As part of my action research project to design a Careers Support for Foundation students at UAL Pre-Degree College, I recently conducted three interviews with key colleagues from the pre-degree school. The aim of these interviews was multi-fold:
- To build connections with staff who could support the initiation and implementation of my project.
- To understand the specific needs of Foundation students in relation to careers support.
- To explore how and when careers conversations could best be embedded into the Foundation year.
- To gather insights into barriers, opportunities, and ideas for an impactful Careers Day.
In preparing for these interviews, I shared a set of structured questions in advance to help focus the discussions, touching on employability skills, potential barriers, and ways to align the Careers Day with the current curriculum. The responses provided a wealth of qualitative data, which I analyzed thematically to identify trends and actionable insights for the Careers Day prototype. The feedback has been invaluable as I start shaping a program that addresses the needs of students and how my project could benefit the broader institutional goals, including improving the school’s Ofsted rating and conversion rate from Foundation to BA enrolment.
Thematic Analysis: Key Trends and Insights
For the thematic analysis of the Foundation staff interviews, I carefully reviewed the interview notes and identified recurring language and ideas that appeared across all three discussions. I looked for patterns in the responses, noting specific terms, concepts, and issues that were raised by the staff. By grouping these recurring ideas together, I was able to uncover the key themes that were central to their views on Foundation students’ career support needs.
1. Career Awareness and Early Industry Insights
A significant theme across all interviews was the need to introduce career awareness and industry insights early in the Foundation year. Many students, particularly those exploring creative careers for the first time, lack clarity on what roles exist in the creative industries and what paths might align with their skills.
- Claire highlighted that “students need to see the breadth of creative roles early on to give them direction and motivation.”
- Trudi emphasized the value of entry-level speakers: “Hearing from creatives in modest early roles could provide a realistic view of sustaining a creative career.”
These perspectives align with my previous blog post on social justice (available here), where I discussed the importance of diverse narratives in career education. The Creative Industries Federation’s recent study on inequality in the creative sector also reinforces this need, highlighting how working-class young people are often excluded due to a lack of access to relatable role models and career pathways.
2. Practical Skill Development: Portfolios, CVs, and Intellectual Property
Another strong theme was the importance of practical workshops to help students build foundational employability skills. All three interviewees identified CV writing, portfolio development, and understanding intellectual property (IP) as critical areas.
- Claire suggested including termly workshops, with a focus on “portfolios and CVs in spring and professional practice with IP in summer.”
- Trudi recommended sessions on online promotion and protecting IP, noting, “These are essential skills for students entering the creative industries.”
This feedback aligns with my previous research on embedding employability skills early, such as the frameworks outlined in Cole and Tibby’s work on employability (2021). These workshops would not only equip students with practical tools but also boost their confidence in presenting themselves professionally.
3. Engaging Formats: Speakers, Panels, and Research Skills
The structure and format of the Careers Day were discussed extensively, with interviewees favoring interactive, student-centered approaches.
- Trudi advocated for panels featuring “entry-level creatives, apprenticeships, and side hustlers” to provide tangible examples of early creative careers.
- Christopher suggested “workshops on how to research jobs and where to look,” as well as collective discussions on networking and self-promotion.
Both approaches emphasize the importance of interactive and practical learning formats that encourage student engagement. These formats align with Jackson and Bridgstock’s research, which highlights how experiential career education supports professional identity development and confidence building.
4. Barriers to Engagement
A recurring theme was the barriers that may prevent Foundation students from engaging with career support.
- Financial pressures: Trudi noted that some students may feel overwhelmed by the costs of further study and need support in finding work during their Foundation year.
- Perceptions of relevance: Christopher highlighted that students need to see the immediate value of career conversations: “It has to focus on relevance to current students and their journey as Foundation students.”
- International student context: Trudi pointed out that many international students plan to return home, making it essential to tailor advice that reflects their global career needs.
These barriers also relate to this recent report by The Guardian, which highlights how working-class young people often feel excluded from the creative industries due to systemic inequalities and a lack of accessible support. Embedding career conversations earlier could help address these issues by making employability resources more visible and creative careers more relatable and accessable.
5. Timing and Structure
When asked about the optimal timing for careers support, all interviewees agreed that termly touchpoints would be most effective:
- Autumn Term: Introducing career awareness and promoting the Careers Day through events like a stand at the Progression Fair.
- Spring Term: Practical workshops on CVs, portfolios, and applications, supporting progression to UAL or alternative routes.
- Summer Term: Focus on exit strategies, such as self-promotion, IP, and navigating the creative industries after Foundation.
Claire added that careers support could positively impact conversion rates from Foundation to UAL undergraduate programs: “If students see UAL is supportive with careers, they may feel more inclined to progress to a BA here.” And Claire, Trudi and Christopher all emphasized that embedding careers support would also enhance the college’s Ofsted rating, aligning with the framework’s focus on employability.
Next Steps: Applying Insights from Interviews
The insights from these interviews has been vital to develop careers support tailored to Foundation student, with a focus on career awareness, practical skill-building, and engaging formats. These thematic findings will shape the program structure and content, ensuring it aligns with student needs and addresses possible barriers. Additionally having a better understanding of how my ARP could support the schools wider goals, including conversion rates and Ofsted requirements, will support my presentation to C&E management and make a case for funding.