investigating attitudes and approaches to employability
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Investigating attitudes and approaches to employability. Rehana Ladha Therese Svensson University of East London 10 th September 2013. Overview. Identify students’ approaches to employability Understand why students engage or disengage with employability services - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Investigating attitudes and approaches to employability
Rehana LadhaTherese Svensson
University of East London10th September 2013
Overview
• Identify students’ approaches to employability • Understand why students engage or
disengage with employability services• Share areas of good practice to enhance
engagement
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 2
Our Context
• East London/Thames Gateway• 60%+ BAME students• 55% mature students• 40% lower socio-economic groups• 81% from the London area• 50% from East London
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 3
What does Employability mean to you?
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 4
• The ability to:-• Get a job• Keep a job• Progress in a job• Get a better job• Get a different job• Create your own job
What is Employability?
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 5
UEL Research Internships • A 10 week scheme where students work on a real
research project • Opportunities are provided for students to present
their findings through various channels• Typically students are paired with academics rather
than support services
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 6
Employability and Enterprise team Research Objectives (EET)
• Identify the rationale for students’ decision to engage or disengage with EET services
• Understand students’ attitudes and understanding of employability
• Investigate students’ satisfaction levels with the service and any improvements to be made
• Investigate academics’ attitudes to employability
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 7
Data Collection
• Qualitative and quantitative research (June/July 2013)• Focus groups and case studies, 25 students/graduates
in total• Clipboard survey with, 150 students/graduates• Diverse representative samples (BME, Male, Female)
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 8
What do you think students’ employability expectations are?
(Group discussion and feedback)
GTI media research (January 2013)
•Responses from 2,300 students at 125 universities •Very similar survey conducted six years ago with 2,500 students•Over a third of respondents believe that the university has the MAIN responsibility for preparing them for working life
Students’ employability expectations at UEL and nationally?
“Unrealistic employability expectations”Degree=job
“More alumni contacts and
networks”
“Incorporating employability skills
as key learning outcomes in core
academic programmes”
“Services tailored to their degree/career
or sector choice”
“Employability emails specific to my area of study
and interest”
“More support for humanities subject
support rather than business
subjects”
“Further develop links with the
Students’ Union and student societies”
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 11
Academics’ attitudes to employability
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet
“Get s tudents to start thinking about
employability as soon as they arrive at university” EET
road map
“Create more links with
recruitment agencies/job outcomes”
“Hold employability
conferences for staff/students “
“Employability should be
delivered by industry experts”
“Core Employability skills should be part of several modules “
“Course specific Linked-in groups”
12
It’s your turn…(20 minutes)Discuss the points below and draw pictures to present your findings to the rest of the
groups?
• Why do you think students engage/disengage with Careers Services/Employability Teams ?
• How can we enhance student engagement? What works?
(one person will feedback for the rest of the group)
• Employability and Enterprise Team
www.uel.ac.uk/eet 13
Reasons for not engaging?
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 14
Reasons for not engaging (National Survey)
36% of respondents said the following:• 52% not yet got round to it• 37% too little time• 23% I don’t know where it is on campus• 12% opening times and events inconvenient
for me• 18% I don’t think it could help me• 11% I don’t know how to access its website
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 15
Reasons for non-engaging UEL students
58 % of the sample said their reasons for not engaging were:•48 % do not know the location of services•40 % were not aware or sure•28 % lack of time•21 % not yet got around to it•16 % do not think it will be helpful•8 % because times are inconvenient
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 16
Quotes on reasons for not engaging
• “Because they do not offer specialist career guidance in my field”
• “ Focusing on university workloads, so did not think about using the services”
• “Not aware of services”
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 17
Reasons for engaging
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 18
Reasons for engaging
42 % of the sample said their reasons for engaging were:•51 % to find a job•27 % for personal/ skill development•21% for opportunities•19 % to network with employers•11 % for career recommendations•11 % for business advice and start ups
19
Quotes on reasons for engaging
- “ I think that it will help me develop and improve my skills and it will be an opportunity for me to get a job”
- “ For internships and voluntary work experience”
- “End of my degree looking for work”
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 20
How can we enhance engagement?
• Engage with students from their first year (Core lectures/induction videos/self assessment checklists/prescriptions/student roadmap)
• Empower academics to enhance students’ employability
• Provide a flexible service• Employability champions• Increase social media presence• Services tailored to degree/career choice
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 21
Recommendations
• University employability strategy=service impact= invincible
• Location and visibility is key • How you market your services is crucial• Practical skills sessions and interventions
Employability and Enterprise Team www.uel.ac.uk/eet 22