Strategies for Effective Employer Engagement

Lessons from the South West Higher Level Skills Pathfinder

Project

The Higher Level Skills Pathfinder Project Commenced activity January 2007 12 South West HEIs and 3 FECs

directly involved Activity completes December 2009

(limited continuation until July 2010)

Aims and objectives of HLSP To build on successful employer

engagement activity within the region to:embed HE in employer workforce

development and skills strategies regionally and at a business sector level

bring about a step change from supply-led to demand-led provision for businesses

By exploring and testing ways of connecting employers and HE on a regional basis to:Increase demand from employers for higher

level skills developmentHelp HE respond to them

HLSPP as a case study Team of 12 Intermediaries testing

methodologies to engage employers and assist HEIs/FECs to respond to demand led higher level skills development.

A capacity building fund to support the high risk activity of developing new demand led provision

Researchers exploring and interpreting existing and emerging employer engagement to identify barriers and drivers.

Development of an framework for accreditation and credit transfer.

The journey through time

Higher Skills Research Project Conducted by University of Exeter in

association with the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE)

Aimed to:Uncover barriers and facilitators to

effective HE-employer engagement (EE)Learn from current HE-EE practiceIdentify mechanisms for enhancing HE-EE

Higher Skills Research Project

December 2009

Phase 3

• Case studies of 10 HEIs

Strategies for Effective HE Employer Engagement

Phase 1

• Literature Review

Phase 2

• Case studies of 27 EE initiatives

Higher Skills Research Project April 2007 - Dec 2009 Over 150 reports reviewed Over 150 interviews conducted In approx 25 HEIs and 10 FECs Over 30 employers and employer

groups consulted Case studies in all English regions

Supporting…

5. Staff resourcing and capability

6. Culture and systems supportive of collaboration

7. Funding and investment

Sustaining…

4. Developing, sustaining and leading the partnership

Defining…

1. Strategic fit for the HEI and its partners 2. Finding partners and establishing the relationship

3. Designing and delivering an appropriate learning package

Summary of Findings

Facilitators and barriers

to HE-EE

1. Defining the focus of EE activity

1. Strategic fit for the HEI and its partners

An ongoing process of alignment

Connor and Hirsh, 2008: Influence Through Collaboration

Strategic Fit Practical Fit

People Fit

Specific Engagement Opportunity

HE Providerscorporate plan

Employersbusiness plan

Learnerslife/career plan

2. Finding partners and establishing the relationship

• HEIs

• FE colleges

• Private trainers

• Employer groups

• Business Link

• RDAs

• SSCs

• Professional bodies

• …

Direct

Employer group

Sub-contracted

Mediated

2. Finding partners and establishing the relationship

3. Designing and delivering an appropriate learning package

IV. Assessment or accreditation of in-company learning

e.g. awarding academic credits for in-house provision

III. Short bespoke courses, workshops and seminars

e.g. CPD, access to HE, forums (often unaccredited)

II. Enhancing existing provision

e.g. integrating work based modules into degree

programmes

I. Major new ventures with employers

e.g. new foundation degrees, MSc programmes

• Student employability

• Curriculum development • Applied research

• Knowledge Transfer

• Consultancy• Careers & recruitment

3. Designing and delivering an appropriate learning package

Level

FDs and NVQs

Masters & PhD

Design

Off-the-shelf

Tailored

Accreditation

Unaccredited

Accredited

Scale

Small scale/ad hoc

Mass provision

Defining the focus…

Aligning interests and capabilities

Working effectively with partners

Building on areas of strength/capability

Meeting the needs of employers, learners and HEIs

Higher Skills Resources•Higher Skills Toolkit and ONA•Higher Skills Case Studies

Discussion topic

Considering the three areas covered so far, how could your institution’s current practices be improved or adapted?

2. Supporting EE activity

Supporting the provision

DriversCapacity building

fund to cover the development costs

Academic with a passion for the topic or employer collaboration

Employer with enthusiasm

InhibitorsLack of academic

timeEmployers

withdrawing their support

Size of demandFunding of delivery

1. Staff resourcing and capability

Subjectknowledge

Teaching experience

Customer focus & service orientation

Resourcing EE in HE

2. Culture and systems supportive of collaboration

Flexible approachto purposeof HE

Bridgingcultures

Time and incentives for academics

Financial and administrative flexibility

3. Funding and investment

Recognising the real cost of employer engagement

Public funding for development

Assessing sustainability& financial risk

Supporting activity…

Are our staff capable of doing what we’re asking of them?

Are they recognised & rewarded for this activity?

Are our financial and administrative systems up to the job?

Are we capable of responding in a ‘business like’ way? Higher Skills Resources

•Shell Accreditation Framework•Funding Methodology

Discussion topic

In what ways does your institution currently support development activity?

What further support would be useful?

3. Developing, sustaining and leading EE partnerships

Developing, sustaining and leading EE

Supporting &

resourcing EE

Structures for teaching & learning

Communicating & embedding

approach

Strategic purpose of EE

Changing contexts for EE

Developing, sustaining and leading EE

1. EE is core to the purpose of HE and always has been

2. The ‘student experience’ is a key driver for EE within all types of HEI

3. The success of EE is dependent on putting appropriate systems in place

4. Workforce development is just one aspect of EE and not a priority for all HEIs

5. The involvement of academics is key to successful EE

6. EE requires culture change - but not of the kind often assumed

7. Achieving successful EE is a major leadership challenge for HE and those working with it

“Universities, at the heart of the UK’s growing knowledge economy, are facing unprecedented

challenges. Tasked not only with educating students, whose expectations of education is changing, and with producing cutting-edge

internationally recognised research, universities are also being asked to work with local

communities and collaborate with businesses. Yet these are significant calls on finite resources

and questions need to be raised about how universities and their leaders can best respond

to the challenges they are now facing.”

Work Foundation (2008)

A systemic perspective on HE-EE

A leadership challenge…

Sustaining HE-EE partnerships

An academic with passion for the work A collaborative approach Clarity of roles and responsibilities Ensure buy-in Build in continuity Support at senior levels Need for ongoing leadership (at many

levels) Recognise complex leadership needs

Higher Skills Resources•Higher Skills Research Reports

Discussion topic

Now the Pathfinder is coming to an end, how are you sustaining partnerships with employers?

If you didn’t have a Pathfinder, what are the key issues for you?