Steps to Success event
10 September 2009
Graduate Jobs South, the website that helps university leavers into the region’s best jobs, has launched a new event to help graduates find employment during a recession.
Steps to Success - led by Graduate Jobs South in partnership with Southampton Solent University, the University of Southampton, the University of Winchester and Jobcentre Plus – will help this year’s 11,000 graduates from the three supporting universities to get themselves hired in the increasingly competitive jobs market.
The Steps to Success one-day event will pool together information and expertise from the regional universities, Jobcentre Plus and employers, while helping graduates to expand their thinking about finding a job.
The event – hosted by Southampton Solent University - is based around six ‘steps’ graduates can take to up their game in the job market. Sessions will hone graduates’ skills in areas ranging from how to seek out job opportunities, writing CVs and applications, interview techniques and starting a business.
Meredith Smith from Graduate Jobs South explained:"Graduates will leave the event better informed about their options and signposted to relevant sources of support. The unique programme will help them find, apply and gain employment in the region and key speakers directly from industry will inspire and advise to help them enter a challenging labour market."
Professor Van Gore, Vice Chancellor of Southampton Solent University, which will be hosting the event, added: "The Steps to Success event is a demonstration of our commitment to work imaginatively with other organisations throughout the region to resolve ‘real world’ issues. Quite simply, its aim is to get graduates into work”
The event is being held at the Solent Conference Centre on Monday, 28 September, 2009 9.30am–4.30pm.
Interested graduates should book online to attend as sessions will be filled on a first come, first served basis. We hope to see around 500 graduates at the event throughout the day. Further information is available on the Graduate Jobs South website and those interested in booking a place can do so on the website.
For more information contact Meredith Smith, Project Manager for Graduate Jobs South 023 8031 9734 or email meredith.smith@solent.ac.uk
Notes to Editors:
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Each year approximately 10,800 graduates from universities in Southampton and Winchester enter the labour market, with about 30%staying within the area to seek career opportunities. Graduate Jobs South is improving the region’s economy by encouraging more graduates to base their careers in the South.
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Southampton Solent University is one of the UK's newest universities. It became a university in July 2005 and officially changed its name on 15 August 2005. The university is distinguished by its commitment to the effective integration of theory and practice. It now has some 18,000 students and offers a wide choice of courses ranging from foundation 'level zero' years that lead onto degree courses, to master's degrees and PhDs, plus a variety of professional and short courses. The University has been given funding from the Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF), to fund 23 internships. Through the internship scheme, graduates will be offered relevant training positions within University departments for a 12 month period and be given the opportunity to continue their professional development through either professional qualifications or post graduate study.
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The University of Winchester has over 5,600 students studying a wide selection of courses ranging from Foundation degrees, Bachelor Honours degrees through to professional development, postgraduate Masters and Research degrees. Programmes of study span the arts, humanities, social sciences, business, education, health and social care.
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The University of Southampton is one of the UK's top ten research universities, offering first-rate opportunities and facilities for study and research across a wide range of subjects in humanities, health, science and engineering. It has a global reputation for cutting-edge research and scholarship and is one of the country's top institutions for engineering, computer science and medicine. The University has over 22,000 students, around 5,000 staff, and an annual turnover in the region of £325 million.
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Jobcentre Plus - Helps people into paid work and provides extra help and support to different customer groups. Gives people of working age the help and support they are entitled to if they cannot work. Also offers extra help and advice to lone parents, people receiving health related benefits and people who have been unemployed for a long time.
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Southampton Skills Development Zone - developed by the Skills and Employability Board (SEB) of the Southampton Partnership - is supported by Southampton's further education colleges, universities, public and private organisations and the voluntary sector.
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