The GO Wales team at the University of Wales Lampeter has developed a ‘Graduate Academy’ to support graduates living in Wales in meeting the challenge of obtaining graduate employment. The 6-week programme focuses on those key managerial and personal skills required for the workplace and is accredited by the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM).
Gwen Adams, the Graduate Academy Coordinator, explains the aims of the Academy “Graduates have a vital role to play in contributing to the creation of wealth and economic competitiveness in Wales. But with the number of UK graduate vacancies set to drop this year for the first time since 2003 and increasing competition for jobs, graduates are being urged to increase their employability by providing real evidence of their skills, abilities and understanding of the world of work.”
After a successful pilot programme in August 2009, Graduate Academies are now planned across Wales in 2010. Previous participants benefitted greatly from the training and experience, including Elfie Burgess, a Modern Languages graduate from Lledrod near Aberystwyth:
“At the moment it’s difficult to find suitable graduate positions and if there is anyone out there who is unsure about what to do next then they should definitely apply to the next Graduate Academy programme. The whole experience has given me more confidence and I feel much better equipped to look for jobs; the ILM qualification is also well recognised and stands out on my CV.”
The Graduate Academy is part of the GO Wales programme, an all-Wales set of initiatives and support services part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) through the European Union’s Convergence programme administered by the Welsh Assembly Government. Jackie Cresswell-Griffith, Programme Manager for GO Wales, is looking forward to future programmes:
“Graduates need to take advantage of the support offered to them in order to make the most of their degrees and we were delighted with the success of the pilot programme. We are looking forward to the 2010 programme and to more graduates taking the opportunity to improve their commercial awareness and employability and to make a positive contribution to the economy in Wales.”
