Emerging employer perspectives, new directions for students. Jane Denholm (Independent Consultant, Critical Thinking) Rob Ward (Director, the Centre for Recording Achievement) 1

‘Work in progress’… Stakeholder/end-user Research with: Employers; PSRBs; HEIs as PG recruiters; an investigation of employer perspectives; the HEAR as a developmental, formative tool for students…

Employer engagement research Employers...diverse... 4 large volume recruiters 2 large “blue chip” companies 1 private sector company 1 public sector company 3 small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) 2 third sector voluntary organisations

Employer engagement research Consider an illustrative HEAR One-to-one in-depth interview Asked them: What information might you have most interest in? When might it be useful in the processes of graduate recruitment (and development?) How might it be useful (maybe in electronic form as an alternative to paper)? Your reactions/key messages?

Key employer messages… Welcome the HEAR...for different reasons: 'Blue chips' still interested in degree classification for sifting: Over three quarters of AGR members require graduates to have at least a 2:1 (21,500 of half a million graduates in 2012) Others (esp. SMEs and third sector) much less focussed on degree classification: “The fact that you’ve been a volunteer is more important than your degree” “The ‘having a life’ section of the HEAR gives us a very useful sense of the candidate’s work/life balance” 5

Key employer messages… Employers expect to reap benefits substantively but indirectly: Support HEAR as an aide memoire/resource for students. Students cannot start consciously making the most of their time in higher education too soon. ‘Richer picture’ welcome but mediated through the student tailoring their application using the employer’s system.

Key employer messages… Using directly, employers unlikely to see a whole HEAR: Some may not see it at all. Some would ask for S4 and S6 to be appended to application. Some would use as a development tool “part of the tapestry of the individual”.

Key employer messages… Logistics “to be really useful, and used, the HEAR needs to be a seamless part of our process – it can’t involve extra work”. Electronic format key. Access to verified information prior to graduation welcomed. Attraction of business efficiencies that could potentially arise through being able to verify the HEAR electronically. For those who will read parts of the HEAR information needs to be short/concise/within the common template.

Key employer messages… Conclusions: Use of HEAR is evolving: great potential. Still work to do on hearts and minds. HEAR as a process not a static document. One employer’s lament: HEAR is limited because “it stops” but learning doesn’t – or shouldn’t...

Formative use of the HEAR … the role of the HEAR as the undergraduate experience develops, i.e. as a formative document which may be available and used from the point of a student’s entry throughout their HE experience … this might involve use of the HEAR: 1.   as a basis for reviewing progress and planning future activities, whether individually or with support from a tutor; 2.   in supporting student engagement in opportunities beyond the curriculum, and the recording of appropriate achievements in relation to these; 3.   as an aide memoire for students in making applications which may be needed before the final award is made, e.g. for sandwich placements and internships; permanent employment; further study or training opportunities; 4.   as a basis for the development of partnerships with students unions to support the second of these in particular.

From a student perspective… Supporting awareness and planning… A helicopter view of their achievements (integrative)… A microscopic view of their achievements (evidential)…

Formative use of the HEAR … the role of the HEAR as the undergraduate experience develops, i.e. as a formative document which may be available and used from the point of a student’s entry throughout their HE experience … this might involve use of the HEAR: 1.   as a basis for reviewing progress and planning future activities, whether individually or with support from a tutor; 2.   in supporting student engagement in opportunities beyond the curriculum, and the recording of appropriate achievements in relation to these; 3.   as an aide memoire for students in making applications which may be needed before the final award is made, e.g. for sandwich placements and internships; permanent employment; further study or training opportunities; 4.   as a basis for the development of partnerships with students unions to support the second of these in particular.

Supporting formative and developmental use... Institutional developments… ‘a catalyst for re-thinking the landscape, forcing thinking about the wider student experience, within and beyond the curriculum’ > Institutional agenda; Subject grounding; Rethinking the academic year; ‘Packaging’ the HEAR.

Working with students… ‘There is no point in investing in the HEAR if we don’t see benefits for students, it’s about raising aspiration, emphasising to students that they do have the wherewithal to apply for, and obtain, graduate level jobs’ > Induction; Reminders; Electronic access; Richer information-to facilitate discussion; Regular review; Phased use appropriate to the student lifecycle.

Going forward… HEAR.AC.UK… Join the HEAR community at HEAR-EXTENSION-LIST@JISCMAIL.AC.UK