Priority to Employment
At IST all our academic programmes are designed, delivered and supported in such a way as to reflect, clearly and directly, the employment prospects of our graduates. During their studies for a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at IST, students are prepared to enter the job market immediately and seek employment within their field of specialization. This is for IST both a priority as well as a commitment. We are very proud that 80% of our graduates find employment immediately after completing their studies.
The University of Hertfordhsire has also longstanding links with business, industry, public sector and professional organisations, and is committed to being the UK's leading business-facing University which means our students benefit from our drive to ensure that you, our graduates, are the first choice for employers. So, whatever you want to do - or if you're not quite sure yet - we'll do everything in our power to help you on your way to a happy and fulfilling future career.
Students are prepared methodically and progressively to enter the job market via the Job Opportunity Programme (JOP) which is aimed at orientating students towards their profession and allows them to develop the skills required when seeking employment. JOP also offers integrated preparation by making their qualifications more powerful and each student more competitive for the job market.
JOP offers help and co-ordinate the following sectors:
On The Job Training
Apart from the course work and research in actual conditions that you perform, you have the opportunity to participate in short or long term ‘On-the-Job-Training’ programmes with or without pay (usually in the summer), in the area of your specialisation, with businesses or organisations that co-operate with IST. It is worthwhile to note that in some programmes such as those of the Department of Computer Science (Informatics), there is provision for compulsory employment (placement) with organisations and businesses.
Annual Career Day
Every year, IST is visited by executives, representing various businesses and organisations. This offers students the opportunity to learn more about the mission of these companies and organisations. They undergo interviews in order to obtain information concerning their employment prospects and, in general, familiarise themselves with the procedures involved when seeking employment.
Seminars on Professional Skills
In addition to the teaching sessions which students attend, they also take part in a series of seminars related to professional skills (e.g. how to produce a curriculum vitae, interview techniques, participation in diagnostic tests etc). These seminars help students understand the need to increase their personal competitiveness and flexibility while seeking employment. The speakers of these seminars are invited from business consulting agencies who specialise in human resource management, members of the IST academic staff, lecturers from other institutions etc.
Advice on Continuing Studies
The success of your employment prospects is often dependent on obtaining postgraduate degrees, too. You may select some of the successful postgraduate programmes that we offer at ISTor you may seek another programme in Greece or abroad. We will support you throughout the search process and selection of the postgraduate programme that is best suited to your needs. These services are of advisory character and include the selection of a university programme, completion of applications and guidance with respect to the certification of English language skills.
Forwarding CVs to Potential Employers
The Career Office is responsible for the co-ordination of the JOP Programme. It maintains and regularly updates the database with CVs of both undergraduates and graduates and forwards them to companies interested in employing staff in various specialised fields.
