We’re proud to celebrate the news that we have been recognised with the University of Hertfordshire in a prestigious Advance HE Collaborative Award for Teaching (CATE). CATE celebrates teaching excellence and taking a collaborative approach. This award recognises the partnership between the University of Hertfordshire Careers and Employment Service, SRS, academic staff, employers, students and Watford F.C., that results in the Assessment Centre Experience (ACE).
ACE is a series of mock assessment centres, usually hosted at Watford F.C., where over 3,000 students from 9 different academic schools take part. The assessment centres accurately simulate the graduate recruitment process, giving students the chance to practice in a safe learning environment. Bespoke materials are created for each academic school to ensure the exercises students complete are truly reflective of the industries they will apply for jobs in. Graduate employers also attend ACE and get involved with assessing students, presenting networking opportunities and even the chance to be headhunted.
Students receive detailed feedback for each exercise which highlights their strengths and development areas so they can instantly apply their learning at an employer’s assessment centre. As a result of ACE, students feel more confident and prepared to secure graduate roles and placements: in 2019, 58% of students felt either confident or very confident post-assessment, compared to 14% pre- assessment. One student commented: “I feel a lot more confident now with the whole process and how it may be set out in the future. I wouldn't feel like I've been thrown into the deep end at a real assessment centre.”
By embedding the assessment centres into the curriculum, ACE has a wider impact on a larger group of students. 42% of University of Hertfordshire students are the first in their family to attend university, and hence can lack knowledge of recruitment processes and how to present themselves to employers. ACE helps to address this gap and gives more opportunity for students to engage with the Careers and Employment Service.
ACE has a huge impact and is now recognised as a key part of the University of Hertfordshire’s employability strategy. Preparations are underway for ACE this year, which will be fully digital to reflect current trends in graduate recruitment.
Get in touch to see how we can help to support your students to enhance their employability at a digital assessment centre.
