Technology can offer many opportunities and benefits to students in helping them to develop and communicate their employability skills. However many educational providers miss vital opportunities to equip students with the skills needed in the modern workplace. This presentation summarises the findings from the recently launched 'technology for employability' report, focusing on an emerging vision for how universities and colleges can best prepare students for life and employment in a digital world.

1. Preparing for employability in a digital age
Lisa Gray, Peter Chatterton and Geoff Rebbeck
25/01/16

2. Preparing for employability in a digital age
» Technology can offer many opportunities
and benefits to students in helping them
to develop and communicate their
employability skills.
» This webinar will summarise the findings
from the recently launched ‘Technology
for employability' report, focusing on an
emerging vision for how universities and
colleges can best prepare students for life
and employment in a digital world.
» Project page: bit.ly/employabilityproject
» Blog: employabilityproject.jiscinvolve.org
» Twitter: #jiscemployability
25/01/16
Lisa Gray
Jisc
Peter Chatterton
Independent consultant
Geoff Rebbeck
Independent consultant

3. Agenda
» Background and context
» Challenges
» The ‘employable student’ in a digital
age
» Connected curricula
» Case studies
» Five dimensions of using technology
» Guidance for programme teams and
institutions
25/01/16

4. Background and context
“Businesses look first and foremost for graduates with the right attitudes and
aptitudes to enable them to be effective in the workplace – nearly nine in ten
employers (89%) value these above factors such as degree subject (62%)”
CBI/Pearson Education and Skills Survey 2015 (CBI / Pearson, 2015)
“Managers, entrepreneurs, and business executives must have e-
competences to grow, export and be connected to the global digital
markets. In a digital economy, e-leadership skills are essential.”
Michel Catinat, Head of Unit ’Key EnablingTechnologies and ICT’” at DG Enterprise
and Industry, European Commission (European Commission, 2015)
25/01/16

5. Jisc employability study
» Aim:
› Exploration of the role of technology in
supporting the development of student
employability skills
» Case study research (HE, FE and
skills)
» Sector engagement
› Workshop, webinar, blog, online survey
» Report
› Case studies and vignettes
› Challenges
› Framework for technology use
› Good practices / guidance
› Recommendations
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6. Challenges
A complex landscape
unearthed
Approaches range from
› Embedding employability into
programmes from Day 1, e.g.
assessed learning outcomes and
authentic experiences
To…….
› End of programme activity
focused on securing jobs
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7. Challenges
Technology is under
exploited for employability
» Variation in practices and
understanding of potential of
technologies- particularly with e-
portfolios and social media.
» Digital literacies are not well
articulated in relation to
employability skills
» Employers and HE/FE generally have
low aspirations in relation to “digital
entrepreneurialism”
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8. Challenges
Insufficient engagement
and partnership working
with employers
» Not much evidence of institutions
evaluating impact of employability
policies/initiatives with employers
» HE in particular needs to develop
greater partnership working with
employers and alumni,
› e.g. curriculum design, mentoring,
assessments, learning experiences,
problem solving
» HE and FE need to find ways of
improved working with a broader
range of employers e.g. SME’s
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9. The employable student in a digital age
Digital capability underpins all aspects
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18. T-profile curricula
(for a digital world)
Assessment for learning
(discipline & employability)
Employer engagement
(inc digital engagement)
• Self-directed learning
• Self-regulated learning
• Self-directed employability
• Digitally literate
Connected curricula
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19. Employability
• Employability (however it is defined) is embedded into curricula learning outcomes
and assessment.
• Employability development commences at the beginning of the student journey.
T-profile curricula (for a digital world)
Discipline
Employability
Discipline
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20. • Curricula provide students with
authentic learning (inc. A&F)
• Employer (alumni?) mentoring
• Employers engaged in curriculum design
Employer engagement (inc digital engagement)
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21. • Curricula adopt “assessment for learning” approaches
• Formative assessment and feedback requires students to
reflect on/express their evolving employability/learning
• Strong emphasis on action on feedback (& follow-up)
• Collection of evidence (digital artefacts)
Assessment for learning (discipline & employability)
Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module X
discipline programme learning outcomes
employability programme learning outcomes
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22. Feedback and discussion
»Questions?
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23. Case study - HE
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24. Case study - HE
Student-Led Individually Created Courses
» Co-curricula experiential learning: final year UG arts students
» Learning outcomes set – include employability
» Students design learning activities and plan how learning outcomes will be
evidenced
» No formal lectures – supervisory model with induction workshops
» e-Portfolio used for reflecting, dialogue, evidence, show-casing
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25. The FE context
» Connected to the wider world
beyond FE
» Learning and working that mimics
behaviours in the working world
» Helping students use technology to
prepare and present themselves to
that wider world
Employability and the Connected Curricula
1. Develop Digital Literacy =
turning ‘tech savvy’ into ‘digital
literacy’
2. To foster a Digital Reputation =
management of a digital identity
3. Through a process of Digital
Inclusion = the processes and
activities of establishing the
former to achieve the latter
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26. Case studies – FE and skills
Taught, caught and acquired
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Taught at South Devon College
employability attributes taught
through Moodle
Caught at InnoTech
who partner students
with SME’s to solve
problems
Acquired by students in
school and college in Wales
now complete digital literacy
as the third literacy

