UWS offers focused support to realise students’ ambitions
Economic Transformation in our Nation
Universities have a strong culture of delivery which aligns closely with the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation. We’ve curated a set of 19 stories to show how universities support people, businesses, industries and Scotland’s regions towards economic transformation.
Equipping students with the skills needed to succeed
Christina Mitchell is a student at the University of the West of Scotland and a participant of ASPIRE, the University’s new skills-focused curriculum, integrated within many degree programmes.
ASPIRE stands for Academic, Social and Professional skills for Innovation, Reflection and Endeavour. The University offers the ASPIRE curriculum to its students from the start of their degree, providing a tailored approach to their academic, professional and personal development.
ASPIRE is a set of modules that help the University to support its students to shape and chart their own unique path, based on their goals and ambitions. It offers students the chance to shape their University experience, while focusing on developing their skills and employability alongside their degree. It is a core part of the University’s Strategy 2025, which is focused on providing inspiring, career-focused teaching, that improves the lives of those who study at UWS, enabling them to improve the lives of others.
Christina’s personal experience of ASPIRE confirms the focus on career goals and skills development. Christina said:
“ ASPIRE gives me the opportunity to develop useful skills which can be transferred into any career path. I get to define my own long and short-term goals and set out personal objectives with the help of my ASPIRE advisor to ensure I achieve them. ASPIRE helps me plan how I’m going to accomplish my long-term ambitions and gives me the opportunity to develop life skills, crucial for my university journey and future career.”
The ASPIRE programme recognises that the modern workplace is constantly evolving and offers students the chance to focus on developing existing skills, whilst nurturing a range of competencies and attributes that are highly sought-after by employers, such as research skills; communication; leadership; entrepreneurship; academic and writing skills; team working; and digital literacies.
ASPIRE – the student experience from UWS on Vimeo.
Christina added:
“I’ve felt extremely supported. To anyone about to take part in ASPIRE: in the near future, when you graduate and are looking to embark on your career, you’ll be extremely grateful that you already have some of the skills that I certainly didn’t have, which might put you above others when it comes to getting that perfect job.”
Over a third of graduates from the University of the West of Scotland go into careers in the industries of human health and social work – highlighting the strong and direct contribution its graduates make as key workers. According to the Graduate Outcomes Survey, the University of the West of Scotland educates 45 per cent of all of Scotland’s midwives; 24 per cent of adult nurses; 24 per cent of our mental health nurses; 17 per cent of social workers.
Key Points:
National Strategy for Economic Transformation theme: Skilled workforce
Institution: University of the West of Scotland
Location: Glasgow
- ASPIRE is the University’s approach to a skills-focused curriculum. careers-focused teaching. Over a third of graduates from the University of the West of Scotland go into careers in the industries of human health and social work.
- ASPIRE nurtures a range of competencies and attributes in UWS students that are highly sought-after by employers.