Zuzile's employability journey
Can you tell us about your overall experience with College Employability Programme?
I had a great experience with the College Employability Programme. It was important for me to prepare for post graduate work opportunities while doing my masters, which is the main reason why I enrolled for the programme. Showcasing unique skills to possible employers is important for graduates and the tutors really helped me navigate this as they provide extremely detailed feedback on all my tasks. The course was easy for me to follow and navigate. The units and tasks are separated easily on the Moodle page, completed tasks and units are displayed clearly which made it easy to track my progress.
In what ways has this College Employability Programme course prepared you for internships/future jobs?
My long-term career goal is to be a sustainability consultant. The course has helped me figure out which specific skills I need to improve on to attain my dream job. In unit 3, I outlined my professional identity and realised I need to work on my project management skills which is crucial for the sustainability consulting industry. Outlining my professional identity helps me get a step closer to my career goals, and being aware of my professional identity has also improved my CV writing ability. I know how to communicate my skills more clearly.
What did you find most beneficial about the Graduate Skills Programme?
The most beneficial part of the Graduate Skills Programme was working on my Graduate Skills Programme ePortfolio. The ePortfolio portrays my experiences and accomplishments in a unique way, it adds a more personal perspective of my previous work experiences and skills, this will be helpful for my future job applications. It makes me stand out from the crowd which is beneficial given the competitive job market. I can also update in future when I have more experiences.
What are some useful skills you feel you have gained from the course?
One of the useful skills I leant from the Graduate Skills Programme is the C-A-R technique. The course offers a chance to reflect on critical incidents from previous work experience and extracurricular activities, and academic projects. I learnt how to provide evidence of my skills and ability to overcome challenges using the CAR technique. This will give me the upper hand in job applications. I will apply this technique for future interviews when being asked competency-based questions.
Would you recommend the course to others and why?
I would absolutely recommend the course to other students. Not only is it useful for students and graduates, but the skills I learnt are relevant in the long term, for future job applications and throughout my career development.
Zuzile Hlatshwayo is a post graduate international student from South Africa. She is currently studying a MSc in Environment & Sustainable Development under the Adam Smith Business School at Gilmorehill campus.