UK Employers out of touch with Generation Facebook

Employers who impose strict policies against the use of social networking tools designed for business are at risk of alienating ‘Generation Facebook’ from joining their organisation. Nearly half (47.8%) of younger workers (aged 16 – 24) claim they would not work for companies who impose such measures, according to new research from "hyphen", the recruitment solutions provider.

The research finds that the use of online networking sites such as LinkedIn while at work is now an expected norm for younger people. Nearly two thirds (58.7%) of ‘Generation Facebook’ believe that having access to social networking tools at work actually increases their effectiveness as an employee.

The research also suggests that employer concerns over employees wasting time on social networking sites could be ill – founded with over half (55.5%) of the total workforce claiming to spend less than 10 minutes a day on their personal affairs and, of this, close to a third (31.3%) not spending any time at all using social media for personal use during work time.

GETSMAART NEWSLETTER/E-MAG

Welcome to the latest GetSmaart Newsletter

We have just put the finishing touches to the brand new issue of Smaart Talent and it's now online! Click here to launch our great ditigal e-mag. This issue has great information on becoming 

• a sports coach,
• a lawyer,
• a teacher
• an accountant.

 Hope you enjoy, and don't forget tell anyone who you think might find the info useful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lord Mayor of London Scholarships

Many Universities are offering scholarships to students who are high achievers - the following is an example from the City University London

"The Lord Mayor of London Scholarships are worth up to £3,000 a year for UK and EU students starting an undergraduate course of study at City in September 2012.

To qualify, students will need to attain grades AAB or above at A-level (excluding General Studies) or equivalent qualifications*. All qualifying applicants will automatically be awarded the Scholarship in January 2013. The value of the Scholarship will depend on A-Level (or equivalent) results and course of study. Students who maintain a high level of academic performance at City will continue to be rewarded each year. The Scholarship will not be means tested or offset against your tuition fee."

Graduate unemployment drops for the first time since the start of the recession

For most UK graduates employment is steadily increasing, unemployment is slowly decreasing and those in graduate level jobs has reached a record high, according to research published this week by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU).

HECSU’s annual, What Do Graduates Do? reports the destinations of full and part-time first degree graduates, six months after leaving university in 2010:

• 284,160 students graduated in 2010 with a first degree – a 3.6% increase on last year

• 69.7% (163,090 graduates) were in employment – a 7.9% increase on 2009 graduates

• Unemployment has gone down from 8.9% to 8.5% (19,785 graduates)

• Record number (100,265 or 63.4%) secured graduate level jobs – a 9.2% increase

The figures show recovery in business and financial services with 7.5% of graduates working in these occupations, the same as that recorded in 2008. Marketing, sales and advertising was the occupational group that saw the largest percentage jump in graduates in 2010. 31% more graduates entered these roles in 2010 compared to the previous year, fuelled by an upturn in graduate recruitment in advertising and digital media.

After reporting poor employment prospects for architecture and building management graduates in the 2009 and 2010 editions of What Do Graduates Do?, the 2011 edition reports an improvement with 73.2% in employment and a decrease in unemployment - from 10.9% in 2010 to 9.5%. (More architecture and building management graduates found work this year as quantity surveyors, building surveyors, architectural technicians and assistants and town planners

Gap Year Competition - Africa & Asia Venture is 18!

This year AV, the gap year volunteer organisation turns 18 and, just like our volunteers, we've decided to celebrate! AV was established in 1993 and our first group set off in 1994. Since then over 5,500 volunteers from all around the world have together contributed more than 1,200 man-years of voluntary work on AV's projects, varying in duration from five weeks to five months.

 

In celebration of our 18th birthday, we are offering people the chance to win a place on any one of AV's projects starting no later than 1 September 2013. Included in the prize - which is worth up to £3,490 / approx US$ 5,235 - is all pre-departure information and support, an in-country induction course, accommodation and meals during the project phase, 24/7 in-country back-up etc. The offer does not include flights, visas, travel insurance and spending money.

To Enter...

Simply tell us exactly why you want to volunteer with AV! Take a look at AV's website (www.aventure.co.uk), then complete the following statement in no more than 100 words and e-mail it to av@aventure.co.uk: - "I would like to volunteer in the developing world with Africa & Asia Venture (AV) because...."

Entrants must also provide their name, e-mail address, date of birth, country of residence and how / where they heard of AV. The competition is open to anyone anywhere in the world aged 18-25 at the start date of the chosen project. Entries must be received by AV no later than midnight (GMT) on 29 February 2012. Terms and conditions apply.

Questions?

Please contact Africa & Asia Venture on: +44 (0)1380 729009; av@aventure.co.uk; www.aventure.co.uk.

Welcome to Long Road Sixth Form College

A big welcome to all visiting parents, guardians and potential students at this year's Open Evenings.  We hope you have a informative and inspiring visit.  If you have any questions with a Careers focus, please do come and see me in the Learning and Resource Centre (LRC), where I will be available to offer support.

Andy Goodwin
Careers Manager

Frontier - Gap Year Organisation - visit to college

For all students who are interested in taking a Gap Year after college, please note that "FRONTIER" will be visiting the college on 15th November, and setting up an exhibition stand in the B corridor (just up from Reception). 

What do they do?  Well, amongst other things, they can tell you about how to Explore Central America or travel the vast and exotic continent of Southeast Asia, and much, much more on a Frontier adventure travel experience!   You may even have a unique and intimate encounter with some of the most sensational landscapes and countries on Earth.


This will be an excellent chance to find out more information about how their programme works; the kind of projects you can get involved in, where you can go, what others have done before you, and the costs.