Employability

Get connected, learn and develop, with the support of the Careers and Employability Team, and make the most of your time at university and beyond.

Careers and Employability are a friendly and welcoming team, here to help you make the most of your time at university and beyond!

Whether you’re a first-year student or a graduate, whether you have a clear career path in mind or not, Careers and Employability is here to help you.

Career Conversations

Want to talk about your career?

Whether you’re a current student or a graduate, our friendly and professionally qualified Career Consultants are here to help you explore and develop a career idea, discover what’s important to you, and work out your next steps. Whether you've a career path in mind, or you’re looking to explore your options, we’re here to help you. We offer advice and guidance on a number of topics including CVs, applications, interviews, further study, entrepreneurship (starting a business or freelancing) and much more! 

A member of the Careers and Employability team is here to welcome you, listen to you and help you to make the right choices. A range of in-person and remote appointments are available daily (Monday-Friday) and we’re also available to answer your questions at Drop-In Clinics throughout the year. Find out more, ask a question or book an appointment via CareerHub.

Engage with our Employers

We are proud to work with over 500 local, regional and national employers, across a range of sectors, and you can meet, chat, explore and connect with them in a variety of ways:

  • Employers in the Curriculum
  • Employer in the Foyer Events
  • Employer Insights
  • Get a Graduate Job Scheme
  • Vacancy Advertising
  • Workplace Experiences

Current students can find out more on CareerHub and can view some of the Employers We Work With.

Employability initiatives

Be your own boss – interested in starting your own business, self employment or freelancing?

The Venture Programme will help you to develop the skills, knowledge, confidence and connections for your business journey. So, if you’re looking to enhance your enterprise skills, start up your own business or pursue a freelancing career, the Venture Programme will challenge your thinking, expose you to the business world and give you the opportunity to make something happen for yourself.
Venture events are open to all University of Chester and graduates – within two years of graduating – and you can gain recognition for taking part in Venture activities through the Chester Difference Award.

Current students and graduates can access more information in CareerHub.

What is Inspiring Futures?

The University of Chester has an Access and Participation Plan in place which sets out our commitment to the Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator of higher education in England, to provide under-represented groups with equal opportunities to access, succeed and progress from higher education, by eliminating inequalities and therefore achieving successful and rewarding careers.

Inspiring Futures is an exclusive programme of support. This is available to current undergraduate, home-fee paying students from under-represented groups. Inspiring Futures has been established to address the particular needs of these students, supporting them to achieve lifelong success.

Are you eligible?

To be eligible to apply for careers related activities and support through Inspiring Futures, you must meet one of the following criteria:

If you are unsure if meet the eligibility criteria above, the Inspiring Futures team will check this upon application to the programme.

What’s involved?

Eligible students will get tailored and targeted support and information about support and opportunities available from the University and external sources.

Our current offer includes:

Workplace Experiences

Workplace Experiences are paid opportunities to help you become more employable. Ranging from Scholarship Placements to Internships, our opportunities will shape your CV and help you to stand out in the crowd. You’ll gain valuable, graduate-level work experience with a host employer, on a schedule to fit around your studies. For a typical Workplace Experience, you can expect to receive a £2,000 payment for 191 hours worked.

Workplace Experience opportunities can be found on CareerHub.

The Futures Employability Fund

The Futures Employability Fund is an opportunity for students and graduates up to 2 years after graduation from under-represented groups to apply for funding for activities or items that will help them to improve their employability, develop their skills and experience and gain access to opportunities that a lack of funding may be stopping them from taking.

Our CareerHub information page can be viewed here. 

Students/graduates can apply for funding up to a maximum of £500 per academic year. Students/graduates who submit a sucessful application which is less than £500 can make numerous applications to the fund up to the maximum award value of £500. If eligible, you will be notified via email each month that applications are being taken.

Contact us

Inspiring Futures – Careers and Employability

The Chester Difference Award (CDA) is designed to help:

  • Articulate your skills
  • Boost your confidence
  • Progress your career thinking
  • Prepare for recruitment processes
  • Grow your network
  • Be a student with a difference

The CDA is recognised on the Higher Education Achievement Report and award recipients will receive a certificate of completion.

We currently offer 3 levels of the Award:

  • The Chester Difference Award (CDA) 
  • The Chester Difference Plus Award (CDPA)
  • The Chester Difference Excellence Award (CDEA)

Current students and graduates can access more information on CareerHub.

Careers and Employability also offer a series of Develop.me sessions that enable you to develop the skills, knowledge and attributes that you need for your future. As a student or graduate, you will have access to a variety of meaningful sessions to support you on your personal journey through university and beyond. Take action by attending our live in-person or remote Develop.Me sessions. 

Whether you want to find your strengths, build your confidence, write a quality CV, find out how to be successful during interviews or build your network, we have a session to help you. You will also have the opportunity to enhance your knowledge by learning about your values and the skills that will help you grow and develop, both personally and professionally. 

Our DevelopMe sessions are co-delivered by a range of professionals, consisting of Career Consultants, Entrepreneurs and Employers. 

Current students and graduates can find out more, book onto the sessions or access our range of on-demand content via CareerHub.

Current students and graduates can access more information in the Events section on CareerHub.

