Policy statement

We will provide an accessible system for clients wishing to raise concerns, informed by the Student Charter and the University of Birmingham Student Complaints Procedure.

We will provide opportunities for clients to give informal feedback and suggestions about the Careers and Employability Centre as well as a formal complaints procedure.

We will resolve complaints as quickly and fairly as possible and in confidence; where a dispute cannot be resolved, clients may pursue issues via the formal stage of the university’s complaints procedure.

Procedure

A client who wishes to make a complaint may do so informally or formally, as set out in the Students Complaints procedure. The Careers and Employability Centre prides itself on being responsive to feedback and so it is hoped that most matters can be resolved quickly and satisfactorily via the informal channels, listed as follows:

Informal

• Informally through completing a Comments Form - comments forms are kept at reception in the Careers and Employability Centre. The completed form should be posted in the Feedback Forms box and will be dealt with as part of the evaluation process. Anyone wishing to provide anonymous feedback may do so through this route.
• Informally through discussion with a Careers Adviser or the Information Manager - the discussion will be treated confidentially. Notes of the discussion will be taken which outline the complaint, the date on which it was received and any solutions discussed. The staff member receiving the complaint will record whether the client wants to be informed of the outcome and take contact details if necessary. If a response is required, it will be sent to the client within 15 working days. If it is not possible to respond within this timescale, the client will be advised and an alternative deadline will be given. Discussion notes will be passed to the Careers and Employability Centre Director or Assistant Director along with any recommendations.
• Informally by writing to the Director of Student Employability, Careers and Employability Centre - a response to the complaint will be sent to the client within 15 working days.

Formal

A formal complaint may be submitted once the informal stage of the Student Complaints Procedure has been completed. Formal complaints should be submitted to the Student Complaints Officer using the Student Complaints Form. The form, contact details and further information are available on the University’s Student Complaints Procedure webpage.

Any graduates or contract researchers using the Careers and Employability Centre, whose complaint has not been resolved informally, should write to the Director of Employability Services.