Employability Skills: some modules do have them!

PCUTL Group ProjectDiane Harris (PGMDE)Sherran Milton (SOHCS)Fiona Morgan (INSRV)Lisa Wallace (MEDIC)

• Diane Harris– Dental Nurse Tutor. Registered and practiced as a dental

nurse for over 25 years

• Sherran Milton– Operating Department Practitioner. Worked as Senior

Clinical Staff & Education Officer in national post

• Fiona Morgan– Worked in industry for >20 years with a number of

multinational companies

• Lisa Wallace– 18 years of medical research experience at two major U.S.

Universities

The Project Team

Employability“A set of attributes, skills and knowledge that all labour market participants should possess to ensure they have the capability of being effective in the workplace – to the benefit of themselves, their employer and the wider economy”

EMPLOYERS:CBI Education and skills survey 2011

70% of employers want to see:• Development of

employability skills made a top priority – embedding skills in the curriculum.

• University students doing more to prepare themselves to be effective in the workplace.

WELSH GOVERNMENT:Higher Education Strategy

Employability is a key outcome of the HE experience

STUDENTS: Investing for careers

Current students (11/12) Fees:

£3,400 Student loan:

£5,000

3 year debt>£25,000

New students (12/13)Fees:

£3,500 (Wales) £9,000 (England)

Student loan£5,500

3 year debt:>£27,000 (Wales)>£43,500 (England)

To gain HECfW approval for increased

fees: Improving student skills and work

experience to enhance their

employability.

CU Graduate Employability and Enterprise Skills Strategy

• Employability and Enterprise-related skills provision articulated across all curricula and communicated to students;

• New academic programmes designed and existing programmes revised with an employability and/or enterprise dimension incorporated.

Teaching staff

• Key in communicating strategy–Building skills development into modules

and courses• Need clarity:–Unclear on what these skills are–Range of different terms and lack of

consistency in University documentation

Protocol development Induction material for new students Practical observation Audits Peer review Attitude scales

Self Management

Business and customer awareness

Problem solving

Communication and literacy

Application of numeracy

Application of information technology

Basic understanding of the key drivers for business success including:› the importance of innovation and taking calculated risks› the need to provide customer satisfaction and build customer

loyalty

Analysing facts and solutions Applying creative thinking to develop appropriate solutions

Application of literacy Ability to produce clear, structured written work Oral literacy – including listening and questioning

Manipulation of numbers General mathematical awareness and its application in practical

contexts (eg measuring, weighing, estimating and applying formulae)

Basic IT skills including familiarity with word processing, spreadsheets, file management and the use of internet search engines,

Demonstrate telephone skillsPresent and debate issuesGive and accept feedbackGather InformationCritically assess materialListening/body languagePersuading and negotiating

Note takingCritical literature review• Discussion

Time management Flexibility Resilience Self-starting Appropriate assertiveness

Readiness to accept responsibility

Readiness to improve own performance based on feedback/reflective learning

Complete ECDL or equivalent Present information in a variety of

IT formats Systematic searching

Understand concept of a number Handle fractions and decimals Calculate rates and percentages Work with ratios and proportions Interpret dataNumerical problem solvingUnderstand basic financeUse spreadsheet software

Drug calculation software (safe medicate, authentic world)

• Use of Excel/SPSS• Practice tests

• Awareness of professional codes and practice guidelines

Case studies and scenarios Quality and risk assessment/

management Audit/survey of practice or

satisfaction

Develop :› information leaflets› Procedural documents› Policy position statements› Research proposals/funding applications/ethical

approvals Contribute to professional bodies or specialist groups

Case studies Ethics committees Role play and scenarios Games and puzzles Models Final year projects

Guidance materials Clinical audit tools/guidelines Questionnaires

Preparing a CV Final year projects Self assessment Action plans/setting objectives Portfolio development Personal development plans

Evaluation Appraisal docs Job applications Course assignments Clinical logs Testimonies

Team working

Respecting others Cooperating Negotiating/persuading Contributing to discussions Awareness of interdependence with others

Negotiate team ground rules Project manage group work Peer review Allocate roles/responsibilities Motivate and support team

EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

DESCRIPTORS SKILLS (Examples)

Learning contracts profiles

FORMS OF ASSESSMENT (Examples)

Developing presentations Producing assignments in word and

submission via turn it inNegotiating on line library tools i.e. literature searchUsing Learning Central appropriatelyUsing e learning materials