Mentoring and Volunteering

Visit our VolunteerHub to access our online services which support your volunteer journey. This is your one-stop shop for all things volunteering, including over 100 volunteer opportunities available within the local community for you to apply for. You can also find information on the following projects:

  • Student-led projects - Projects run by students, for students. We have a range of projects available for you to volunteer in and can also support you in setting up your own project!
  • Students in Schools - Open for applications between September- October annually, Students in Schools gives our students the opportunity to volunteer in local schools across Cheshire and the Wirral.
  • Peer Mentoring - Got questions about university? Or simply want to meet someone new? The Peer Mentoring scheme allows you to connect with a student like yourself, who is there to welcome you to the University community, answer your questions – big or small – and share their experiences with you. You can also sign up to be a Mentor yourself from the February of each academic year!
  • UCV (University of Chester Volunteering) Awards - Receive well-deserved recognition for your volunteering through our UCV awards! Participants are encouraged to realise their full potential and see their volunteering documented on their Higher Education Academic Record (HEAR). Recipients of our awards will also be invited to our annual Celebration Event – which is a great chance for networking with providers, staff, and fellow students!

"I chose to become a Peer Mentor because I had one myself this year; as I got into the university through clearing I thought that it would help me settle in, which it did. I felt a lot more comfortable having one myself that I feel like it would be rewarding to help someone else."
— Student Peer Mentor

Peer Mentors are trained second year and third year students who can share their experiences of university life with you, signpost you to useful University services, and discuss a range of topics including:

  1. Social: Explore the available clubs and societies, find out how to get involved, and meet like-minded people.
  2. Money: Student loans are great, but if it gets tricky our mentors can point you in the right direction for the University’s money advice services.
  3. Living: Leaving home is exciting but can be hard. Ask a mentor about the best places to visit and where to go for off-campus accommodation.
  4. Study: Get useful tips on workload planning, time-management, and how to get in touch with our Academic Skills service.

This is not an exhaustive list! Every student experience is different, but this will hopefully give you an idea of the areas that mentors can discuss with you.

"A Peer Mentor helped me when I first joined - I was always emailing them asking questions and it really helped. I then became friends with them throughout my first year/their last year at uni, so I want to pay back that help to others in return."
— Steph Taylor, Level 5 Digital Photography and Radio Production, Peer Mentor

  1. Every first-year undergraduate student is eligible to apply for a Peer Mentor by completing the online application form. The form only takes a few minutes, and once you have completed it the Mentoring team will match you with a suitable Peer Mentor.
  2. After you have applied for your Peer Mentor and been matched by the team, your Peer Mentor will be in touch to introduce themselves and welcome you to the University. What happens next is a little bit up to you and your mentor - you will communicate via email before you arrive, and then, once you get here, can meet up for a coffee and a chat.
  3. You will also receive a Mentee handbook, communications from the team, and invites to mentoring events. These will provide you with a chance to socialise with and meet other students.

Get a Peer Mentor

If you are a current Undergraduate student at Chester and would be interested in volunteering as a Peer Mentor, we recruit students every year from February, and deliver training sessions from March - May.

Here’s a brief overview of what it’s like to be a Mentor:

  1. Before your mentee arrives at University - Starting from August, you will communicate by email with students before they arrive at Chester, answer questions, and share your experiences of your first days.
  2. After your mentee arrives at University - Once new students arrive at Chester, what happens next is a little more up to you. Continue to contact students by email or arrange to meet for a coffee (or at another convenient place). The key is to develop an effective relationship with students to help them find their feet at Chester.
  3. You will receive expert training, skills development, and ongoing support from the team. You can also log your time as a Peer Mentor on our Volunteer Hub to contribute towards our University of Chester Volunteering (UCV) awards scheme, and gain points towards the Chester Difference Award (CDA).

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is a leading online learning platform that helps anyone learn and develop skills and competencies across a wide range of areas (e.g. business & professional, digital and technical, creative & software) in order to achieve your personal and professional goals. Explore over 15,000 video tutorials from industry experts and leaders. LinkedIn Learning is available to all University of Chester students for free.

  • Developing your skills and capabilities to get a job – e.g. interview training, presentation skills, giving your elevator pitch, searching and applying to jobs, crafting your professional LinkedIn profile 
  • Developing your digital / IT skills – e.g. PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and other software
  • Developing key skills needed in your future careers – e.g. Project Management, Working in Teams, Communication, Time Management, other specific technologies
  • Courses to help you and your own wellbeing – e.g. Self-motivation, Wellness, Improving your Focus, Resilience, Stress & Relaxation

Do I need a LinkedIn profile to use LinkedIn Learning?

  • No, but it helps. You can use LinkedIn Learning without having a LinkedIn (networking) profile, but there are several benefits of having both, such as being able to add certificates/badges to your LinkedIn profile when you complete courses.

How long are the courses?

  • Courses do vary but tend to be on average around an hour long. You can pause and come back to it at any time. Every course is made up of smaller video components (usually 3-5 minutes each) – sometimes you don’t need a whole course, and a couple of the quick videos might help you with what you need.

How can I access LinkedIn Learning?

  • Please use this link to take you straight to LinkedIn Learning
  • You will need to be logged into the universities systems using your university username and password
  • If you do connect your LinkedIn profile (see above) then you will also need to be logged into LinkedIn