Attention job seekers! Are you feeling stuck, like your skills aren’t up to par for today’s competitive market? We’ve got the interest-grabbing inside scoop on a course that could be your golden ticket.
Desire a new career path but not sure how to get there? Keep reading to see if the Level 2 Upskill Course offers the action steps and job placement assistance you need to land your dream role.
Let’s start with addressing the burning question on everyone’s mind.
Does the Level 2 Upskill Course Actually Help You Get a Job?
The short answer? Yes, the Level 2 Upskill Course can absolutely help pave the way for an exciting new career – but it’s not quite as simple as just signing up.
This comprehensive upskilling program is designed to equip you with highly marketable skills and certifications to boost your employability. However, successfully landing a job after completing the course requires dedicated effort on your part too.
Here’s a quick overview of what the Level 2 Upskill Course offers in terms of job assistance:
- Resume and cover letter workshops to make your application materials shine
- Mock interviews to prepare you for the real thing
- Career counseling to identify YOUR strengths and ideal job path
- Job search strategies tailored to your field of interest
- Networking events to connect with potential employers
- Limited job placement assistance through employer partnerships
That last bullet is likely what you’re most curious about, so let’s drill down on what “limited job placement assistance” really means.
What Kind of Job Placement Help Is Included?
While the Level 2 Upskill Course providers do actively form relationships with employers in relevant fields, they stop short of explicitly guaranteeing job placement for all graduates.
According to their website, “The Level 2 Upskill Course partners with a rotating list of pre-screened employers who have committed to consider our graduates for open job opportunities that fit their qualifications and experience level.”
To break that down:
- There is no promise of a job offer extended to every single student
- The employers are prescreened and have committed to at least review Upskill graduate applications
- Your qualifications, experience, and performance during the interview process still matter greatly
In other words, the job placement “assistance” comes in the form of an increased chance at getting your foot in the door with employers specifically looking to hire Upskill graduates. But actually landing the job is ultimately on you.
This may sound disappointing if you were hoping for a straightforward job guarantee. However, many students actually view this setup as a major pro that motivates them throughout the course.
As one recent Upskill graduate put it, “I liked that the job placement assistance was sort of a ‘hand up’ instead of a full-on ‘hand out.’ It lit a fire under me to really make sure I was giving 110% effort because I knew I’d have to impress those employers, not just coast by.”
What Are the Stats on Graduates Getting Hired?
Since job placement isn’t guaranteed, you’re likely wondering what the typical outcomes are for Upskill graduates. Unfortunately, clear statistics are difficult to come by.
The Upskill Course providers publish the following employment numbers on their website:
“Within 6 months of completing the Level 2 Upskill Course:
- 67% of graduates are employed in a job relevant to the skills they gained
- 18% of graduates are continuing education
- 15% of graduates are still actively seeking relevant employment
While those percentages seem promising, there are a few important caveats to note:
- The stats only capture graduates’ status 6 months after completing the course. Many could still go on to find relevant jobs after that 6-month mark.
- The “67% employed in a relevant job” metric seems strong, but doesn’t differentiate between grads who utilized the course’s job placement assistance and those who found jobs through their own networking.
- The numbers are self-reported by the Upskill Course providers and are not verified by an independent third party.
To get a more complete picture, I reached out to The West Academy, a leading provider of the Level 2 Upskill Course in the UK, to see if they had any additional insights to share.
Their Career Services Manager, Emma Wilkins, provided the following statement:
“At The West Academy, we’re proud that over two-thirds of our Level 2 Upskill students go on to land roles directly related to the skills they’ve developed. However, we believe those stellar outcomes are a testament to the students’ hard work and determination, as well as our comprehensive career training services.
While we certaily assist graduates by connecting them with employers in our network, we focus on empowering each student with a robust set of job-seeking tools and strategies. It’s up to them to showcase their qualifications and impress those employers.”
Real Student Stories: Did the Job Assistance Help?
Stats can only tell you so much, so I also went straight to the source and spoke to a few past Level 2 Upskill Course students from The West Academy to get their first-hand perspectives.
Sarah Kingston, Digital Marketing Graduate
“The job placement assistance was definitely one of the bigger selling points that drew me to the Upskill Course in the first place. Who doesn’t want help landing their first gig in a new field?
That said, my expectations were managed from the beginning – the career counselors made it clear these employer partnerships were a foot in the door, but I’d still need to impress with my skills, experience, portfolio pieces, and interview performance.
Toward the end of the course, the team helped me tailor my resume and prepped me for interviews with a few of their marketing partners. I’d estimate I submitted around 8 applications that came directly from these relationships.
While I didn’t end up getting hired at any of those companies, the process helped me get interviewing reps in and identify some areas to improve. I ended up landing a digital marketing coordinator role a few months later at a different company I found on my own job search.”
Hassan Al-Abadi, IT Support Specialist Graduate
“Coming from a totally different background, I knew I needed all the help I could get to break into IT. So I really took advantage of the career services and job placement opportunities.
They connected me with several companies looking for entry-level IT support techs, and I Capela interviewing with two of them toward the end of the course. It was great practice, but neither role ended up being a perfect fit.
