Employability

Brunel has always placed great emphasis on developing graduates who can innovate and implement, and who can add value to society through their industry.

Brunel students become the kind of graduates who employers want to recruit, and as a result they currently enjoy the 13th highest starting salaries in the UK.

This success is down to a several factors.

Combining academic study with work experience

78% of firms surveyed by the CBI in 2009 stated that employability skills developed during an industrial placement or other relevant work experience are the top priority for employment in business.

“I really can’t see why all students for whom a work placement is possible don’t take up the opportunity. It is win win, for the student, the University and the employer.” Ed Wilkes, Royal Mail

One of the most distinctive aspects of Brunel’s approach to undergraduate education, and a core commitment since our creation, has been the integration of extensive work experience into most of our courses.

Four-year sandwich courses help students to develop the practical knowledge and skills required to succeed in the competitive graduate job market.

Many of our courses incorporate a one-year block of work experience (a ‘thick’ sandwich) and others include two six-month periods (a ‘thin’ sandwich). Placements are usually paid, which compensates for the cost of an extra year’s study, and some students go on to take up permanent employment with their placement company after they graduate.

More about Brunel’s course structure

Creative and forward-looking subjects

The University’s strong research ethos feeds into our academic teaching, and that helps to keep course content up to date with the latest developments. It also means that the University can constantly refine and update its degrees to keep their content fresh and challenging.

An award-winning careers service

The Placement and Careers Centre (PCC) provides a high quality service that benefits students, graduates and employers. The PCC helps students in their career planning and provides resources and workshops to hone skills. The PCC co-ordinates work placements and helps with job interviews and applications. The PCC liaises closely with employers to maximise the opportunities both for students and graduates, and for the employers themselves.

The PCC was named Best Placement Service at the 2010 inaugural National Placement and Internship Awards, run by RateMyPlacement.co.uk and Forward Thinking Attitude to Work Based Learning at the 2011 awards.

Working while they study

There are other ways for students to build up employment skills. The PCC Job Shop helps hundreds of students to find part-time and vacation work on campus, in the local area, and with employers in the region. This is a valuable source of both income and experience, but an alternative way to gain unpaid work experience is via the University’s volunteering service.

PCC support for students
PCC support for employers

The entrepreneurial spirit

Brunel students and graduates bring not only hard work, practical skills and commitment to their careers but also creativity and a business spirit.The University was nominated for the Times Higher Education Entrepreneurial University of the Year Award in 2010 for very good reason.

Brunel won the Global Business Excellence Award, hosts successful in-house companies, maintains strategic business partnerships, and has won government commendations for its knowledge transfer strategy.

The Entrepreneurship Society, run by and for students, is one of the biggest in the University, and attracts external speakers from all across the business spectrum for debates and workshops.