VISTA

VISTA: Shaping the Skills of Future Graduates

Help shape how UCC students develop, demonstrate and communicate the skills that matter in the workplace.

The world of work is constantly evolving. Alongside disciplinary knowledge and technical expertise, employers need graduates who can communicate effectively, think critically, adapt to change, collaborate with others and take initiative.

VISTA — Values, Innovation, Skills and Transversal Attributes — is a new initiative within University College Cork’s Graduate Attributes Programme (GAP). It aims to strengthen how students develop and demonstrate the transferable skills, personal attributes and values that support them in the workplace and throughout their careers.

A key part of developing VISTA is working with employers to understand the skills and attributes that matter in today’s workplace and how these can be meaningfully recognised.

What is VISTA?

VISTA is being developed to help students recognise, develop and articulate the skills they gain through their university experience, including learning that takes place beyond the classroom.

Through new learning pathways and digital badges, VISTA will support students in developing and evidencing transversal skills such as:

• Communication – sharing ideas clearly and working effectively with others.

• Leadership and teamwork – contributing to teams, taking initiative and supporting shared goals.

• Resilience and adaptability – responding constructively to challenges, change and feedback.

• Innovation and creative thinking – exploring ideas, solving problems and identifying opportunities.

• Global citizenship and social responsibility – working respectfully with others and considering the wider impact of decisions.

These are examples of the skills and attributes VISTA aims to support, with the programme continuing to develop through engagement with students, staff and employers.

Why does employer input matter?

Employers understand the realities of the workplace. Your experience of recruitment, onboarding, team development and changing skills needs can help ensure that VISTA is relevant to the expectations graduates will encounter when they enter employment.

By involving employers in the development process, UCC aims to build a stronger connection between graduate development and workplace practice.

Employer input can help us to:

• Identify the transversal skills that are most valuable to organisations and sectors.

• Explore how these skills can be demonstrated through practical examples and experiences.

• Inform the design of learning pathways and assessment approaches.

• Ensure digital badges provide a meaningful way for students to reflect on and communicate their development.

• Strengthen the connection between UCC’s Graduate Attributes Programme and graduate employability.

How is VISTA being developed?

VISTA is being developed through a collaborative approach that brings together employers, students, university staff and other stakeholders.

Employer perspectives will help inform the skills and attributes prioritised, the learning experiences designed to develop them, and the ways students can demonstrate their progress.

The initiative will also build on UCC’s existing Graduate Attributes Programme, which supports students to develop the knowledge, skills, attributes and values they need to contribute effectively to professional life and society.

Through this work, VISTA aims to create clearer pathways for students to develop their capabilities and communicate their strengths to prospective employers.

How can employers get involved?

We welcome employers who want to contribute to the development of graduate skills and help shape a programme that reflects the realities of the workplace.

There are several ways to contribute, depending on your organisation’s interests and capacity:

• Share your perspective: Tell us which transversal skills and attributes matter most in your organisation and sector.

• Contribute to programme development: Provide feedback on proposed learning pathways, skills priorities and approaches to recognising student development.

• Participate in employer engagement: Contribute to discussions and consultation opportunities as VISTA develops.

• Help connect learning with practice: Share workplace examples, insights and perspectives that can help students understand how transferable skills are applied in professional settings.

Your input can help ensure VISTA continues to develop in a way that is relevant to employers and valuable to students.

Work with us

VISTA offers an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between higher education and employment by working together on the skills graduates need to succeed.

If your organisation is interested in contributing to VISTA, sharing insights on graduate skills or exploring opportunities to collaborate with UCC, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Contact the Graduate Attributes Programme

Email: graduateattributes@ucc.ie

Website: UCC Graduate Attributes Programme

Help shape the skills of future graduates.