Employability at Leicester Bob Athwal and Stuart Johnson
Jan 21, 2015
Employability at Leicester
Bob Athwal and Stuart Johnson
Outline1. Aim
2. Context
3. Vision
4. Principles
5. The extra dimension
Aim
“To ensure our graduates have the extra dimension in order to make them the stand out choice for employers”
Context: labour market“The jobless total for 16 to 24-year-olds hit a record high of 991,000 in the quarter, a jobless rate of 21.3%”1
1 www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15271800
Context: White paper“We will radically improve and expand the information available to prospective students, making available much more information about individual courses […] and graduate employment prospects [...] including on employment and earnings outcomes...”
Context: Key Information Set
Context: how we compareWe’ve been going the wrong way the last 3 years
1994 GroupRussell GroupOther
% E
mpl
oym
ent
% Graduate Jobs
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
60 70 80 90 100
Context: University strategy
Context: employable graduates
Now
Degree = employment
Degree + extracurricular = employment
UCAS tariff + 2:1 degree + good university + extracurricular + work experience = employment
Higher UCAS tariff + 2:1 degree + top university + extracurricular + work experience of measurable value + own personal brand = employment
Context: Why employers target universities*
We have always gone there
Proximity to company premises
Calibre of graduates according to Recruiter's Guide
Course content
Attitude to employability
Relationship with university
Number of graduates hired previously
Reputation of faculty or university
3.09
3.24
3.42
3.97
4.12
4.47
4.6
5.06
*The AGR Graduate Recruitment Survey 2012
Mean ratings on a scale from 1 (not at all) to 6 (very much)
Vision
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Ensure our graduates have the extra dimension
How to tell your story (‘after’ interventions)
Funnelling and preparation (‘before’ interventions)
Students Students’ Union DepartmentsInternal
Employers Alumni ParentsExternal
Dev
elop
men
t of t
rans
fera
ble
skill
s
Engagement/responsibility
Example: internships
A record 36% of this year’s graduate vacancies with leading employers are expected to be filled by people who have already worked for the organisation during their studies*
* High Fliers Research, Graduate Labour Market in 2012: Annual review of graduate vacancies and starting salaries at Britain’s leading employers, 2012
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Principles• Engage key stakeholders
• Offer increased opportunities
• Provide enhanced support
Engage: students
Them coming to us – Careers Zone,
websiteUs coming to them – curriculum, ‘pop-
up’, social media
/
Engage: employers
Principles• Engage key stakeholders
• Offer increased opportunities
– co-curricular
– curricular
– extra-curricular
• Provide enhanced support
Opportunities: co-curricular• Minimum programme
OCT
NOV
DEC
3rd years
2nd years
1st years
Opportunities: curricular• Employability of the curriculum (History)
• Modules with employability applications (Maths)
• Employability modules (Geography)
Employability of the curriculum
Modules with employability applications
Employability modules
Hot of the press
What others are doing: Liverpool JMUWorld of Work
Development of soft-skills as a part of degree, with academic modules integrating simulations of workplace situations and curriculum input from employers and careers advisors. Students can receive a ‘graduate skills transcript’ upon graduation.
What others are doing: KentEmployability Points Scheme
The Employability Points Scheme rewards students who actively engage in extra-curricular activities with work-related opportunities. Students who have part-time employment, learnt a new language, engage in business engagement and enterprise activities, or are active members of clubs and societies, can earn points for their active engagement with university life. […]
What others are doing: HullThe Hull History Partnership
The University of Hull has developed partnerships with Hull History Centre and local schools and colleges to improve the employability of history students in the region. It provides training routes to and opportunities for young people wishing to develop careers in History teaching, archives and heritage work, research in universities, and work on public and community History projects.
What others are doing: ManchesterManchester Graduate Internship Programme
[…] provides opportunities for the university’s graduates to gain employment in paid graduate level positions.
All of the roles are paid, with an average salary of £15k per annum pro rata, are based in Greater Manchester, and last for between 4 and 12 months. […]
In 2011 they advertised over 180 vacancies.
Why we need to take this seriously1994 GroupRussell GroupOther
% E
mpl
oym
ent
% Graduate Jobs
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
60 70 80 90 100
We’ve been going the wrong way the last 3 years
Criteria for our involvement• Compulsory attendance
• Value and impact
• Sufficient notice
• Our availability
N.B. This means some sessions we will no longer do
100 400+Increase in appointments
Why this change?
