Employer perspectives on a broader curriculum and graduate attributesTony Donohoe, Head of Education Policy

Outline

Business Context Employers’ view – IBEC Survey 2010 National Strategy for Higher Education Employability skills and attributes PhD skills Five Minds for the Future Impact on curriculum, pedagogy and learning

environment Education for employment v good student learning

Post industrial concerns

Globalisation– 75% of world’s population does not speak English

End of US global economic dominance Pervasiveness of technology Complex and dynamic markets

– Respond to customers, governments, markets, economic and social instabilities

Growth of services– 70% of employment and 40% of exports

Sustainability is a growing concern

IBEC Survey 2010

Majority of respondents said they had no difficulty in recruiting suitable graduates from Irish HEIs (74.6%).

Most employers who had difficulty highlighted problems with the engineering-related disciplines

Employers were less satisfied with graduate’s ‘ability to work autonomously’

Employers are now expecting higher education institutions to embed generic or employability skills more fully into their curricula.

38% of respondents have informal or ad hoc college placement procedures in place in their organisations.

IBEC Survey 2010

National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030

Integrating research with teaching learning– Parity of esteem between roles

Clear routes of progression– Work/service placements acknowledged through

accreditation or diploma supplement– Flexible routes of progression within and across HEIs– National framework for RPL

First year experience– Induction and preparation programmes– More interdisciplinary learning opportunities

National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030

Generic skills– Explicitly address skills required for workplace and

engagement in society– Ensure alignment between learning outcomes,

pedagogy and assessment Review quality assurance frameworks

– Develop guidelines to support National Framework of Qualifications

– Review of external examiner system

National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030

Engagement with wider society– Encourage greater inward and outward mobility of

staff and students between HEIs, business, industry, the professions and wider community

– Respond positively to the continuing professional needs of the wider community

– Recognise civic engagement of students through programme accreditation

– Encourage involvement of wider community in a range of activities including programme design

Vitae (UK) Report –ranking of skills for PhDs

1. Data analysis2. Problem solving3. Drive and motivation4. Project Managing5. Interpersonal skills6. Leadership7. Commercial awareness

The entrepreneurial skill-set

Self-confidence Strategic thinking Cooperate for success Ability to plan work, organise tasks and communicate

decisions Project development and implementation Team-building and attribution of success Recognition and proactive orientation to change and

innovation Risk assessment and foresight activity with regard to

market changes and opportunities

Gardner’s Five Minds for the Future

The Disciplinary Mind– mastery of major schools of thought

The Synthesizing Mind– ability to integrate ideas from different disciplines

or spheres into a coherent whole The Creating Mind

– Capacity to uncover and clarify new problems,questions and phenomena

The Respectful Mind– awareness of and appreciation for differences among human

beings and human groups. The Ethical Mind

– fulfilment of one's responsibilities as a worker and as a citizen.

Employability

A richer construct than ‘skills wish-list’ A set of achievements, understanding and personal

attributes helps students to realise their potential Meets corporate expectations Supports values of citizenship Helps produce learning that will shape the future Should be located in an academic context Not inimical to the values and practices of the

academy Implications for pedagogy, learning environment and

assessment

Impact on learning environment

Employability – not a stand-alone ‘bolt on Learning not just tied to instruction Inter-disciplinary teaching Active learning Problem-based learning Reflective learning Team development Work experience modules & materials Work-based projects

Promoting employability

Explain what we mean by ‘employability’ to teaching colleagues and students

Write employability into programme specifications Audit and promote employability Not ‘one-size fits all’ Tuning existing curricula Use a variety of assessment methods Help students to translate their achievements into

‘employer-friendly language

How business can do more

Support case for realistic funding models Provide more guidance on the content of courses

and the nature of employability skills Provide opportunities to undertake real-life projects

and provide undergraduate work experience Seek to work with HEIs as a core part of their

innovation activity Seek to engage with the HE system to develop and

help finance bespoke training provision for employees

A national graduate internship scheme

What will success look like?

Stronger business-university partnerships in which employers’ needs and HE outcomes are aligned

A sustainable and more efficient HE sector with the right incentives to deliver high-quality teaching and research

Business taking a more active and integral part in developing students’ skills and experience of the work of work

A richer experience for students