masters with a purpose - jane artess, director of research, hecsu

Enhancing postgraduate employability

Masters with a Purpose

HECSU and CFEJuly 3rd 2014, Woburn House Conference Centre, London.

Key research questions

The extent to which universities are collaborating with employers in course design and delivery

The value that employers place on postgraduate level skills

Current perceptions of the value of postgraduate skills

Identification of gaps in information and possible areas for improvement

Methodology

Analysis of available data Identification of best practice Survey of selected employersReporting and making

recommendations

Using the data we have …

Full or part time?

2010/11 PT 2010/11 FT 2009/10 PT 2009/10 FT 2008/09 PT 2008/09 FT 21-24 80.5% 69.9% 80.6% 67.7% 80.4% 66.8% 25-29 86.1% 71.6% 86.3% 71.6% 86.1% 72.3% 30-39 84.4% 67.6% 86.8% 67.0% 86.5% 70.8% 40 years & over 82.4% 63.2% 84.1% 64.3% 84.0% 65.2%

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Unemployment

Source: Destinations of Leavers from HE, HESA.

Subject differences

Source: Destinations of Leavers from HE, HESA.

Biomedical Biological Physicalscience Maths and IT Engineering Social science Business and

management Humanities Creative arts

2011/12 73.3% 77.2% 65.7% 78.6% 90.1% 86.4% 71.8% 79.8% 62.6%

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Employer engagementAston – Customer Relations Manager surveyed business perceptions and found some were afraid to approach the Business School because hirers did not have MBAs.

Hertfordshire - every course is designed with input from employers.

Lincoln – new engineering school dedicated to power and energy established in collaboration with Siemens.

Worcester – MA in Sustainable Development Advocacy developed with the Bulmer Foundation.

Cardiff – MSc students working with iSolve to develop entrepreneurialism.

Anglia Ruskin – working with employer advisory groups to consult with range of employers on curriculum change.

Collaboration

TrustShared agendaAgreed objectivesRelationship managementShared language

Challenges Year long Masters constrain time for work

projects or placements Balance of generic and specific learning Recruiters not differentiating between

undergraduates and Masters graduates Need to build sustainable relationships

Added value of Masters

“It would be really interesting work for me to do to actually look at the people who have progressed within our organisation and identify whether amongst them there is a higher proportion of people with Masters qualifications than with the general population we have. That’s actually quite an interesting question for me and one that, until we spoke about it now, I hadn’t even thought about.”

Findings University-business collaboration on PGT is

diverse and flourishing Employers’ needs for Masters graduates are

linked to their requirements for specific skills & knowledge

Depends on historic subject-career trajectories

No discrete Masters labour market Need to be able to articulate value Outcomes do not form consistent patterns

Conclusions and Recommendations

Explore how collaboration on PGT meets business needs

Recognise the need for robust information on PGT course outcomes (and advice)

Share good practice Sandwich Masters to develop application of

learning Relationship building takes time Masters as ‘degrees with a purpose’

Policy themes

Extend the evidence base around progression from UG to PGT

Monitor changes in demand for and supply of PGT

Research Masters level career trajectories Balance of local, regional and national (and

international) provision of PGT

Thank you

Contact

Jane Artess on j.artess@prospects.ac.uk

or telephone 0161 277 5208