Dorothy Johnson
Ewelina Rydzewska
Peggy McIntosh
Mary Evans
Anna Selwood
Enhancing Students’ Employability
Context
The BA Childhood Studies prepares students to work in the early years sector. As part of their programme and future professional life they need to develop self-reflection skills and work on personal development planning (PDP).
This fits in with the Scottish Social Services Council Continues Learning Framework. As part of their learning and development students identified personal and professional targets. Students found this a challenge. At the same time
discussion with UWS Careers Advisers on preparing students for future employment led to auditing of the programme using the employability audit tool developed by the UK Centre for Bioscience. This formed part of a Mapping
Employability Toolkit, developed by UWS Careers Advisers, that included a template to map the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CHIE) employability competencies (EC) against core modules. The Childhood Studies team
felt this could be used to develop reflection skills, personal development and preparation for employment. This poster charts the journey.
Step 1 – Audit
After meeting with employability team, the BA Childhood Studies team
used the employability audit tool developed by the UK Centre for
Bioscience to audit the course. The toolkit revealed:
Strengths
• opportunities for work experience
• a curriculum which promotes employability
Areas for development
•graduate employment
•career path development and job awareness
•staff knowledge of student extracurricular activities.
An internal bid secured money to put the project forward.
Step 3-Working with the Students
Employability Sessions:
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Evidence
Next Steps
Influencing
Influences others by expressing self
effectively in a group and in one-to-one
situations
Examples: Group discussions, team
preparation for group presentations or
group work outside and in class.
Or Leadership Issues (influencing by
leading in literacy task in nursery.
Student representative experience
Next steps: No need for next steps. Carry
on expressing myself openly with others
and listen to others also.
Example: Seen in formative tasks, folio
work, presentation slides, exams, discursive
essays, letters to parent, case study.
Next Steps: Through presentations I feel
that I could express information through
using graphs or Microsoft tables. I feel that
I am not confident to convey information
over graphs yet just through written or
typed application.
In exams, I have a tendency to write very
fast due to the timescale under exam
conditions. Sometimes my writing can look
messy and may be hard to read. I fear that
this may affect my overall mark. Before
exams, I aim to practice writing under
timed conditions at home for example with
formative tasks. This will enable me to
concentrate on my writing techniques and
help improve the presentation of my work.
written and verbal communication;
self-assessment;
Written Communication
financial awareness;
Expresses ideas effectively and conveys
information, appropriately and accurately
personal statements;
motivation;
managing stress;
personal development planning;
referencing.
Making the Links and Sharing the Vision
Year 2
Trimester 1
• PDP-Professional target set in Children's Learning 0-6
• EC- Sessions to develop understanding of employability skills provided,
e.g. written and verbal communication skills, referencing skills, managing
stress, presentation skills. Initial reflection grid completed
Step 2 – Addressing Areas for Development
Increased opportunities for previous and current students to meet
were created, e.g. ‘meet and greet’ at the induction and entry to the
profession day.
Use of the CHIE description of competencies to develop selfreflection on skills throughout the course.
Increased focus on employability and CVs through targeted sessions
and the use of a reflective log.
Included section on the log for students to identify extra curricular
activities .
STUDENT employability competencies
Year 2
Trimester 2
Year 3
Trimester 1
Year 3
Trimester 2
• PDP- Professional and personal targets set in Developing Effective
Learning
• EC- In Developing Effective Learning reflection grid submitted as part of
folio and self analysis undertaken by using SSSC codes for employers and
employees.
• PDP - Professional and personal targets set in Management Issues . Study
of wider aspects of the concept of PDP and CPD undertaken
• EC-Reflection grid revisited and developed to inform CV statement and
set targets. These are submitted as part of the Management Issues
presentation assessment. Study includes all aspects of recruitment.
• Specific sessions on employability provided e.g. written and verbal
communication skills, referencing skills, managing stress, presentation
skills. Grid to be provided to staff writing references
• PDP- Professional research undertaken by setting objectives and
managing the fieldwork process in Qualitative Research
• EC- Final entry to the profession event provided which focusses on
employability, confidence building and CPD next steps related to
Childhood Practice Benchmark
Ongoing Challenges
Whilst most students use employability competencies effectively, it is still a challenge to:
•develop the culture of independent self-reflection;
•embed engagement in PDP and employability skill development beyond assessment and attendance compliance;
•ensure all sessions are relevant and develop a cohesive programme which can contribute to programme credit.
Questioning
Uses an appropriate approach to
questioning in order to gain information
from which to draw conclusions and/or
assist in the making of decisions
Using the Tracker
In powerpoints, used typed information,
bullet points to convey meaning. Ex.
Developing effective learning power point
exam.
Written/ Typed communication through
folio work such as creativity folio, birth-6
folio and assessment or writing in exam in
communication in the early years module.
Examples: Interview for Integrated Services
– different questioning techniques used.
Research Interview to professional.
Questioning own CPD – setting targets and
being able to evaluate them on power
points. I had to question whether
something failed or not and why. For
example, in developing effective learning I
had to question myself in whether or not I
had met the target in developing my
referencing. I
Next Steps: Continue to read notes and
advice on questioning techniques such as
Bryman, A (2004) Social Research Methods
2nd edition. Oxford University Press.
Understanding Kvale (1996) types of
questions. (Give me an idea of questioning
for the future)..
n addition, this year I aim to be involved in
asking questions after student power
points for management exam for example. I
understand this is important for my
professional development and confidence.
Sharing
the Programme
Employability
Mapping
The Students’ Views
“It helped me prepare a personal statement for an application for postgraduate study.”
“The sessions helped me prepare for a job application and interview. I was offered the job.”
“There is repetition with the module studied to make up credit deficit.”
“You can use that experience on your CV.’’
‘’Sometimes I do not see the point”
Bibliography
 Higher Education Academy. (2006). Student Employability Profiles. The Higher Education Academy. Available at: www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/teachingandlearning/employability/employability
 Kubler, B. and Forbes, P. (2003). Student Employability Profiles. A Guide for Employers. Degrees Of Skills. London: The Council for Industry and Higher Education.
 Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework. (2010). Facilitating the Recognition of Prior Learning: Toolkit. Glasgow: The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership.
 Subject Health Review Handbook 2009/10. University of the West of Scotland Academic Office. Available at www.uws.ac.uk/schoolsdepts/QEU/subject.asp