Employment Research Institute
Tailoring Services and Releasing Untapped Talent – a Higher Education
Perspective
Professor Ron McQuaid, Napier University
Employment Research Institute
Overview
• The context
• What HEIs do and can do
SCOTLAND: ESTIMATED AND PROJECTED AGE STRUCTURE 1901-2031
-300,000 -200,000 -100,000 0 100,000 200,000 300,000
0 - 4
10 - 14
20 - 24
30 - 34
40 - 44
50 - 54
60 - 64
70 - 74
80 - 84
Ag
e
Population-300,000 -200,000 -100,000 0 100,000 200,000 300,000
0 - 4
10 - 14
20 - 24
30 - 34
40 - 44
50 - 54
60 - 64
70 - 74
80 - 84
Ag
e
Population
-300,000 -200,000 -100,000 0 100,000 200,000 300,000
0 - 4
10 - 14
20 - 24
30 - 34
40 - 44
50 - 54
60 - 64
70 - 74
80 - 84
Ag
e
Population-300,000 -200,000 -100,000 0 100,000 200,000 300,000
0 - 4
10 - 14
20 - 24
30 - 34
40 - 44
50 - 54
60 - 64
70 - 74
80 - 84
Ag
e
Population
MALES FEMALES MALES FEMALES
MALES FEMALES MALES FEMALES
Scotland 1911 Scotland 1951
Scotland 2001 Scotland 2031
Employment Research Institute
Number of 15-29 year olds in Scotland
• 1977 – 1,186,595
• 2002 – 938,223
• 2027 – 770,661
Employment Research Institute
HEIs and migration
• Impact of HEIs on local economies
• Bringing in and improving human capital
• Non-EU Postgraduates (2003/04)
10,580 (22%)
Employment Research Institute
Higher Education promoting Scotland abroad
• Reputation for quality• Market knowledge and meeting market needs• Building relationships• Promoting Scotland as a place to study and
to live
Employment Research Institute
Preparing students for employment
• Support to complete the course• Relevance of the course• Work experience/employer contact• Generic skills – e.g. entrepreneurship
Employment Research Institute
Settling into the community
• Induction• Opportunities to socialise and network• Practical support
Employment Research Institute
Pitfalls…..
• Perception of poor value for high fees• Students don’t mix easily – courses recruiting
heavily from one country• Staff lack awareness of cultural differences
Employment Research Institute
Wider role
• Lifelong learning for everyone in the community
• Universities as international employers
Employment Research Institute
Tailoring Services and Releasing Untapped Talent – a Higher Education
Perspective
Professor Ron McQuaid, Napier University
Employment Research Institute
TOTAL POPULATION % OF TOTAL POPULATION
PERSONS 0-14 15-29 30-44 45-64 65+ 0-14 15-29 30-44 45-64 65+
1927 1,369,915 1,269,700 935,420 950,725 327,338 28% 26% 19% 20% 7%
1952 1,258,378 1,085,835 1,084,929 1,158,904 512,801 25% 21% 21% 23% 10%
1977 1,227,638 1,186,595 927,809 1,171,561 712,597 23% 23% 18% 22% 14%
2002 890,242 938,223 1,158,224 1,255,232 812,879 18% 19% 23% 25% 16%
2027 (proj) 717,112 770,661 896,531 1,265,652 1,189,750 15% 16% 19% 26% 25%
Source: Future Skills Scotland