Employability revisited draft 1

Employability; Skills with Attitude John Pallister Draft 1 – 11 March 2011 Employability; skills with attitude Contents TOC quot;
1-3quot;
Employability; skills with attitude PAGEREF _Toc287603106 2Employability and 21st Century expectations PAGEREF _Toc287603107 3Employability skills; why? PAGEREF _Toc287603108 3Employability skills; for everyone PAGEREF _Toc287603109 3Employability skills; generic, take-anywhere skills PAGEREF _Toc287603110 4Employability Skills; skills that need to be developed and updated throughout life PAGEREF _Toc287603111 5Employability Skills; what? PAGEREF _Toc287603112 5Employability Skills; when and where they should be developed? PAGEREF _Toc287603113 7Employability Skills; and the National Curriculum PAGEREF _Toc287603114 7Employability Skills; and the Vocational Curriculum (Apprenticeships and 14-19 Diplomas) PAGEREF _Toc287603115 8Employability Skills; and Foundation Learning PAGEREF _Toc287603116 9Employability Skills; the Assett Skills Framework PAGEREF _Toc287603117 10 Employability and 21st Century expectations This document attempts to pull together thinking and definitions for employability skills. It will inform an investigation into how the current understanding of employability skills satisfies the demands and expectations created by evolving working practices and digital technologies. Employability skills; why? “a young person who is not employable has few opportunities in life – and for further learning. http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/research/publications/whitepapers/whitepapers/] For an individual to be ‘employable’, they will need to develop ‘skills’ that will give them “greater access to the labour market” HYPERLINK quot;
http://www.ukces.org.uk/upload/pdf/Final%20for%20Web%20Report%2022%20260710.pdfquot;
http://www.ukces.org.uk/upload/pdf/Final%20for%20Web%20Report%2022%20260710.pdf . If learners do not develop these skills, they “will struggle to find meaningful work in the future; and in an economy increasingly focused on high-skill activities, those without good skills and qualifications will be increasingly marginalised.” http://publications.education.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=Cm+7588 In a rapidly evolving employment environment the demands and expectations placed employees is constantly changing. Employability Skills are not just about ‘getting’ employment, it is increasingly about “ the knowledge, skills, attitude and behaviour “ that individuals will need if they are to “stay in work and do (their) job well.” http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/employability-skills Employability skills; for everyone ‘Employability skills’ as well as being important for the individual are valued by employers: “Employability skills are a top priority for business. Over three quarters (78%) of the firms who responded to the CBI’s education and skills 2009 survey4 said it was one of the most important factors when recruiting graduates, along with a positive attitude (72%) and relevant work experience/industrial placement (54%). The employability skills defined in this report are vitally important http://www.cbi.org.uk/pdf/20090326-CBI-FutureFit-Preparing-graduates-for-the-world-of-work.pdf In the current economic climate employability skills are becoming even more important, both for the employee who is trying to obtain or retain employment and for the employer who needs to recruit a workforce that will help them to adapt and operate in a very challenging commercial environment. The BIS allocate national importance to employability skills considering that they “are a key part of our plan for economic recovery, and an urgent challenge. This country’s future can only be built by people who have the skills demanded by modern work in a globalised economy. Skilled people are more productive and more innovative. Skills give individuals wider options; they climb higher, earn more and get more out of work. And skilled people are the foundation of successful businesses.” http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/skills-for-growth - http://www.cbi.org.uk/pdf/20090326-CBI-FutureFit-Preparing-graduates-for-the-world-of-work.pdf The CBI reinforce this view, acknowledging that “a modern, competitive economy needs workers who possess skills, knowledge and attitudes they can take to any work situation and have the ability and willingness to continually adapt and prosper in a changing world. http://www.cbi.org.uk/pdf/20090326-CBI-FutureFit-Preparing-graduates-for-the-world-of-work.pdf The 2011 Wolf Report recognises that “Helping young people to obtain genuine work experience – and, therefore, what the CBI calls ‘employability skills’ – should be one of the highest priorities for 16-18 education policy in the next few years. It is far more important than even a few years ago, because of labour market trends; and is made critical by the impact on youth unemployment of the most recent recession. http://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/The%20Wolf%20Report.pdf Employability Skills have value for everyone, no matter what academic level they are operating at, or what stage they are at in their employment life-cycle. They are equally important for graduates as they are for school leavers. “A degree alone is not enough. Employers are looking for more than just technical skills and knowledge of a degree discipline. They particularly value skills such as communication, teamworking and problem solving. Job applicants who can demonstrate that they have developed these skills will have a real advantage.” [Digby Jones, Director-General, Confederation of British Industry, Foreword to Prospects Directory 2004/5 - cited http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/66371 Employability skills; generic, take-anywhere skills If ‘employability skills’ are generic skills; skills that they can ‘take and use anywhere’, it would imply that individuals would need to develop employability skills in addition to the technical/vocational skills that they would need to ‘do’ a particular ‘job’. A Department for Work and Pensions Research Report cites evidence that suggests that employers value these generic/‘soft’, employability skills more than they value either technical skills or qualifications: “Overall, employers are less demanding of technical skills, considering them trainable, if candidates exhibit employability and soft skills, and positive attributes (Winterbotham et al., 2001)” …. “Qualifications do not appear to be important for a large number of employers and jobs, consistently ranking beneath