An innovative careers programme in Lancaster University Management School has been shortlisted for a top UK award.

A collaboration between teaching practitioners from the Department of Accounting and Finance, the LUMS Careers Team, and the University’s Learning Development team is among the finalists for the Graduate Futures Institute Academic Employability Awards.

Members of all three teams designed and delivered a new Business Simulation module for MSc Financial Management students. A group of 80 students took the core module, which integrates career development, employer insight and skills practice. It is shortlisted for the Postgraduate Employability category.

The module focused on practical skills development, delivered via intensive workshop experiences and self-directed learning activities. All related to the development of career skills relevant to financial managers. The aim was to equip students with the necessary skills to understand and apply relevant financial practices in a real-world setting.

Business Simulation was developed by Dr Stacey Noble, a Teaching Fellow in Accounting, who was a key driver behind the development of the module, alongside Accountancy Careers Coach Laurie Flanagan and academic skills expert Dr Sarah Robin.

Dr Noble said: “The Business Simulation module shows what can be achieved through effective and innovative collaboration among academic staff, learning developers, and career coaches. Being shortlisted for a national education award for the work is amazing.

“Employers told us they want students to be able to take the knowledge and understanding from the MSc Financial Management programme and to be able to persuasively put it into practise within broad business contexts. They wanted a module that improves disciplinary specific practitioner skills and readiness.

“This is more than just a generic employability module. It includes disciplinary specific skills development that are relevant for broad careers in financial management. Students then build their communication skills in tandem, so they can present to diverse stakeholders - from the Chairperson through to lay-people, all in a persuasive way.”

All students on the module were required to build a reflective portfolio, which included taking part in Lancaster University’s Digital Skills Certificate training, accounting software training with Xero Advisor, and building their research and communication skills. Programmes such as Excel and Python were used during this training, building capabilities relevant to student’s futures.

Part of the module was also business simulation training with the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). This added authenticity to the experience for the students.

“Being able to work with CIPFA on this, and to have them contribute to the module in such a practical way is a real stamp of approval for our partnership with them,” said Dr Noble, who has engaged with CIPFA at Lancaster for the last two years. “It shows proper stakeholder involvement.”

She added: “We wanted to create and deliver a module that would immerse students in an engaging, challenging, relevant, and timely learning journey. We’ve received really high student feedback scores for the module. We have helped equip them with knowledge, skills, and confidence for the future.

“We have already heard how they have used these skills in their recruitment activities as they look to life after graduation, and that is exactly what we wanted from the module.

“What we have done is demonstrate how careers and employability can be holistically embedded within a postgraduate programme. This was no simple bolt-on. It worked across all areas of the degree, involving careers, learning development, CIPFA as a professional body, and the teaching side.”

Martin Edmondson, Chief Executive Officer of the Graduate Futures Institute, said:

“The quality of entries this year has been exceptionally high, which reflects the growing emphasis universities are placing on careers and employability in higher education.

“There are so many creative ways that universities are helping students to develop their employability skills, and the shortlisted entries are excellent examples of leading practice from across the sector. They should be recognised as an inspiration to anyone working in this area.”

The winners will be revealed at the Academic Employability Awards dinner on Thursday, 30 April at the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies, London.