Session 3 - Strand 2 (Online)

Abstract:

The Portsmouth Award is coming to the end of its third year as an established online employability programme available to students here at the University of Portsmouth. Fundamentally, we know that our students are building a range of experience alongside or as part of their studies, from part-time work to regular or one-off volunteering, and from securing virtual internships to shortterm placements embedded in employability-focused modules. However, what we frequently see when students access support through Careers and Employability, are individuals struggling to both surface and convey the value of the experience they have had. A recent report from the Graduate Futures Institute (GFI, formerly AGCAS) points to the progress made across the sector in embedding employability in the curriculum, but the key findings continue to indicate that students find recognising and articulating their skills – particularly those developed outside formal academic settings or through informal experiences – challenging. Linked to this, the report discusses confidence, language and relevance as recurring barriers, with students often lacking the vocabulary to describe their experience in employer-relevant terms. Limited opportunities to engage in reflective practice also remains an obstacle (GFI, 2025). The Award here at Portsmouth has been designed, not only to offer recognition to our students for their engagement in extra- or co-curricular activities, but to support them in building self-awareness, understanding their options, and considering how best to present themselves as candidates to prospective employers.