The Journey from Graduate Physicist to Chartered Physicist

The resource is available in two formats, as a PDF with supporting worksheets in a Word document format and as a Blackboard test. All information in the resources was correct at the time of publication. However, it is recommended that the resources are reviewed from time to time to ensure web addresses are still valid and information from professional institutions is still accurate. The guidelines will cover the following points: • Learning objectives and outcomes • How to use the resource • How to use the assignment as a ‘test’ in Blackboard Learning Objectives and Outcomes The main objective for developing the resource was to introduce students to the career and personal benefits of engagement with their professional institution and the opportunities to acquire Chartered Status (CChem, CPHys, CEng, CMath). It was also intended that, by becoming familiar with the skills required of a chartered professional, this would increase students’ awareness and understanding of employability skills, as well as the importance of continuing professional development. The chemistry, physics and maths resource also includes an element of personal career research. The resource has been designed so that upon completion students will be able to: • List some benefits of engagement with their professional institution; • List some benefits of becoming a chartered professional; • Explain the basic steps involved in becoming a chartered professional; ▪ Recognise that some of the competences required of a chartered professional are comparable to employability skills expected of graduates; • Give examples of when they have demonstrated some employability skills • Know where to get help in articulating their employability skills; • Identify activities that will help develop employability skills. For the chemistry, physics and maths resource an optional learning outcome is that students are able to carry out personal career research. This relates to question 8 in the maths and physics assignment and question 10 in the chemistry assignment. How to use the resource The resource is ideally suited to second year undergraduate students and has been designed for students to complete as an assignment on an individual basis and to be introduced as part of a lecture. It may be beneficial to invite a speaker from the relevant professional institution to talk about membership and chartered status as a way of introducing the assignment. There is an answer sheet that accompanies the resource to assist with marking. However this could be made available to students for self assessment. For the section of the resource which requires personal reflection and writing examples of employability skills, students may need feedback on their attempts to articulate their skills. Most of the students who trialled the resources reported that they found it difficult to write about their employability skills. If this is the case for your students, you may want to invite your career service in to run some sessions on ‘how to sell your skills’. If you do not want the resource to be used as written assignment, the format of the resource could be adapted to form part of a lecture or seminar: The first part of the resource would translate into a presentation and a significant part of the second section would translate to small group activities in a seminar context or discussion points in a lecture.