Your weekly blog on the whats, whys and hows of amazing Employability

Introduction: 4 things you need to know

1) What is it?

Employability refers to your ability to gain initial employment and maintain employment. It means having a set of skills, knowledge and understanding of what employers require and recognising your personal attributes.

2) How can I develop it? 

The best way to develop your employability is to go on a work placement, do some volunteering or take on some paid work; any kind of employment will do. The trick is to see that experience in terms of your transferable skills and overall capability. No employment is ever a waste of time.

3) What do employers want?

Organisations are looking for people they can train to develop the skills required for the job but they need young people with general employability skills too; they want them to demonstrate these skills in their applications, at interviews and in the work role.

In a recent study, employers identified the top three skills they require in a young person just starting out, as:

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Confidence

4) What help is available? 

The Manchester College now has a team of Employability and Partnership Coordinators dedicated to finding quality work placements and work-related activities for students. Each coordinator is assigned to a particular Curriculum area and is specialised in preparing and matching each student to the right placement for them. More information on this and all aspects of Employability can be found on the College Moodle platform. 

Follow this BLOG for weekly articles on all aspects of amazing Employability and how to maximise yours.