1. Assessing the Role of the UK’s Academic Skill Force in Meeting the Industrial Strategy Ambitions
Greg Wade Programme Manager
Universities UK

2. Assessing the Role of the UK’s Academic Skill Force in Meeting the Industrial Strategy Ambitions
Greg Wade, Policy Manager UniversitiesUK
Science and Innovation Conference 2018
Universities UK | The voice of universities

3. The Fourth Industrial Revolution
automation and robotics
digital technology
the internet of things
artificial intelligence
new technologies such as biotechnology
Combined with an ageing population ….. and Brexit
Universities UK | The voice of universities

4. The March of the Robots
“The robots are coming – for as many as 800 million jobs” “Robots will destroy our jobs – and we're not ready for it” “You Will Lose Your Job to a Robot—and Sooner Than You Think” “When Robots Take All of Our Jobs, Remember the Luddites”
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5. Steve the Security Robot
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6. The revolution to beat all revolutions
Disruption
Uncertainty
Complexity
Speed of Change
Skills, skills, skills
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7. Pace of Change
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8. Change and Knowledge
33% By 2020 more than a third of desired core skill sets of most occupations will be comprised of skills that are not yet considered crucial to the job today (from 2016)”
65% of children entering primary schools today will ultimately work in new jobs and functions that currently don’t exist
Not even technical subjects are immune from this change with:
50% of the subject knowledge acquired during the first year of a four-year technical degree outdated by the time the students graduate
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9. An Impossible Task ?
Educators are in the position where they are having to prepare learners for:
“jobs that don’t yet exist, using technologies that have not yet been invented, and spotting and solving problems that we have yet to define clearly” .
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10. What the Economy Needs The Economy Needs Subject Knowledge
Cognitive Skills
Work Experience
Soft Skills
Technical Skills
Universities UK | The voice of universities

11. What Employers are Saying
Subject
62% of employers rate it as one of the most important factors in graduate recruitment
46% of employers consider academic qualifications as critical/significant
Cognitive
Technological change is increasing the demand for higher level cognitive skills
a strong link between “higher-order” cognitive skills and future jobs
Technical
49% of employers consider vocational qualifications as critical/significant
61% see the recruitment of engineering and technical staff with the right skills as a barrier to achieving business objectives over the next three years
Soft
they are a “universal priority”
there is a “strong message” from employers that they want a range of soft skills
Work
59% employers rate it as one of their most important factors in graduate recruitment
65% of employers rated relevant work experience as critical/significant
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12. What Universities are doing
Subject
international reputation for their academic standards and quality of provision
some of the most advanced, long-standing and embedded systems to support the quality of degrees
Cognitive
analysis, understanding, development, application and evaluation of subject knowledge is embedded
outlined in every subject benchmark and programme specification
Technical
41% of higher education provision has a particular focus on a vocation or a profession
91% of employers satisfied or very satisfied with the technical skills of graduates at
Soft
Over 90% of universities support communication, enterprise, self-awareness and team-working skills
80%+ employer satisfaction with analysis, teamworking, problem solving skills
Work
98% offer work experience
62% 62% embedding work experience in their courses
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13. Soft Skills – the views of recruiters ?
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14. Soft skills – a shared responsibility
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15. Work Experience – critically important
90% of employers cited it as one of their three most important factors when recruiting graduates
55% said it was the single most important factor
65% relevant work experience critical/significant when recruiting (higher than academic or vocational qualifications.
An area where graduate skills and experience needs to be improved
Recognised by universities, almost all offer work experience (98%) with most (62%) embedding in their courses
BUT – dependent on employers
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16. The Work Experience “Gap”
55% - almost all engineering employers agree work placements enhanced employability only 45% are engaged with higher education delivery
Only 19% of employers are offering work experience to improve future talent pipelines
35% - 65% of all employers feel work experience is critical or significant, 30% offer education placements
41% - The work experience gap is highest for smaller employers, for those employing 2-4 people the gap is 41% (63% consider it critical/significant, 22% offer education placements
There is no gap for employers with more than 50 employees
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17. Degree Apprenticeships
A New Skills Divide ?
Degree Apprenticeships
Vocational HE
Company
Sponsored Degrees
“Academic”
“Technical”
“Bridging Provision”
Professional Bodies
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18. Too Many Graduates ? Skills under supply of 123,000, 28% of vacancies
But – replacement demand, 13.1 million openings in the next 10 years
But – postgraduate study, 25% considering further study
Exacerbated by Brexit ?
Explains continuing graduate success
Explains shortages in health, education, engineering
Competitive market, graduate choice, challenges of retention
441,000
440,000
316,690
Universities UK | The voice of universities

19. Future Demand = “War for Talent” ?
85% - the proportion of jobs growth over the last 20 years from the managerial, professional and associate professional job categories
+75% - the balance of employers expecting increasing demand for higher level skills over the next 3-5 years
three out of the top four categories for predicted future jobs growth are managerial, professional and associate professional
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20. Employer Strategies Compete Immigration Collaborate Invest Innovate
Stop/move
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21. Eco System Approach Data Skills Taskforce
Careers information
Extracurricular activity
New degrees and modules
Work placements
Doctoral training
Degree apprenticeships
Teaching in schools
qualifications
pathways
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22. What Universities need to do more of, get better at
STRATEGY - have an integrated, embedded strategy that captures, builds upon and enhances the feedback and intelligence gained through existing partnerships, draws in advice and evidence from sectors, regions and the national level and drives teaching, learning and course development.
INCREASE AND EMBED - commit to increasing employer advice and input, work experience opportunities and the delivering of enterprise skills.
ENGAGE - ensure that they have a co-ordinated, effective and clear employer engagement service.
EXTEND RELATIONSHIP - with students beyond graduation including careers advice, skills provision and engaging with alumni to enhance employer advice and input.
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23. Overall Policy Conclusions
Stop talking about too many graduates
False choice between academic/technical, it is a spectrum
“Academic” education is part of the skills system
Flexible pathways to provide opportunities
Partnership, “whole skills” and networked thinking rather than linear thinking
Reduce barriers and “break points”
Sector talent strategies linked to local talent strategies
Strong employer engagement with educators
Targeted support for SMEs
Large employers acting as anchor institutions for SMEs
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24. Thank You
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