HR @ Stirling Council, enhancing knowledge for employability through Careers Counselling

Today Stirling Council hosted an event for graduates thinking about employment in local government and particularly within Human Resources. Students attended from Stirling University to gain a deeper understanding of the day-to-day role within HR whilst reflecting on what they have learnt and achieved in their studies.

It was fascinating to watch how the HR team delivered the session and encouraged students to engage in conversation to further expand their knowledge of the field. As an introduction students were invited to introduce themselves and tell their ‘story’ in terms of what they were doing and what they wanted to progress onto in employment. The HR team next invited students to tell them what they thought a HR professional did in their role and what skills were required for this, bringing reasoning and meaning to their consciousness, of why they may choose this occupation.

Four advisors each in turn told students about their background their life ‘stories’ a narrative approach in terms of employment choices and how they came to be working within HR. They then followed on to explain to students what was involved in their roles within Stirling Council and HOW these duties were achieved. Each advisor would take questions from students following their ‘story’ to ascertain points and further explain these, to raise awareness of roles within HR. Here we had narrative, facilitating learning, raising self-awareness and opportunity-awareness within HR and the Council. Advisors reflected on skills being transferable and demonstrated how various work experience including volunteering was relevant to the HR field and how HR experience was relevant to a number of other occupations, their focus being skills and competencies for transitions. They raised student’s awareness and broadened their horizons, for choice of occupation, thus to aid decision making through building students self-esteem and self-belief; the driver of transition and progression.

Not only demonstrating and building knowledge of the function of HR but unconsciously utilising theories of Careers Counselling in their practice ‘DOTS’ being central to facilitating the event, through the concept of narrative.