Award-winning careers course goes online to help Wrexham Glyndwr University students during lockdown

An award-winning careers course for Wrexham Glyndwr University students will run again this year – and has been adapted to help them find jobs during lockdown.

The Make Summer Work for You course – which is usually taught face-to-face on campus – has been adapted for online delivery. The course, which beat entrants across the UK in 2018 to win the the Supporting Student/ Graduate Employability category at the AGCAS (Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service) Awards for Excellence.

Make Summer Work for You – an extracurricular programme which strengthens students’ employment prospects over several months by providing flexible careers related support and guidance – was commended by judges for its innovation, engagement and impact.

The programme was built after the Careers team ran consultations with students – and found that working to boost their confidence, resilience and wellbeing would help them secure the career they were looking for.

Now, the careers team at Glyndwr have kept the core of the programme, but adapted it so that they continue to help and support students’ career development online.

The course is being run for Glyndwr students from June 1 for six weeks, with additional chances to join in June and August. It is free and easy for students to join online.

Jenny Whittaker, Careers and Employability Adviser at Wrexham Glyndwr University, said: “Make Summer Work for You has been a popular course among our students – and helped them to find roles in their chosen careers too. When it became clear that we wouldn’t be able to run the course on campus, due to the ongoing restrictions we’re all working under to help tackle the spread of coronavirus, we decided to take the course online instead.

“Students and graduates who take part can expect a range of weekly workshops to engage with throughout the lock down. There are videos, presentations, exercises and workshop resources, all designed to support and encourage our participants to navigate their way through the coming months – and with advice on everything from writing personal statements to winning CVs, and from writing effective applications to interview skills. There are also a range of careers guides, videos, apps, links and more for participants to explore.

“For those students who tell us what the most useful part of the course was for them, there’s the chance to win a £20 Amazon voucher too!”

The Make Summer Work for You online course is the latest innovation by the university’s career department, which is providing full online support to students throughout the pandemic.

Jenny added: “Just as we’ve taken Make Summer Work for You online, we’ve adapted the support we offer so we can provide it remotely. Whether that is booking telephone guidance appointments, online video appointments or e-guidance –any student or graduate at Glyndwr can access help.

“This can be anything from career planning, CV and application form reviews, through to interview skills support and tips for managing online interviews and assessment centres – as well as preparing for psychometric tests.”

Students and graduates from Wrexham Glyndwr University can find out more by signing into the university’s careers portal at WGUConnect.glyndwr.ac.uk