HISA Con 2021: Workshop: writing and talking about skills and abilities using the graduate attributes

From as far afield as Argentina, twelve students and student representatives joined the LTA’s Ann Tilbury at the HISA Con workshop on using the university’s graduate attributes. The focus of the workshop was to highlight how to use the graduate attributes to identify, write and talk about the skills they were developing through their student journey.Studying on a wide range of programmes including marine science, psychology, ESOL, Literature, Business and Sports and Fitness, a quick poll indicated that awareness of the graduate attributes was low within the group. So, following a brief overview of the five attributes, Ann shared how the graduate attributes can be used as a valuable reflective tool to capture evidence of their skills.

The workshop participants then set to work to identify ways in which communications skills were developed in their programmes of study. These examples were collated using an online bulletin board (see image below). The activity highlighted the many opportunities existing within their courses which could evidence their communication skills. The participants used the downloadable graduate attribute reflective activity cards to record their personal reflections and further ideas.

The activity was followed by a discussion on articulating these skills in a range of settings including job applications, interviews, and professional development reviews. Ann encouraged everyone to use the attributes to building evidence and create stories which illustrate their unique skill set and to reflect on the skills they had developed in the context of studying at UHI and in studying during COVID-19.

With positive feedback on the workshop and a final encouraging discussion on ways to promote the graduate attributes, Ann and the HISA representatives will be working together to find new ways to promote and encourage engagement with the graduate attributes.