Hallam Award- from Hallam Award- from skillset to graduatenessskillset to graduateness

Simona Pantiru, Arpit Sheth , Simona Pantiru, Arpit Sheth , Charmaine Myers, Vanessa Charmaine Myers, Vanessa

Marshall Marshall

Introduction to projectIntroduction to project

RationaleRationale Working with Student Working with Student

ResearchersResearchers Employability themeEmployability theme Focus of researchFocus of research Aims of researchAims of research

Defining ‘skillset’ and Defining ‘skillset’ and ‘graduateness’‘graduateness’

Skillset = ‘the skills needed to accomplish Skillset = ‘the skills needed to accomplish a specified task or perform a given a specified task or perform a given function’function’

Graduateness = ‘shared attributes Graduateness = ‘shared attributes (attributes that go beyond the (attributes that go beyond the knowledge, understanding, skill and other knowledge, understanding, skill and other qualities that are specific to their field[s] qualities that are specific to their field[s] of study) that graduates are expected to of study) that graduates are expected to possess’ HECQ (1995)possess’ HECQ (1995)

Background literature Background literature

Hallam Award Hallam Award ((http://hallamunion.org/hallam-award/))

supports the recent Wilson Review supports the recent Wilson Review recommendations "to develop and record recommendations "to develop and record students' employability, enterprise and students' employability, enterprise and entrepreneurial skills" (Wilson, 2012)entrepreneurial skills" (Wilson, 2012)

one mechanism for SHU students to one mechanism for SHU students to demonstrate their employability skills and have demonstrate their employability skills and have the prestige of an award that allows them to the prestige of an award that allows them to present themselves as different from other present themselves as different from other graduatesgraduates

Other awards nationally Other awards nationally The Leicester award (Grant, 2012) uses The Leicester award (Grant, 2012) uses

the same objective to enhance the student the same objective to enhance the student experience through employability skills.experience through employability skills.

Loughborough Employability Award Loughborough Employability Award (Hamblin, 2013) provides self-awareness (Hamblin, 2013) provides self-awareness of students’ skills and competenciesof students’ skills and competencies

Participation and completion rates of other Participation and completion rates of other universities’ employability schemes are universities’ employability schemes are similar to HAsimilar to HA

MethodologyMethodology Mixed methodologyMixed methodology 3 groups of students surveyed 3 groups of students surveyed

online/face-to-face (TOTAL = 106)online/face-to-face (TOTAL = 106)

Survey Monkey – data collectionSurvey Monkey – data collection SPSS and Excel – data analysisSPSS and Excel – data analysis

Completed HA

(42/575)

Started & not completed

HA (8/153)

Never registered

for HA (56/56)

Results Results

* 75% of students who have not registered for HA never heard of HA, but 56% of these are Level 4

* Students who completed HA (46%)/ not finished HA (56%) are Level 6

Have you heard of Hallam Award

75%

25%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

No

Yes

* Majority of students are involved in extra curriculum activities that are perceived as not being accredited for use in the HA

Results Results

Reasons for Reasons for not not participating/ participating/ not not completing completing Hallam AwardHallam Award

Reasons for Reasons for participating participating in the Hallam in the Hallam AwardAward

Other findings Other findings 89% of completed HA used it on CV89% of completed HA used it on CV 72% of completed HA felt it 72% of completed HA felt it

improved their careerimproved their career 83% of completed HA would 83% of completed HA would

recommend it to othersrecommend it to others 80% of non-completed HA blame 80% of non-completed HA blame

lack of timelack of time 78% of non-registered HA students 78% of non-registered HA students

say they would take part if other say they would take part if other activities would be accredited activities would be accredited

Suggestions for Suggestions for improvement:improvement:

‘‘Make it less time consuming. Being in final year Make it less time consuming. Being in final year left me with no time to fill out the form for HA’left me with no time to fill out the form for HA’

‘‘More clarity on what criteria you have to meet’More clarity on what criteria you have to meet’ ‘‘Have an online registration process instead of Have an online registration process instead of

emailing the person running it’emailing the person running it’ ‘‘Part-time students should also achieve Part-time students should also achieve

recognition’recognition’ ‘‘Student Trustees/other elected roles could start Student Trustees/other elected roles could start

higher up the awards scale’higher up the awards scale’ ‘‘Not enough information’Not enough information’ ‘‘SU Reps should attend Freshers events i.e. SU Reps should attend Freshers events i.e.

induction programs to tell students more about induction programs to tell students more about it’it’

Applying resultsApplying results

Research results have informed the refreshed Hallam Award for 2013-14

Increased clarity in marketing of the award

Relationship between employability skills and Hallam Award made more explicit

 Support for students enhanced Process improved - online sign up and

form completion