Employment Research Institute

Tailoring Services and Releasing Untapped Talent – a Higher Education

Perspective

Professor Ron McQuaid, Napier University

Employment Research Institute

Overview

• The context

• What HEIs do and can do

SCOTLAND: ESTIMATED AND PROJECTED AGE STRUCTURE 1901-2031

-300,000 -200,000 -100,000 0 100,000 200,000 300,000

0 - 4

10 - 14

20 - 24

30 - 34

40 - 44

50 - 54

60 - 64

70 - 74

80 - 84

Ag

e

Population-300,000 -200,000 -100,000 0 100,000 200,000 300,000

0 - 4

10 - 14

20 - 24

30 - 34

40 - 44

50 - 54

60 - 64

70 - 74

80 - 84

Ag

e

Population

-300,000 -200,000 -100,000 0 100,000 200,000 300,000

0 - 4

10 - 14

20 - 24

30 - 34

40 - 44

50 - 54

60 - 64

70 - 74

80 - 84

Ag

e

Population-300,000 -200,000 -100,000 0 100,000 200,000 300,000

0 - 4

10 - 14

20 - 24

30 - 34

40 - 44

50 - 54

60 - 64

70 - 74

80 - 84

Ag

e

Population

MALES FEMALES MALES FEMALES

MALES FEMALES MALES FEMALES

Scotland 1911 Scotland 1951

Scotland 2001 Scotland 2031

Employment Research Institute

Number of 15-29 year olds in Scotland

• 1977 – 1,186,595

• 2002 – 938,223

• 2027 – 770,661

Employment Research Institute

HEIs and migration

• Impact of HEIs on local economies

• Bringing in and improving human capital

• Non-EU Postgraduates (2003/04)

10,580 (22%)

Employment Research Institute

Higher Education promoting Scotland abroad

• Reputation for quality• Market knowledge and meeting market needs• Building relationships• Promoting Scotland as a place to study and

to live

Employment Research Institute

Preparing students for employment

• Support to complete the course• Relevance of the course• Work experience/employer contact• Generic skills – e.g. entrepreneurship

Employment Research Institute

Settling into the community

• Induction• Opportunities to socialise and network• Practical support

Employment Research Institute

Pitfalls…..

• Perception of poor value for high fees• Students don’t mix easily – courses recruiting

heavily from one country• Staff lack awareness of cultural differences

Employment Research Institute

Wider role

• Lifelong learning for everyone in the community

• Universities as international employers

Employment Research Institute

Tailoring Services and Releasing Untapped Talent – a Higher Education

Perspective

Professor Ron McQuaid, Napier University

Employment Research Institute

TOTAL POPULATION % OF TOTAL POPULATION

PERSONS 0-14 15-29 30-44 45-64 65+ 0-14 15-29 30-44 45-64 65+

1927 1,369,915 1,269,700 935,420 950,725 327,338 28% 26% 19% 20% 7%

1952 1,258,378 1,085,835 1,084,929 1,158,904 512,801 25% 21% 21% 23% 10%

1977 1,227,638 1,186,595 927,809 1,171,561 712,597 23% 23% 18% 22% 14%

2002 890,242 938,223 1,158,224 1,255,232 812,879 18% 19% 23% 25% 16%

2027 (proj) 717,112 770,661 896,531 1,265,652 1,189,750 15% 16% 19% 26% 25%

Source: Future Skills Scotland