Improve your employability at Ulster

At Ulster University, we are passionate about ensuring our students are prepared for the world of employment, both with the skills that are valuable to your chosen industry and the skills that will help you secure a job.

Career Development Centre (CDC)

From the day you start your course you will have full access to the CDC and all its resources.  Our team of experienced and professional staff can offer you help and advice on all your career-related queries to enable you to succeed in an increasingly competitive labour market.

Employability is fully integrated within the Ulster student experience and we office a range of services designed to help you reach your potential:

• Employability Modules
• Careers Information, Advice and Guidance
• Recruitment and Careers Events
• Work Experience Programmes and Opportunities
• International Work Opportunities
• Employment Opportunities
• EDGE and EDGE Excel Award
• Personal Development Planning

Employability Modules

You can choose from a suite of accredited employability modules.  Where they are not delivered directly as part of your course, you can choose to study them on each campus as open modules.  These modules will count as an EDGE activity and will also appear on your Higher Education Achievement Record (HEAR). These modules will help you to articulate the skills that you have to offer potential employers and will also support you in preparing for placement and graduate employment opportunities.

Careers Information, Advice and Guidance

Drop-in Advice

The CDC offers daily drop-in advice sessions where students can meet with a Career Development Consultant for 10-15 minutes.  This is the quickest way to get one-to-one advice as you don’t need to book an appointment – perfect for getting your CV reviewed.

Online Advice

You can submit an online query through the ‘Ask a Question’ tab on Careers Connect –  Your query will go directly to the relevant Career Development Consultant and they will respond within 3 working days.

Careers Appointment

In some cases you may need a longer appointment (approx. 30 mins) to discuss your career.  You can book your appointment directly using the Careers Connect system.

Careers Information

Careers Information can be obtained from the CDC offices located on the Coleraine, Jordanstown and Magee campuses and in the Library on the Belfast campus.  Each campus has an information team who are on hand to help and guide you through the resources available and will assist with your enquiries.

Recruitment and Career Events

A series of general and sector-specific careers fairs are held on all campuses throughout the year.  Career fairs are an excellent way to meet with employers and further study providers to find out about the opportunities they have to offer.  There is a full series of career workshops, competitions and challenges which run throughout the year which will help you to develop and improve your employability skills.  Many of these activities include input from employers, offering you an in-depth insight into possible career pathways.

Work Experience Programmes and Opportunities

Securing relevant work experience is the best way to boost your employability.  The CDC team will support you in your search for experience that will make a real difference to your short and long-term career success.  Whether a year-long placement, summer or graduate internship, part-time or volunteering opportunity we will help you find the right opportunity.  You can access the guidance you need through our drop-in advice service.

International Work Opportunities

Every year the CDC team sees the difference that international work experience makes to students’ confidence, skills, ambition and overall employability.  We can help you find the right opportunities for your future and can provide advice and information that will help you make the right decision.

Employment Opportunities

Through the careers section of the student portal you can access our online resources that advertise graduate jobs, year-long placement opportunities, part-time jobs, summer and graduate internships, volunteering opportunities and international work opportunities.

EDGE and EDGE Excel Award

The EDGE Award is open to full-time and part-time undergraduate students at Ulster.  The Award has been designed to enhance your employability by providing official recognition and evidence of activities outside your programme of study.  It is taken in addition to your degree and it is free to enrol.  To achieve the award you can choose from a wide range of activities to enhance your career prospects and also to show future employers you are committed to developing your personal and professional skills.

If you go the extra mile to enhance your employability, you may qualify for the EDGE Excel Award.  This award provides recognition for those students who have excelled in the amount of activities that they have engaged with outside of their degree programme.

To achieve the EDGE Award – you need to complete 4 activities which are NOT all from the same category.

To achieve the EDGE Excel Award – you need to complete 6 activities from across 3 categories.

When you graduate from Ulster, the EDGE or EDGE Excel Award will appear on your official transcript, find out more at: http://edge.ulster.ac.uk/

Personal Development Planning

Personal Development Planning (PDP) is a process designed to assist you to get the most from your time at University and help you to plan and reflect upon the knowledge and skills you are developing.   It will record your progress as you plan activities to enhance your skill-set, assisting with career planning and increasing your employability.  The Professional and Career Enhancement (PACE) system has been developed to help you record all your achievements in one place.  The system is secure, confidential and user friendly and enables you to:

• Link to the Student Record System
• Record and store evidence, thoughts and plans
• Create career, personal and academic action plans
• Communicate with Course Teams
• Check exam results
• Build multiple CVs
• Maintain a Personal Journal/Diary
• Create and share an e-portfolio

Where you will find us

There is a CDC on each campus.

Facebook. (facebook.com/CareersatUlster)

Twitter (@CareersatUlster) are available for you to keep up-to-date with a wide range of careers news, events and opportunities.

Telephone contacts:

Belfast                          028 9036 7341

Jordanstown                028 9036 6247

Coleraine                     028 7012 4381

Magee                          028 7167 5600