UHI EMPLOYABILITY CONFERENCE, MORAY COLLEGE HOW DO WE MAKE OUR STUDENTS MORE EMPLOYABLE?

UHI background Career management Individual Student union Institution/career service Government A broader perspective CONTENTS

UHI Mission statement “To establish in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland a collegiate which will reach the highest standards and play a pivotal role in our educational, economic, social and cultural development” The employability of our students is crucial to our mission

127 courses, 929 staff, 5080 students. Age profile UHI Today

PART TIME FULL TIME FULL / PART TIME

How does the mature and part time student differ from traditional full time students Are their aims different Do they have differing attitudes to study Do employability strategies have to be tailored to their needs MATURE / PART TIME

Most mature and part time students work Many have family commitments Most are already involved with social activities outside of college/university Their main concerns are time and money PROFILE

MATURE / PART TIME How do we cope with their needs? No time for extra curriculum activities No time for union involvement No time for extra courses

WHO’S RESPONSIBILITY IS IT? The Institution The student The government Student Union Employers

INSTITUTIONS EMPLOYABILITY EMBEDDED IN CURRICULUM Personal Development Planning- How do we engage students in taking responsibility for PDP? CORE SKILLS - WORKPLACEMENTS CV, PRESENTATION, ORAL SKILLS

How do we achieve our aims By developing a Employability strategy By embedding employability in the curriculum By engaging with students and encouraging a responsible attitude towards PDP By developing modules which include core skills

How do we achieve our aims By providing courses which are suited to the local employment needs By having close links with the business community By having close links with Careers Scotland

Cont’ Better methods for handling APEL/ APL Inclusion of vocational/ professional standards and qualifications in programme spec where possible Ensure industrial updating for academic staff

Cont’ Learning and teaching strategies, and PDP should seek to make employability skills more transparent and overt to students. Focus on process

Student Unions NSLP Training & Stadia events In house training for class and subject networks reps UHISA annual conference and training NUS,QAA,SPARQS,COMMITTEES

UHISA will campaign for Wednesday afternoons to be free from study. This will enable students to more effectively contribute to association business and extra curriculum activities STUDENT UNIONS

LIMITATIONS Student unions can only reach a minority Therefore exclusive Should unions expand training? What would be the implications?

STUDENTS Must take some responsibility Student unions can help Institutions can help Employers can guide

EMPLOYERS “There are a large number of graduates looking for jobs and employers no longer recruit simply on the basis of degree status. A degree might be necessary or desirable but employers are looking for a range of other attributes when employing and retaining graduates” Harvey, Moon and Geall (1997) A survey of employers attitudes

SKILLS EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR Motivation & enthusiasm Interpersonal skills Team working Communication Adaptability Initiative Problem solving Planning Managing ones own development

GOVERNMENT POLICY FINANCE CAN THEY DO MORE?

GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR A SCOTTISH EMPLOYABILITY TRAINING GROUP RUN BY SPARQS/QAA/SHEFC/NUS WHAT WOULD IT DO?

S.E.T.G AN ORGANISATION DEDICATED TO IMPROVING EMPLOYABILITY IN SCOTTISH STUDENTS RUN SEMINARS PROVIDE TRAINING CO-ORDINATE LOCAL TRAINING

WHO GAINS? The student The institution The economy (government) Employers

WHAT DO THEY SAY Part time students often also mature students May already be in employment and looking to improve their employment. Don’t feel extra modules are necessary, but mature students may welcome optional short courses covering writing a CV, interview skills etc

cont’ “In many ways I feel being part of the UHI has already increased my employability”. Many universities have a job centre as part of their student services. These centres offer placements in the area for work experience to help you on your way when you go looking for a career.

RANDOM COMMENTS Class times suited to parents Work experience (It is really, really frustrating to be told that I am not qualified for any nursery type jobs as I don't have an NC, even although I have the degree) Help with voluntary work?

TIME FOR THE THOUGHT PROVOKING BIT!

Comment “Delivering a university would rank alongside the great achievements that have reversed economic and social decline in the Highlands & Islands.” Jack McConnell, First Minister, Scottish Executive 2004

The Broader Perspective What does the future hold? What are we educating our graduates to be? Our graduates are the future Are we preparing them to cope?

Our future in the World Can we survive as a service industry economy? Where have all our inventors gone? Why has our manufacturing base declined? Where do we go from here?

What can we do? Change present attitudes Be inventive in our education delivery Produce graduates who can think, adapt, learn from mistakes, and not be afraid to make them

HE /FE SECTOR Do we accept that we have a responsibility to our society? Should the sector lead or react? The future is in your hands! But soon will be in the hands of your graduates!!!

POINTS FOR DISCUSSION If institutions do too much for students will it be counter-productive Spoon feeding could lead to un-employability How do we help students to help themselves? 14% of workers in Highland are self-employed compared to 9% in Scotland GDP for Highland is 8% below Scottish average School leavers to HE is 4% higher in Highland

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