ENHANCING STUDENT EMPLOYABILITY:
Higher Education and Workforce Development
Ninth Quality in Higher Education International Seminar in collaboration with ESECT and The Independent. Birmingham 27th-28th January 2005
Enhancing Student Employability through Regional Capacity Building
Elizabeth Hatton & Terry Haines[1]
Faculty of Regional Professional Studies, ECU South West Campus (Bunbury), Robertson Drive, Bunbury WA 6230, AUSTRALIA.
Abstract
Regional development is a key role of universities around the world. In line with this global trend, regional universities/faculties in Australia have a clear role to play in enhancing regional capacity and the lessons learned have international applicability. While there are a myriad of ways in which regional capacity building might be achieved, the graduation of appropriately trained professionals willing to serve in regional areas is a key contribution to be made. However, rural and regional workplaces in Australia are distinctively different from urban workplaces for professional workers. The difference rests mainly in the size of the workplace and the demands placed on professional workers within them. While urban professionals may be able to be fairly specialised given the number of professionals in their workplace, rural and regional professionals typically must have, and utilise, a range of skills in order to be the kind of employees valued in their distinctive work context. Moreover, they often need to have appropriate experiences to ensure they will flourish in a rural/regional context. This paper describes the type of curriculum developed within Edith Cowan University’s Faculty of Regional Professional Studies to ensure the retention of professionals and contribution to regional capacity building and enhance student employability. Industry consultation has been a strong feature of curriculum development and ongoing monitoring of the curriculum.
Introduction
In this paper, we show one regional Australian faculty’s attempt to enhance student employability by the design and implementation of curriculum tailored to build regional capacity in key areas of endeavour. We set this paper in the context of a global movement towards regional capacity building through engagement with communities. Using the case of the development of new undergraduate degree programs we show both the need for the new degree programs and how the Faculty sought to design degrees to build capacity in the region through ‘value added’ curricula (Wedgewood, 2003: 133). We suggest that as a result of these new programs graduates will have enhanced employment prospects. The curriculum development processes included a central role for relevant business, industry and professional group consultation at local, regional and state levels. The process of industry consultation is described. We then demonstrate the fit between the curriculum development activities undertaken in the Faculty of Regional Professional Studies and the principles which the Federal Government suggests are appropriate to building its higher education. We conclude by suggesting that the process of curriculum development described herein is based on genuine partnership rather than ‘unilateral outreach’ (W.H. Kellogg, 2002) and that other regional Faculties/Universities globally could use this as a model for regionally relevant curricula development.
Regional Capacity Building: A Global Concern
Regional capacity building through engagement by universities with their communities is currently denoted globally as a key role for Universities. Coldstream (2003: 3), for example, looks to the debate launched in 2001 among the approximately 500 member universities of the Association for Commonwealth Universities (ACU). The question under discussion was ‘whether it was timely and helpful for universities to embrace “engagement with wider society” as not merely an adjunct to, but a sine qua non of their central purposes. Should they regard “engagement” as a “core value” for the university?’
As Bjarnason (2003: xii) points out, in the context of an international study:
Over the course of the last three years issues around engagement have come to the fore in many countries. Governments are pushing publicly funded universities for ‘value for money’; industry and the world of work look for skilled graduates; while society and the community desire thoughtful and knowledgeable leadership and reflective professional support. In fact, this characterisation – as the various stakeholders would each ask for value, skills and knowledge and the ability to apply what is learned to the good of the society and themselves.
Australia is no different in attributing this role to Universities. Australia wants a nation ‘in which all communities are nourished and enriched economically, socially and culturally by the contributions of educational institutions’ (Nelson, 2002: 1). Indeed, there is a view expressed in the literature that there is a new economic environment that creates a need for universities to play a key role in capacity building. Consider, for example, Garlick (2000: xi) who says:
The confluence of issues associated with the emergence and growth of the global, local and knowledge-based economies has created a new agenda for policy makers, higher education institution managers and regional leaders to consider. If pursued, stronger engagement between universities and the regions they are located in has the potential to generate national, regional and institutional returns across a wide spectrum of societal objectives.
