Dear Colleague

Post 'Destinations and Reflections':
Future Directions for Employability Research in the Creative Industries

Researcher:  Linda Ball, Academic Developer - Employability, ADC-LTSN,
University of Brighton

In 1998, a consortium of 14 higher education institutions across Britain
undertook a longitudinal study of the career paths of their graduates in
art, craft and design, to find out in more detail what these graduates were
experiencing and how well their courses prepared them for their working
lives.  The resulting report: Destinations and Reflections: British Art,
Craft and Design Graduate Careers - The National Survey revealed a wealth of
findings which contributed to the debate about how graduates could be
prepared for and supported in their futures.  This report was instrumental
in informing changes to the higher education curriculum to address specific
employability needs.

Four years on, the Destinations and Reflections Partnership has set aside
funding, jointly with the Subject Centre for Art, Design and Communication
(ADC-LTSN), to identify key issues and models of good practice emerging from
more recent research studies, curriculum developments and surveys in
relation to employability and graduates' experience of the workplace.  The
remit will involve broadening the scope to include all ADC-LTSN subject
disciplines: art and design, art and design history, media, film, cultural
studies and related disciplines entering the creative industries.

The outcomes of the research will result in recommendations for future
employability strategy for the sector as a whole and suggest new areas for
research into employability.

To inform this study, I am writing to enlist your help with gathering:
*       findings of graduate surveys (since 1999) relating to careers in art
and design and the creative industries, particularly longitudinal studies
*       examples of good practice in curriculum developments that encourage
and embed employability skills (including collaborations between higher
education and arts organisations, professional bodies, careers services,
employing organisations, or national and regional government agencies.)
*       exemplary models for CPD, work related learning, volunteering, live
projects, enterprise and business start up, etc.

The timescale is short and I will be preparing to report at the end of
February 2003. For now, if you can spare the time, please send me brief
details - a short email reply will do.   If possible, copies of publications
and/or reports that will contribute to a national picture would be much
appreciated.  All contributors will be acknowledged in the final report and
automatically receive a copy.  Thank you in anticipation of your support,
and please accept my apologies if you have already received this request.
With best wishes
Linda Ball


Linda Ball
Academic Developer (Employability)
Art, Design and Communication - Learning and Teaching Support Network
(ADC-LTSN)
University of Brighton
68 Grand Parade
Brighton BN2 9JY
email:  [log in to unmask]
www.bton.ac.uk/adc-ltsn
Tel/Fax 01273 643119  Direct 642237