Colleagues
it's interesting that Sharon has included the report by Mason, Williams and Cranmer (http://www.niesr.ac.uk/pdf/061006_91251.pdf)
The state, on p.24, that
"there is no evidence that the emphasis given by university departments to the teaching, learning and assessment of employability skills has a significant independent effect on either of the labour market outcomes considered here."
The title of the report is "Employability Skills Initiatives in Higher Education: What Effects Do They Have On Graduate Labour Market Outcomes?". The labour market outcoems referred to are (1) gaining employment within six months of graduation and (2) securing employment in ‘graduate-level’ jobs.
So - bad news surely for anyone engaged in such skills initiatives?
Well, maybe, and maybe not.
Let's be clear - there is no reliable survey-based evidence that directly supports the assumption that engaging is skills initiatives leads to better employment outcomes than when such initiatives are not undertaken. But that is partly because the survey method cannot in itself provide the information required. Unless we have some theory or model of **how** such activity **might** have certain consequences in relation to employment outcomes, no meaningful assessment can be undertaken. Such a model would need to differentiate between different types of employability initiatives (not all 'skills initiatives' are the same) and also attempt to **explain** the process that, we assume, takes place that results in (or fails to result in) the desired outcomes.
What is the theory or model underpinning the dominant approach to skills initiatives? It seems to be one of possesive-instrumentalism: skills are acquired and then possessed, then 'used' in employment. They are deemed to be in some way 'real', capable of relaible assesment/ measurement. Such a model has been shown to be completely fawed, and it is difficult to understand why people still hold to it, at least implicitly. If that is not the model, what is? Why not, as I have argued, view the **language** of skills as part of the discursive warranting of claims (ie on wat I call a 'graduate identity')?
What is they theory or model about **how** an individual gains (or fails to gain) employment as a graduate? It seems, in the dominant approach to employability, to be that of automatic 'matching' of (objectively identifiable) employer needs ('gaps') and the graduate's ability to fill those needs (possession of skils that fit the gaps). Such a view is, of course, very naive (well, when it is viewed starkly).
Why not recognise that the process is complex, involving iterations of interactions between the individual and the gatekeepers to the employment arena to which they aspire. I've argued that this can be examined in terms of identity claims and ascriptions, with a number of possible (always temporary) outcomes, that can be (and has been) mapped in terms of trajectories.
How long will we continue to see the blind allegiance to simplistic notions of 'graduate skills and attributes' that lack intellectual credibility in conceptual and theoretical terms, and lack any empirical support?
Will there be a paradigm shift? Or is that too much to expect? Is it too challenging?
regards
Len
-----------------------------
Dr Leonard Holmes
Reader in Management
School of Business and Social Sciences
Roehampton University
www.re-skill.org.uk
________________________________________
From: List for UK HEI employability developers [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Milner Sharon [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 27 May 2011 13:57
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: FW: employability interventions?
Responses to date re. employability interventions:
concept mapping - about measuring impact! might be a useful reference
http://repository.leedsmet.ac.uk/main/view_record.php?identifier=4587&Se
archGroup=Research
work experience has positive effects on destinations
http://www.niesr.ac.uk/pdf/061006_91251.pdf
Work at Glamorgan University:
S. Barthorpe; and M. Hall, A collaborative approach to placement
preparation and career planning for university students: a case study,
Journal of Vocational Education & Training, Vol. 52, No. 2, pp 165-175
2000
P. Barker and A. Nortcliffe, "Engineering Subject Centre Teaching Awards
: the ultimate problem based learning : run your own business", The
Engineering Subject Centre, 2009,
http://www.engsc.ac.uk/downloads/nortcliffe-report-final.pdf
If I receive anything else I will post it on around as well
Best wishes
Sharon
--------------------------------------
Dr Sharon Milner BA PhD CPsychol
Employability Development Officer
Career Development Centre
University of Ulster
Shore Rd
Newtownabbey
BT37 0QB
Tel: 028 90368038
Email: [log in to unmask]
web: http://employability.ulster.ac.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Hillary Anne Ms (CCEN) [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 24 May 2011 20:40
To: Milner Sharon
Subject: RE: employability interventions?
Dear Sharon,
Would you mind putting responses on the link?
