GPS3001: Work Experience Placements Dave Passmore (School of Geography, Politics and Sociology) (School of Geography, Politics and Sociology) With thanks to: Darrin Beattie Gillian Mabbitt Jim Wood Jessica Jung

GPS3001: Work Experience Placements Context:  Stage 3 optional module, available across the School  20 credits (10 credits in each semester), with c.70 hours of contact with the host organisation  Commenced in  Module aims, learning outcomes and assessment shadow NCL3002

GPS3001: Work Experience Placements Origins:  Student / staff engagement with Careers Service NCL modules  Employability agenda / Graduate Skills Framework / student ‘demand’  Regional employer links

GPS3001: Work Experience Placements Intended knowledge outcomes:  To acquire relevant, timely new knowledge that ensures effective personal performance in a work-related context;  To become aware of and to consciously use explicit performance criteria to successfully reflect on and develop own skills of self-awareness, planning & organising, personal enterprise, communication and teamworking;  To analyse, integrate and apply knowledge and skills to help to achieve the aims of the organisation hosting the work- related learning.

GPS3001: Work Experience Placements Intended skills outcomes:  manage own time, workload and personal development to achieve the learning outcomes for this module;  use reflexive learning to systematically improve on personal contribution to a work situation;  use existing and new knowledge to perform effectively in this work situation;  collect, analyse, critically evaluate and present appropriately, evidence relating to the competence of own skills performance which resulted in outcomes that benefit the organisation hosting the work-related learning.

GPS3001: Work Experience Placements Sem 1 timetable / academic contact (repeated in S2)  Module introduction (2 hrs)  Skills workshop (2 hrs)  Individual tutorial meeting (plus office hours)  Assessed interviews workshop (2 hrs)  Assessed interview for each student  (plus on-line skills audit and study aids)

GPS3001: Work Experience Placements Student take-up:  09-10: 10 students (pilot year) o 7 Geography, 1 Politics, 2 Sociology  10-11: 27 students o 26 Geography, 1 Politics & Economics  11-12: at least 20….

GPS3001: Work Experience Placements School-organised placements / employers:  Newcastle City Council (4 per year)  Great North Museum  Northumberland National Park  Northumberland Coast AoNB  Policy, Ethics and Life Sciences Centre  Note – all placements configured as voluntary

GPS3001: Work Experience Placements Self-organised placements – some examples:  Environment Agency (Cumbria)  Bradford City Council  Enterprise Car Hire (Newcastle)  Newcastle Dance City  Newlyn Surf Centre (Cornwall)  Boots Ltd (Nottingham)  Various SME’s & voluntary bodies / charities

GPS3001: Work Experience Placements Employer links:  Staff research projects – small projects, pilot studies, etc o Northumberland National Park o Northumberland Coast AoNB o Landscape modelling (with Computing Science)  Regional employer forums / advisory groups

GPS3001: Work Experience Placements Assessment and student performance (10-11 model):  Assessed 20-minute interview (2 markers): 50% o 10-11: average mark = 65.3%  Personal Development Plan / Action Plan: 25% o 10-11: average mark = 63.5%  Host evaluation: 25% o 10-11: average mark = 68.5%  module marks: average = 65.8% (range 76-58)

GPS3001: Work Experience Placements Issues:  Staff resistance to implementing work experience in the curriculum o Can be offset by developing discipline-related placements o Some (limited) resistance to placements in non-graduate jobs o Limited take-up in Sociology / Politics

GPS3001: Work Experience Placements Issues (cont):  Workloads o Needs a pool of second markers  Semester 2 - Easter / dissertation deadline overlap o Most placements configured for Semester 1 only