Personal Development Programme
This programme enhances student motivation for learning in general and for "employability" in particular. A range of skills, to this end, are developed through seminars, careers evening, a workbook, online material and/or mentoring. The programme may or may not be assessed as part of the curriculum.
- Aim of the Programme
- Objectives of the Programme
- Disciplines delivering the Personal Development Programme
- Programme Design includes some or all of the following:
- Integration of Transferable Skills into the Curriculum
- Further Information
Aim of the Programme
To identify the most effective ways of enhancing student motivation for learning in general and for "employability" in particular, which encourages the clarification and attainment of each individual's personal objectives through a process of planning, experience and reflection.
Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own career development and to take advantage of the opportunities available to them. In College opportunities may come through academic work and membership of clubs and societies and, outside of College, through work experience.
Objectives of the Programme
The programme sets out to develop within the curriculum the following set of skills generic across all disciplines, which would help the student to respond to the changing needs of employers and to support their career planning activities into the future:
- Knowing yourself : Identifying values, skills, interests and other personal attributes. Reviewing previous experience and analysing these components in the form of a summary statement or record.
- Researching opportunities for employment and further study: Seeking and assessing relevant information. Identifying sources of help and support.
- Decision-making: Obtaining feedback on ideas for careers development. Identifying personal priorities and constraints. Integrating self-assessment with the options available.
- Goal-setting and taking action: Writing and implementing an action plan. Communicating effectively orally and in writing to achieve objectives. Reviewing progress and identifying learning points.
Departments / Courses who collaborate in delivering the Personal Development Programme
The full PDP programme, which is run in collaboration with disciplines, includes a combination of seminars, online tools, a workbook (known as the PCDR), careers evenings / talks by alumni and in Germanic Studies, mentoring.
The full PDP programme is being delivered collaboratively in the following disciplines:
- Physics
- Physiology
- Psychology
The following disciplines have integrated sections of the PDP programme into their skills development programmes and these are generally delivered by a Careers Adviser:
- Management Science and Information Studies
- Nursing & Midwifery
- Occupational Therapy
- Physiotherapy
- Radiation Therapy
Elements of the programme are also delivered by Careers Advisers in the following disciplines:
- Civil Engineering
- Classics
- Computer Science
- Germanic Studies
- Hebrew, Biblical & Theological Studies
- History of Art
- Mechanical Engineering
- Music
Programme Design
The programme is a partnership arrangement between the Careers Advisory Service and Schools for the development and delivery of appropriate materials through five main series of activities:
The five main elements in the personal Development Programme are detailed below:
Seminars
- These are similar to those run for all students in the Careers Service but are tailored to meet the needs of each individual discipline. They are generally run in class time and include topics such as assessing your strengths, decision-making, CV & application forms, and interview techniques.
- For more information on seminars and the reflective portfolio for each of the PDP courses above see the relevant "Your Degree ... What Next?".
Careers Evenings
- Organised in collaboration with the discipline, Careers Evenings involve 4-6 former students of your discipline speaking informally about the career choices they have made.
- Graduates speak about their experiences since leaving College and advise students in their final year on preparing for the world of work. A broad range of graduate jobs are represented.
- Penultimate and final year students are specifically invited but all students are welcome to attend.
Mentoring
What is Mentoring?- Mentoring occurs when there is a relationship between two people for the purpose of passing on knowledge, experience and offering advice.
- The mentor shares his/her personal experiences, advises, guides and informs the mentee.
- The mentors are graduates who have worked for a number of years and have been identified as role models by the discipline.
- The mentors and mentees meet at least three times over one academic year.
- Mentoring is available in many of the constituent departments of the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies i.e. Centre for European Studies, French, Germanic Studies, Hispanic Studies, Irish and Italian.
- Mentoring is also available in the School of Histories and Humanities - Departments of Classics, History and History of Art & Architecture.
Students' Views of Mentoring:
Below are comments from previous mentees:
"It was useful to discover that studying languages can lead to a wide range of career areas." Lucy, SF TSM
"It was helpful to talk to someone who had a degree and was now pursuing a very different avenue career-wise. I received tips on how to improve my CV." Caroline SF Business Studies & German.
"My mentor recommended some very useful changes with regard to my approach to university life, in particular with regard to my CV." Kate, SF TSM
"Simply talking through different options with my mentor has helped me to reach a few decisions regarding future careers. She has been very helpful in advising me about getting published and providing information on journalism." Laura, SS TSM
"It was great to gain an insight into the professional world that I am keen to move into." Conor, SF Law & German
"I have thought about what I would like and not like from my career; my mentor was very helpful in giving advice and practical ideas." Fidelma JS TSM
VACWORK
Career related summer work experience which is available to Junior Sophisters (3rd year students). For more information see VACWORK.
Integration of Transferable Skills into the Curriculum
In collaboration with Careers Services in Dublin City University, Waterford Institute of Technology, the Careers Service of Trinity College was successful in receiving funding from the HEA under the Strategic Initiative Scheme for three consecutive years for this project.
The aim was to increase undergraduate students’ awareness and acquisition of a range of transferable skills, by explicitly integrating these skills into the academic curriculum. This meant assisting students in making a greater connection between what is learned in the classroom and what is used after graduation. In College the participating disciplines are Germanic Studies and Italian. Resource materials have been developed for use by the academic and career service communities. Further information is available at the project website.
A 2009 survey of Biotechnology companies in Ireland & Europe identifies 26 skills useful for students. A flyer has been developed to help you identify scenarios / examples in your life that you can use to demonstrate these skills - useful when preparing your CV and interviews.
Further Information
Contact your Departmental Careers Liaison Officer or the Careers Advisory Service for further details on the Personal Development Programme.
