Statement of service
See also What We Do For You for details about opening times, visiting us, contacting us and individual staff responsibilities.
The Careers and Employment Centre adheres to the Code of Practice on Guidance of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, which defines the professional principles for careers services in higher education. We also operate in accordance with the precepts of the Quality Assurance Agency's Code of Practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education: Career Education, Information and Guidance. Any agreement entered into by the Careers and Employment Centre with any organisation for the purpose of obtaining additional services or resources will not affect the impartiality of the Careers and Employment Centre.
In line with the various codes of practice under which we operate, all members of staff are trained appropriately for their job and undertake regular further training to update their professional knowledge and skills
See also our Mission and Values statement.
Students and graduates
Eligibility
-
Students currently enrolled at Oxford Brookes University
-
Graduates of Oxford Brookes university for up to three years after graduating
- From May 2009 - October 2010 ECIF funding has been made available for us to extend our services to all unemployed graduates (from any year and any university) residing in Oxfordshire.
-
Brookes students who have withdrawn or been withdrawn from a course for whatever reason for up to three months after withdrawal
Services to students and graduates from other institutions
| |
Guidance interview |
Email and telephone guidance |
Website |
Information room |
| Graduates from other HEIs |
Yes - on payment of a £10 annual fee
|
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Students currently enrolled at other HEIs |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Oxford Brookes students and graduates can expect us to provide:
- individual confidential drop-in slots
- help with locating relevant and up-to-date information on occupations, further study opportunities, vacation work, voluntary work, employers and graduate vacancies
- help with applications, interviews and aptitude testing, and with the development of transferable skills, often through workshops
- a user-friendly website which delivers information and relevant links effectively.
- a range of careers education workshops which may be delivered directly by the Careers and Employment Centre or via academic schools
Clients may be referred to other appropriate agencies with their consent; examples include other Student Services and other HE careers advisory services. The Careers and Employment Centre is committed to confidentiality. Personal information is available to Careers and Employment Centre staff for operational purposes, but no information is disclosed to external parties (including employers) without consent. Records are destroyed two years after an interaction.
More details of services are given on our website and in various leaflets available in the Careers and Employment Centre.
We expect students and graduates:
- to keep appointments for interviews and booked events, and to let us know in advance if unable to do so
- to complete any form or do any reasonable preparation they are requested to do before interview or group work
- to conduct themselves in a reasonable and responsible manner in their dealings with employers
- to respond to requests for information on what they are doing shortly after graduation.
Employers
The Oxford Brookes Careers Centre and Employment Centre endeavours to provide a comprehensive service to all employers. This includes relationships with volunteer organisations seeking student volunteers. Details are given on the
employer pages of our website.
Services include provision of comprehensive recruitment facilities, such as:
• advertising vacancies;
• organising fairs, presentations, workshops, interviews.
We encourage employers to:
• adhere to the most recent guidelines agreed between AGCAS and the
Association of Graduate Recruiters (
Best Practice in Graduate Recruitment)
• Ensure their activities subscribe to equal opportunities, minimum wage and other relevant employment legislation
Recruitment Intermediaries
In compliance with the Best Practice Guidelines we will only advertise specific vacancies that exist. We will require the employer name (in confidence) on whose behalf you are recruiting.
We reserve the right to challenge recruitment or selection practices not considered to be in the best interests of students or graduates.
The Careers and Employment Centre aims to support the development of students' employability and to keep staff informed about the state of the employment market.
We will support academic staff by providing:
- talks and skills development sessions for students
- information on the graduate labour market and on the destinations of Oxford Brookes graduates
- assistance to employers wishing to make contact with academic departments
- guidance for individual students referred by staff.
In return we ask departments to:
- help us with getting careers information to students
- provide slots in the teaching timetable for agreed talks and events
- help us obtain information on destinations
- keep us up-to-date with course and other developments in the department.
- Details are given on the university staff pages of our website.
Feedback, compliments and complaints
The Careers and Employment Centre welcomes feedback. Students and other clients can provide feedback by various means, including questionnaires, an online form and via email to careers@brookes.ac.uk
Feedback, including compliments and complaints, is reviewed at least once a semester at a Careers and Employment Centre staff meeting and, where appropriate, acted upon.
Complaints should initially be passed to the Head of Service, Lorna Froud. Unresolved complaints will be referred to the Head of Student Services. The University’s complaints procedures are also available to current students.
This Statement of Service is reviewed annually and is supported by various policy documents:
Employer,
Information, Client Contact & Marketing,
Signposting,
Monitoring and Feedback