characteristics and soft skills in recruitment frameworks (Bunt, 2005; Jenkins and Wolf, 2005). They are most often used to inform the screening process.” http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2005-2006/rrep295.pdf QCA, when describing the Pedagogy that underpins the 14-19 Diploma, offer three reasons why these generic skills are so important; (i) they retain relevance for longer than some occupationally-specific skills, as jobs and work processes change; (ii) be of wider use to individuals across their life experiences; and (iii) enable individuals to take more responsibility for managing their own learning and development. http://orderline.qcda.gov.uk/gempdf/1849627614/qca083908The_Diploma_and_its_pedagogy.pdf Employability Skills; skills that need to be developed and updated throughout life “Employability is not just a one-off preparation for work. Young people need to develop the skills to manage their continuing career development, including transitions, so that they can cope with change and create and seize career opportunities after their initial entry into the world of work. (PSHE: Economic wellbeing financial capability - Programme of study (non-statutory) for key stage 4) http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/uploads/QCA-07-3347-pEconoWell4_tcm8-394.pdf They are skills that need to be practised, developed and updated as new demands and expectations are placed on them; many definitions emphasise that employability skills are as much about having the skills that will enable the individual to keep employment, as it is about them being able to get employment Employability Skills; what? If the need to provide learners with opportunities to develop employability skills has been accepted, we need to be clear about what the skills are that will make someone ‘employable’. Not an easy task as “in the UK alone, well over a hundred reports have discussed what employability skills are” http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=413277 The CBI talk about ‘employability’ as quot;
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.quot;
http://www.cbi.org.uk/pdf/20090326-CBI-FutureFit-Preparing-graduates-for-the-world-of-work.pdf The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) goes a little further considering that they are ‘the skills almost everyone needs to do almost any job'; http://www.cbi.org.uk/pdf/20090326-CBI-FutureFit-Preparing-graduates-for-the-world-of-work.pdf Although there is no one definition for employability skills, there appears to be some consensus that they are more than just a set of skills; they include attitudes and behaviours. UKCES recognise that they are “attributes that help people respond to the changing demands of the workplace”. http://www.cbi.org.uk/pdf/20090326-CBI-FutureFit-Preparing-graduates-for-the-world-of-work.pdf Emerging technologies and a rapidly evolving employment situations mean that we need to prepare learners for ‘jobs’ and working environments that do not currently exist. We do not know what demands these environments will place on employees and in turn what skills they will need. However what we do know is that they will be different, in some ways, from the skills set that served the current or previous working generations. DCSF recognise that to satisfy these changing demands learners will need to develop a “set of personal, learning and thinking skills, including resilience, confidence, and the abilities to think analytically and creatively; to learn and research in depth; to be active citizens and agents of change; to work with others and in teams; and to manage themselves” [DCSF Your child, your schools, our future: building a 21st century schools system http://publications.education.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=Cm+7588 The reference to Personal Learning and Thinking Skills(PLTs) is useful as they have already been defined by QCA as skills “that are designed to apply to all ages of learner, and which capture what are commonly referred to as ‘soft skills”. PLTs are defined as six skills groups: independent enquirers; creative thinkers; reflective learners; team workers; self-managers and effective participators. Each skills group has a number of ‘outcome’ statements that identify some of the skills, behaviours and personal qualities associated with the group. http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/uploads/PLTS_framework_tcm8-1811.pdf Employability skills are more than just Personal Learning and Thinking Skills. DCFE thinking was that “PLTS together with functional English, mathematics and ICT, cover the areas of competence that are most demanded by employers. Integrating these skills into the curriculum and qualifications will provide learners with a platform for employability and further learning.” http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/index.cfm?go=site.home&sid=3&pid=386&ctype=TEXT&ptype=Single The UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), although not specifically referring to Functional Skills and PLTs, define employability skills in terms of “four personal skills; self-management, thinking and solving problems, working together and communicating and understanding the business” along with “using language effectively, using numbers effectively and using IT effectively.” https://crm.lsnlearning.org.uk/user/login.aspx?code=090113&P=090113PD&action=pdfdl&src=WEBGEN This definition has added understanding business to a developing view that employability skills comprises of Functional Skills and Personal Learning and Thinking skills, while QCDA added personal financial management and risk taking. http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/uploads/QCA-07-3347-pEconoWell4_tcm8-394.pdf The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), by recognising that current employment and skills structures fail to recognise and promote the development of key generic skills, would add certain management and leadership to the skills set. http://www.cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/383D91B5-3F55-4D52-9A2D-DB9CE0004DA4/0/Response_UKCES_simplification_consultation.pdf The CBi, ‘Future Fit’ survey found that entrepreneurship/enterprise (innovative approach, creativity, collaboration and risk taking) was frequently mentioned by both employers and universities as attributes that would enable individuals to make a “huge difference to any business”. http://www.cbi.org.uk/pdf/20090326-CBI-FutureFit-Preparing-graduates-for-the-world-of-work.pdf QCDA, when talking about skills for enterprise and employability, included: ,[object Object]

