PowerPoint slides of QAA/SHEEF presentation 2013

1. Employability
North Highland College UHI, Dornoch
14th February 2013
Dr Rob Macpherson
Subject Network Leader, Business & Leisure;
Chair UHI Employability Working Group
Nicola Smith

2. What is
Employability?

3. Employability refers to a person's capability for
gaining and maintaining employment (Hillage
and Pollard, 1998). For
individuals, employability depends on the
knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) they
possess, the way they present those assets to
employers, and the context (e.g. personal
circumstances and labour market environment)
within which they seek work (Hind and
Moss, 2011).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employability

4. A widely accepted definition of employability is
a set of achievements, - skills, understandings and
personal attributes – that make graduates more
likely to gain employment and be successful in
their chosen occupations, which benefits
themselves, the workforce, the community and
the economy (HEA, 2012, PDF).
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/employability

5. 'Employability' encompasses all the things that
enable people to increase their chances of
getting a job, staying in a job, and progressing
further in work.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Employability

6. http://www.ukces.org.uk/publications/employability-challenge-full-report
the skills almost everyone needs to do almost any job

7. http://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/students/career-centre/career-staff/
110921LTQCEmployabilityEnterpriseStrategy.pdf/view
A set of achievements, skills, understandings and
personal attributes, that, make the individuals more
likely to gain employment and be successful in their
chosen occupations. (Yorke, 2004)

8. The National Context

9. The Future of Higher Education
in Scotland
1. More flexibility
2. More learner choice
3. Greater focus on the value of study i.e. employability
4. Sustainability in the face of diminishing public funding
5. Greater focus on partnerships and collaborations (between
educators and employers)
6. Barriers to competition
To a large extent this is all synonymous with the concept of ‘Regional
Coherence’, especially in Highlands and Islands
UHI, by its very nature, already was having to think about these areas

10. Competitors

16. Employability in UHI

18. A Different Reality?

19. Management School Careers Centre Business Development
Education
Development Unit
Create
(Entrepreneurship & Enterprise)
Placement Suite/
Experiential Education
Employment Skills
(Graduate Key Skills)
Employer Liaison
Groups
Personal Development
Planning?
Professional Body
Accreditation?
FEHN/
SVQs
RPL?
Global
Citizenship?

20. The Role of Education
Newsnight, 12th February 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01qqsbj/?t=5m14s

22. Experiential
Education
Job
Shadowing
Simulations
Study
Abroad
Work
Placement
Summer
Schools
Internship
Field
Trips
Research
Projects
Volunteering
Service
Learning
Guest
Lectures
Clinical Practice
Co-operative
Education
Capstone
Course
Case Studies
Community
Engagement

23. Student Benefits
• Increased reported learning and motivation to learn
• Deeper understanding of subject matter and complex social issues
• Ability to apply material learned in class to “real world” issues
• Opportunity to learn from classmates experiences
• Gain hands on skills related to academic and professional area of
interest
Staff Benefits
• Addition of new areas for research and publication, and increased
opportunities for professional recognition and reward
• Improved student discussion and participation
• Enriched approach for delivering subject matter
• Increased opportunity to engage students of all learning styles
• New relationship with students and community members
• Improved understanding of how learning occurs
• Greater awareness of social issues as they relate to academic areas
of interest

24. Community Benefits
• Additional energy, enthusiasm and resources for addressing issues
• Improved relationship with university and access to university
resources
• Increased awareness of and support for community organizations
and issues
• Opportunity to impress upon students the importance of
participation in service
• Opportunity to recruit and nurture future
volunteers, interns, coops, and full employees or advocates
University Benefits
• Increased opportunity to engage students of all learning styles
• Opportunity to be a model Service-Learning program for other
universities
• Improved student retention and school to work transition
• Access to community partners as potential co-teachers
• Improve awareness of universities commitment to the community