This is the opening image for the Propel module.

WHY DOES UCC CAREER SERVICES ADVISE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TO COMPLETE THE PROPEL MODULE BEFORE ARRIVING IN UCC?

The UCC Career Services is the main student support office at University College Cork (UCC) responsible for helping students in the university to turn their programme of study into a meaningful and successful career.

The Career Services International Student Working Group has been specifically set up to provide tailored support to international students of UCC to enhance their employability and careers in Ireland or abroad.

This Group works closely with international students and graduates of UCC to listen to the voices of our international students to understand their experience of accessing career opportunities in Ireland.

To this end, the project team have organised several surveys and focus groups with international students from different countries from a range of degree programmes in UCC or who had recently graduated and were working in Ireland.

We learned from successful international students and graduates that pre-entry preparation was key - the most successful students were those who arrived in UCC prepared with an understanding of the employment market in Ireland, what Irish employers are looking for, and how to engage with Irish employers.

As the graduate recruitment process in Ireland starts each year in September/October, it is important that our international students are prepared to make the most of the opportunities from the moment they arrive at UCC.

Watch the following video to hear what our students have to say on this topic.

WHAT IS THE PROPEL PRE-ENTRY EMPLOYABILITY MODULE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS?

As a result of this feedback from our international students and graduates, we created a module called the UCC PROPEL Pre-Entry Employability Module for International Students. The module covers three Units and prospective international students will work through each Unit in sequential order. It is important that all the content and videos in each Unit are completed before moving to the next Unit as the content builds on the knowledge of the previous Units.

Watch the following video for an introduction to Propel by Min, an international student of UCC.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES FOR YOU AS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT OF COMPLETING THE PROPEL PRE-ENTRY EMPLOYABILITY MODULE?

The 3 Units of the PROPEL Pre-Entry Employability Module are specifically tailored for international students planning on coming to UCC.

Unit 1 focuses on Workplace Readiness Skills for the Irish job market which is also a multi-cultural work environment. This unit starts with thinking about yourself! Developing self-awareness and self-reflection which is the foundation for improving your cultural intelligence, cross-cultural communication as well as professional resilience. This Unit will also help you to consider your own values and what you might need to work on or develop before you come to UCC as a student.

Unit 2 focuses on the Irish Jobs Market, what are the in-demand sectors and skills and what research you can do before you arrive in Ireland to approach your graduate market most successfully.

Unit 3 focuses on Prepare to Engage with Employers and gives you the opportunity to apply your learning from Unit 1 and Unit 2 and provides you with practical information on writing your targeted CV and LinkedIn profile, how to prepare for job interviews that are part of the recruitment and selection process in Ireland.

Having completed the 3 Units of the PROPEL Pre-Entry Employability Module, you will have achieved six important objectives towards building your career in Ireland. You will...:

Unit 1 Workplace Readiness Skills
Unit 2 Prepare for the Irish Job Market
Unit 3 Prepare to Engage with Employers

1.1 Work Readiness Skills: Learning Outcomes 1.2 Self Awareness for Self Confidence 1.3 Cultural Intelligence 1.4 Cross-Cultural Communication 1.5 Professional Resilience Unit 1 Learning Activity

2.1 Prepare for the Irish Job Market: Learning Outcomes 2.2 Test your knowledge of the Irish Job Market! 2.3 Graduate Opportunities in Ireland 2.4 Opportunities for Skilled Professionals in Ireland 2.5 Digital Tools for Dynamic Workforce Data 2.6 Skills and Attributes that Employers Want 2.7 "Start Your Own Business" Opportunities in Ireland Unit 2 Assignment

3.1 Prepare to Engage with Employers: Learning Outcomes

3.2 How Ready are You to Engage with Employers?
3.3 How Irish Employers Evaluate Candidates
3.4 Prepare Now to Engage with Employers
3.5 Build a Professional Online Presence Using Linkedin
3.6 Adapt Your CV and Cover Letter
3.7 Upload Your CV and Cover Letter for Realtime Feedback
3.8 Prepare for a Job Interview
3.9 Prepare for Competency-based Interviews
3.10 The STAR Interview Technique
3.11 Practise the STAR Interview Technique
Unit 3 Assignment

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