• Poster presentation• Oral presentation• Debate• Present to camera

OUR SOLUTION

Employability skills: a set of attributes, skills and knowledge…

• Self-management• Team working• Business and customer awareness• Problem solving• Communication and literacy• Application of numeracy• Application of information technology

All underpinned by a positive attitude

Stage 1

Employability skills

Stage 2

Descriptors

GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY AND ENTERPRISE SKILLS STRATEGY

2010 - 2015

Self Management

Business and customer awareness

Problem solving

Communication and literacy

Application of numeracy

Application of information technology

Basic understanding of the key drivers for business success including:› the importance of innovation and taking calculated risks› the need to provide customer satisfaction and build customer

loyalty

Analysing facts and solutions Applying creative thinking to develop appropriate solutions

Application of literacy Ability to produce clear, structured written work Oral literacy – including listening and questioning

Manipulation of numbers General mathematical awareness and its application in practical

contexts (eg measuring, weighing, estimating and applying formulae)

Basic IT skills including familiarity with word processing, spreadsheets, file management and the use of internet search engines,

Time management Flexibility Resilience Self-starting Appropriate assertiveness

Readiness to accept responsibility

Readiness to improve own performance based on feedback/reflective learning

Team working

Respecting others Cooperating Negotiating/persuading Contributing to discussions Awareness of interdependence with others

EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

DESCRIPTORS SKILLS (Examples) FORMS OF ASSESSMENT (Examples)

Questions to the group

• Was your partner from a similar discipline?

• If not, were you able to reach a consensus in your response?

• Is it already in your module/course?

So what’s in it for you?

Protocol development Induction material for new students Practical observation Audits Peer review Attitude scales

Self Management

Business and customer awareness

Problem solving

Communication and literacy

Application of numeracy

Application of information technology

Basic understanding of the key drivers for business success including:› the importance of innovation and taking calculated risks› the need to provide customer satisfaction and build customer

loyalty

Analysing facts and solutions Applying creative thinking to develop appropriate solutions

Application of literacy Ability to produce clear, structured written work Oral literacy – including listening and questioning

Manipulation of numbers General mathematical awareness and its application in practical

contexts (eg measuring, weighing, estimating and applying formulae)

Basic IT skills including familiarity with word processing, spreadsheets, file management and the use of internet search engines,

Demonstrate telephone skillsPresent and debate issuesGive and accept feedbackGather InformationCritically assess materialListening/body languagePersuading and negotiating

Note takingCritical literature review• Discussion

Time management Flexibility Resilience Self-starting Appropriate assertiveness

Readiness to accept responsibility

Readiness to improve own performance based on feedback/reflective learning

Complete ECDL or equivalent Present information in a variety of

IT formats Systematic searching

Handle fractions and decimals Calculate rates and percentages Work with ratios and proportions Interpret dataNumerical problem solvingUnderstand basic financeUse spreadsheet software

Drug calculation software (safe medicate, authentic world)

• Use of Excel/SPSS• Practice tests

• Awareness of professional codes and practice guidelines

Case studies and scenarios Quality and risk assessment/

management Audit/survey of practice or

satisfaction

Develop :› information leaflets› Procedural documents› Policy position statements› Research proposals/funding applications/ethical

approvals Contribute to professional bodies or specialist groups

Case studies Ethics committees Role play and scenarios Games and puzzles Models Final year projects

Guidance materials Clinical audit tools/guidelines Questionnaires

Preparing a CV Final year projects Self assessment Action plans/setting objectives Portfolio development Personal development plans

Evaluation Appraisal docs Job applications Course assignments Clinical logs Testimonies

Team working

Respecting others Cooperating Negotiating/persuading Contributing to discussions Awareness of interdependence with others

Negotiate team ground rules Project manage group work Peer review Allocate roles/responsibilities Motivate and support team

EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

DESCRIPTORS SKILLS (Examples)

Learning contracts profiles

FORMS OF ASSESSMENT (Examples)

Developing presentations Producing assignments in word and submission via turn

it inNegotiating on line library tools i.e. literature searchUsing Learning Central appropriatelyUsing e learning materials

• Poster presentation• Oral presentation• Debate• Present to camera

Produced a practical output: • A simple tool to help staff who are developing

and revising modules.

Defined and clarified employability skills.

Made clear their importance to: • Students• Employers• Cardiff University.

Conclusion

Work on the grid will continue as a Module 2 project.