Support of WBL & Employer Engagement Prof Mark Stiles, Richard Benefer, Fleur Corfield Staffordshire University Regional Federation

Summary Background to SURF Background to FDs in Surf Supply vs Demand Models of WBL in FDs Issues of WBL development Mentoring FE Tutors and Liaison Patterns of Delivery Genesis of WBL-Way The Approach and Progress of SURF WBL-Way What we want from you!

About SURF

SURF and Foundation Degrees HEFCE recognised funding consortium formed in 2000 University-led with 11 FE colleges in Staffordshire and Shropshire 2,500 students on HNC, HND, Foundation Year, Foundation Degree, PGCE, Cert Ed Management Board, Management Committee, Quality Committee and others

The History of FD’s 2001/021 title90 students 2002/031 title100 students 2003/044 titles290 students 2004/0510 titles600 students 2005/0614 titles780 students 2006/0720 titles895 students 2007/0830 titles1400 students

Supply vs Demand in FD Development Fd Applied Technology meets a local demand for highly skilled engineers Fd Early Years meets the government’s demand for high level skills in the sector Fd Telecommunications meets the demands of a national employer

Some Models of FD Development Local employer ‘bespoke award’ Pathways National employer

Issues of WBL Development and Delivery Knowledge and awareness Cost – time and money Relevance to the business Work-based learning and mentoring Speed of response and validation Is the Fd a business solution?

Issues of Supporting WBL Development and Delivery College or University-led Award leader and Link Tutor College, University, Workplace delivery Workbased learning Approval and Quality processes Supporting Employer engagement

Mentoring WBL THE key role? - Linking WBL to the academic experience Reflection Finding and Training Mentors Mentors, Tutors and Learners Mentoring and Appraisal Barriers “Real Projects”

FE Tutors and Liaison More about the Link Tutor HE as part of the total FE curriculum FE tutors as Mentors

Patterns of delivery “Traditional” classroom-based Entirely on-site at employers’ premises Mixture

Genesis of WBL-Way Course Description Portal and Services SURF WBL-Way SURF X4L SURF WBL COVARM SUNIWE XCRi Reuse & Repurposing Generic WBL Resources Validation Issues Work Based Learning Personalised Access Point

Partners Main Project Partners –Staffordshire University –Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology –Burton Upon Trent College –Stoke On Trent College Supporting Partners –Foundation Degree Forward –AimHigher West Midlands –Harvest Road –Foundation Direct CETL –Engineering Council –Portsmouth University –SEMTA

Issues from SURF WBL Employers / mentors have no online access to information on employee learning No easy reference to generic support materials No centralised information about WBL across SURF

SURF WBL Outputs Over 80 Learning objects covering: –Mentoring –Negotiated Learning –AP(E)L –Key Skills –Health and Safety –Communication in WBL –Ethics –Study Skills –Curriculum Management A Study of Policy & Organisational Implications of Resourcing and Supporting WBL in a Consortium –Based on project experiences from partner colleges

Project Approach Use Case Driven Drawing on experience and tools from previous projects –SURF WBL & X4L –SUNIWE Access for all involved in WBL

Tasks Identify stakeholders Interview stakeholders Write scenarios for stakeholders Create use cases and storyboards for stakeholders based on scenarios Review portal software Review institutions systems and data Develop related portlets, linking to institutional systems Create missing materials to support scenarios

Where we are Work with college partners, employers, FDF and SURF started Links built on existing project work Scenarios been written and use cases and storyboards started Blog created by each project partner Reviews of institutional systems and data taking place Missing materials being identified

Stakeholders Employers Engaged Un-Engaged Employees Learners Mentors Human Resources Institutional Staff Course Developers Course Deliverers Course Managers Unengaged employee

Comments from Employers Requests for –Up to date course descriptors & start dates –Progression for Work Based Learning –Case Studies –Learner Progress information –Advice for potential learners and employers –Information on short courses that can be built on –Links to Personnel

WBL Training Opportunities AimHigher West Midlands 2007

Understanding progression routes AimHigher West Midlands 2007

Scenarios I am an employer with employees on different courses, I want to see what stage they are at and what they can progress to I am an employer interested in foundation degrees but don’t know who to contact and how much of my time it would involved

Use Cases Employer view: –Employee learner status & course details –Contact details for colleges delivering foundation degrees –Support documents for foundation degrees –WBL courses linked to the company sector –College events related to employers

If I was a HR Manager...

What we want from you… –Does this fit with your experiences? –Have you found other requirements? What are they? –How would you meet those requirements?

Thank you Contact Information –Fleur Corfield –Mark Stiles –Richard Benefer Project Websites – –