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'Degree Plus' to give tomorrow's leaders 'competitive edge'

Employability and Skills launch

A major new Queen’s initiative to underpin Northern Ireland’s skills base and to give the University graduates a competitive edge in the graduate job market has been welcomed by CBI Northern Ireland.

The University’s Employability and Skills initiative will be launched today by CBI Northern  Ireland Chairman Brian Ambrose who described it as “a radical and ambitious plan to create future business and professional leaders”.

The new scheme, which will ensure that students receive careers help and guidance from admission through to graduation, was developed after extensive consultation with graduate employers, parents and students.

It includes a unique programme to reward students for job-related skills in extra-curricular activities such as sport, voluntary work or part-time work. ‘Degree Plus’ will award students a qualification which will enhance their employment prospects. It acknowledges skills such as leadership, good communication, teamworking or management which they have acquired from activities other than their academic studies.

Mr Ambrose said: “As pressures increase on business, we in turn are ever more demanding on the type of young person that we require to help us compete in global markets. Today’s approach by Queen’s is a most welcome development and CBI NI is delighted to fully endorse an intervention which is ambitious and comprehensive. We not only require highly-skilled graduates but increasingly are looking for those complementary skills which are embedded in the new Employability and Skills Policy.

“It is timely that, when headlines are dominated with negative news, the University has shown the leadership that will help strengthen our long term competitiveness. The business community looks forward to a continued engagement with Queen’s as it rolls out this policy over the next few years.”

The University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students, Professor Ken Brown, said: “Queen’s graduates already have an excellent record in the job market but we aim to enhance their chances further. We recognise that universities play a crucial role in providing the talent and intellectual resources for the future and that we must nurture levels of innovation, creativity, enterprise and leadership alongside academic ability.

“This policy aims to do just that by encouraging students to engage directly with the University in unlocking their potential.”

Today’s development was also welcomed by Ciarnan Helferty, President of the Students’ Union.  He said: “Our students are well aware that, when it comes to finding jobs, they need to show that they do not just have a good degree but a range of other qualities to make them stand out from others. This policy provides not only what students want but what they need for their future careers.”

The new policy builds on the teaching of employability skills already embedded in the Queen’s curriculum and complements another new initiative under which careers guidance and information has been incorporated into new School level induction programmes this year.

Media enquiries to Anne Langford, Press and PR Unit on 028 9097 5310 or email [email protected]