By Ann-Marie Laffey (GSM London)

From graduate to employee – inspiring and educating through filmed interviews

Thursday, 21 September 20171

From graduate to employee: inspiring and educating others through the use of

innovative filmed interviews with students and alumni

“Using alumni as guest speakers…to assist students

through the transition out of the university

environment…” (Conner, 2015)

“An alumni guest speaker visits the class via online

conferencing…”

(Shannon, Kiper and Rebelsky, 2016)

Nothing teaches like

experience…..

• BSc and MSc Oil and Gas Management degree programmes at GSM London.

• Niche degree programmes – Oil and Gas Management• Specialised career paths in the energy sector• Oil and Gas sector – traditionally male dominated• Diverse student body – GSM London’s vision of Widening

Participation (WP)• Rationale to find a way to communicate ideas and inspire students• Link graduate attributes to employability

Oil and Gas Management DegreeProgrammes

• Series of informal conversations

• Established industry/work experience of undergraduate and postgraduate students on the BSc and MSc oil and gas management programme

• What had they done before they commenced their studies and during degree programme

• Identified two students and one alumna for filmed interviews

• Both undergraduate and postgraduate were represented.

Students and Alumni

• BSc student – two-month internship placement working in Procurement role for a subsidiary of a major American oil and gas firm in Nigeria

• MSc student - from USA on placement in Norway and then UK with her partner who works for a major European oil and gas firm

• MSc Alumna - who returned to Ghana for her first job working in Human Resources for an oil and gas company in Ghana.

The Interviewees

• Learning from experience

• Stories talk about both positive and negative aspects of the learning curve of employment and training

• Demonstrate the Graduate attributes required

• Interview questions were provided a week before filming

• Location: Two interviews took place on campus in Greenwich and one in Greenford

The three filmed interviews –

The Interviews

“An experience such as this I felt should always be shared…….Being part of the Alumni is a valuable way to encourage and inspire students to strive to fulfil their true potential…” (GSM London, BSc Oil and Gas Management Alumni)

https://gsm.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=6893bc92-8721-4d5a-809b-2e822b2b4a7a

• Three films were made available on the VLE to undergraduate and postgraduate students on the Oil and Gas Management degree programmes.

• The films were also used in class to enhance the student experience on topics like Expatriate Employees in oil and gas, which was provided as a resource for MSc Oil and Gas Management programme coursework brief.

• Qualitative Data collection - Students filled in questionnaires after seeing the films in class and online to gauge their reactions and feelings.

• 80 students (undergraduate and postgraduate) completed the questionnaire.

To educate and inspire

• “Made me think I have to start planning now for my future”• “Opportunity won’t come to me…Its hard work….I’ve got to go find it…”• “Feel more enthusiastic about working in oil and gas in Nigeria….gives

me hope”

• “Great to see these women who went to GSM… my college… and on my degree of oil and gas. Made me happy and proud”…

• “Real life! Better than a book”• “This is what we need to know. Getting a job…not just about a degree”

Initial Findings – Common Themes

• Follow up films are planned to track the transition from student to employee experience.

• These films will also be shown during the Employability Skills

• (Level 5) module to oil and gas management students at GSM London.

• Also plan that alumnus interviewees come and give a talk to students with Q&A section after they have seen the filmed interview.

• What happened next…follow up alumnus stories.

The Next Step

Thank you

Any Questions?

• Ann-Marie Laffey

• Senior Lecturer/Programme Leader MSc Oil and Gas

Management (GSM London)

• ann-marie.laffey@gsmlondon.ac.uk

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