Work Based Learning & Entrepreneurship

Gerry McAllister, Kate Greenan & Sylvia AlexanderUniversity of Ulster

Overview

• Evolving curriculum/National Agenda– employability– professional skills training

• UU strong emphasis on vocational education– Industrial collaboration– Work-based Learning– Entrepreneurship

• Supporting students– VLE (WebCT)

What goes round comes round

Industrial

Collaboration

Research/

Curriculum

Academic/Industrial Partnerships

• Technology transfer– Work-based learning – Teaching company schemes– Incubator centres/Science Parks– CPD

• Curriculum design– Entrepreneurship

Work-based Learning at UU

• Industrial placement• MSc in Work-based learning

– TCS Associates– Software Engineering

• Industry based Professional Doctorates– D Inf– D Man– D Ed.– D Eng

Placement

• Mandatory on all undergraduate programmes• Currently on HND Jordanstown• Transition from Associate Bachelor to

Honours Degree Programmes

Placement Process

• Valued by students and employers• 2001/02

– 300 Students with 124 Companies

• Paid employment• Pre-requisite for final year• Recent Problems

– Downturn in IT sector– difficulties finding placement– minimum length of placement

The process

• Students Placement preparation - year 2• Student submits CV• Job specs requested from employers• Job specs circulated to students• Students select appropriate opportunities• Interviews arranged• Restriction - Must accept first offer• Academic supervision during placement (twice)

Supporting students on placement

• Legal duty/obligation to students• Health & Safety Issues• Visits Dictated by

– distance– resources– staff expertise– student numbers

• Placement visitors– many: eases workload– few: consistency

Pre-placement

• Lectures/seminars on – process– CV preparation– interview techniques– preparing for work

• Carried out by placement tutor• New ideas for further industrial input

During placement

• Advice on – Deliverables required– Visits– Where to seek help

• Visiting tutor– address concerns of student of employer

Post placement

• Assessment– Student Report/log book 40%– Employers report 30%– Visiting tutors reports (2) 30%

Placement tutor roles

• Finding/vetting potential placements– history of placement– personal contact– local/well-known employers

• Allocating and briefing visiting tutors

TCS programs

• 2-year industrial programs• TCS associate employed by the university• Nationally Funded by TCD• Associate placed in a company with a defined

project• Academic and Industrial supervision

TCS Benefits

• Substantial financial benefit to the university and company

• Well defined training program for a new graduate

• Ideal academic/industrial partnership• Existing strong UU history• Good ‘hit rate’

Intertrade Ireland

• Cross-Border Trade and Business Development Implementation Body

• Established as part of new Political Structures• Particular Focus:

– Benefits to be derived by SME’s through the placement of a graduate or diploma-holder

Fusion

• All Ireland Knowledge Transfer Initiative• Based largely on TCS model • Operates on cross border basis• Sectors Targeted include:

– Software– ICT– Design(Multimedia)

• Current Pilot Phase 18 month programs

Benefits and Procedures

• Funding available for academics to act as consultants

• University can claim:– £10K p.a. for academic support– 2K p.a. for travel and subsistence

• Academic commitment 2 days per month• Managed under consultancy procedures by

Technology Transfer section of Research office

Vocational Education & Entrepreneurship

• A more vibrant local economy• High value jobs• Harnessing of local talent• Take advantage of new graduates with fresh

and visionary ideas• Enhance the reputation (and resources) of

the university

Support for Entrepreneurship

• Science Enterprise Challenge• 12 Science Enterprise centres

– teaching enterprise and entrepreneurship to students

• NICENT

NICENT Learning outcomes

• Demonstrate innovative thinking and creativity

• Demonstrate knowledge of future trends • Identify steps required to research market for business opportunity• Explain IPR w.r.t new idea generation and product innovation• Describe the component parts of a business plan• Familiarity with organizational support available to assist new enterprise

development within UU and the local community• Demonstrate team building ability• Identify steps required w.r.t. new company set up and incorporation• Key sources of finance available for business start-up• Communicate new ideas effectively• Familiarity with an e-learning environment

Undergraduate Curriculum

• Introduce Business start-up ideas• Teach Practical Business skills

– sources of funding– accounts basics– assertiveness training– market research training– Intellectual Property

• Build an Integrated Program

Final Year

• Make students aware of options:1 Seek employment

2 Further Study/Research

3 Start a business

• Encourage entrepreneurial final year projects• Business plan with final year project• £20K awards• Entrepreneurial Mentors

After Graduation

• Provide support for transition - student to entrepreneur– on going access to university facilities

• Incubate them– infrastructure

• space• communications• computer

Teaching entrepreneurship

• Classroom based• WBL• Personal Development Planning

Supporting students

• VLE– WebCT

• Reduces isolation during placement– Making regular use of chat and bulletin board

• Encourages groupwork– Students work collaboratively to resolve issues and

achieve common aims without reducing individual responsibility

• Students have access to necessary support materials which aid understanding

Student evaluation of WebCT

• Aid to communication• Appreciate feedback from tutors and peers• Easy and efficient to use• Common environment for students from different

backgrounds

Conclusions

• New patterns in T&L– content– delivery vehicle– support

• Rewarding for both students and staff

• A more entrepreneurial culture?