ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ named finalist at Institute of Student Employers (ISE) awards for sector-leading Future Skills approach
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ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ has been shortlisted for two Institute of Student Employers (ISE) Awards, recognising how students are benefiting from industry involvement through its sector-leading Future Skills approach.
The University was named a finalist in the Best University and Employer Engagement Strategy category for its work with employers as part of Explore. The second phase of the University's Future Skills programme, Explore, is designed to equip students with the skills most needed by industry.
Introduced to more than 4,000 students across the second-year undergraduate curriculum last September, Explore brings in employers to co-create a range of industry-relevant experiences. These include live briefs, hackathon innovation events, placements, site visits, and work shadowing opportunities to help prepare students for career success.
The University has also been shortlisted in the Outstanding University Employer or Solution Provider Partnership category, for its collaboration with Gradcore in delivering simulated assessment centres during Explore. These sessions help second-year students hone skills in readiness for the graduate recruitment process.
Through its visionary Town House Strategy, ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ has been transforming its teaching by embedding Future Skills as an assessed, key part of every undergraduate course. Informed by research in conjunction with YouGov, the programme is designed to ensure students acquire nine key graduate attributes – creative problem solving, digital competency, adaptability, being enterprising, having a questioning mindset, empathy, collaboration, resilience, and self-awareness.
Enhancing student employability through industry collaboration
This latest recognition for its Future Skills approach reflects the University's commitment to providing outstanding industry-related learning opportunities for its students, Olivia Trodden, the University's Associate Director of Careers and Employability, said." Being shortlisted for these awards highlights the really impactful work we're doing to transform the student experience," she said. "It's a testament to the hard work and commitment that colleagues across the University have put into the roll out of Explore and we've had really positive feedback from industry partners and students. Providing dedicated space within the curriculum for targeted employer engagement is helping ensure students develop the skills needed to thrive in the future world of work."
Among the employers working with the University on Explore is global business and technology consultancy FDM Group, which has been preparing students for their assessment centre sessions. "Engaging directly with students allows us to share professional insights and provide them with an understanding of the skills the technology industry most needs and the ways they can be applied in the workplace as soon as they start their careers," Kristy Littlewood, regional recruitment and university partnerships manager (south) for FDM Group, said.
More than 30 employers have been engaged within the curriculum in the first semester of the roll out of Explore, including live brief projects with the Royal Borough of Kingston for students in Kingston School of Art and the largest of its kind to be launched by the University with the John Lewis Partnership, involving more than 600 undergraduates across two Faculties. 
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The winners of this year's ISE Awards will be announced at the ISE Recruitment Conference in June.
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