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Table 2 Identified categories and summary for Institution B

From: Focusing in on employability: using content analysis to explore the employability discourse in UK and USA universities

Institution B (Russell Group HEI, UK)

8

Page 1 – Information regarding the success of graduates from Institution A in the market place according to what employers want. Section entitled ‘graduate destinations.’

9

Page 2 – Information to support students in their time at the university entitled ‘skills and work experience’ – providing links directly students to various things they could do in this regard.

13

Page 3 – Page entitled ‘Institution B: anything is possible’ highlighting the resources available to the students. Opportunity to hear more from students and tutors.

4

Page 4 – Information from the careers service highlighting what is available to students and how they can be supported to gain skills, knowledge and experience

6

Page 5 – Strategic plan of institution from 2013 to 18

Summary

The first page points to a success story, and to the success of the institution which potentially sends a message to current and potential students that the institution is not just a place of academic excellence, but that high levels of employability are secured by graduates. The pages imply that the institution shows a good level of support and actively directs the student to things that are in place via links of tools and guidance that students might engage with to enhance their personal/professional development. Significantly, the tools are there to support students throughout their degree programmes and are not billed as ‘quick-fix’ solutions, but long-term, considered preparation which calls on students to take some responsibility for their employment preparation. Page 4 points to a link between the careers service and preparation for employability suggesting that the careers service is taking on a central role in supporting students. The strategic plan points towards the vision and priorities of the institution, although the link to employability and how it is catered for within that strategic plan is not explicitly clear.