Recent Australian Government policy clearly targets regional Universities/Faculties to play a key role in regional capacity building (see, for example, Nelson, 2001; 2002 & 2003) through the engagement of universities with their communities. They cite Garlick (2000: 1) approvingly who suggests that:
Individual regions, through their distinctiveness are often better placed than nation states to develop competitive advantage in their local industries. By focusing on their areas of research strength and improving their linkages with industry in the regions, as well as their local communities, universities are in a unique position to transfer knowledge and skills into initiatives for economic growth, environmental improvement and community development.
Garlick (2000: 1) elaborates his view:
The engagement of higher education institution campuses with the regional territory they occupy is a logical outcome of this new environment for four reasons. First, the core business of higher education institutions is knowledge creation and transfer. Second, learning is an implicit part of the kinds of ‘untraded’ associations between organizations and the space they occupy that is significant for generating competitive economic outcomes. Third, regions and not nation states are now recognized as the best configuration of spatiality for generating economic distinctiveness in the global market place. Fourth, most regions now have a higher education institution of some kind located in their area.
However, it would be inappropriate to suggest that the current Federal Minister of Education (Nelson) commenced this focus on the role of Universities in regional areas within Australia. A former Commonwealth Minister, for example, called for Universities to make a contribution to the viability of the regions in which they are located. In Section 7.32 Kemp (1999) said:
Institutions will need to be more assertive in the way they involve themselves with the economies of the region in which they are located, and contribute more to their own and national objectives through their teaching, research, leadership, information and networking. They can create and foster an entrepreneurial culture within their regions, and act as powerhouses for further enterprise developments in those regions. This will provide the right environment for institutions to commercialise their research activities and foster spin-off companies, further supporting their region.
There are, of course, a myriad of ways in which Universities may contribute to societal outcomes in the local and regional community. They can contribute to economic competitiveness through ‘stimulating economic development through a variety of innovation and technology transfer partnerships and research and development activities with local industry’ (Cumpston et al. 2001: 1). They also contribute to urban and rural regeneration often by simply being ‘the largest employer and business entity’ with a student population sufficient to impact positively on ‘local services, transport systems, rental housing’ let alone the injection of funds into the local community (Cumpston et al. 2001:2). Universities can provide access to learning, through their own education and training programs and the ones it ‘buys-in’ (Cumpston et al. 2001:3). They also make a ‘significant contribution to the region’s cultural base and the local community’s quality life’ through its programs, infrastructure sponsorship and the like (Cumpston et al. 2001:3). Likewise they make a contribution to health and social wellbeing:
Through their learning programs, research and infrastructure, universities can improve the health (geriatric care, hospital, nursing, medical, dental) safety, physical fitness and general social wellbeing (legal, counselling, sociology and welfare services) of the regional community Cumpston et al. (2001: 3).
The sustainable economic development of regions through ‘academic, management, infrastructure and student mechanisms’ is also a significant contribution (Cumpston et al. 2001: 3). In regional governance the university can act as an “honest brokers” with ‘access to information, skills and networks,’ and play a role in the regional governance and strategic focus of the regional economy’ (Cumpston et al. 2001: 3). Finally, contributing to regional labour markets constitutes a key role for universities within the regional economy. As Cumpston et al. (2001: 2 put it:
Graduates provide a bridge between the university and business in the regions. This enables the community to retain, through their graduates, innovative entrepreneurial and management skills that can foster new business. Retaining graduates will also attract investment and enhance productivity, efficiency and market competitiveness of existing businesses and institutions.
(Cumpston et al. 2001: 3) identify a number of strategies for enhancing the ‘absorption of graduates into the local economy’ amongst which feature ‘building partnership links between industry and relevant university teaching and research programs’ and ‘tailoring of teaching and training programs to meet specific local business and institutional needs’ which subsequently, Garlick (2000: 3) refers to as ‘knowledge enhancing programs’. Both of these strategies are relevant to this paper. However, there is a further issue that the Faculty sought to address and that was crucially the retention of skilled professionals within the region.’
In what follows, we present a brief description of the context within which the Faculty of Regional Professional Studies operates and describe the Faculty’s current profile. This is followed by two cases of curriculum development – one in Education and the other in Business Services (Hospitality, Tourism and Wine Studies) where we show how the Faculty of Regional Professional Studies has attempted to commit to regional capacity building, enhancing student employability and to the retention of skilled professionals in regional areas. At the same time the Faculty has attempted to be oriented to its community and has listened and responded to relevant industry groups and built into the degree programs significant insights gleaned from ongoing industry consultation.
