KPMG delivered an employability session to Access to Health and Social Care and Access to Science students at Southwark College. The session was geared towards enhancing interview techniques for employment and for university interviews.
KPMG is a global firm, offering audit, tax and advisory services and delivered the employability session as part of their social mobility action plan, to bridge the employment gap within society and provide opportunities to people across all socio-economic backgrounds.
During the session, students heard from KPMG representatives about the skills employers are looking for and how they can better prepare to standout on interviews by showcasing their personal strengths. They also participated in a discussion on applying for roles within the NHS and CV writing techniques. Top tips for CV creation were also shared, including tailoring qualifications and work experience to the organisations they are applying to.
Students were also made aware of the importance of having a LinkedIn profile and how employability is enhanced through meaningful connections within the Healthcare and Science industry.
The session ended with students learning interview skills, such as the STAR method, a structured manner of responding to a behavioral-based interview question, which stands for specific situation, task, action and result. With support from KPMG, students were able to apply the method to role-playing interviews which followed shortly after.
Rajaa Arnaout, Access to Science student, said: “My dream job is to become a biomedical scientist and I think this employability session has been of great help to me. Hearing from experienced professionals was beneficial as we learned more about building our CV's and the world of employability. I also learned how to answer interview questions in an appropriate manner and how to play on my strengths to standout on interviews. I feel more confident to start applying these tips to my applications.”
Southwark College has a dedicated Employability Hub hosted in partnership with top employers and organisations across London to support students gain the additional skills they need in the workplace and develop the knowledge needed to further their professional careers. For more information, visit southwark.ac.uk/student-services/employability
Access to Higher Education Diplomas in Science and Health and Social Care offer an alternative route into university. These courses are ideal, if you are looking to retrain for a new career, upskill in your current profession or return to education as a mature student. To find out more, visit southwark.ac.uk/access-to-he
