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Teaching and Learning
Conference 2011
Evidencing Employability Skills:
Introduction
Dr Jessica Jung, Careers Service
jessica.jung@ncl.ac.uk
Context
• Employability (and skills development) – a University KPI
of increasing importance to students, parents, staff
throughout this institution, the media…
• We are currently 15th for ‘Graduate Prospects’ in Times
Good University Guide (based on DHLE data –
percentage of student in grad-level employment/further
study)
• “Academic study gets your foot in the door; employability
skills push it open to a far wider range of activities”
(Head of Strategy and Talent at PWC, see here for
further information)
• Newcastle University Graduate Skills Framework
rationalises key abilities employers value and presents
these in a way that students (and staff) can easily
understand and apply to their teaching/learning
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Embedding Employability Skills
• Students can (and do!) develop skills in a variety of
contexts (internships/placements; club/society roles,
course rep roles, volunteering, part-time work); as well
as within their course
• They may lack reflective ability to
identify the skills they have developed/
are developing however, to link experiences and
achievements and present these in different contexts
• This key ability can be encouraged/embedded within
teaching and module design as well as through other
areas of the University (personal tutoring system,
Careers Service, eportfolios etc)
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Self Awareness and Reflection
• ‘Recognise own knowledge, values, qualities and skills in
order to inform and guide personal development’
• Benefits for academic study and beyond – making career
choices and throughout the application process and
when adjusting to the world of work
• Valuable as part of modules/courses with a skills or
employability component.
• Can be encouraged through use of portfolios, group
work, interactions with tutor, etc
• Can be assessed using written work (reflective diary or
portfolio, longer essay) or other formats – presentations,
interviews, professional conversations can form part of
assessment and can help prepare students for the
workplace
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Evidencing Skills and Attributes
• Students need to able to identify when, where and how
they have demonstrated the skills and experience
employers are looking for in order to succeed at all
stages of the application process.
• Eportfolios– students/courses can opt into the
University’s eportfolio system (plans to roll this out tied
into personal tutoring system as part of 2012 ‘offer’),
these allow students to record what they have done
(whether as part of their course or through
extracurricular activities) and link these to skills.
• Allow students to build up a ‘bank’ of examples of their
skills and abilities which can be accessed to help with
applications, interviews, etc.
Work Experience for
Academic Credit
• Career Development module owned/run by Careers
Service - students from majority of academic schools
can opt to take this 20 credit (year-long) module,
demand for places is increasing year-on-year
• Collaboration with schools to promote the benefits of the
module to students, as well as offering consultation and
support to schools/programmes setting up their own
work-relating learning modules (differing levels of input
and support)
• Work-related modules have been set up in, for example,
Geography, Environmental Science, Combined Honours,
English (all subjects that don’t traditionally include a
placement or ‘sandwich’ year)
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•
"It's crucial to ensure that our degree comprises
more than just acquisition of academic knowledge if
our graduates are to succeed in today's highly
competitive job market. Involvement with the Career
Development module has enabled many of our
students to get invaluable practical work
experience."
Dr Val Tuck, School of Psychology
• Video case studies of academic staff and students here
• Opportunities for collaboration and for staff to become
involved with the Career Development module by acting
as second markers for our innovative assessed
interviews – great way of learning more about the
module.