work based learning & entrepreneurship gerry mcallister, kate greenan & sylvia alexander...
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Work Based Learning & Entrepreneurship
Gerry McAllister, Kate Greenan & Sylvia AlexanderUniversity of Ulster
Overview
• Evolving curriculum/National Agenda– employability– professional skills training
• UU strong emphasis on vocational education– Industrial collaboration– Work-based Learning– Entrepreneurship
• Supporting students– VLE (WebCT)
What goes round comes round
Industrial
Collaboration
Research/
Curriculum
Academic/Industrial Partnerships
• Technology transfer– Work-based learning – Teaching company schemes– Incubator centres/Science Parks– CPD
• Curriculum design– Entrepreneurship
Work-based Learning at UU
• Industrial placement• MSc in Work-based learning
– TCS Associates– Software Engineering
• Industry based Professional Doctorates– D Inf– D Man– D Ed.– D Eng
Placement
• Mandatory on all undergraduate programmes• Currently on HND Jordanstown• Transition from Associate Bachelor to
Honours Degree Programmes
Placement Process
• Valued by students and employers• 2001/02
– 300 Students with 124 Companies
• Paid employment• Pre-requisite for final year• Recent Problems
– Downturn in IT sector– difficulties finding placement– minimum length of placement
The process
• Students Placement preparation - year 2• Student submits CV• Job specs requested from employers• Job specs circulated to students• Students select appropriate opportunities• Interviews arranged• Restriction - Must accept first offer• Academic supervision during placement (twice)
Supporting students on placement
• Legal duty/obligation to students• Health & Safety Issues• Visits Dictated by
– distance– resources– staff expertise– student numbers
• Placement visitors– many: eases workload– few: consistency
Pre-placement
• Lectures/seminars on – process– CV preparation– interview techniques– preparing for work
• Carried out by placement tutor• New ideas for further industrial input
During placement
• Advice on – Deliverables required– Visits– Where to seek help
• Visiting tutor– address concerns of student of employer
Post placement
• Assessment– Student Report/log book 40%– Employers report 30%– Visiting tutors reports (2) 30%
Placement tutor roles
• Finding/vetting potential placements– history of placement– personal contact– local/well-known employers
• Allocating and briefing visiting tutors
TCS programs
• 2-year industrial programs• TCS associate employed by the university• Nationally Funded by TCD• Associate placed in a company with a defined
project• Academic and Industrial supervision
TCS Benefits
• Substantial financial benefit to the university and company
• Well defined training program for a new graduate
• Ideal academic/industrial partnership• Existing strong UU history• Good ‘hit rate’
Intertrade Ireland
• Cross-Border Trade and Business Development Implementation Body
• Established as part of new Political Structures• Particular Focus:
– Benefits to be derived by SME’s through the placement of a graduate or diploma-holder
Fusion
• All Ireland Knowledge Transfer Initiative• Based largely on TCS model • Operates on cross border basis• Sectors Targeted include:
– Software– ICT– Design(Multimedia)
• Current Pilot Phase 18 month programs
Benefits and Procedures
• Funding available for academics to act as consultants
• University can claim:– £10K p.a. for academic support– 2K p.a. for travel and subsistence
• Academic commitment 2 days per month• Managed under consultancy procedures by
Technology Transfer section of Research office
Vocational Education & Entrepreneurship
• A more vibrant local economy• High value jobs• Harnessing of local talent• Take advantage of new graduates with fresh
and visionary ideas• Enhance the reputation (and resources) of
the university
Support for Entrepreneurship
• Science Enterprise Challenge• 12 Science Enterprise centres
– teaching enterprise and entrepreneurship to students
• NICENT
NICENT Learning outcomes
• Demonstrate innovative thinking and creativity
• Demonstrate knowledge of future trends • Identify steps required to research market for business opportunity• Explain IPR w.r.t new idea generation and product innovation• Describe the component parts of a business plan• Familiarity with organizational support available to assist new enterprise
development within UU and the local community• Demonstrate team building ability• Identify steps required w.r.t. new company set up and incorporation• Key sources of finance available for business start-up• Communicate new ideas effectively• Familiarity with an e-learning environment
Undergraduate Curriculum
• Introduce Business start-up ideas• Teach Practical Business skills
– sources of funding– accounts basics– assertiveness training– market research training– Intellectual Property
• Build an Integrated Program
Final Year
• Make students aware of options:1 Seek employment
2 Further Study/Research
3 Start a business
• Encourage entrepreneurial final year projects• Business plan with final year project• £20K awards• Entrepreneurial Mentors
After Graduation
• Provide support for transition - student to entrepreneur– on going access to university facilities
• Incubate them– infrastructure
• space• communications• computer
Teaching entrepreneurship
• Classroom based• WBL• Personal Development Planning
Supporting students
• VLE– WebCT
• Reduces isolation during placement– Making regular use of chat and bulletin board
• Encourages groupwork– Students work collaboratively to resolve issues and
achieve common aims without reducing individual responsibility
• Students have access to necessary support materials which aid understanding
Student evaluation of WebCT
• Aid to communication• Appreciate feedback from tutors and peers• Easy and efficient to use• Common environment for students from different
backgrounds
Conclusions
• New patterns in T&L– content– delivery vehicle– support
• Rewarding for both students and staff
• A more entrepreneurial culture?
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