Employability

Employability in HE – scene setting15th March 2013

Louis Coiffait, Head of Research

@LouisMMCoiffait

The Pearson Think Tank

thepearsonthinktank.com

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Reminding ourselves of the current contextWhy might employability matter around the world?

Reminding ourselves of the current contextWhy might employability matter in the UK?

Guardian http://goo.gl/PJN3E

UKCES (2009) – a skills based approachPhase 1. The Employability Challenge

UKCES (2009)Phase 1. The Employability Challenge

Providers should follow 6 principles to embed employability:

1. Based on real workplace practice2. Experiential3. Personal4. Reflective5. A structured and integrated process6. Strong institutional leadership and resources

Higher Education Academy (HEA) 2006 + 2012Pedagogy for employability

“a set of achievements, - skills, understandings and personal attributes – that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy”

Providers encouraged to;1. embed effective employability practice within the curriculum2. develop institutional level frameworks 3. develop strategic approaches to employability4. support the graduate enterprise agenda (see NACUE)

HEA http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/employability

‘career readiness’ in the USAWhat other models are there?

e.g. ACT National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC)

WorkKeys credentials measure hard, cognitive "real world" skills 1. Applied Mathematics2. Locating Information3. Reading for Information

NCRC Plus ranks individuals’ soft skills 1. Work Discipline: Productivity, dependability2. Teamwork: Tolerance, communication, attitude3. Customer Service Orientation: Interpersonal skills, perseverance4. Managerial Potential: Persuasion, enthusiasm, problem solving

ACT http://goo.gl/c1aVL

The US Partnership for 21st Century SkillsWhat other models are there?

Other related agendas and narrativesWhat other models are there?

(social) enterprise and entrepreneurship

Creativity

Service learning and volunteering

Work-related learning

Global citizenship

Wellbeing

Sustainability

Where next for employability in HE?What other models are there?

Funding follows learners in England, 4 UK nations diverging

Increasingly competitive and marketised system

Key Information Set (KIS) http://unistats.direct.gov.uk

Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) http://www.hear.ac.uk

Growing focus on outcomes e.g. employment = economic growth?

A way of making a university distinctive and attractive

Implications for teaching and learning

Thank you!

thepearsonthinktank.com

…any questions?