Annual Review 2008-09
Frontrunning students get ahead
In the current economic climate, getting on the career ladder is
harder than ever for graduates. Employers expect more and competition to get
the best jobs can be fierce.
Graduates need to be armed with more than just a decent degree to get a
good job; they need to show they have good employability skills to give them
the edge over other applicants.
This situation is not lost at Essex, where a number of initiatives help
students gain the necessary tools to make them more employable and be able
to face their post-university future with more confidence.
'Being a Frontrunner really helped me develop several skills
that can help me get into academia including having to learn to manage
so many different people, keeping them happy and onboard, while at the
same time making sure the work was done on time.'
Matt Bennett, former Frontrunner jointly responsible for launching the
online academic journal Estro
One of these schemes is Frontrunners, a unique student placement scheme
available across all three campuses.
Since starting in summer 2008, 120 placements have been advertised to
students, with opportunities for 210 students to be involved.
Frontrunners Project Manager Liz Brown said the scheme gave students
extra skills which they can put back into their studies but also will make
them more employable whilst giving an insight into the real world of work.
With placements available in more than 30 sections and departments in the
University - from theatre technicians to biological science laboratory
technicians - there is a wide range of work experience available.
frontrunner_programme.jpg)
'Becoming a Frontrunner is ideal for students wanting to gain valuable
work experience that can really help them decide what they want to do in the
future,' added Liz. 'They get so much more out of it than they think. It
also helps them with their academic studies and many students are surprised
what they get out of it.'
Feedback from the scheme has been positive from both staff and students
alike. Students gain valuable employability skills for the future which will
not impact on their studies, and staff not only get the enjoyment of
watching a student gain confidence but also become a valuable member of the
team.
'We took on a Frontrunner to carry out a specific project which needed
somebody's full attention. With our guidance, our Frontrunner did a
fantastic job and it was nice to see them develop and learn valuable new
skills as they helped with the project and other office work. The
Frontrunner scheme gives students real work experience.'
Mandy Anslow, Staff Development Officer
The scheme also has the added advantage of helping break down some of the
barriers between students and certain areas of the University by
demystifying the work in some departments.
Autumn 2009 saw the launch of pilot scheme Frontrunners Plus for
Frontrunners who want to move on to the next level of responsibility.
Enriching campus life is a core value at Essex - with the Frontrunners
scheme everyone's a winner.
'I chose to apply for the Frontrunners scheme because it
provided a great opportunity to work within a professional environment.
My role enabled me to learn new skills and understand the professional
working world. I am certain my experiences will be of great benefit to
my future beyond university life.'
Sue Long, second-year BSc Psychology, Frontrunner in the Communications
Office