Employability - Enhancing your potential

This is a key word in the current job market. Of course, employers expect strong academic skills evidenced by good examination results but today they are looking for far more in the graduates they choose to employ. Our programmes and links with industry are designed to enhance your employability and future career prospects.

What is “employability”?

Very specific skills such as business awareness; communication and literacy; problem solving; self-management; teamworking; numeracy and application of information technology are required but underpinning these skills will be a positive attitude: a 'can-do' approach, a readiness to take part and contribute, openness to new ideas and a drive to make these happen. Employers also value entrepreneurial graduates who demonstrate an innovative approach, creative thinking and those who bring fresh knowledge and challenge assumptions.

According to the Confederation of British Industry's, Universities are a vital part of the infrastructure that makes the UK a good place to invest and do business, by providing the skills and knowledge necessary for long-term success. Currently, the UK’s world class Higher Education sector faces urgent challenges, including the need to remain internationally competitive despite pressures on public funding. The importance of our HE sector to robust, sustainable economic growth must not be underestimated. Business relies on our universities for research, innovation and graduate talent. Universities must now maintain world-class teaching and research; improve graduate employability and encourage the development of workforce training at university.

Working with you and industry to enhance your employability

Here at the School of Law we feel we are uniquely placed to deliver these skills to our graduates. Our research rating is high, our teaching excellent and our links with law firms second to none. Not only do these firms sponsor courses and modules within the school, they take a very “hands-on” approach to contributing to our students’ wider education and take the time and trouble to actively build links with them during their studies. They hold skills workshops, often delivered by senior partners within the firms and give guest lectures and seminars on particular areas of expertise. Whilst we cannot guarantee our students a job at the end of their studies, we do the very best we can to ensure that they are equipped with the academic and transferrable skills which will allow them to compete effectively in a very competitive marketplace. Not all our graduates enter the legal profession: we recognize that some will choose other avenues and our Careers Service offers a huge range of information sessions and one to one counselling to enable our students to make the right career choice for them.