Rising to the challenge: frameworks for employability in

the new HE landscapeA strategic approach to embedding co-

curricular and extra-curricular opportunities to enhance employability in the

undergraduate experience at the University of Plymouth.

Workshop aims

• Stimulate and facilitate discussion/sharing around:

• Things that work (or might work) for you and your institution in principle.

• Implementation strategies• Challenges in implementing a strategic

approach to an employability framework.

Workshop Structure

• Brief presentation on Plymouth strategy.• Break up into discussion groups to review:• Things that work (or might work) for you and your

institution in principle (10 mins) • Feedback from each group (5 mins) • Implementation strategies and challenges in

implementing a strategic approach to an employability framework (10 mins)

• Feedback from each group (5 mins) • Where next for you and your institution?(10mins)• Feedback from each group (5 mins)

University of Plymouth• Strategic positioning: enterprise, student

experience, graduate employability.• Mission : to significantly enhance graduate

employability.• Strategic convergence: –Student experience, –Employability framework, –Higher Education Achievement Report

(HEAR) trial.

Figure 1. Model of the pre-HE and undergraduate experience for the University of Plymouth, highlighting linkages between pre-HE, undergraduate and on-exit elements.

Formal curriculum

Out of school activities

(Children’s University; Youth University)

Pre-HE HE Application (UCAS)

Qualifications

e-portfolio (various, including Moodle, Merlin etc)

Tutor groups : pastoral support relationships. Personal Development Planning.

Undergraduate experience Exit documentation

Formal curriculum including accredited work based learning, work placements. 360 credits. Includes small components of embedded employability-related learning decided, owned and delivered by programmes. (See Employability Framework)

Co-curriculum. Up to 20 credits accredited elective employability-related modules building on smaller elements embedded in programmes. Cross-curricular. Theory and practice/experiential learning. Uses third term. Created and owned by T&LD.

Extra-curricular learning. Plymouth Award scheme that includes activities, reflection and articulation of learning.

University-e-portfolio (PebblePad)

Personal tutoring support. Life-wide support. Personal Development Planning.

Higher Education Achievement Report Section 4

Higher Education Achievement Report Section 4

Higher Education Achievement Report Section

6.1

Personal statement

Presentational portfolio

UoP stakeholders• Academic staff : all, but particularly work

based learning coordinators in each school (reporting to HoS).

• Support staff: particularly work placement coordinators/managers in each Faculty (reporting to associate Dean T&L).

• Careers Service: all. Part of individual role is to service specific Faculties. Links to employers. Central service/Directorate. Challenge of perceptions of role.

Some Challenges and responses.• Development and Ownership of institutional strategies (central,

devolved, top-down, bottom-up etc). No single effective response to this challenge!

• Defining roles and responsibilities at Faculty/Directorate level. Response: talk, debate, resolve, disseminate decisions.

• Identification of stakeholders: students, employers, careers service, academic staff, support staff, etc. Response: audit, advocacy, identify effective champions in each stakeholder group tasked with taking employability forward.

• “Employability” of graduates is a concept and potentially differently understood and measured by different stakeholders. Response: discussion & debate at all levels: programme, Faculty, institutional, leading to common understanding.

• DELHE data is simplest KPI but flawed. Some stakeholders can use this to advantage, others are inherently disadvantaged. Response : disaggregate DELHE data to programme level. Invite comment and alternative KPIs.

Developing and implementing a framework : a fine balance!

• Pick up best practice developed within programmes and share.

• Employability yes, but not expense of academic integrity. “Enhancement of employability not displacement by employability”.

• Ownership is key: hub and spoke model and DELHE data. Central direction and support but owned and contextualised by programmes. Accountability by programme.

• Consciousness of student journey: the career development cycle. (denial, acceptance, ownership, action). Stage 1 is too early. Stage 2 is critical. Stage 3 is too late!

UoP Employability Framework• Within curriculum: basic career development cycle;

PDP/personal tutorials (lifewide learning); accredited work placements/work based learning opportunities; principles and experience. 5-10 credits per stage. Owned by programme. DELHE KPI.

• Co-curriculum: enhancement of employability through additional, optional, credit-rated modules, up to 20-credits per stage. Development of accreditation framework. Delivery by range of stakeholders (careers service, academics, SU staff, HR staff, professional services staff). Key elements: theory, practice, reflection, articulation.

• Extra-curriculum: Plymouth Award and Leadership Award. Not credit-bearing. Life-wide, experiential learning. Key elements: experience, reflection in- and on-action, articulation of learning achieved.