Employability post-Covid: What Employers are telling us
At The Manchester College we hold regular Industry Boards with our employer partners to discuss the latest skills trends, gain industry insights and to create even more opportunities for our students to experience industry first-hand and become work-ready.
As we move towards recovery in a post-Covid world, here are some of the interesting points and tips our employers have shared with us over the past few months:
1) Look out for so-called “hidden jobs” and new “green” jobs that don’t yet exist, particularly as the UK moves to net zero, place-based de-carbonisation, low-carbon heating and de-carbonising the built environment. Young people in particular will want to work for companies who commit to green recovery – there will be government funding for these enterprises so new jobs will be available – particularly in Greater Manchester.
Tip: Find out more about careers in Sustainability and ‘Net Zero’
2) Sectors are overlapping as technology advances e.g. Digital students will have career opportunities in Construction - such as in software development, gaming and modelling.
Tip: Consider using your skills in a transferable way in an industry you might not have considered; particularly those linked to GM priorities such as Construction or Healthcare Science.
3) Skills and experience of bid writing and pitching for funding are highly desirable for careers in the Arts and Cultural sectors.
Tip: Think about including some of this focus in your work experience and take opportunities in your studies to present your ideas to others. Taking part in employer-led competitions often involves presenting or selling an idea to a panel – a good way to develop useful skills if you’re thinking about this kind of career path.
4) Creativity, teamwork and problem-solving are top “soft” skills which employers require.
Tip: Make sure you can show evidence of these, with some concrete examples from College or work experience, in preparation for any job interview. Speak to your Careers Advisor for support with writing your CV or preparing for a virtual interview.
5) Together with “soft skills”, digital competencies are key – even in the Care professions! In the Arts sector, for example, using digital media allows you to pitch ideas or display your work in an alternative way.
Tip: Why not use your work experience or industry placement to develop your analytical skills: Which tasks involve making sense of data, for example? Is there an automated aspect to your chosen industry you could get familiar with?
At The Manchester College our work with employers remains crucial in helping equip our students with the skills they need for a better future. We are all in this together!
For any questions around work experience, please contact the Employability & Partnerships team on workexperience@tmc.ac.uk. You can also speak to a Careers Advisor on campus or email careers&welfare@tmc.ac.uk.