Accelerate your future

Skills development workshops and resources
Group of students high-fiving in a workshop
Do you enjoy interactive learning in peer groups? Or do you prefer learning online in your own time? Whatever your degree, stage, skills or learning style, our workshops, webinars and digital resources are here to help you to improve your employability and develop a fulfilling career. Our advisers are on hand all year round so do not hesitate to ask for further support.
 
Our skills development workshops and webinars will equip you with knowledge, develop your skills, and improve your confidence when career planning, job searching, and applying for opportunities. The workshops are suitable for students and graduates on any course at any stage. Most sessions are one hour long and are delivered in person or virtually via Zoom.
Our regular core workshops are listed below. For our full offer and times, please visit our calendar on myCareer.
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Accelerate Skills Development digital badge

Joining our series of workshops not only enhances your skills but also demonstrates your commitment to professional development. By attending and completing the workshops, you can earn a digital badge to evidence your engagement.
To earn the badge, you must complete four Accelerate workshops — at least two of which must be live (either in-person or virtual, bookable via myCareer) — with the remaining sessions completed through recorded workshops in the Accelerate pathway online.
Digital badges are the future of recognising skills and can help you to explain your strengths, share your achievements and stand out from the crowd.
Accelerate badge (gif - no background colour)

Accelerate workshops

CVs and applications

This session will walk you through the process of how to structure that all-important CV and how to target it towards the role you are applying for. We will also provide guidance on writing a cover letter and supporting statement so you can find out what to include and how to get yourself noticed. You will also have an opportunity to shortlist CV examples for a fictional job to learn how your applications are being scored by the employer.
"Every aspect of a CV was covered and we were able to ask our questions too. The shortlisting exercise was fab – I never knew how CVs and applications were scored and shortlisted!"

Master LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network and has become a key tool to help you market yourself effectively to potential employers. In this session, you will gain knowledge of how LinkedIn can benefit you and how to use it to network effectively and get tips on how to increase your connections, reach employers and use LinkedIn with greater confidence.
"I knew nothing about LinkedIn before the webinar and now I have a knowledge of how to set up a profile and connect with people and companies. The intimidation of the social platform has been reduced and I feel confident that I can use it to my advantage."

Preparing for interviews effectively

In this workshop, you will explore the best ways to prepare for an interview across many different formats, including video, telephone and face to face. We will cover the types of interview questions you can expect to be asked and how best to answer these questions, as well as how to present yourself.
"Our host was brilliant as she provided lots of useful content on how to answer tough interview questions. She also introduced STAR which was a really good and easy way to structure your answer for an interview question."

Selling your skills

Make applying for jobs a lot easier for yourself! Join this session to learn how to identify and effectively communicate what you can do. You’ll leave with a step-by-step process to follow, which will provide you with relevant and sharp content for your CV, job applications, and answers for job interviews.
A very informative session that improved my understanding of the key things that employers are looking for (knowledge, skills, strengths, and values). Plus, an example of how to evidence a required skill was really helpful.

Decision making

How we go about making decisions can have a real impact on our future. In this workshop you'll explore your own decision making process and how you can improve this to ensure you are making effective choices for yourself. You'll also explore the importance of a growth mindset and resilience in decision making, as well as what to look for when assessing whether an employer is right for you.​
"The decision making styles were really well explained and the advice on how to apply various approaches was very helpful. Discussion at the end was interesting and made the whole session even better!"

Considering postgraduate studies

If you considering postgraduate study and want to gain an understanding of what is involved, where to find information to make an informed decision, and what the financial implications and the application process are, then this workshop is for you.
"This workshop highlighted just how many options are available, the decision making process involved in choosing a course, and some useful weblinks."

Assessment centres and psychometric tests

Many large employers utilise online assessments as part of their selection processes for graduate jobs, placements and internships. Join this workshop to discover the types of assessments commonly used, how to perform well and get selected for an exciting graduate career.
"All aspects of the workshop were useful but the way employers score you was particularly interesting."
 

Online learning

MyCareer Digital Resources

All our digital career resources are available to you 24/7. Learn about your options for working and studying abroad using the Going Global platform. You can upload your CV for instant feedback on structure and grammar using CareerSet and practice your interview skills using Graduates First. And of course, Psychometric and Aptitude tests are available to you for free so you can start practicing for placement or graduate recruitment.

Pathways on MyCareer

Pathways are online short modules and learning tools created by careers professionals specifically for HE students who prefer self-directed learning to help them develop key skills and knowledge.
Like short online courses, pathways allow you to learn in your own time and at your own pace. Topics range from developing job-hunting techniques, such as building commercial awareness and strengthening your CV and interview techniques, to deep diving into careers such as UX design and product management. You will complete a series of activities including videos, quizzes and real-world activities.

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is an online educational platform that helps you discover and develop business, technology-related, and creative skills through expert-led course videos. With more than 5,000 courses and personalised recommendations, you can discover, complete, and track courses related to your field and interests.
As a University of Plymouth student, you have free access to LinkedIn learning and do not need a LinkedIn account to access it. You can also learn how to develop your LinkedIn Profile .

Your Development Toolkit

Your Development Toolkit offers more than 2,500 resources to help you develop your personal wellbeing and career skills. The toolkit resources have many formats including articles, videos, infographics, quizzes, and more. The team uses academic research, credible sources and expert advice to ensure that our advice is accurate and trustworthy.
If you are unsure where to start or need more individual support, book an Information & Advice Appointment with our advisers.

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