Latest information: Remote study for UK
A key part of education is preparing students for career success. That’s why enhancing your employability is at the heart of everything we do — and it starts before your pathway course even begins! On this page you’ll learn about all the ways you can gain employability skills and boost your CV before, during, and even after your time at the College, in most cases at no additional cost.
Pathways Preview is a great extra resource available to all pathways students, giving you early access to Kaplan’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and other educational and development resources. One of these is called ‘Your Online Reputation and Networks’.
‘Your Online Reputation and Networks’ aims to support you in thinking about your employability before even starting your studies, for example by identifying and joining the professional bodies and organisations that match your career goals. Engaging with professional groups gives you exciting opportunities to access useful resources, attend professional events and get career advice from people who are successful in their fields.
Some networks and organisations that Bournemouth University International College students have engaged with include:
Your Learning Advisors will also continue helping you contact relevant industry bodies throughout your pathway course.
You’ll have multiple opportunities to build your employability and career skills during your studies at the College — click on the different sections below to learn more.
You’ll have regular access to employers and entrepreneurs during your course, through Career Conversations. These are live events in which a panel of students interview an industry professional with valuable insight to share.
The interviews are available to watch later as short videos with added tasks to complete, to help you get the most out of the experience.
Twice per term, you’ll have the opportunity to form a small group and work on a special project in place of your regular classes, based around a theme such as entrepreneurship, environment and sustainability, or local, national and global causes and issues. This is called Applied Learning Week.
You may find yourself working on a project to build a website, make a video, write a business plan or deliver a presentation. By taking part in these activities, you’ll be able to develop important transferable skills that employers value, such as communication, organisation, research and teamwork, as well as gaining exposure to new technologies.
Gaining professional certifications is a fantastic way to boost your CV, and thanks to Kaplan’s connections with a range of professional organisations, you’ll be able to do this during your pathway course.
For example, if you successfully pass a module in Entrepreneurship, you’ll gain a Certificate of Achievement from the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs. Alternatively, you could study for the New Technologies for Business course with Kaplan Professional and demonstrate your understanding the latest digital technologies in use in the business world.
During your course you’ll be able to work from an interactive e-book that’s focused on academic achievement and career development. This includes a great resource where you can access personality and skills assessments.
Throughout your course, you will be set assignments that reflect the sort of activities you will encounter in your degree subject and related professional fields.
For example, students of Business and Finance may be asked to write an analytical report on company strategy, using real-world examples, while Science students might be asked to create a lab report, and Media students might have to produce a vlog.
All students create and maintain a Kap-PACK e-portfolio during their pathway course. This is an online record of your academic and personal achievements, and a perfect way to showcase your skills!
Your Kap-PACK e-portfolio consists of 5 sections:
Working on your e-portfolio will encourage you to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, and the skills you might need to develop in order to progress in your studies and future career.
By completing some additional voluntary work, you’ll be able to apply for a KapPACK Plus Award in either Community or Leadership. It’s a great way to show your enthusiasm and ambition.
Getting practical experience is one of the best ways to improve your career prospects. It’s also a great opportunity to put the skills you’ve learnt on your course into practice!
Kaplan is registered with the Office for Students, which means that if you study at one of our colleges in England, you’ll be able to take on a part-time job. You could also apply to become a Kaplan Student Ambassador and share your experiences with other international students through blogs, vlogs and social media posts. Each of these options can help to demonstrate your skills, and will look impressive on your CV.
Through these experiences, you’ll develop a broad range of skills that can really help you to stand out to employers.
In fact, in our 2022 student satisfaction survey, 89% of respondents agreed that their programme helped them develop knowledge and skills that will be useful for their future career!
Employability skills are built into all of our pathway courses. However, if you’d like to study a programme with a work experience placement conveniently included, a pathway course with internship could be the right choice for you.
This programme features academic and English language study, followed by an integrated online internship. The whole course is studied in the UK, and when you successfully complete it at the required level, with good attendance, you’ll progress to your chosen degree.
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in 70 countries worldwide to choose from
so you can match your internship to your career goals
and enhance both your CV and your career prospects
If you’d like to apply for a pathway course with internship, simply select your preferred course type from Foundation Certificate, International Year One or Pre-Master’s on the application form, and you’ll then be able to select the option with internship if it is available for your subject area and preferred start date, at your current level of study.
Our support doesn’t end when your course does. You’ll also have the option to enrol on Pathways Extra, a special programme just for Kaplan Pathways alumni. Available on the Kaplan VLE, Pathways Extra offers advice on improving your academic skills and getting ready for university, as well as featuring lots of useful content on topics surrounding employability.
You’ll be able to focus on your professional networking skills, and can also gain the Certificate of Achievement from the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs if you didn’t do so during your course. You’ll also have access to tools that help you assess your current skills, set employability goals, and get an advance look at the ways you can continue to enhance your employability at university.
You’ll have plenty of opportunities to build on the skills you learnt at the College once you progress to your degree. For example, Bournemouth University offers students a work placement opportunity on every undergraduate degree!
Additionally, students who progress to the Bournemouth University Business School (BUBS) can take advantage of the Student Talent Employability Engagement Programme (STEEP).
Alternatively, you could choose to stay in the UK and work for up to 2 years after you graduate with the UK government’s Graduate Route visa. Whichever path you choose, you’ll have a fantastic future ahead of you!
Use the handy degree finder tool below to see what you could study at Bournemouth University.
