Session 3.1: Embedding vocational career development modules within undergraduate bioscience programmes
Biological Sciences
Dr Sara Marsham and Dr Alison Graham Newcastle University
This ‘How to’ session will demonstrate the steps taken to design and embed a pair of subject-specific vocational career development modules in two academic schools at Newcastle University. It will outline how we worked with student groups to determine their employability requirements and the support services within the University to incorporate existing practice in employability. Participants will have the opportunity to experience how we assess students undertaking vocational placements with host organisations within the subject sectors. We will share our experiences of how we ensured that students understand the importance of the activities undertaken within these modules and how they can use the skills gained to transition into the workplace.
Session 3.2: Embedding employability facilitating workplace transition: working with industry on the Integrated Design Project at UCL
Built Environment
Mr James Ford Ms Liz Jones and Mr Bryan Cahill University College London
The Integrated Design Project (IDP) which runs throughout the final year of the four-year MEng in Civil Engineering Programme at UCL is designed and run by staff with first-hand experience of recruiting civil engineering graduates. Its main aim is to simulate the design process as followed by practising engineers; to provide students with a real-world engineering project with employability skills at its core. The project utilises a large number of industry contacts both through design and delivery as clients mentors and senior partners to the student groups. This approach facilitates the transition from academia to the world of work by allowing students to develop their technical knowledge and key transferable skills within a realistic framework and subject to external scrutiny. The project also helps students to build a network of industrial contacts and nurtures the competencies needed to secure employment after graduation.
Session 3.3: Technologies for employability
Computing
Dr Corina Sas Lancaster University
While most of young people’s use of web 2.0 has been within the personal and academic life its value for employability has recently started to be explored. A specific technology for employability is video CV targeted by several UK-led initiatives. However these have focused exclusively on the technology side of recording archiving and browsing video CVs. This paper explores the value of social media in general and of video CV in particular for graduate employability. We run 15 interviews with prospective employers and career coaches to investigate the value of such technologies for employability. Findings point to the importance of guiding future graduates’ efforts for self-presentation not just through video CV but in social media at large. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for employability training.
Session 3.4: Embedding Engineering employability throughout a curriculum design process
Engineering and Materials
Dr Mike Knowles University of Sunderland
This session will outline an approach taken to embedding employability considerations in a curriculum design process for a Stage 2 Undergraduate Microprocessors module. A key focus for the course was the creation of a module which alongside delivering the necessary technical content will support students in the transition from requiring significant levels of guidance to being independent engineering practitioners able to self-manage their own skill sets relative to a particular project or task. Based on these aspirations two key goals for the course were identified. The first was to develop the students’ research skills coupled to self-assessment of the knowledge required to accomplish a particular task leading to students gaining a greater insight into the role of technical documentation in engineering practice. The second goal was to develop an understanding and appreciation of the benefits of following a logical approach to the entire lifecycle of a system development project.
Session 3.5: Embedding employability – a 360 degree perspective
Interdisciplinary
Dr Chris Beaumont and Mrs Sue Taylor Edge Hill University
This session discusses the results of two complementary Employability projects that are part of the HEA Strategic Enhancement Programme. The projects consist of a case study of the departments of Computing GeoSciences and Sport in a modern university. The projects explored student alumni and staff experience and perceptions of university and departmental initiatives to embed employability. Practice was also evaluated against policy and HEA guidelines: ‘Defining and Developing Your Approach to Employability - A Framework for Higher Education Institutions’ (2013).
The aims of the session are to:
- Share key findings of student perceptions and experience particularly what they value and how they develop employability attributes.
- Share results of the staff survey including attitudes and challenges.
- Provide examples of good practice (as judged by students and the HEA framework).
- Discuss recommendations for enhancement.
Session 3.7: Embedding employability skills in the Biosciences
Biological Sciences
Professor Alison J. Sinclair University of Sussex
The ability to apply prior knowledge to different situations is a skill that is highly valued by employers. Practical laboratory classes in the Biosciences should provide an ideal environment for active learning as the primary learning objective of these teaching sessions is to foster the skills required to develop into independent laboratory workers. However laboratory handbooks are often presented as a series of fail-safe recipes. This aids the smooth running of practical classes but does not promote student engagement with the underlying theory omitting an essential step towards gaining the ability to apply knowledge to different situations. To embed employability skills within practical laboratory classes a practical laboratory series was developed that requires on-the-spot calculations and the presentation of complex material. Evaluation of the numerical skills developed during the laboratory practical class demonstrated effective learning.
Session 3.8: An investigation of goal-setting in undergraduate employability
Psychology
Dr Andrew Clements University of Bedfordshire and Dr Caroline Kamau Birbeck University of London
This paper reports the findings of an employability survey conducted with 407 undergraduate students. Drawing upon goal-setting theory this study explored the impact of challenge seeking (mastery approach) goal commitment and demands via workload (both academic and employment-related). This impact was explored in terms of proactive career behaviours and subsequent perceptions of employability. Findings suggest that goal commitment and mastery approach enhanced engagement with proactive career behaviours while workload had little impact. Only some proactive career behaviours enhanced perceptions of employability. The results suggest student perceptions of proactive career behaviours may require management.
