22.08.07
Designed for success: Spatial Design course is tops for graduate employability

96% of Spatial Design students graduating from UCF's BA(Hons) Spatial Design in 2005/06 secured employment in the design world. In the highly competitive world of design this is an enviable employability rate both for the College and for potential future employers.

22 of the 23 Spatial Design graduates secured jobs as architectural assistants, interior designers, exhibition designers, landscape designers, film set designers, teachers, animators, visualisers and other design-related posts. The design projects worked on include: major planning and regeneration projects across the country (including the regeneration of Blackpool promenade), working as part of a team for promotional videos for the London Olympics, working on the design of retail outlets for Heathrow Terminal 5, exhibition design for multi-national companies and designing promotional material for UCF.

One of the most important attributes required by employers is seemingly obvious but too often overlooked – work-readiness. The ability to tune in quickly to the culture and the day-to-day requirements of a workplace is something which not every graduate is immediately possessed of, and this stipulation is mirrored in the need for employers to be realistic about the competencies required for a particular task.

Some employers, particularly in more creative fields, are finding that UK graduates are now more competitive, and that as a result their output is of a measurably higher standard than that of graduates a few years ago. This has been attributed to a greater familiarity with necessary technology and a heightened sense of competition for desirable jobs, amongst other possible factors.

Generic skills developed during study are also rated very highly by increasing numbers of both employers and students. Capabilities such as critical thinking, drive and the ability to make judgements are recognised as essential at UCF in general and within Spatial Design in particular. Spatial Design students are encouraged to develop their ability to handle and process new information and to react positively to new situations. These skills are often developed in teamwork exercises and coursework.

Another area UCF's Spatial Design course excels is producing graduates with a 'streetwise' understanding of company culture, that is the ability to interact with clients and peers on the job. It is highly-prized by many employers when determining the most suitable candidates.

"It is a fantastic success for the students and a great reflection upon the skills the course has given them," course leader Andrew Harbert says. "Results like this make this one of the top performing spatial design courses in the country. The course team are delighted to see so many students employed in design, many with high profile companies, and working on really interesting projects."

For further information about Spatial Design at Falmouth, visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/spatialdesign.

For further information about Design courses at Falmouth, visit www.falmouth.ac.uk/design.

For further information, please contact Jilly Easterby, Head of Public Affairs, University College Falmouth on 01326 213792 or email jilly.easterby@falmouth.ac.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). University College Falmouth is a partner of the CUC.

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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