The Portsmouth Award

What is The Portsmouth Award?

The Portsmouth Award is our online employability programme designed to help you reflect on the skills you develop through extra-curricular activities, explore career options, and increase your confidence to apply for future opportunities.

The Award has three elements to work towards. As you complete each element, you will be issued digital badges and will receive a final digital certificate, having completed activities across all three elements.

The Portsmouth Award is open to all students.

Enrol on The Portsmouth Award

Careers adviser speaking to a student at en events stand

How to complete The Portsmouth Award

Once you have enrolled on the Award Moodle site, you will have access to the learning pathways across each of the three Award elements.

You can work through the programme at your own pace and seek further support from Careers and Employability at any point.

The Award is made up of three elements:

This element aims to develop a clearer sense of who you are and what you can offer an employer, as well as gain valuable experience.

Step.1. Access the self-directed learning pathway

Access the Element 1 pathway to build your self-awareness through understanding your skills, strengths and values and identify suitable extra-curricular activities alongside your studies.

*Whilst this is an optional and self-directed activity, the resources and activities here will support you with your career planning and feed into your Element 1 submission.

Step.2. Record 40+ hours of extra-curricular activities

Use the Element 1 evidence log available through the Moodle site to capture your main tasks and activities, as well as your reflections on your own development.

Experience for Element 1 can include, but is not limited to:

Paid part-time work
Regular or one-off community volunteering
Student leadership roles through the Students' Union, including as a committee member, Course Representative, Student Voice Assistant or Student Trustee
Student leadership roles with the University of Portsmouth, including as a Student Ambassador, International Ambassador, PGM Ambassador, or ResLife Assistant
Insight days with employers
Enterprise activities and workshops offered by our Student Startup team
Careers & Employability events, workshops and appointments

Step.3. Complete the reflective submission

Alongside the completed evidence log for Element 1, you are asked to reflect on what you already have to offer an employer and why they should value your contribution to their organisation.

Answer the set of 5 reflective questions and submit these to the Element 1 drop box.

Step.4. Receive feedback and your digital badge

The Portsmouth Award review team will review your submission, offering personalised feedback via Moodle before issuing you with your digital badge for this element. We will also provide an accompanying guide explaining how to upload your badge to LinkedIn and how to discuss your work towards Element 1 as part of future applications.

Understand your options and confidently carry out employer research to identify the right opportunities for you.

Step.1. Access the self-directed learning pathway

Access the Element 2 pathway to explore and understand more about your options and how to carry out effective sector and employer research to help shape your short- and medium-term goals.

*Whilst this is an optional and self-directed activity, the resources and activities here will support you with your career planning and feed into your Element 2 submission.

Step.2. Record 10+ hours of "career-focused" activities

Use the Element 2 evidence log available through the Moodle site to capture your key learning from the activities you have completed and reflect on how they have shaped your emerging career plans.

Experience for Element 2 can include, but is not limited to:

Employer talks and webinars
Alumni talks
Informational interviews
Careers fairs, events and networking
Online learning courses and job simulations, e.g., LinkedIn Learning and Forage
Careers & Employability events, workshops and appointments
Attendance at assessment centres or interviews (live or mock)
Insight days, work experience, internships, vacation schemes, or placements

Step.3. Complete the reflective submission

Alongside the completed evidence log for Element 2, you are asked to reflect on your exploration of different graduate opportunities, to map your skills and experience against a specific career profile or job advert and to identify your short to medium term goals.

Once you have produced a reflective account including the above topics, submit this to the Element 2 drop box.

Step.4. Receive feedback and your digital badge

Be prepared to take the next steps after your course, whether that's a graduate role, further study or starting your own business.

Step.1. Access the self-directed learning pathway

Access the Element 3 pathway to increase your understanding of employer expectations during recruitment processes and how to present yourself as a candidate. The pathway also encourages to reflect on the graduate attributes you have developed during your time at university.

*Whilst this is an optional and self-directed activity, the resources and activities here will support you with your career planning and feed into your Element 3 submission.

Step.2. Take part in a recruitment-focused activity

For Element 3 of the Award we ask you to reflect on a recruitment process/activity you have taken part in. This can be a live or mock interview or a live or mock assessment centre.

This can include for part-time work, placement roles, graduate opportunities and/or mock interviews with one of our Advisers from Careers and Employability.

Step.3. Produce a recruitment portfolio

Create a portfolio, which includes:

A market-reading CV (based on what you intend to apply to in the future)

Responses to two application questions chosen from our sample – choose one competency-based and one strength-based question

A Value Me presentation of 2-3 minutes, which can be a piece to camera, an audio file or a narrated presentation, which answers the question “Tell us about yourself and why we should value you in our organisation.”

A brief reflective account that discusses your experience of the recruitment-focused activity you have completed.

Once you have produced the portfolio, this can be uploaded to the Element 3 drop box.

Step.4. Receive feedback and your digital badge

Once you have achieved all three elements, you will be contacted with a copy of your digital certificate for the Award.

Why complete the Award?

As you engage with The Portsmouth Award, you will have:

More confidence in presenting your value to employers. This will include increased clarity on the skills, strengths and values you can offer, and the relevance of your work experience
More confidence in how to research different sectors, employers and opportunities to consider the best fit for you
A greater understanding of what graduate employers are looking for through their recruitment processes and more confidence in your ability to navigate those processes.

Watch our video to learn more about getting started with The Portsmouth Award

What employers say about The Portsmouth Award

The Portsmouth Award has been designed in consultation with a range of employers to ensure that the programme and accompanying reflective submissions support you to recognise your skills and abilities and feel more confident when you come to make future applications.

Institute of Student Employers

"The Portsmouth Award is great opportunity for you to develop and showcase the skills that will help you successfully transition though education and onto a successful career. In a highly competitive jobs market, it’s the skills and potential you can demonstrate to employers along with your qualification that will help you stand out".

Stephen Isherwood, CEO – Market Intelligence and Insights

Find out more on their website

Enterprise Mobility

“The Portsmouth Award plays a vital role in helping students develop self-awareness and recognise the transferable skills they’ve gained through participating in extracurricular activities. It encourages them to reflect on their experiences, identify strengths, and confidently communicate these to employers - developing these skills is key to securing graduate roles".

Clare Beynon, Talent Acquisition Manager

Find out more on their website

HIOW Constabulary

“This is a fantastic initiative which highlights the effort and dedication students show in relation to gaining employment once they graduate. The ability to showcase your strengths and abilities to an employer is an invaluable skill which will hold you in good stead for the rest of your career”.

Gurdit Singh, Community Engagement Advisor

Find out more on their website

The Royal Maritime Hotel

"The Award is a great way to motivate students to perform at their best. It adds credibility and recognition for their efforts which sets them apart from their peers. What an incredible addition to their CVs and applications."

David Knight, Chief Executive

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Opportunities linked to The Portsmouth Award

Once you have enrolled on the Award Moodle site, keep an eye out for announcements promoting student opportunities linked to completing the Award. This will include workshops hosted by the Award Coordinator and a range of extra-curricular activities.

Explore the range of options offered by Careers and Employability below.