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ons
(1,0
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(3,0
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Curr
icul
um in
terv
entio
ns
Post
-gra
duati
on s
uppo
rt (1
00)
Ensure our graduates have the extra dimension
How to tell your story (‘after’ interventions)
Funnelling and preparation (‘before’ interventions)
Students Students’ Union DepartmentsInternal
Employers Alumni ParentsExternal
Dev
elop
men
t of t
rans
fera
ble
skill
s
Engagement/responsibility
Opportunities: extra-curricularStudent
Champions
Clubs, Societies and
Events
Earn and Learn
World and Media
Volunteering
Course Rep
Student Ambassador
Mentor
Sabbatical Officer
Clubs and Societies Officer
EnterpriseAward
Clubs and Societies Member
Part-time Jobs, Internships and vacation work
Student Engagement
Team
Student Ambassador
Newspaper Journalist and Photographer
Radio Journalist and Broadcaster
Student Exchange
Programmes
Languages at Leicester
Students in Classrooms
Volunteering Projects
Volunteering Award
Students in Classrooms
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* = Leicester Award Programme
Course RepBenefits• Represent your fellow students• Influence University decisions• Learn about University structures and governance• Meet students from other courses
Skills you could develop You could develop many skills but particularly:• planning and organising• leadership and supervising• communication• teamwork
Radio Journalist and BroadcasterBenefits• Gain essential experience• Make vital media contacts• Gain technical skills• Inform and inspire others
Skills you could develop You could develop many skills but particularly:• using technology• communication• teamwork• planning and organising
Principles• Engage key stakeholders
• Offer increased opportunities
• Provide enhanced support
Support• Before and after
• No prep, no entry
• Competitive process
Graduates with the extra dimension…
NowHigher UCAS tariff + 2:1 degree + top university + extracurricular + work experience of measurable value + own personal brand = employment
…is what employers are looking for
* CBI and UUK, Future Fit: Preparing graduates for the world of work, March 2009, p.7
** Association of Graduate Recruiters AGR Recruitment Survey, Summer 2011 Review
A recent CBI survey found that 82% of employers identified ‘improving student’s employability skills’ when asked what universities should prioritise.*
Applicants’ ability to demonstrate certain competencies is the second most cited entry requirement amongst AGR members at 63.9%.**
Inte
rnsh
ips
(1,0
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Leic
este
r Aw
ard
(3,0
00)
Part
-tim
e (2
,500
)
Proj
ects
/com
petiti
ons
(1,0
00)
Volu
ntee
ring
(3,0
00)
Ente
rpris
e (5
00)
Curr
icul
um in
terv
entio
ns
Post
-gra
duati
on s
uppo
rt (1
00)
Ensure our graduates have the extra dimension
How to tell your story (‘after’ interventions)
Funnelling and preparation (‘before’ interventions)
Students Students’ Union DepartmentsInternal
Employers Alumni ParentsExternal
Dev
elop
men
t of t
rans
fera
ble
skill
s
Engagement/responsibility
Development of transferable skills• Teamwork
• Communication
• Analysing
• Problem solving
• Planning and organising
• Leadership and supervision
• Using technology
• Initiative and creativity
• Self management
• Learning
• Defining work objectives and outcomes
• Managing time and priorities• Developing a realistic action plan• Using project management
methodology• Liaising with a range of stakeholders• Identifying, assessing and weighing
risks• Developing a contingency plan• Allocating resources to tasks• Carrying projects through to
successful completion
How do we know we’ve got there?
1994 GroupRussell GroupOther
% E
mpl
oym
ent
% Graduate Jobs
95
94
93
92
91
90
89
60 70 80 90 100
UNIVERSITY of LEICESTER
Higher Education Achievement Report
6.1 Additional information
• Leicester Award and Departmental prizes
• Internships• Consultancy projects• Competitions• ??
in future?
Work with us• Tell your students about us
• Send your students to us
• Accommodate the minimum programme
• What can you do in your curriculum?
• Map to the transferable skills framework
• Your ideas…
Save the date
17DEC
Monday
Round table discussions1. Do you have any questions about the vision/
strategy that we can take away from today?2. How will you engage your students with the central
careers provision?3. What do you think you will do following today to
help support the vision?4. How can we take forward developing employability
in the curriculum with you?