working with others, independent enquiry, self-management, innovation and creativity

risk-taking and risk management, reflective thinking

personal financial management, budgeting and accounts management.http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/uploads/QCA-07-3347-pEconoWell4_tcm8-394.pdf There does appear to be an increasing acceptance that employability ‘skills’ are really about more than just ‘skills’. Asset Skills, the Sector Skills organisation responsible for employability skills, considers that “Employability defines the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours required by individuals to seek, obtain and sustain employment at all levels in the labour market” www.assetskills.org In addition to Functional Skills (Maths, English and ICT) and Personal Learning and Thinking Skills, Employability skills will include specific knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. The Skills for Life Network suggests a model where employability skills are built upon a foundation of a ”Positive Approach, which includes: being ready to participate, making suggestions, accepting new ideas and constructive criticism and taking responsibility for outcomes”. In this model, the foundations then allow individuals to develop Functional Skills in the context of four Personal Skills: self-management; thinking and solving problems; working together and communicating and understanding the business http://www.skillsforlifenetwork.com/employability-skills Employability Skills; when and where they should be developed? If employability skills have ‘value’, individuals will need opportunities, before they enter employment, to develop them. The need for the Education and Training Sectors to develop individuals so that they are ‘employable’ was highlighted in the White Paper (June 2009), ‘Your child, your schools, our future: building a 21st century schools system’. It challenged the education system to ”ensure that all young people develop the skills and abilities needed for success in life” [DCSF Your child, your schools, our future: building a 21st century schools system http://publications.education.gov.uk/default.aspx?PageFunction=productdetails&PageMode=publications&ProductId=Cm+7588 ] The need to integrate employability skills into the curriculum and qualifications was reinforced by the DIUS who argue that it would “provide learners with a platform for employability and further learning.” http://www.dius.gov.uk/publications/world_class_apprenticeships.pdf Employability Skills; and the National Curriculum Before we explore the skills in detail might be useful to explore how employability skills are being interpreted by the current secondary curriculum (England). The DCSF, in 2005, were “determined that pupils of all abilities and talents will develop their employability skills and attitudes and their enterprise capability”, White Paper 14-19 Education and Skills 2005 http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/research/publications/whitepapers/whitepapers/ The QCA big Picture includes employability and enterprise as an ‘Area of Learning’ within the ‘how to organise learning’ section (Appendix E) The National Curriculum programme of study (non-statutory - 2007), for PSHE: Economic wellbeing and financial capability expects students, during key stage 4, to develop an “understanding the qualities, attitudes and skills needed for employability”. This means that a 14-16 year old student will follow a programme that includes: ,[object Object]

