Following a year of extensive research and engagement with students, we've published our recommendations on how the University can build careers support that is cutting edge and accessible for all.
Following a year of extensive research and engagement with students, we've published this report into careers support at Royal Holloway - our third extensive Student Voice Report of the academic year!
When I ran to be President, I outlined that we needed to focus on the support that we (Royal Holloway students) were receiving with regards to our career plans and progression. As a student, I found myself solely reliant on my own resources in exploring career options, which was often prohibited due to other competing demands on my time. From speaking with students for the last five years, two as an elected representative, it is evident that students require an institutional direction and strategy for supporting career development.
Throughout this year, we have been working extremely hard to compare Royal Holloway's efforts with the sector, to discuss what challenges you are all facing, and to collaboratively develop solutions to these challenges. This report is the amalgamation of all of this work, and it sets a roadmap for our future collaboration and lobbying agenda with the College.
Read the report
Knowing what we don’t know
One of the key principles of Policy Inquiries is for the process to be founded in high-quality research in order to effectively represent students’ interests. In going through the development of this report, it has been brilliant to be part of discussions where you have all shared your respective difficulties in receiving support, but also in the creative ideas and solutions that we have all shared in providing solutions to these.
The research and briefing document that we produced has helped to provide a steer for these discussions. It has broadened all of our minds to what is being accomplished elsewhere, and crucially provided us with options to discuss what we can achieve here at Royal Holloway.
Continuing this work
Last week, we presented this report and its findings to senior stakeholders in the College. We are dedicated to ensuring that this report is continuously monitored so that we can hold the College to account in implementing the recommendations contained within this report, making sure that every effort possible is being made to enable you to receive the support that is needed. Currently, the careers support at Royal Holloway is not utilising online resources, or exploring all areas of engagement and development, and we look forward to working with them on advancing these.
Director of Careers and Employability, Jon Howden-Evans, commented, “This detailed insight captures the concerns of students and challenges they face, and goes further to recommend solutions that can make a real difference. It is encouraging that these recommendations also tackle issues identified across the sector. The whole team looks forward to continuing to work with the SU in implementing and championing the way that Careers support will evolve at Royal Holloway, so that it reaches all our students – and is tangible to each.”
As this report now moves into the implementation phase, we’ll keep you posted on the next steps and timeframes.