TQEF Project Student Employability and Good Practice in Placement Provision Lisa Ward Project Manager 12 th October, 2005

Baselines - Schools Each school has different issues and different levels of provision. Four Schools widely involved in Sandwich Education: –Computing and Engineering –HUBS –Applied Sciences –Art and Design Two Schools with integral work placements: –Human and Health Sciences plus Politics work placements –Education and Professional Development Music and Humanities –Mixture: Music Technology Sandwich Course, History Work Placements.

Placement Take Up

Percentage Place Take Up by School

Ethnic Minority Students

Gender Comparisons

Asian Students

Baseline Students Only 50% of students enrolled on sandwich courses are taking a placement year. Students from ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely than white students to go on placement. Mobility –The majority of students want a placement within daily travelling distance e.g. Yorkshire or Greater Manchester. –Placements abroad are taken by a small minority. –A substantial minority of students are not prepared to travel out of Huddersfield Support –Most Schools have a placement office. –Academics lead the process in some schools, and support it in others. Availability –A few placements are exclusive to Huddersfield, most are in competition with other Universities. –For students with business or generic skills there are more placements than students. –Specialist courses struggle to find placements e.g. Chemistry, Music technology. –Students are very ‘picky’ about placements.

Key Challenges and Actions 1. Each School has a different approach This could be a strength or a weaknesses. Key is to share best practice. Need to establish methods to do this. 2. Student engagement is ‘patchy’. Data analysis in one school to understand number of vacancies that students apply for and success levels. Also how many students don’t apply or only apply for selected vacancies e.g. blue chip or local companies. Find out how strongly placements are promoted. Employability as part of the curriculum, models and successes. Difference between careers service courses and tutor run courses. 3. Variables amongst categories of students e.g. ethnic minority students. If data available, then compare career take up with placement data. Run focus groups to gain a deeper understanding of issues. Consider further options e.g. BME networks at local employers, case studies, parents evenings.

Challenges and Actions (Continued) 4. Finding more suitable placements. Make links with MYCCI Alumni CBI Big employers Investigate getting more students into government organisations. Sector Skills Councils 5. Best Practice in Other HEIs Establish links with other Universities e.g. Leeds University Careers Service. Liverpool John Moores – ‘Muslim Women, higher education and employability research project.’