Building best practice with business: a work experience and key skills approach
Dina Lewis and Nicola Gill
Centre for Access and Lifelong Learning
University of Lincolnshire and Humberside
Cottingham Road
Kingston upon Hull
HU6 7RT
Dina Lewis - tel. 01482 463619 fax. 01482 463526 email:
Nicola Gill - tel. 01482 463661 fax. 01482 463526 email:
Abstract
The NCIHE report stressed the significance of work experience and recommended that
'all [HE] institutions should, over the medium term, identify opportunities to increase the extent to which programmes help students become familiar with work and help them reflect on such experience’.(NCIHE 1997)
The government, through its consultation paper The Learning Age (DfEE 1998) and the range of skill development and work experience projects funded by the DfEE under its Higher Education Quality and Employability Division, has strongly endorsed this view and supported its implementation.
This paper is based on the experiences of two practitioners working on a Higher Education Regional Development (HERD) project ‘Developing Employability, Key Skills and Networking Frameworks’ undertaken jointly by the University of Lincolnshire and Humberside, the University of Hull and Humberside Training and Enterprise Council. The paper explores a number of themes relating to good practice in approaches to skills development and work experience provision, which emerged during the life of the project. These themes were endorsed by the comments of delegates attending a dissemination workshop for all HERD projects in the Yorkshire and Humber region demonstrating that many issues relating to good practice and sustainability were common to all projects in this field.
Introduction
There is growing recognition in higher education (HE) that an important function of universities is to prepare students for working life and the changing labour market. The growth of the UK economy is now being driven by small- to medium-sized businesses (SMEs), which are increasingly recruiting graduates. HE programmes are beginning to recognise that
‘A degree is now just the ‘benchmark’ of intellectual competence. On top of the degree, employers want proof of business awareness and an ability to contribute to the financial success of the company within a very short space of time.’ (Cockman 1999)
In the long term, generic transferable skills competencies are likely to enhance the economic and skills base of the country and should be developed throughout each individual’s full-time education, underpinning their approach to lifelong learning
‘we see that work in advanced societies is changing unpredictably, so that generic forms of human formation are called for. ‘Transferable skills’ and ‘key skills’ are simply the code words for the kinds of capability now being sought; ‘adaptability’ and ‘flexibility’ are indications of the kinds of disposition now required. These meta-skills, ...enable persons to deploy effectively a repertoire of generic and more specific skills. (Barnett 1998)
A critical mass of recognition of, and support for, increased work experience opportunities and the development of key skills within higher education programmes has been created. Work experience, ‘defined as a period of work that is designed to encourage reflection on the experience and to identify the learning that comes from working’ (Harvey 1998) is vital, since ‘employers want graduates who are able to make an early contribution when starting employment’ (ibid.). There are a large number of projects and initiatives at the national level with a major concern for developing student employability. Projects have focused on two main areas: first, on increasing opportunities for work experience and placements to be incorporated as part of a student study programme and/or the curriculum, particularly on programmes without a sandwich placement; second, on the development of variously termed key skills, core skills, transferable skills and employability skills programmes, leading to considerable debate on what is meant by employability. The recent AGCAS briefing paper on Higher Education Careers Services and the Development of Employability Skills perhaps best sums up this debate
' Concepts of what constitute employability skills are continually evolving…. the emphasis on personal transferable skills of a decade ago has now shifted to career management skills and will no doubt have shifted again by the early years of the next century. Attempts at definition lead to recognisable recurring themes rather than to rigorous typology...’ (AGCAS 1999).
Context of the project
Knowledge of the changing climate and the increasing profile of employability and skills initiatives in HE, combined with an awareness of the views of local employers, led to the development of the Humber sub-region project on Developing Employability, Key skills and Networking Frameworks funded under the DfEE Higher Education Regional Development initiative and undertaken jointly by the University of Lincolnshire and Humberside, the University of Hull and Humberside Training and Enterprise Council. Its central aim was to build collaborative partnerships within the Humber sub-region and to develop student and graduate capability and employability through work experience and key skills. Building on the work undertaken during the first round of HERD funding, the project sought to respond to issues of regional and national importance, through a range of pilots and trial initiatives. The work of the project fell into three broad areas which are discussed in depth below:
- developing opportunities for students and graduates to engage in work experience through close working with the business community
- the development and accreditation of key skills as a means of developing student employability
- dissemination of best practice and the sustainability of project activities.
Underpinning each of these was an emphasis on collaborative working between HE and FE and between the education and business sectors through partnerships, knowledge transfer and the sharing of good practice. The project aimed to promote the recognition and value of student work experience. It sought to develop a framework for accrediting the skills developed during work experience, part-time work, voluntary activities and formal study activities. Strong links were forged between graduate employability, work experience and key skills frameworks.
Developing opportunities for student and graduate work experience through close working with the business community
The aim of closer working with the business community required the project team to re-examine traditional definitions of the business community. The AGR publication Skills for Graduates in the 21st Century (1995), discusses how the routes into employment are changing for most graduates. It suggests that the milkround and associated graduate training schemes do still exist but: ‘traditional positions will not absorb the vast number of new graduates.’ Graduates now must consider other options e.g. self-employment, postgraduate study and an increasing number of positions in the SME sector. Indeed, experience through the project demonstrated that the SME sector offers many benefits to students and graduates, yet the project team noted a reluctance to fully utilise this option, possibly due to a number of misconceptions held by both students and employers.
A major reason for this is historical: traditionally university careers services have tended to place more emphasis on graduate positions with multinational organisations and students still expect to find employment in this sector. Students have also reported a commonly held belief that career opportunities with SMEs are limited, with fewer challenges and very little job security. However, the project demonstrated that smaller companies with a clearly defined market niche can offer expertise and high level training and development in specialist skills and services. Students and graduates working on placements in small businesses found the work challenging, having access to experience at both operational and strategic levels.
‘Working closely with the Managing Director has enabled me to see not just the operational but also the strategic side of the business. Also I’ve learnt a lot from the knowledge and expertise the MD has developed working for years in the industry’
(A Leisure Management Graduate working on a marketing project for a local I.T. company May 1999)
‘My MBA taught me the theory but this placement has allowed me to practice and to understand that reality is different from the text book world. Being with a small company has meant a much greater involvement in the overall business of the organisation.’
(An MBA graduate working on a marketing strategy for the local Co-operative Development Agency May 1999)
The project sought to inform employers of the support available from universities in terms of knowledge transfer, services and student placement activities and also to encourage them to recruit graduates. Employers expressed misgivings that graduates would demand high salaries, be reluctant to help with menial tasks, have too many unrealistic expectations or view employment with a small company as a temporary measure. The project team worked to create a dialogue of mutual understanding, emphasising the benefits to both parties.
During 1998/9, over 30 placements involving almost 90 students and graduates were arranged. Eight out of 13 graduates placed are known to have secured permanent employment either with the placement organisation or with another company but as a direct result of the experience gained on their placement. Companies commented that the student placement initiative provided an additional recruitment option.
Improving student employability through a framework for key skills development and accreditation
Employers commented that they need immediate benefits from student placements and that students should be equipped to ‘hit the ground running’. Mike Elmsley, Group Quality Assurance Manager at Swift Caravans, commented in Between Business (1997/98),
‘We want these young people to come to us with the skills we need, but it is too late to wait until they’ve graduated.’
Students require a new set of transferable generic skills which will equip them to work flexibly, responding to new challenges in a variety of different contexts in the workplace. For the purposes of this project it was decided to use the term ‘Key Skills’ to define this set of attributes and competencies. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) standards at level four were adopted to provide a coherent national framework and use a nationally agreed skill set of competencies.
A profiling tool for auditing and recording key skills for both tutor and student use was developed, piloted and evaluated through the HERD project. The profiling tool was used to provide a framework and recording mechanism of skills development for students and graduates taking part in work placement activities. The project also set out to develop an award for the accreditation of key skills; the University of Lincolnshire and Humberside validated ‘The Certificate of Credit in Key Skills’, offering 12 CATS points at level two. To qualify for the award, students produced a portfolio of evidence of any two of the key skills units specified in the profiling tool.
Students undertaking live work experience activities were encouraged to work towards the award, and the development of a key skills portfolio became an integral feature of many of the work placement activities. The results of the evaluation of these activities showed that the accreditation of key skills during work placement activities was a feature of good practice and had a significant impact on student motivation and employer satisfaction.
‘Developing the portfolio has made me much more aware of the skills that I am developing, it has made me more confident about my ability. I will be able to talk about my skills and give actual examples of my skills in interview situations in the future.’
(A student working on a placement with the Health Authority March 1999)
The dissemination and sustainability of best practice in frameworks for supporting student work placements and key skills development
Many issues and themes relating to good practice emerged during the life of the project. The project team were concerned to sustain and embed the most positive outcomes within mainstream practice within the partner universities. To explore the issue of sustaining and embedding best practice further, the project team organised a workshop ‘Realising positive project outcomes’ on 2nd March 1999 at the University of York King’s Manor; representatives from all HERD projects in the region attended. Speakers were invited to give short inputs and each input was followed by carefully focused group discussions. The notes from the discussion groups clearly revealed that many themes of good practice were common to all projects in this field.
The following issues relate to best practice from our project experience; they are endorsed by a selection of quotations from the discussion groups at the HERD workshop held in March 1999.
A structured monitoring and review process is essential
Placements were most successful when closely monitored and evaluated by a member of the project team. Employers welcomed the opportunity to discuss the students’ progress and the students appreciated the opportunity to talk to the project team and reflect more critically on their experience. Feedback from other projects suggests that on-going mentor support can make a significant contribution to the development of student understanding and skills.
‘There is a need for a monitoring and review process, students find this review opportunity essential because they feel isolated at times and need feedback.’
‘The importance of mentoring should not be underestimated’
‘Some aspects of good practice are well understood, e.g. nominated contact person, clearly defined project, on-going tutor support.’
Development of close links with business support agencies
Closer collaboration between the partner universities and Business Link Humberside resulted in a much more effective match between company needs and student skills. Personal Business Advisers (PBAs) were involved in interviewing students and judging their suitability for placements with Business Link clients.
‘We need to establish a broker to identify business needs and match these with student requirements’
‘The broker needs the support of an information network - a one-stop shop with mutual benefits for all participants’
An induction programme for students and graduates on placement projects
Feedback from employers identified as good practice the need for an induction programme to prepare students and graduates for the difference in culture between education and business. Some employers offered to take part, sharing knowledge on employer expectations and providing live case studies.
‘ All workplacement students should undergo an induction programme specifically preparing them for the different culture of the workplace’
‘Employers were involved in identifying skills needs and this informed the development of an induction programme’
A clear project specification and learning agreement negotiated between student, employer and university placement supervisor
A formal agreement clarifying and identifying learning expectations and outcomes between all stakeholders was identified as an important theme of good practice. The most successful placements had involved employers, students and university supervisors formally agreeing and defining expectations at the beginning of the work.
‘There needs to be a mediation process whereby expectations and learning outcomes for both students and companies are formally agreed.’
‘ There is a need to clearly identify the business needs through a detailed project specification and to use this to match placements to students’ skills and development needs.’
Assessment and accreditation of key skills during workplacement activities
Feedback from the pilot programmes demonstrated that the profiling tool and Key Skills Award were most successful when students were supported by a key skills tutor. This had a significant impact on their motivation and commitment. Students reported that the portfolio building process had helped them to audit their skills levels and become more aware of their skills development.
‘Transferable skills programmes which have supported students on work placements have been particularly successful’
‘Concrete outcomes such as awards improved student motivation’
Links with other HE agendas
The work placement activities operated in collaboration with existing provision within the partner universities and sought to support and enhance that provision in terms of sharing expertise, placement contacts and providing the framework for key skills accreditation. For example, links were identified between the profiling tool and associated auditing of skills and the skills audit required by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) template programme specifications. This led to staff development events and a continuing dialogue between the project team and teaching staff involved in curriculum design.