Tomlinson’s Graduate Capital Model: Empowering Mature Students at LSST
By Foteini Meleti, Career & Employability Coordinator, LSST Elephant and Castle campus
In today’s educational landscape, universities are increasingly focused on supporting the diverse needs of their student body. Among these diverse populations, mature students often face unique challenges as they navigate their educational and career journeys. To address these challenges, it is crucial to understand and leverage the various capitals that contribute to their success. Michael Tomlinson’s Capital Model offers a comprehensive framework that identifies five key capitals for navigating the job market: Human, Social, Cultural, Identity, and Psychological. In this article, we will explore each capital in-depth and discuss how LSST can apply Tomlinson’s model to better support its mature student population.
By applying the principles of Tomlinson’s Capital Model, LSST can create a supportive and inclusive environment that empowers mature students to achieve their academic and career goals. Through targeted support and resources, such as workshops, counselling, and networking opportunities, LSST can help mature students leverage their unique strengths and assets effectively. Ultimately, by embracing the principles of Tomlinson’s model, LSST can foster a culture of success and fulfilment for all students, regardless of their age or background.
Human Capital
Reflecting the skills learnt through formal education, human capital encompasses graduates’ hard skills. While some degrees may appear more specialised than others, the ability to articulate one’s capabilities effectively remains paramount.
Social Capital
Building connections and understanding opportunities are central to social capital. Interaction between employers and students raises visibility and familiarity, making platforms like job fairs and LinkedIn instrumental in expanding networks. Practical experiences, such as internships, bolster social capital by bridging theoretical knowledge with real-world application.
Cultural Capital
Cultural knowledge and behaviours within organisations are essential for graduate integration. Beyond technical skills, marks like awards and cultural insight set individuals apart. Developing self-awareness and adaptability facilitates the successful navigation of diverse workplace cultures, mitigating challenges associated with socio-economic backgrounds.
Identity Capital
Shaping one’s professional identity involves positioning present actions with future aspirations. Effective storytelling enhances career narratives, facilitating negotiation and access to opportunities. Involvement in university life provides a landscape for self-reflection, empowering graduates to project a compelling self-image in their career pursuits.
Psychological Capital
The journey to employment is tense with doubts, demanding resilience and adaptability. Psychological capital prepares graduates with the ability to rebound from setbacks and maintain focus amidst challenges. Emphasizing proactive decision-making and maintaining locus of control is pivotal for managing the complexities of the job market (Tomlinson, 2017).
Applying Tomlinson’s Capital Model at LSST
Tomlinson’s Capital Model emphasises the diverse strengths and assets that individuals bring to their educational and career journeys. Unlike traditional models that focus solely on academic skills or professional networks, this model considers a broader range of factors, including personal qualities, cultural background, and life experiences.
One of the key strengths of Tomlinson’s Capital Model is its emphasis on recognizing and valuing the diverse strengths and assets that mature students bring to their educational journey. Mature students often have a wealth of life experiences, professional expertise, and practical knowledge that can enrich classroom discussions and enhance the learning experience for everyone. By acknowledging and leveraging these assets, LSST can create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for mature students (Tomlinson, 2021).
Tomlinson’s Capital Model is also focused on helping individuals identify and apply their strengths to achieve their academic and career goals. For mature students, this may involve recognizing the transferable skills they have gained from their previous experiences and understanding how these skills can be applied in their current academic and professional searches. By providing targeted support and resources, such as workshops and individualized counselling, LSST’s career advisors can help students navigate their career paths with confidence and clarity (NDCA, 2016).
Additionally, Tomlinson’s Capital Model emphasizes the importance of building social capital through networking and community engagement. For non-traditional students, who may be re-entering education after a long absence or transitioning from a different career field, building professional networks can be particularly important. By providing opportunities for networking, mentorship, and industry connections, LSST can help students expand their social capital and access valuable resources and opportunities in their chosen fields (Tomlinson, 2021).
Conclusion
By recognising and valuing the diverse strengths and assets that mature students bring to their educational journey, and by providing targeted support and resources to help them leverage these assets effectively, LSST can empower mature students to achieve their academic and career goals. By implementing the principles of Tomlinson’s Capital Model, LSST is committed to creating a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students, regardless of their age or background.
References
NCDA. (2016). Career counseling standards & ethical practice. Alexandria, VA: Author.
Tomlinson, M. (2021). Developing graduate employability for a challenging labour market: The validation of the graduate capital scale. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education (JARHE), 14(4).
Tomlinson, M. (2017). Forms of graduate capital and their relationship to graduate employability. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ET-05-2016-0090/full/html
Tomlinson, M. (2021). Overcoming the challenges of being a mature student. Emerald Publishing