Context
Edith Cowan University is a multi campus operation. Its three major campuses are in Perth 200 to 250 kilometres from the South West Campus on which the Faculty of Regional Professional Studies is situated. Edith Cowan University is the second largest in the State of Western Australia and is a New Generation University formed from a large College of Advanced Education (CAE) at the collapse of the binary system in 1990. While somewhat of a slow starter to move to address the demands of being a University with all the challenges that posed for former CAEs, under its current leadership it has carved a distinctive identity for itself as a University serving the knowledge based service professions. While the metropolitan Faculties are large, the regional faculty of which we speak is small – a mere five per cent of the university. Its name – the Faculty of Regional Professional Studies – summarises what it attempts to do through its academic profile delivery; namely, to provide appropriately prepared regional professionals able to enhance regional capacity in the knowledge based service professions.
The Faculty of Regional Professional Studies is set in the South West of Western Australia. Presently more than 123 000 people live in the South West region. Most of the population is found in the coastal strip, with Greater Bunbury, Busselton, and Margaret River the sites of greatest population increase. Significantly, the South West region has a growth rate three times that of the national average and is one of the fastest growing populations of regional West Australia. Current projections are that the South West will continue to have the State’s largest regional population. For example, by 2006 the population is forecast to increase to 142 200, 157 300 by 2011, and 172 300 by 2016.
The South West has a relatively buoyant economy although there are sharp divides between sectors of the population with numbers of people living in poverty. Employment statistics for the South West indicate, however, that the unemployment rate is lower than national and state averages.
The South West region has the most diverse regional economy in Western Australia. It is a major player in the mineral industry particularly through its alumina and mineral sands. Amongst emerging aspects of the economy are aquaculture industries, viticulture, tourism, and timber and forest products. Table 1 below indicates the contribution made to gross regional product (GRP) by various industry sectors.
Table 1: Economy of the South West Region
Industry / Gross Regional Product(1999-2000)
Mining / 21.00%
Manufacturing / 13.00%
Construction / 9.00%
Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing / 8.00%
Property / 7.00%
Finance and Insurance / 6.00%
Retail Trade / 5.00%
Health and Community Services / 5.00%
Transport and Storage / 5.00%
Electricity, Gas and Water Supply / 5.00%
Education / 4.00%
Wholesale / 3.00%
Government / 3.00%
Accommodation, Cafés and Restaurants / 2.00%
Personal and other Services / 2.00%
Communication Services / 2.00%
Cultural and Recreational Services / 1.00%
Contribution to GRP is not always an indicator of the employment possibilities for graduates. Take the case of mining as an example. While mining contributes to 21% of GRP, it comes in about tenth on a hierarchy of top employers. This is probably a direct result of mechanisation. The top employers are the manufacturing, retail trade, agriculture, forestry, fishing, and construction sectors.
Table 2: Employment in the South West Region
Industry / Number of Persons EmployedManufacturing / 6547
Retail Trade / 5975
Agriculture, Forestry & fishing / 5298
Construction / 3835
Health and Community Services / 3502
Education / 3319
Property and Business Services / 3084
Accommodation, Cafés and Restaurants / 2404
Wholesale Trade / 1919
Mining / 1900
Personal and other Services / 1488
Transport and Storage / 1454
Government Administration and Defence / 1274
Not Stated / 1189
Electricity, Gas and Water Supply / 930
Finance and Insurance / 819
Cultural and Recreational Services / 683
Non-Classifiable / 565
Communication Services / 474
Note that the Faculty of Regional Professional Studies is a relatively new academic entity. Until 1998 it functioned as an outpost of the metropolitan mega faculties with each of its programs and staff groupings belonging to Schools within them. Once formed as an academic entity in its own right it then had the opportunity to think more particularly about the context within which it operates and develop an academic profile that stood a chance of enhancing regional capacity. However, it did not inherit a clear field situation in which it was able simply match its academic profile to the major contributors to GRP or to top employers. While, for example, offering degree programs in engineering might seem a natural fit in this region, the School of Mining in West Australia already struggles to attract a viable number of students.[2] Likewise viticulture is a saturated field in West Australia and, indeed, Australia with courses available in both the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) sector and the University sector.