University of Exeter: Careers and your future

One of the main reasons for going to university, in addition to studying a subject you are passionate about, is to get a great job after graduating. At the University of Exeter, 92% of graduates are in or due to start employment or further study fifteen months after graduation.*

At Exeter University, our programmes include opportunities to spend time in industry in the UK and abroad, and modules on employability are included in all of our degree programmes.

Careers support starts from the moment you register at Exeter, throughout the duration of your studies, to graduation and beyond, for as long as it is needed.

Career Zones, which are physical hubs at the Streatham and Penryn campuses, and are also available digitally, provide help with all stages of career planning. From helping a student find which sector they are interested in, or the career options linked to a particular degree, advice and guidance is provided to match skills and interests to a suitable career. Our team of experts run a comprehensive programme of events to prepare you to compete in the job market, from helping to develop entrepreneurship skills to supporting applications and interview practice. They have strong links with hundreds of international, national and regional employers that they invite to give talks, attend careers fairs or offer internships and work experience.

The Career Zone has partnered with Handshake, a career development platform which allows students and graduates to discover employers and opportunities, submit applications and book places at careers fairs and other events.

Recognising that everything you do socially, academically and in the workplace can make you more employable, CV-enhancing opportunities such as foreign language courses, work and study abroad, volunteering and parttime work are also available.

The Exeter Award and the Exeter Leaders Award are designed to recognise these extra-curricular achievements. They will help students develop the skills and attributes that graduate employers are looking for and also give students the confidence to demonstrate them.

Economics graduate Emily said, “The Career Zone has offered me great support in my applications and confidence in my interview techniques throughout my time at Exeter. In the first year, I attended a lot of CV, cover letter and career development events run through the Career Zone with companies themselves coming in, which I went on to apply to. With sponsored events and fairs, it was a great way to start developing my networking skills as well as get a flavour for the variety of roles on offer after my undergraduate study. As well as external applications, I also completed the Exeter Award and became a Career Zone Information Assistant in my third year to become more involved with the support the Career Zone offers to students.” www.exeter.ac.uk/students/careers