university is the perfect opportunity to begin developing your personal brand, and Rachel Kimber (Director of Business Operations, Kaplan International Pathways) shares insights into using LinkedIn to develop an effective personal brand.

    VIDEO:

    RESOURCE:

    Networking is a great way to showcase your skills and experience. This blog provides you with 5 easy ways to network while at university.

    https://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/careers-advice/5-easy-ways-network-while-university  

    ACTIVITY:
    Article: https://hbr.org/2022/02/whats-the-point-of-a-personal-brand

    This article by the Harvard Business Review explains the importance of a personal brand and how it can benefit you. Read the article to learn more about developing your own personal brand.

    Start with ‘Step 1’ of ‘How to Build a Personal Brand’, which will help you identify your unique strengths and values. This first step is essential for creating a personal brand that represents who you are and what you stand for.

    Find Work-Experience Opportunities

    Gaining work experience isn’t just about finding a job. There are many different ways to gain work experience at university. Watch the video below to hear from Stef Foley (Project Developer – Employability, Kaplan International Pathways) about the various ways you can gain experience and how to begin looking for opportunities.

    VIDEO:


    RESOURCE:
    Watch the video below, which is a conversation between Kaplan’s Alumni Project Support Intern, Isabel Harkins, and one of our University of Nottingham International College alumni, Benjamin Nnadi, who is now studying at the University of Nottingham.

    In this video Benjamin discusses:

    • His part-time work experience whilst studying at university - as Brand Manager for a student accommodation company. 
    • What his role involves and what his responsibilities are 
    • The unexpected challenges of part-time work and methods to overcome them  
    • What can be gained from the experience of working whilst studying 
    • Post-graduation prospects  
    • How to find part-time work as a student 
    • Support and advice for students in the same situation – and where to find it (including resources services that helped). 
    • How campus employability and careers services can help 
    • Tips for preparing a CV for the first time  


    ACTIVITY:
    Your university’s career and employability service is a great place to start when looking into work experience options. Spend some time researching what they offer by visiting their website below:

    ·        University of York: Your employability skills - Student home, University of York

    Maximise Your Employability During Your Studies 

    RESOURCE:
    Understanding the terminology used at university

    To make the most of your time at university it's important that you know about the support available to you, whether that's to do with your career journey or any other aspect of your studies. When you start university, you'll probably come across new terminology, and hear people using phrases you've not heard before. This can be confusing at first, but luckily there's a useful guide available that can help! 

    Take a look at the document below, produced by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, to learn what terms you might come across and how your university might talk about topics like employability. This document also answers some frequently asked questions, so it could be useful to read through this before you start your course.

    Click here to access the guide: Student Guide to the Hidden Curriculum (qaa.my.salesforce.com)

    ACTIVITY:
    WEBINAR - 5TH SEPTEMBER 2024, 1PM (GMT+1)

    You're invited to an exclusive webinar with GradLink! It's not until early September, as we know many of our alumni will have a busy summer ahead, but why not sign up now to secure your place? Registration is open, so just click the following link to sign up: Register for the GradLink webinar (https://register.gotowebinar.com).

    GradLink is an award-winning specialist careers website for international students and graduates who have studied or are studying in the UK (you can learn more about GradLink on their website here: www.gradlinkuk.com). During the webinar, you will hear from international graduates, and David Gee, founder of GradLink, an international student career expert, who will provide you with advice about: 

    • Engaging with careers and employability opportunities whilst at university
    • Gaining quality work experience  
    • Skills and business English development 
    • Developing your digital presence and connecting with alumni 

    We look forward to you joining us!