Employability

Cassandra O’Connor University of Bolton

Employability

-More competition between universities, giving greater priority to programmes that meet the need for high level skills; -Business to be more engaged in the funding and design of programmes, sponsorship of students, and work placements; -Creating more part-time, work-based and foundation degrees to make it easier for adults to go to university, with routes from apprenticeships through to Foundation Degrees and other vocational programmes; -Encouraging universities to consider contextual data in admissions, as one way of ensuring that higher education is available to all young people who have the ability to benefit; quality of courses offered; -Sustaining our world class research base by continuing to focus on excellence, concentrating research funding where needed to secure critical mass and impact; and encouraging collaboration between universities on world class research, especially in high cost science.

on of Bolt

Future Graduate Employability

Skills University

Employability

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Ambition 2020

, the UK Commission for Employment and Skills Relative to other industrialised nations, we have too few businesses in high skill, high value added industries, too few high performance workplaces and are creating too few high skilled jobs. Comparative to our ambition, we don’t have enough

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employer demand for skills; Too many young people in the UK fail to gain the basic, employability and lower level skills needed to progress in work. As a result, too few adults possess the skills to succeed in tomorrow’s labour market, or the motivation, confidence and opportunity to

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gain them; Current employment and skills systems in the UK are neither fully integrated, nor sufficiently aligned to labour market needs. They are also excessively complex because they do not empower customers to drive demand, performance or quality improvement.

Bolt Graduate Employability Skills University of eaching Fellow and T Learning Cassandra O’Connor

Employability

“Professionalism in teaching and assessment, and the development of more innovative and flexible curricula-including ones that transcend discipline boundaries and develop general skills-are themes that came up over and again …we need curricula that are transdisciplinary, that push students to their limits, that develop skills of inquiry and research, and that are imbued with international perspectives” ( Ramsden: 2009 ) As Ramsden states, we need, “graduates who are educated to the standard which the future economy and well being of our nation demands. That standard must enable them to embrace complexity, climate change, different forms of citizenship, and different ways of understanding individuality and cooperation. A student experience that is fit for the future will develop their qualities of flexibility and their sense of obligation to the wider community” ( Ramsden: 2009 )

Cassandra O’Connor Learning and Teaching Fellow

Employability

CIHE report on ‘Graduate Employability’ published in 2008 provides a set of ‘top 10’ attributes that employers would like to see in graduates when they complete their courses.

Some of the headline issues seem relevant to our context: • Many employers are dissatisfied because graduates cannot express themselves effectively • ‘Soft skills’ are more important than most ‘hard skills’ • Numeracy and literacy skills were considered essential by over two-thirds of employers •Two-thirds of employers with international connections indicated that having an overseas professional work placement made graduates more employable • A quarter of business with international interests considered language skills an important capability in graduates • A degree of dissatisfaction with ‘relevant work experience’ held by graduates

Cassandra O’Connor Learning and Teaching Fellow

Employability

“In the 21 st century, our natural resource is our people-and their potential is both untapped and vast. Skills are the key to unlocking that potential. The prize for our country will be enormous- higher productivity and the creation of wealth and social justice. Without increased skills, we would condemn ourselves to a lingering decline in competitiveness, diminishing economic growth and a bleaker future for all. The case for action is compelling and urgent. Becoming a world leader on skills will enable the UK to compete with the best in the world. I am optimistic.

” (Leitch, S: 2006)

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Employability In 2001, UK graduates considered the top ten competencies required in the then current employment market, to be: “working under pressure; oral communication skills; accuracy, attention to detail; working in a team; time management; adaptability; initiative; working independently; taking responsibility and decisions; planning co-coordinating and organising.

” (Brennan, J. and colleagues: 2001) • Professional skills, knowledge and business awareness together with an appropriate appreciation of ethical issues that may impact on their work such that they are able to make a positive contribution to employer, economy and society whilst also benefiting themselves • The ability to continue learning within the workplace through the application of critical thinking and the ability to use reflective practices to self-identify their future needs • Empathy with other cultures such that they can operate across a range of diverse cultural groups and countries in an inclusive manner, with the ability to communicate in at least one language other than their native tongue • The ability to participate as a global citizen with respect for humanity, equity and cultural wealth such that they are capable of becoming ‘architects of cultural change’

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become advocates for sustainable (eco friendly) development through their employment or social responsibility

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transferable skills necessary to engage with emerging technologies during their lifetime

Employability Sub title for text slide

– ability to meet deadlines; problem solving; business acumen; decision making.

People and social skills

s –team working; leadership; negotiating; networking.

– e.g. reliability; having positive attitude; being hardworking; punctuality. (I.O.D: 2007) ‘There is a lack of differentiation between the courses available at college. They tend to be, generally speaking about training designers and the design industry is a much broader industry than just that of a practicing designer. The practicing designer is supported by people that understand project management, account management, research, semiotics, consumer behaviour, finance, the whole way and nature that design actually fits into the broader and wider world. Now we don’t necessarily have university courses that take that on board.’ (Worthington,D: 2007. Design Skills Advisory Panel Report)

Employability Commercial Skills

-Intrapreneurship, creative thinking, problem solving and risk taking within the structure of an established company.

-Corporate social responsibility and ethical business practice- as key drivers of their mainstream business policy and approaches.

-Innovation, creativity and risk taking.

-Customer orientated.

-Market analysis.

-Leadership of teams in context.

“21st century graduates need to demonstrate to employers that they can ‘hit the ground running’. In addition to working hard to gain a good degree, students should engage in extracurricular activities and obtain work experience in order to develop skills that will make them better prepared for the world of work. It is also important for students to become self-aware and develop the confidence to market themselves effectively when the time comes to apply for jobs”.

(C.Gilleard – Chief Executive, Association of Graduate Recruiters)

Employability Socially Responsible and Globally Aware

-Environmental Concern- Awareness of actions that globally are contributing to ongoing climate considerations.

-Effective Global Citizenship- Individuals have a shared social responsibility for the communities that they are part of.

-Sustainable Production and Consumption Awareness- The effects that mindless over consumption have had on global economies and communities.

-Social entrepreneurship.

-Globalisation-The effects of global economically, ethically and commercially.

markets and production, culturally,

Discipline Specific Skills

-Interdisclipinarity- The traditional boundaries between acknowledged disciplines are being dissolved and students are often looking for more innovative approaches to programmes of study. -Sophisticated discipline based abilities.

-Connectivity.

-Learn to learn skills.

-Multi-skilled.

“A degree alone is not enough. Employers are looking for more than just technical skills and knowledge of a degree discipline. They particularly value skills such as communication, team working and problem solving. Job applicants who can demonstrate that they have developed these skills will have a real advantage”.

(Digby Jones - Director-General, Confederation of British Industry)

Employability Personal Attributes

-Interpersonal Skills and Social Interaction-The modes of communication have significantly changed, losing many of the subtleties and ‘softer’ qualities of social exchange and professional relationships.

-Self reliance.

-Flexibility and Adaptability-The one constant in modern society is change, particularly in regard to career pathways, requiring flexible attitudes to progression through employment.

-Proactivity and motivation.

"A set of achievements - skills, understanding and personal attributes - that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the community and the economy".

(Yorke, M: ‘Employability in Higher Education: what it is - what it is not’, LTSN/ESECT 2004)