New Course helps graduates reach for their dreams

A free course which is specially designed to help graduates reach for their dreams takes place at Staffordshire University next month.



Graduate Futures, which is run by Staffordshire University and backed by the European Social Fund, provides a programme of courses to help graduates towards a career, postgraduate study or self-employment.

Project Manager Clare Keegan said: ìIt is quite common for students to graduate with little idea of how to put their degree to the best use ñ this can be quite a daunting prospect.

We hope to make a difference to graduates by equipping them with career planning and management skills which should stand them in good stead for the rest of their livesî

The next course commences on September 19 and is being held at Staffordshire Universityís Beaconside campus, Stafford. Participants attend for 3 hours per day over 4 weeks, which means they can continue to claim unemployment benefits.

Topics covered will include: understanding your skills, CV analysis, psychometric testing, mock interviews and making presentations.

Geography graduate Barrie Lovewell, 37, from Wolverhampton attended the course run in July. He said: ìAs an Open University student I wasnít exposed to the milk round or other brick University careers opportunities. The Graduate Futures course really helped me focus on swimming towards my ultimate goal rather than treading water and was a real confidence boost after studying on my own!î

Lynn Burrell, 46, from Lichfield graduated from Staffordshire University in July with an LLB(Hons)Law. She added ìI think all graduates would benefit from a course such as this ñ I now feel confident to enter the jobs arena with a fighting chance of succeedingî

Clare Keegan adds ìWe have purposely kept numbers on the course to 20, which encourages a small, friendly network to develop. We intend to stay in touch with all students after the course has ended, offering further support where appropriate.î

The course is open to anyone who has graduated in the last three years, regardless of University attended. Another course is scheduled to take place at Staffordshire Universityís Leek Road campus in Stoke on October 10th.

If you are interested please call Clare Keegan on 01785 353247 or visit: