Employability Skills
Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and Approaches for
Employability in Skills for Work Courses
October 2005
Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
Learning and Teaching Scotland
CONTENTS
Page
1.
Introduction
1
2.
Skills for Work and Employability
2
3.
Working Knowledge
4
4.
Employability Skills Common to all Skills for Work Courses
6
5.
Skills for Work Courses and Units Related to Employability Skills
6
6.
Learning and Teaching Approaches Common to all Skills for Work Courses
8
7.
Key Delivery Features
9
8.
Teaching and Learning Activities
10
9.
Skills for Work: Teaching and Learning Methods
11
10.
Employability Skills: Teaching Methods and Practical Examples
13
Acknowledgement
Learning and Teaching Scotland gratefully acknowledges the co-operation and
assistance of Open Campus Learning, Glasgow Caledonian University in the
production of this document.
Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
Learning and Teaching Scotland
1. Introduction
Support for Teachers and Lecturers
Information and Materials
The information and materials which follow are designed to support teachers and
lecturers involved in the delivery of the initial pilot phase of Skills for Work Courses.
The focus for these materials is to provide ideas and approaches which relate to
employability skills in each of the courses. The information included here is designed to
complement other support resources available.
Support Packs
Support packs For Employability Units have been produced for Skills for Work courses
by the Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU).
The SFEU support packs for teachers and lecturers include materials which provide
information on the courses: unit specifications, standards, assessment and evidence
requirements; suggested teaching and learning approaches; tutor notes; and student
support materials.
These support packs are available at www.LTScotland.org.uk/NQ
SQA Support
Details of Unit Specifications and National Assessment Bank materials are available
from the Scottish Qualifications Authority on www.sqa.org.uk
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Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
Learning and Teaching Scotland
2. Skills for Work and Employability
The development of Employability Skills are a central feature of the initial pilot phase of
Skills for Work courses, and the information and materials which follow are designed
specifically to support teachers and lecturers in thinking about ways in which the various
elements related to employability, can be effectively delivered by staff and learned by
students.
Employability and Other Programmes
The understanding, skills and attributes that are necessary for an individual to develop
her/his employability are also central features of other recent development programmes
that have focused specifically on preparing young people for their adult roles –
education for personal and social development; education for work and enterprise;
education for citizenship; the health promoting school; formative assessment and
personal development/learning planning. In responding to recent initiatives in these
areas, schools and colleges will have been promoting employability skills and
addressing the agreed requirements of employability.
In reviewing and clarifying priorities for education, A Curriculum for Excellence suggests
that the outcomes of an effective 3-18 curriculum will be young people who are:
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successful learners
confident individuals
responsible citizens
effective contributors to society and at work
These outcomes, and the attributes and skills associated with them, are at the heart of
enhanced employability – as they are for citizenship, enterprise and lifelong learning.
Defining Employability
There is no universal definition of employability. However, the funding body for further
and higher education in Scotland, has produced an interpretation that is widely used.
Employability is:
‘a set of achievements, understandings and personal attributes that make individuals
more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations’
(SFHEFC 2004 – Learning to Work)
The things that make an individual employable – ‘employability skills’ – include:
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basic skills - the ‘3 Rs’;
technical skills - the skills that are specific to the job
practical ‘generic’ skills - such as using information technology and being able to
drive;
softer skills - less definable, generic skills that underpin operating effectively in
the workplace e.g. time management, planning and organising
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Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
Learning and Teaching Scotland
In addition, NQ ‘Skills for Work’ courses highlight the understanding, skills and attributes
of employability as:
generic skills/attributes valued by employers
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understanding of the workplace and the employee’s responsibilities, for example
time keeping, appearance, customer care
self-evaluation skills
positive attitude to learning
flexible approaches to solving problems
adaptability and positive attitude to change
confidence to set goals, reflect and learn from experience
specific vocational skills/knowledge
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related to the a specific vocational context often derived from National
Occupational Standards
experiential learning
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learning through practical experience
learning through reflecting on all stages of experience
Taken together recent views of employability focus on the development of:
 Transferable Skills, including Core Skills
 Personal Qualities and Attributes
 Knowledge and Understanding
They also highlight the importance of individuals learning how to manage their own
learning and development.
Employability Skills - Effective Learning, Teaching and Assessment
Employability skills are also important for personal development and should feature
prominently in learning and teaching approaches, whether delivered as a discrete unit
within a Skills for Work (SFW) course or integrated into the course curriculum.
It is important that all lecturers/teachers involved recognise and reinforce the
development of employability skills at all stages and in all elements of Skills for Work
Courses.
Although employability skills may be integrated into all aspects of the course,
assessment against specified criteria and outcomes are required.
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Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
Learning and Teaching Scotland
3. Working Knowledge
Knowing what to do and how to do it often requires much more than specific
occupational and ‘technical’ training and skills development. Knowing about and being
able to do the job requires both employability skills and an understanding of how work
requirements are shaped by the particular occupation and organisation in which these
requirements take place.
Working knowledge includes more than just technical ability to perform certain tasks
related to construction, early education and childcare, financial services, and sport and
recreation, the occupational areas involved in the first phase of Skills for Work courses.
You might find the following key features that apply to the workplace useful in helping to
reinforce the practical application of employability skills in the overall curriculum for
Skills for Work courses. This is not a comprehensive list, but suggests some areas and
workplace features which are important to consider in relation to working knowledge.
Key Features of the Workplace
Workplace materials
Materials/objects that are basic to a workplace. These include for
example: tools, equipment, décor, supplies, raw materials, and finished
products, clothing.
The language of
work
The specialised words and phrases, technical jargon, abbreviations,
codes and forms as well as names, nicknames, slang, clichés, tones of
voice, gestures, and modes of conversation.
Workplace ‘facts’
The information and beliefs taken as objectively true, incontrovertible,
and accurate by at least some group of people in a workplace. These
‘facts’ include not only task-related information but also reputation,
workplace customs, rituals, and traditions.
Skills and techniques
The set of capacities and competencies necessary to perform certain
procedures and complete certain tasks required by the organisation of
work in a particular workplace.
The frame of
reference for
evaluating workplace
events
The principles used by workers to determine the good or bad qualities
of things, people, events, and/or ideas; for example, the criteria used by
others to determine a ‘fair day’s work’, a ‘job well done’, a ‘good
supervisor’, or a ‘harebrained scheme’.
Rules and meaning
The implicit and explicit rules, understandings and expectations that
regulate interactions among people in various situations. Related to
these are power structures, lines and areas of authority, questions of
responsibility, status, prestige and influence.
These key features also reflect the employability skills specifically identified in the initial pilot
phase of Skills for Work courses as outlined in Section 4.
You should also refer to the SQA standards, criteria and evidence requirements for
assessing students’ competence in these skills included in the full Unit Specifications,
available from SQA and also included in the SFEU support packs.
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Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
Learning and Teaching Scotland
Learning Through Tasks
In addition to learning how to do work it is important in Skills for Work courses that students
should learn something about the work that they are doing and the context in which they are
doing it.
The Skills for Work courses, in various ways, specify what knowledge can be learned on a
specific job without necessarily specifying how students acquire that knowledge. The
teacher/lecturer has an important role in helping student to understand the key features of
learning about work and the Employability Skills which can be delivered through tasks.
Whether this is for a specific occupational or technical skill, or for employability skills,
learning through tasks and experience has an important part to play in developing these.
The following methods which can be used by teachers/lecturers may provide a helpful
framework where a student encounters a task, works on it, and receives feedback related to
her/his performance. These ‘task episodes’ illustrate how learners can gain understanding
and information related to various aspects of the working knowledge of the workplace, as
well as for employability skills.
1.
Methods of Encountering a Task
(a)
(b)
(c)
2.
Methods of Accomplishing a Task
(a)
(b)
(c)
3.
show and tell: teacher/lecturer performs the task while talking about it showing
students how to do it
sink or swim: teacher/lecturer assigns student to perform task without giving explicit
instructions (“Just go do it!”)
self starting student decides to undertake particular task.
following the script: student performs task according to guidelines established
earlier by teacher/lecturer
playing it by ear: student does what seems necessary and right, without explicit
guidelines
taking advice from the sidelines: student performs task with continual coaching from
teacher/lecturer.
Methods of Evaluating Performance and Getting Feedback
(a)
(b)
(c)
coaching: teacher/lecturer gives continuous feedback and guidance during
performance, suggesting strategies and techniques
formal supervision after the performance teacher/lecturer meets with student to
review quality of performance, suggests improvements
testing the product: student checks to see if the product of the performance
works.
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Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
Learning and Teaching Scotland
4. Employability Skills Common to all Skills for Work Courses
Employability Skills which feature in all the pilot Skills for Work courses are as follows:
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Understanding of the workplace to include
 time keeping
 appearance
 checking for quality
 health and safety
 customer care
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Self-evaluation skills
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Confidence to reflect, learn from experience, and set goals
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Positive attitude to learning
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Adaptability and positive attitude to change
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Practical problem-solving
5. Skills for Work Courses and Units Related to Employability
Skills
The subjects being delivered in the initial pilot phase of Skills for Work are:
Courses
Units Related to Employability
Construction Crafts (Int 1)
Construction Crafts: Employability
Skills (Int 1)
Financial Services (Int 2)
Financial Services: Employability Skills
(Int 2)
Sport and Recreation (Int 1)
Sport and Recreation: Skills for
Employment (Int 1)
Early Education and Childcare (Int 1 & 2)
Working in Early Education and
Childcare (Int 1)
Working in Early Education and
Childcare (Int 2)
Construction Crafts: Employability Skills - Intermediate 1
Outcomes
1.
2.
3.
4.
Demonstrate work practices which enhance employability in construction crafts.
Demonstrate attitudes which enhance employability in construction crafts.
Use building drawings to take, record and check measurements.
Evaluate and review own skills developed in practical contexts.
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Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
Learning and Teaching Scotland
Financial Services: Employability Skills - Intermediate 2
Outcomes
1. Use available opportunities to develop employability skills in the financial services
sector.
2. Demonstrate self-presentation skills in relation to employability in the financial
services sector.
3. Review and evaluate own progress to enhance employability in the financial services
sector.
Working in Early Education and Childcare – Intermediate 1
Outcomes
1. Contribute to a group investigation into provision in the early education and childcare
sector.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the skills, and qualities required to work in the early
education and childcare sector.
3. Contribute to a group investigation into early education and childcare provision in a
specified geographical area.
Working in Early Education and Childcare – Intermediate 2
Outcomes
1. Contribute to a group investigation into provision in the early education and childcare
sector.
2. Evaluate the skills, qualities and attitudes required to work in the early education and
childcare sector.
3. Investigate and plan career options in the early education and childcare sector.
Sport and Recreation: Skills for Employment – Intermediate 1
Outcomes
1. Interact positively with customers.
2. Establish and maintain good working relationships with others.
3. Review own performance and identify areas for improvement.
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Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
Learning and Teaching Scotland
6. Learning and Teaching Approaches Common to all Skills for
Work Courses
All of the initial Skills for Work courses highlight the importance of two key learning and
teaching approaches which should feature in course delivery. These are:
Experiential learning
 learning through practical experience, tasks and projects
 learning through review/reflection
 preparing and planning activities
 learning in real and simulated workplace settings
 learning through role play activities in vocational contexts
 self-assessing the learning experience
Develop employability skills
 generic skills and attitudes
 specific vocational skills/knowledge
Teaching approaches should:
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create an atmosphere that encourages imaginative work in small groups
encourage different ways of tackling things
encourage and facilitate a range of approaches to learning
get students to draw on their own experiences
encourage skills, concepts and knowledge to be used in a variety of situations
get students to reflect on process and outcomes
motivate students and integrate wider key skills into the core curriculum
highlight the transferability of skills and their relationship to employability skills.
Students need to be able to:
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express their own opinions openly
try things out to see if they work in practice
make a point of seeing the points of view of other people
collect information about an employability topic and the world of work
think things out for themselves and in groups
do something new that has not been tried before with appropriate support
work to set plans
work with others
make informed decisions
review, assess and report on their performance, skills and employability.
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Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
Learning and Teaching Scotland
7. Key Delivery Features
The features listed below highlight some key areas which are important in the delivery of
employability skills, either as a discrete Unit or integrated into the overall course delivery
in Skills for Work courses.
Start where young people are; self-assessments, self review
Knowledge and understanding of work
Integrated activities – employability with other practical skills
Learning interpersonal skills
Learning achieved and recorded
Skills for employability and specific occupational skills successfully developed in
units and courses.
It is important that the following are considered and covered in your delivery of
employability skills.
 Understanding of the specific work context as well as more generally the ‘world of
work’
 Skill practice in the key areas of employability linked to the specific context
 Effectiveness related to employability including transferable skills, personal qualities
and attributes
 Metacognition (including capacity for self-assessment, review, reflection and selfregulation).
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Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
Learning and Teaching Scotland
8. Teaching and Learning Activities
Teaching and learning activities need to be well planned and vocationally relevant. The
teacher/lecturer’s input can be as a facilitator, rather than a directive leader, for example
giving valuable feedback on activities, highlighting the development and application of
employability skills as they are exercised during the vocational curriculum delivery and
helping students to do better next time through action-planning and reviews. The
teacher/lecturer can also undertake activities related to learning through tasks as
indicated in Section 3.
Teaching and learning strategies and activities for Skills for Work programmes could
include:
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speakers on specialist topics e.g. First Aid, Health and Safety, Health Education,
Trade Unions
student-centred work with a high level of practical activity
trial and error
demonstrations and videos
internet research
quizzes
site visits
visiting speakers
role play/scenario
talks/presentations from peers/young employees
discussions
radio/TV documentaries
practical examples e.g. payslips
computer software for career planning/career information e.g. Career Box
question technique (particularly oral questioning recorded by tutor)
observations and witness statements linking activities to performance criteria
pupils’ reflective log and inventories
group evaluation and self-assessment
problem-solving and contingency planning
practical exercises
board games
checklist
project work
flipside exercise – creative thinking to turn challenges/barriers which appear
negative into positive experiences.
Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and 10
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
Learning and Teaching Scotland
9. Skills for Work: Teaching and Learning Methods
Employability Skills
Sample Teaching and Learning Methods
UNDERSTANDING THE WORKPLACE
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timekeeping
appearance
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checking for quality
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health and safety
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customer care
Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
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Attendance cards maintained by students
Explanation of code of practice on timekeeping, attendance and code of conduct in
workshops, workplace etc.
 ‘Consequences’ exercise to identify the rationale, relevance and importance of
observing such rules in college and the workplace.
 Discussion to confirm understanding and transferability
Recorded and reviewed at regular assessment sessions
Investigation into particular occupational area and/or specific jobs to identify required
criteria for dress, safety clothing, uniform.
Exercises for group activity to produce a Code of Conduct/behaviour/ dress related to
the students course area e.g. leisure centre, building site, office
Practical exercises to produce materials. Peer checking to review acceptable
standards e.g. margin of error
Measurement activities e.g. checking measurements from building drawings
Checklist for events and activities and review procedures.
Videos
Interactive computer software for hazard spotting exercise
Project/ exercise to conduct a risk assessment checklist
Speakers
Checklists for maintaining a tidy and safe workplace
Preparing promotional materials and displays
Videos
Role-play/scenario discussions
Case-studies in different occupational settings
Customer care checklists
Reception duties as part of work experience placement
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Learning and Teaching Scotland
Employability Skills
SELF-EVALUATION SKILLS
CONFIDENCE TO REFLECT, LEARN FROM
EXPERIENCE AND SET GOALS
POSITIVE ATTITUDE TO LEARNING
Sample Teaching and Learning Methods
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ADAPTABILITY AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE TO
CHANGE
PRACTICAL PROBLEM SOLVING
Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
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Personal review checklists
Self reflection review sheets
Tutor assessment and review interviews at appropriate stages of the course.
Accepting constructive advice and feedback from tutors and work placement
supervisors.
Career planning activities including workshop sessions, computer software, personal
development, planning documentation.
Individual or group learning plans
Career videos
Self review
Individual Learning Plan setting out ambitions and learning goals for short, medium
and longer term
Speakers/presentations from young workers who have continued to progress their
learning
Presentations from skills sector/industry training representatives
Role play
Flipside exercises – creative thinking to turn challenges/negatives into positives
Simulated or real activities, planning events, enterprise activities
Videos
Practice exercises
Learning review
Self-assessment/self review
Case studies
Team-building exercises
Games
Mind-mapping
Problem solving checklists
Practical exercises for common occupational scenarios
 preparing, planning, evaluating, measuring.
12
Learning and Teaching Scotland
10.
Employability Skills: Teaching Methods and Practical Examples
Teaching Method
Practical Examples
Experiential learning activities
Managed negotiation, managed group discussion
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Practical exercises and activities
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first aid sessions
work experience, work-place visits
producing a code of conduct, behaviour and dress code for a specific
workplace
planning, measuring, designing and building a wall
Learning Logs, portfolios
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work diaries to record tasks and review sessions with tutor
On-line tasks and activities, open talk, open activities
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health and safety interactive software
internet research for career information on a particular occupation
sharing experiences from work-based practice
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research into local industry/occupational area
survey projects
Health and Safety Risk Assessment Checklists
open discussions on behaviour and attitudes acceptable in the workplace
Lecturettes
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In-tray exercises
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internet research
researching a topic to prepare a presentation to peers
speakers on specialist topics egg. trade unions, health and safety and health
education
presentations from young workers
using ‘job sheets’ or work rotas to plan their own work schedule
Task management and planning activities
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Young people’s achievements related to employability reviewed,
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Young people’s ideas for activities
Assignments, activities and projects
Brainstorming
Investigations
recorded and assessed.
Ideas for Learning and Teaching Methods and
Approaches for Employability in Skills for Work Courses
13
scenarios/role play activities to practise planning, team work, deadlines and
priorities e.g. organising an Open Day at a Leisure Centre
students take responsibility for maintaining their attendance cards
review sessions in work experience and class activities.
Learning and Teaching Scotland
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