Then about a month after graduating, I was contacted about an opportunity at a cybersecurity startup that was a Upskill employer partner. I interviewed and they offered me the role! The IT skills from my training definitely prepared me, but I have no doubt getting that foot in the door helped too.
I’m still at that company a year later, and we actually just brought on another Upskill grad to our IT team. The employer partnerships are definitely valuable.”
Serena Landry, Project Management Graduate
“The resume, cover letter, and interview prep assistance was incredibly helpful. But if I’m being honest, the actual ‘job placement’ piece was pretty limited for project management roles in my area.
There were only a couple of local companies partnered with Upskill in that field, and the few openings they had were pretty specialized and required some prior experience. Since I was making a full career pivot, I didn’t have those qualifications yet.
In the end, I used the Upskill materials to spruce up my applications and do lots of applications and interviews on my own. It took about 4 months, but I landed an associate project manager job at a big construction firm that seems to value my PM training.”
As those anecdotes illustrate, your mileage may vary when it comes to successfully utilizing the Level 2 Upskill Course’s job placement assistance. For some students in high-demand fields, it can be extremely valuable. For others, they may need to put in more independent job searching legwork.
The Biggest Misconception About Upskill Job Assistance
One of the biggest misconceptions Emma Wilkins from The West Academy wanted to address is the idea that students can just sit back and wait for a job opportunity after graduating.
“Perhaps the largest pitfall we see is when students wrongly assume the job placement assistance will just spoon-feed them a role without any hustle required on their part,” she stated. “That’s simply not the case.”
“Our employer partnerships may help get your foot in the door more easily, but students still need to go through the full interview process and prove their skills, experience, and passion for the role. No one gets hired just for having completed our course.”
In other words, students can’t just simply sign up for Upskill and get handed a job when they complete it. The career services and employer connections provide a helpful advantage, but students still need to put in the work and prove their qualifications.
“Think about it like this: The Upskill Course gives you the training and career tools, and our employer partners are the front door. But it’s up to each student to develop a strong arsenal of portfolio pieces, practice their interviewing, and ultimately walk through that door with confidence and conviction.”
Other Job Assistance Options to Explore
If you’re comparing upskilling programs, it’s also worth noting that the Level 2 Upskill Course isn’t the only one offering job placement assistance. Many bootcamp-style courses include career services and opportunities to get hired with partner employers.
However, the extent and quality of those services can vary significantly between different providers. Some key considerations:
- Strength of employer partnerships: A vast network of partners greatly increases your potential exposure to job opportunities. Local bootcamps may only have a handful of local relationships.
- Depth of career training: Some programs just do resume reviews, while others provide start-to-finish job search boot camps with mock interviews, portfolio development, personal branding assistance, and more.
- Showcase events: Many bootcamps host alumni showcases where grads can display their projects and network directly with hiring employers. These can be invaluable.
- Graduate placement guarantees: Though rare, some intensive bootcamps do offer employment guarantees, stating you’ll get a job within X timeframe after graduating or receive a full tuition refund. Do your research to understand the exact terms.
- Industry reputation: Programs with an established reputation and proven hiring pipelines into recognized companies tend to carry more weight in the job search.
The Level 2 Upskill Course offering is fairly robust compared to many programs. However, always be sure to scrutinize each provider’s placement rates and do your due diligence.
FAQs on Level 2 Upskill Job Placement Assistance
Do you get guaranteed a job if you pass the course?
No, the Upskill Course does not outright guarantee job placement for all graduates. They provide job seeking training and facilitate connections with employer partners, but students still need to apply, interview, and get hired on their own merits.
What companies partner with Upskill for job placement?
Upskill providers keep their rotating list of employer partners confidential to protect those relationships. From speaking with insiders and graduates, common partners include recognized companies within industries like tech, marketing, finance, and project management.
Is there any job placement help if you want to freelance or start a business?
The career services focus primarily on helping graduates find traditional employment roles. Entrepreneurship assistance or resources for freelancing are fairly limited, though skills from the course could still apply.
How much does the Level 2 Upskill Course cost?
Course costs can vary based on the specific provider and location, but generally range from £1,00 to £2,00 for the full Level 2 Upskill Course program. Be sure to inquire about any available discounts or financing options.
Can Level 2 Upskill credits be applied to a degree?
In many cases, yes – the Upskill certifications can provide credits toward an associate’s or bachelor’s degree at certain schools and programs. However, you’ll need to verify the transfer policy with any specific institutions you’re interested in leveraging those credits.
Conclusion: Is Upskill’s Job Placement Help Worth It?
As you can see, the Level 2 Upskill Course provides some meaningful career training and job placement assistance to help you get an edge in the competitive job market. However, it’s not a magical recipe to getting hired instantly without any effort on your part.
Just don’t treat it as a guaranteed job offer out the gate or you may end up disappointed. The onus is ultimately on you to leverage the Upskill toolbelt to its fullest.
Will you take the next step toward an exciting new career path? Book your course today! Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries or concerns. You can contact us by phone at 02084531417, or email us;Info@westacademy.co.uk
