Postgraduate Career Development and Employability courses

Job role: 

Course Leader, MA Career Development and Employability, and PGCert Career Leadership

International Director (Education)

About:

As the International Director I am responsible for International Student Experience which includes a focus on careers and employability. 

My role as course leader allows me to lead on the overall running of our Career Development courses and develop courses and modules which prepare our graduates for a successful career in the Career Development sector. 

I am module leader for modules which focus on theories of occupational choice and organisational culture, and I supervise student dissertations. 

I have previously worked as a Careers Adviser in schools and in widening participation and student recruitment in universities. I was the Deputy Head of the Schools and Colleges Liaison Service here at Huddersfield for four years before taking over as course leader for the MA Career Development Course in 2017. 

I am a member of the Career Development Institute (CDI) and the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS)

Research interests:

My previous and current research focuses on fair access to higher education. My PhD research looks at the career decision making behaviour of first generation students in relation to university choice and focusses on the role of career guidance and the influence of open days. I am also interested in the university decision making process of international students. 

Qualifications:

Undergraduate: BSc (Hons) Sociology 

Postgraduate: MSc Career Guidance, PGCert HE, PhD (submission November 2023)

Other qualifications: Professional Diploma in Strategic Marketing (CIM), Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Job role:

Senior Lecturer – Career Guidance

About:

I am a Senior Lecturer on the MA and PGDip Career Development and Employability course and the PGCert in Career Leadership.

I was a student on the course at Huddersfield in 2016 and joined the teaching team in 2021. My prior experience includes professional development training and I have experience working in schools, colleges and university careers services. I continue to practice as a Career Development professional to ensure my teaching is grounded in the realities of practice. 

The key focus of my teaching is professional practice, supporting students to develop the essential skills and knowledge needed to work as a Career Development practitioner, and guiding students through the process of gaining their professional accreditation through a range of placement and work-based learning activity. 

I lead a module focused on Leadership and Management in Career Education, supporting students in the role of Strategic Career Lead within a school or college.  

I also guide students through the dissertation-based modules, where they have the opportunity to complete an independent research project focused on a topic of their choice, developing key research skills. 

I am a member of AGCAS and the Career Development Institute (CDI). Currently, I sit on the Ethics and Professional Standards Committee of the CDI.

Research interests:

I am passionate about equity of access to opportunities. My Master’s dissertation focused on widening access and participation into postgraduate study for students whose parents/guardians do not have a HE qualification. I have continued this research focus and am currently involved in a research project with other members of NEON. 

My PhD topic focuses on Groupwork in HE Careers Services, which compliments my teaching focus of working with individuals and groups.

Qualifications:

Undergraduate: BA (Hons) English with Drama

Postgraduate: MA Professional Studies (Guidance) 

Other qualifications:  Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Job role:

Senior Lecturer – Career Guidance

About:

I am a Senior Lecturer on the MA/PGDip Career Development and Employability course, where I lead on the Higher Education (HE) modules, which cover the broad spectrum of HE Careers and Employability work.

I joined the teaching team here at Huddersfield in 2020 after working in HE Careers and Employability for over 25 years. The vast majority of my HE career has been in leadership roles as Head of the Careers Service at the university of Huddersfield, Director of the Careers Centre at the University of Leeds and Director of the Careers Group, University of London. I have also served as President of AGCAS, the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services.

My vast experience in the Careers sector has enabled me to establish a large network, which enables us to bring top quality guest speakers onto the course.

Research interests:

My research interests are in HE strategy and policy, the understanding and application of data and labour market intelligence. These areas feed directly into the modules that I teach.

Qualifications:

Postgraduate: DBA Higher Education Management, MBA Management 

Other qualifications: Elected Fellow of NICEC (the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling), Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

What do Career Development professionals do?  

Working in Careers involves so much more than talking about jobs.

Career Development professionals support people of all ages to make decisions about the direction of their life, learning and work. 

Career Development professionals can help people to navigate career and educational decisions at key transition points, such as leaving school, college or university, changing jobs or industries, or returning to the workforce after a break. They work with individuals, groups or a mixture of both and have the knowledge, skills, and experience to guide people through the career development process which can involve supporting people to:  

• Identify their skills, strengths, interests, and ambitions to develop clear career and life goals.  

• Explore and evaluate different career options to make informed decisions about their careers.

• Learn about the job market and gather information about specific industries and companies. 

• Understand the bigger picture of the job market and wider world developments and how these might impact career decisions. 

• Develop skills to thrive in a complex and rapidly changing world. 

• Develop effective job search strategies, including creating effective CVs and cover letters, preparing for interviews and building a professional  network.

Salaries for Career Development professionals

Salaries vary across the sector and are often dependant on the type of employer you work for, experience and qualification level.  

Here are some typical salary ranges:  

• Careers Information Assistant: £22,000-£26,000 

• Careers Adviser (school or college): £26,000-£35,000 (pay may be pro rata if term time only) 

• Careers Consultant (university): £33,000-£50,000 

• Head of Careers (university): £40,000-£65,000 

• Director of Careers & Employability (university or corporate): £75,000+