This session outlines an employability initiative developed to support international students whilst studying in the UK. The project draws upon pedagogy of experiential collaborative learning including play-based workshop activities and a job interview practice game. Activities enable students to exchange insights about past work and job-hunting experience and for mutual benefit in a way that is relevant to the labour markets and occupations they seek to enter. Drawing on the concepts of liminality the project has explored ways of helping students integrate western recruitment practices with culturally relevant insights so they can create a suitable employment pathway as they either return to their host country to seek work in other destinations.
Initial findings suggest these knowledge-sharing processes provide students with contextually-rich insights into global employer recruitment and selection processes. This enhances career development skills including greater self-awareness handling interview questions and builds confidence as well as signposting to additional resources. The session will be useful for anyone involved with academic advisement employability or with an interest in alternative pedagogies.
