Enhancing Students’ EmployabilityDorothy JohnsonEwelina RydzewskaPeggy McIntoshMary EvansAnna Selwood

ContextThe 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 – AuditAfter 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 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 self-reflection 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 .

Ongoing ChallengesWhilst 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.

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”

BibliographyHigher Education Academy. (2006). Student Employability Profiles. The Higher Education Academy. Available at: www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/teachingandlearning/employability/employabilityKubler, 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

Step 3-Working with the Students

Employability Sessions:•written and verbal communication;•self-assessment;•financial awareness;•personal statements;•motivation;•managing stress;•personal development planning;•referencing.

Making the Links and Sharing the Vision

Sharingthe Programme

EmployabilityMapping

STUDENT employability competencies Evidence Next Steps

InfluencingInfluences 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.

Written CommunicationExpresses ideas effectively and conveys information, appropriately and accurately

Example: Seen in formative tasks, folio work, presentation slides, exams, discursive essays, letters to parent, case study. 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.

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.

QuestioningUses 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

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.