Workplace learning : the student and employer experience

Professor Freda Tallantyre,

Senior Associate,

Higher Education Academy University of Wolverhampton,

June 25th 2009

Employability for undergraduates

• Preparation of graduates to enter employment

• Vocational and academic curriculum components

• Incorporation of higher level skills into curriculum

• Provision of work experience : sandwich placements and other

• Incorporation of enterprise/entrepreneurship into curriculum

• Careers guidance

• Personal and professional development (PDP)

Employer views

• 81% thought graduates well prepared for work

• 80%+ large employers thought level 4 good proxy for skills

• Need more business awareness

• Need more science/maths combined with ability to work effectively

• Need better IAG

CBI Study, 2008

Lifelong learning

“Lifelong learning, by contrast, connotes a world of active learners constructing their own knowledge, and seeking out learning resources as and when they need them, in response to the changing circumstances of life and work.”

Ben Knights

Director: English Subject Centre

Higher Education Academy

Academy Exchange, Issue 6, Summer 07, p3

Boud and Solomon, 2001

“Critical reflection is important . . Because it is only through deeper critique that work situations can be improved, workplaces transformed and productivity significantly enhanced. It is about noticing and questioning the taken-for-granted assumptions that one holds and that are held by others. While it can be a discomforting process, it is necessary in all situations that do not involve perpetuating the status quo.”

Web 2 possibilities

Constructivist approach : learning effective when active, by doing, undertaken in a community and focussed on the learner’s interests.

• Blogs : closed to tutor and student or open to peers

• Wikis : content creation by groups of students

• Social bookmarking : expansion of initial reading lists, with scope for commentaries on texts

• Social networking : hosting discussion or project groups and answering queries

• Immersive technologies : role playing, especially in professional courses

Adapted from HE in a Web 2 World, Melville Report, May 09

Motivation for employees and employers

Validate and formalise experience

Open up opportunities for progression

Develop specialist knowledge/expertise

Develop practical skills for performance

Develop staff knowledge, skills, expertise

Support staff retention

Extend in-house training

Invest in biggest asset

Employee and employer wants

Flexibility of content and pace

Credit accumulation

Convenient location

Relevance to work

Compatible learning style

Reasonable cost

Fit with work schedule

Minimal release

Influence workplace change

Link theory and practice

Characteristics of WBL

Task-related

Performance based or issue led

Innovative

Strategic and just in time

Autonomously managed and self-regulated

Self motivated

Team based

Concerned with enhancing performance

Concerned with improving business

Learndirect

Benefits to employees

PersonalIncreased confidenceHigher aspirations/motivationRaised personal statusGreater self awarenessLearning to think and challenge

assumptionsUnderstanding of specific

issuesNew and enhanced skillsReflection on performance

Professional Improved performanceGreater responsibilityChanged jobs/promotionSalary increaseAble to see wider points of viewPositive change in ways of thinking

at workReduce stress and increase

contentmentAble to coach othersProfessional recognition and

membership

Benefits to employers

Clearer direction of travel for organisationDevelop new/improved policies, standards, contractsImproved quality and service provisionIncreased innovationMore self sufficient employeesPositive attitudinal/behavioural changeExternal recognition and prestige

Promoting to employees

You can do it!

No A levels required

Vocational qualifications can get you in.

Current experience and quals may attract credit

No student debt – learn while earn

Emphasis on practical learning

Tailored to your needs

Support at college and in workplace

Personal development bonus

Career development

Professional recognition

Hard work but worth it

Nationally recognised quals

Springboard to further achievement

Promoting to employers

Flexible and tailored to your needs

Motivated and highly skilled employees

Better qualified workforce

Higher staff retention

Meets skills shortages

Fuels business growth

Limits time off job

Projects that improve business performance

You can help design, deliver

Support for mentors and assessors

Good value compared to private sector training

Direct links to further qualifications, progression and CPD

Employer support

Time off to study

Use of resources and access to expertise

Funding full or part cost

Mentors or advisers in workplace

Fieldwork with colleagues

Opportunities to present findings

Designated links personnel to university

Brokerage

• Could interfere with existing good relationships

• Often matches employers needs to providers products in supply driven way

• Traditional TNA does not convey range of flexible support available

• May not know enough about HE services

• May have narrow focus on specific needs, rather than developments opportunities

• May concentrate on the presenting problem, rather than the deeper needs

Large businesses to target are:

• In competitive product markets

• Competing on factors other than price

• Growing in output and/or employment

• Introducing new products or services

• Strategic in their training

Case Study : Employer Engagement

Get Energy brokers relations of energy industries with training providers and universities on an international basis

Convenes strategic exchanges at which all learn about responses to workforce needs and industry developments

Compares governmental and strategic initiatives

Brokers partnership between business and HEIs, but also HEIs internationally

Enables national and regional skills development

Operates in business manner rather than academic conference

SMES to target are:

• In business and professional services

• Employ professional, technical and management staff

• Introducing new products, services, technology

• Undergoing organisational change

• Introducing new working methods

• Are exporting

• Have graduate manager

Case study : Employer Engagement

Creative Collaborations : NTU & Broadway Media Centre

Predominantly sole traders or micro businesses

Nottingham Creative Network – natural networkers - included students, staff and professional employees

NTI funding offered small equipment grants as lure

Structured conferences around issues of concern, with on-line follow-up

Short courses led to p/t MA for creative professionals

Research, teaching and practice interrelate and research feeds into courses

Successful programmes for SMEs

• Critical self-reflection

• Opportunity to learn from experience of peers

• Ability to access large firm’s supply chain or network

• Management skills

• Networking in cluster

• Solving actual business problems

• Using experienced mentors

• Rooted & contextualised in actual workplaces

Preferred processes

• Avoid long chunks of text on screen

• Start with activity, not reading, and use theory to underpin

• Preference for paper documents rather than on screen

• Personalised contact at least once a week

• Rapid response to questions asked

• 3 hrs per week for study

• EL sessions between 45 mins and 2hrs

Stone and Braidford, March 08, for SSDA

Some implications of recession

• Graduate destinations eroded and placements impacted

• Training budgets reduced

• Traditional professions hit e.g. financial services

• Unemployment increases and needs to retrain

• Value businesses prosper

• Export increases

• Companies need support to reorient and upskill

• HE Participation rates increase