Supporting graduate employability during the pandemic

With some employers having to make redundancies, freeze recruitment, and scale back graduate outreach as a result of COVID-19’s effect on the economy, many students are facing disruption to their plans for the future. Apprentices are also facing significant challenges, with recent research from the Sutton Trust suggesting that only 39 per cent of apprenticeships are continuing as normal.

The briefing note highlights students’ perceptions of the impact of the pandemic on both their employment prospects and the wider economic climate. The note also features case studies showing the different approaches that universities, colleges and employers are taking to help students progress from higher education into employment, including:

• adapting careers services to provide tailored support for final year students via one-to-one online appointments and resources such as careers packs
• launching digital platforms for online showcases and portfolios to allow students to exhibit their work
• delivering internships and work placement programmes online
• making modifications to courses and assessment methods to enable flexible learning for apprentices.

Today’s briefing note is the seventh in a series designed to share the steps universities and colleges have taken to support students during the pandemic. The series does not constitute regulatory advice but focuses on sharing ideas and responses to challenges faced by universities and colleges during the pandemic.