Employability at Glasgow International College

We know that preparing for a successful career is a key reason why students choose to study abroad. That’s why opportunities to gain important employability skills are included in all of our pathway courses! In fact, you’ll be able to focus on building your CV and your professional network before your studies with us even begin.

Below you can learn more about how you can start preparing for a successful future before, during, and even after your time at the College, in most cases totally free of charge.

Before your pathway course

All Kaplan students can take advantage of Pathways Preview, an online resource that you can access before your course starts. It gives you an advance look at Kaplan’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and other educational and development resources, including ‘Your Online Reputation and Networks’.

This resource is designed to get you thinking about your future by helping you to connect with professional groups and organisations in your field of interest. Joining these networks could give you access to interesting external resources, and put you in contact with career professionals who can offer their expertise.

student typing on laptop

Some groups and organisations that students at Glasgow International College have engaged with include:

Association for Project Management
Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
Chartered Institute for IT
Institute of Engineering and Technology
Royal Society of Biology

Your Learning Advisors will also help you to carry on building your network and contacts throughout your course.

During your pathway course

Click on the different sections below to learn more about how you can build your employability and career skills during your pathway course.

Live careers events

Career Conversations are special live events where you’ll get exclusive access to entrepreneurs and employers.

At these regular events, a panel of students get the opportunity to interview an industry professional, so they can share their expertise.

The interviews are made available as short videos to watch back, and you can also complete tasks related to the talk, to help you learn from it.
Practical projects

Twice per tern you will be able to take part in Applied Learning Week — it’s a great way to develop both practical and professional skills by working on a special project around themes such as entrepreneurship, environment and sustainability, local, national and global causes and issues.

In a small group, you might be asked to build a website, write a business plan, deliver a fast-paced presentation or make an informative video. These activities will help you to develop skills like communication, organisation, research and teamwork, all of which could help you stand out to employers.
Professional certifications

If you want to earn some impressive qualifications to put on your CV, gaining a professional certification is a great option. Thanks to Kaplan’s connections with a range of professional bodies, you’ll be able to do this during your pathway course!

For example, the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs will award you a Certificate of Achievement if you successfully pass a module in Entrepreneurship. Alternatively, you can show your technological skills are up to date by studying the New Technologies for Business course from Kaplan Professional.
Professional development resources

During your course, you’ll work from this interactive e-book all about academic and career development. Some of the activities include a range of personality and skills assessments that can help you set learning and career goals.
Real-world assessments

To help you prepare for your professional life, many assessments on your course will be based on tasks you would be likely to encounter on your degree or in your future career

For example, if you study Business and Finance, you could be asked to create a report on company strategy, while Media students might produce a vlog, and Science students may write a lab report.
Skills portfolio
The Kap-PACK e-Portfolio is an online record of all your achievements that you’ll create and maintain during your studies at the College.

There are 5 sections in your Kap-PACK e-Portfolio :
- About Me
- Personal Development
- Academic Exploration
- Communicative Ability
- Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Keeping a record of your achievements can help you to identify both your strengths and any areas you might need to work on. It’s also a great way of showing off your skills to potential employers!

If you carry out some voluntary work, you’ll even be able to demonstrate your enthusiasm and ambition by applying for a KapPACK Plus Award in Community or Leadership.
Work experience

If you’d like to put the skills you’ve learnt on your pathway course into action, getting a part-time job is a brilliant way to do so.

You can work for up to 10 hours during term time or full time during the holidays while you study at the College and gain some valuable job experience. Alternatively, why not sign up to be a Kaplan Student Ambassador? You’ll share your experience as an international student through vlogs and social media posts, and learn transferable skills you can put on your CV.

Taking advantage of all of these opportunities will help you to build experience and skills that could help you to stand out in the job market.

After your pathway course

Our support doesn’t have to end when your course does — when you graduate from your pathway course you’ll gain access to Pathways Extra, an exclusive area on the VLE just for Kaplan alumni.

Pathways Extra allows you to access free advice on how to get ready for university, building on your academic skills, and how to improve your employability. You’ll have the opportunity to gain the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs’ Certificate of Achievement if you didn’t do so during your pathway course, and you’ll be able to work on your networking skills too. You’ll also be able to get an advance look at the sort of employability initiatives you can take part in at university.

Your degree and beyond

Once you progress to university, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to build on what you learnt at the College. For example, you’ll be able to help give students a voice at university by becoming a Student Representative.

Plus, when you graduate, the University will give you a Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR). Similarly to a Kap-PACK e-portfolio, this is a record of all your extra-curricular achievements at university so you can present employers with a well-rounded picture of all you’ve achieved, rather than just your academic qualifications.

You’ll also be able to stay in the UK for up to 2 years after you graduate from university with the UK government’s Graduate Route visa. This is a fantastic opportunity to build an international network and get your career off to a great start!

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