The Successful Futures Pathway

Research shows that the more students plan their careers during their time at university, the more likely it is they will get a graduate-level job or move into further study. As a result, each programme at the university has employability awareness and development embedded through an approach that we call Successful Futures.

The Successful Futures approach delivers a uniquely Southampton skills model through both an online self-assessment and a personalised employability and enterprise learner journey. Through it, among other, we focus on equal access to careers education and on preparing students for lifelong learning by empowering them to identify, reflect on and develop their employability and enterprise skills.

A structured skills model

The University of Southampton skills model comprises key skills which have been identified by research with employers, academic colleagues, students and graduates as key skills graduate recruiters want. All our degree programmes have been mapped against the skills model.

Each student undertakes a skills self-assessment online at start of their journey with the university and on an annual basis thereafter. This digital resource was developed using global recruitment data and is designed to encourage students to explore career ideas, consider their career choices, reflect on skills gained and signpost opportunities for skills development. We believe that if students have awareness of what skills employers want for their career choice, which skills they are developing in their course and where they can find opportunities to develop skills further, they will be better prepared for a graduate recruitment market that places increasing emphasis on skills rather than simply on qualifications. So, we support students to:-

• use the Skills Self-Assessment to identify and reflect on employability skills they are developing throughout their programme of study.
• identify, and plan how to acquire additional skills and experience they may want or need to help them meet their career aspirations.
• undertake the work experience, international semester option and enterprise support to prepare for their future.
• successfully articulate their skills to graduate recruiters or in pitching for funding as a start-up.
• use intensive job coaching to be fully prepared for guaranteed interviews with top graduate recruiters.

This means that when engaging with employers for placements after they graduate, students will:-

• have already worked on industry problems via live briefs, increasing their commercial awareness.
• have had real world experience from internships, gaining understanding of what is needed in the workplace.
• have gained international experience, gaining greater awareness of other cultures and markets
• be fully prepared for recruitment interviews, helping employers identify the best fit for their needs.
• be better able to clearly articulate their skills to graduate recruiters or in pitching for funding as a start-up.

Connect with with E-Mentoring Southampton

E-Mentoring Southampton connects students with more than 2,500 industry mentors around the world for expert career advice. All E-Mentors are Southampton alumni and supporters waiting to hear from University of Southampton Delhi graduates keen to secure a graduate placement. This means that students can:-

• get real-world answers from the experts.
• connect with industry mentors working for companies and sectors they are interested in.
• build a professional network as apart of a global community of University of Southampton alumni.
• plan placements and careers with the support and expertise of the mentor community.