working with others, independent enquiry, self-management,

personal financial management, budgeting and accounts management. http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/uploads/QCA-07-3347-pEconoWell4_tcm8-394.pdf *** links between employability skills and social and emotional skills. Appendix D In England, a lot of recent, joined-up thinking has resulted in four learning ‘pathways’ being defined for 14-19 year old learners. Learners can either follow a GCSE/A levels path; Foundation Learning, an Apprenticeships; or a 14-19 Diploma. Employability Skills; and the Vocational Curriculum (Apprenticeships and 14-19 Diplomas) The OECD Report, Learning For Jobs, recognises the need to build a “foundation of basic and transferable skills into vocational qualifications, to reflect a world of career flux and development rather than one job for life. “ http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/45/24/45927200.pdf World-class Apprenticeships: Unlocking Talent, Building Skills for All (2008) recognises that it “essential for Apprentices to develop their generic employability skills as part of their Apprenticeship experience . .. Together with functional English and maths, personal learning and thinking skills cover the areas of competence that are most often demanded by employers.” http://www.dius.gov.uk/publications/world_class_apprenticeships.pdf The Sector Skills Councils (SSCs)/Sector Skills Bodies (SSBs) that define Apprenticeship frameworks, consider that the 14-19 Curriculum should: “ensure every young person has a sound grounding in the basics of English, Maths, ICT and the wider employability skills required of new entrants to the labour market to establish high quality, applied learning routeways leading to rewarding careers - either directly, or after participation in higher education to give young people a sound understanding of the world of work” http://www.ukces.org.uk/our-work/qualifications/14-19-curriculum/ The Specification of Apprenticeship Standards For England requires that all Apprenticeship Frameworks, at all Levels, “must specify that an apprentice must achieve the standards of attainment set out in the Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) national outcomes” and requires that all Apprentices achieve Functional Key/Skills http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/About-Us/~/media/Documents/SASE/11-521-Specification-of-apprenticeship-standards-for-england.ashx Although the Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for England (SASE) that sets out the minimum requirements to be included in a recognised English Apprenticeship framework does not mention ‘employability skills’ it does require Apprenticeship Frameworks to include both PLTS and Functional Skills. “An Apprenticeship framework must specify the outcomes which an apprentice is to achieve in the six PLTS and how they are to be evidenced. PLTS may be delivered by instruction and/or by practical experience, depending on the characteristics of the particular sector. An Apprenticeship framework must specify where PLTS are located in the framework, either within a qualification or elsewhere.” Section 27 (1) http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/corporate/migratedD/publications/S/SASE-Specification QCA, when explaining ‘The Diploma pedagogy’ argue that “Generic learning develops the general skills for learning, employability and personal capability that can be applied within the sector or subject, and more widely. “ http://orderline.qcda.gov.uk/gempdf/1849627614/qca083908The_Diploma_and_its_pedagogy.pdf With 14-19 diplomas, “Generic learning is common to all lines. It includes functional skills – English, mathematics and ICT – as well as work experience, project work and personal, learning and thinking skills (PLTS)” http://www.qcda.gov.uk/qualifications/565.aspx Schools and Colleges are encouraged to look for “innovative ways to develop functional skills and PLTS, and to include applied learning.” http://www.qcda.gov.uk/qualifications/3821.aspx Employability Skills; and Foundation Learning “With Foundation Learning, Functional Skills are integrated into a learner’s programmes along with personal and social development (PSD) and subject or vocational learning.” http://www.qcda.gov.uk/qualifications/foundation-learning/559.aspx Through PSD learners will be expected to “understand and meet the expectations of potential employers.” http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/media/Foundation%20Learning%20Tier%20Support%20Programme/Personal_learning_and_thinking_skills_in_Foundation_Learning.pdf Employability skills are part of the Foundation Learning pathway, especially when you consider that one requirement of Foundation Learning is that the Learning Programmes are designed must take into account the learner’s intended destination and how they can access the next stage in their learning or development. As one destination might be ‘employment’, the Learner’s programme must prepare them for employment; it must address and provide the learner with opportunities to develop employability skills. It is possible/likely that when a learner’s Foundation Learning programme is being designed, that employability skills qualifications will be selected for inclusion in their programme. A Learners programme is required to address the Functional Skills development need of the individual. ‘Readiness indicator 4: Coherent Progression Pathways’, from the Progression Pathways Provider Development framework (currently unable to reference http://excellence.qia.org.uk/flt ) includes “CPP.3 Vocational (and subject-based learning where appropriate) is focussed on the development of crosscutting employability skills” While attempting to find out what employability skills are, we have found references in all four of the possible learning pathways, Foundation Learning; Apprenticeships; 14-19 Diplomas and GCSEs. Specifically, these pathways require learners to develop Function Skills and PLTS. The only pathway that does not appear to have explictit links/expectations in terms of Functional Skills and PLTS, is the A levels path. (investigate position of PCC 16-19) Fair to conclude that employability skills is a component/issue for all learners. ---- So what are they in all PATHWAYS? Functional Skills, PLTs and sometimes, a bit more. FS + PLTs already defined Have a look http://www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/other_research_reports/Developing_and_Accrediting_Personal_Skills_and_Competencies.pdf and is being influenced national importance for the UK to ‘up skill’ its workforce has been widely discussed, Employability Skills; the Assett Skills Framework Asset Skills “Employability defines the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours required by Asset Skills have developed a ‘matrix’ (current Version = 3 Version 4 available Version 4 due for launch in July 2011) that defines the skills, attitudes and behaviours that individuals need to “seek, obtain and sustain employment at all levels in the labour market “. This matrix is used to ‘approve’ Employability Skills qualifications. The matrix groups the skills, attitudes and behaviours into 3 groups: www.assetskills.org ,[object Object]

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Employability revisited draft 1