1. Practical Strategies for Embedding Employability in the Curriculum LTA Conference 19 June 2013 Jeff Waldock Department of Engineering and Mathematics, Faculty of ACES http://tinyurl.com/m52us36 1

2. “… is more than about developing attributes, techniques or experience just to enable a student to get a job, or to progress within a current career. It is about learning and the emphasis is less on ‘employ’ and more on ‘ability’. In essence, the emphasis is on developing critical, reflective abilities, with a view to empowering and enhancing the learner" Practical Strategies for Embedding Employability in the Curriculum Employability Harvey (2003) 2 Jeff Waldock

3. Socrative Student http://m.socrative.com Join room jw (lower case) Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 3 Jeff Waldock

4. Practical Strategies for Embedding Employability in the Curriculum Q1 4 What 'ability' of graduates from your discipline do you feel has the greatest impact on their employability? In your response, provide your subject area or the one you most closely identify with, e.g. IT skills (Maths) Jeff Waldock

5. QAA Subject benchmark - a 'National Curriculum' for HE http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/benchmark/statements/Maths07.asp "MSOR graduates will possess general study skills, particularly including the ability to learn independently" "They will also be able to work independently with patience and persistence, pursuing the solution of a problem to its conclusion. They will have had the opportunity to develop general skills of time management and organisation." "They will also have general communication skills, typically including the ability to work in teams, to contribute to discussions, to write coherently and to communicate results clearly." Maths Stats and Operational Research (MSOR) Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 5 Jeff Waldock

6. Example of a skills list …. Verbal communication Written communication Analysing and problem solving Team working and interpersonal skills Self awareness Personal planning, time management and organisation Initiative, enterprise Adaptability Numerical reasoning Information literacy and ICT skills Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 6 Jeff Waldock

7. Practical Strategies for Embedding Employability in the Curriculum Q2 7 Should these generic 'employability' skills form a routine part of assessed work? Jeff Waldock

8. Students may already have many of these 'employability' skills Help students see the big picture – and how each activity they engage with helps them towards their target. Make the tacit explicit Show students how and where in their programme of study these skills are being developed. Raise the profile; Use assessment; Get students to use a process of reflection and action planning to recognise what they can and can’t yet do, and to tackle the latter. Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 8 Jeff Waldock

9. Practical Strategies for Embedding Employability in the Curriculum Q3: on 'your' programme … 9 Is it clear how students develop employability skills through engagement with course-embedded activities? Is this made explicit? Do you think students are aware of this? Jeff Waldock

10. "Almost half of all recent graduates believe their university education did not adequately equip them for the world of work” Guardian, 28 January 2011 Guardian, 28 January 2011 " Whilst the total number of graduate vacancies is set to increase in 2013, recruiters expect that over a third of this year’s entry-level positions will be filled by graduates who have already worked for their organisations – either through internships, industrial placements or vacation work – and therefore are not open to other students from the class of 2013" http://www.highfliers.co.uk/http://www.highfliers.co.uk/, January 2013 Work experience matters!! Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 10 Jeff Waldock

11. Practical Strategies for Embedding Employability in the Curriculum Q4 11 Does 'your' programme incorporate work-based learning? Jeff Waldock

12. Practical Strategies for Embedding Employability in the Curriculum Q5 12 Can your students articulate learning from work? Jeff Waldock

13. Communication skills Oral - presentations, vivas, seminar discussion Written - essays, reports, posters, website, blogs.. Social networking? Reflection and action planning.. articulate, self-confident, self-motivated, self-aware Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 13 Jeff Waldock

14. Communication skills Group work, Belbin etc Student support groups Leadership/facilitation skills.. PAL Team working skills Interdisciplinary? …. be clear about what is being assessed Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 14 Jeff Waldock

15. Communication skills Use of software tools.. Excel, Word, PPT etc Programming.. especially Excel WWW-related & 'Web 2.0' Team working skills IT skills IT confidence.. ‘digital literacy’ Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 15 Jeff Waldock

16. Communication skills Identification of career goals, opportunity awareness CV, job application, interview, assessment centre Team working skills IT skills Career Management Skills Outduction Employer connections, networking Role models, raising aspiration & self belief Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 16 Jeff Waldock

17. "Developing Graduate Skills in Mathematics Programmes“ a mini-project commissioned by the National HE STEM Programme Mathematical Sciences Strand (April 2010 - March 2011) April 2011 Further work developing graduate skills in HE Mathematics Programmes June 2012 Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 17 Jeff Waldock

18. -P4E should inform the whole curriculum -be made explicit to all participants -a ‘pathway’ -recognition via an award Action required in three principal areas for success: Conclusions and implications for practice Practical Strategies for Developing Employability Pedagogy for Employability Higher Education Academy, 2012 18 Jeff Waldock

19. -experiential learning -‘real world’, authentic problems -challenge existing methodologies -reward employability development -‘parity of esteem’ 1.Learning, Teaching and Assessment Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 19 Jeff Waldock

20. - contextualises learning - integrated into course curricula - reflection on, and articulation of, learning 1.Learning, Teaching and Assessment 2.Authentic work experience Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 20 Jeff Waldock

21. - employability enhancement core value - organisational practices and structures - course validation/approval processes - recognition of ‘what a degree is for’ – especially in 2013 1.Learning, Teaching and Assessment 2.Authentic work experience 3.Institutional culture Practical Strategies for Developing Employability Need to evaluate initiatives and approaches 21 Jeff Waldock

22. Embedding employability in the curriculum Key elements for success: Small changes can have a big impact Make the tacit explicit – there may already be plenty happening Use LTA practice - particularly assessment - to develop employability skills alongside technical skills Engage students as partners, explaining rationale and the big picture. Highlight skill development in all activities. Engage students in reflection and action planning – self-awareness Incorporate work experience, and realistic work-related learning Secure institutional support Reinforce and re-emphasise regularly Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 22 Jeff Waldock

23. What single curricular change will have the biggest effect on enhancing the employability of my students? Discussion Question 1 Content? Teaching method(s)? Assessment? Do students recognise employability value they are getting already? Other? Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 23 Jeff Waldock

24. What pedagogic tactics are successful in developing employability? Discussion Question 2 For each approach identified: Do you have evidence to support this? Why do you think it was successful? Who should be involved in the delivery? - academic staff, - careers staff, - employers, - others? Practical Strategies for Developing Employability 24 Jeff Waldock