Regards,
Anne
Anne Hillary (formerly Benson)
Director
Careers & EmployAbility
University of East Anglia
Norwich NR4 7TJ
United Kingdom
T: +44(0)1603 592828
F: +44(0)1603 593453
E: [log in to unmask]
W: http://www.uea.ac.uk/careers/
--------------------------------
Follow us on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/UEACareersAndEmployability
>-----Original Message-----
>From: List for UK HEI employability developers [mailto:EMPLOYABILITY-
>[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Milner Sharon
>Sent: Monday, May 23, 2011 4:39 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: employability interventions?
>
>Dear all
>I was wondering if you had any or know of any articles on employability
>which used an intervention to increase 'knowledge of careers', 'career
>self-esteem/confidence' or 'employability'?
>Best wishes
>Sharon
>
>-------------------------------------------------
>Sharon Milner BA PhD CPsychol
>Employability Development Officer
>Career Development Centre
>University of Ulster
>Newtownabbey
>Co.Antrim
>N.Ireland
>BT37 0QB
>
>Tel: 028 90368038
>Email: [log in to unmask]
>http://careers.ulster.ac.uk/staff/employability.php
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: List for UK HEI employability developers [mailto:EMPLOYABILITY-
>[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ruth Lawton
>Sent: 20 May 2011 16:20
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: FW: Professional Practice in Focus: Work Related Learning in
>the Curriculum, 13 June, GSA
>
>FYI
>
>Happy Friday everyone:-)
>Ruth
>
>Ruth Lawton
>University Teaching Fellow for Employability Centre for the Enhancement
>of Learning and Teaching Birmingham City University
>0121 331 5126
>
>http://www2.bcu.ac.uk/celt/employability-personal-development
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>*Professional Practice in Focus: Work Related Learning in the
Curriculum
>A one day employability event for academic and support staff Monday 13
>June 2011 Mackintosh Building, **The Glasgow School of Art*
>
>The Scottish Higher Education Employability Forum (SHEEF) is pleased to
>announce the second in a series of regional workshops aimed at
>showcasing examples of innovative and effective ways of embedding
>employability in the academic curriculum at subject level.
>
>Professional Practice in Focus: Work Related Learning in the Curriculum
>introduces new research and showcases innovative and effective
>approaches to embedding employability within a programme of study.
>
>This event is aimed at academic and support staff across all subject
>disciplines with a role to play, or an interest in, the development of
>work related learning, enterprise activity or any other form of
>employability within their institution. It will also be of use to
>professionals and external agencies that wish to engage with Higher
>Education Institutions.
>
>The event is composed of keynote presentations and parallel breakout
>discussion groups in which all attendees will have an opportunity to
>share their own examples of good practice, as well as debate approaches
>in this field.
>
>There is *no registration fee* to attend the event and lunch will be
>provided. Also, all delegates have the opportunity to sign up for a
tour
>of the magnificent Mackintosh Building and the Glasgow School of Art
>annual degree show. To register, please complete the attached booking
>form and return it to [log in to unmask]
>
>Professional Practice in Focus: Work Related Learning in the Curriculum
>
>*Programme:
>
>
>10.30 Registration (tea and coffee)
>
>11.00 Welcome
>
>Professor Seona Reid; Director, Glasgow School of Art
>
>11.15 Bonnie Hacking, St. Andrews University:
>
>*AUL@work: case study management of Enterprise and Creativity Workshop
>
>12.15 Lunch with tour of Mackintosh building and 2011 Degree Show
>
>14.00 Mairi Mackenzie, Work-related Learning Lecturer, The Glasgow
>School of Art:
>
>*Delivering work-related learning in a creative environment
>
>14.15 Student case study: Amy Marsh, Design Innovation
>
>14.35 _Discussion workshops: Sharing Practice and Stimulating Debate_
>
>Delegates will select one group in which to participate:
>
>*Group A:* Creative WRL or professional practice case study (TBC)
>
>*Group B:* **Delivering professional placements within post-graduate
>study provision, a**case study: Scottish Internship Graduate
>Certificate. Sophie Calvin, University of Dundee **
>
>*Group C:* Bridging the gap between HEI and employer. Sally Borley,
>Creative and Cultural Skills Council.
>
>**
>
>15.35 Plenary
>
>Joseph Lockwood, Glasgow School of Art.
>
>
>
>16.00 Event Close and networking
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