27. Suggestions for action for digital inclusion
»Course Design
› Students keep video and audio records of accomplishments in personal learning space
› Industry reps. provide live Q&A sessions via video streaming direct to classes on ‘work
readiness’. Students capture their reflection on what they gained from attending
»Student experience Design
› Students should capture and present interaction with customers and not only a final
result of that interaction
› Students find industry supporters who provide a role model, answer questions and who
students tweet regularly
»College Design
› At least one assignment in every course is ‘soft-skills’ based
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28. 5 dimensions of using technology for employability
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Technology-
enhanced
authentic and
simulated learning
experiences
» Active and “real world” learning
experiences – supported by
technologies – that help to
develop employability skills
» Simulated experiences
» FE “real environments”

29. 5 dimensions of using technology for employability
25/01/16
Technology-
enhanced
authentic and
simulated learning
experiences
» Self-directed personal and
professional learning (planning,
reflection, managing, recording,
review)–supportedby technology
» (Digital) feedback and
engagement with a variety of
stakeholders including
employers to help develop
learner self-regulatory skills
» Employer-supported / related
assessment for learning
Technology-
enhanced lifelong
learning and
employability

30. 5 dimensions of using technology for employability
25/01/16
Technology-
enhanced
authentic and
simulated learning
experiences
» Researching, identifying and
developing contacts and
relationships with employers
» Developing “digital” and
“employability” identity
» Developing “digital collateral” as
evidenceof student “roundedself”
» Showcasing student “rounded
self” to employers and personal
clients
» Sharing industry identified
problems for learning
opportunities develops
professional relationships
Technology-
enhanced lifelong
learning and
employability
Digital
communications
and engagement
with employers

31. 5 dimensions of using technology for employability
25/01/16
Technology-
enhanced
authentic and
simulated learning
experiences
» Learner skills diagnostics
» Technology-enhanced
development for skills gaps
» Computer-aided assessment
Technology-
enhanced lifelong
learning and
employability
Digital
communications
and engagement
with employers
Technology-
enhanced
employability
skills development

32. 5 dimensions of using technology for employability
25/01/16
Technology-
enhanced
authentic and
simulated learning
experiences
» Developing student technology-
enhanced employability skills
» Developing digital
entrepreneurialism
Technology-
enhanced lifelong
learning and
employability
Digital
communications
and engagement
with employers
Technology-
enhanced
employability
skills development
Employer-focused
digital literacy
development

33. 5 dimensions of using technology for employability
25/01/16
Technology-
enhanced
authentic and
simulated learning
experiences
Technology-
enhanced lifelong
learning and
employability
Digital
communications
and engagement
with employers
Technology-
enhanced
employability
skills development
Employer-focused
digital literacy
development

34. Indicators of good practices for programme teams
25/01/16
Connected curricula
Employer
engagement
Student personal,
professional and
academic
development
Connected curricula approaches are adopted
to incorporate employability into programme
design

35. Indicators of good practices for programme teams
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Connected curricula
Employer
engagement
Student personal,
professional and
academic
development
Employers are engaged with programme
design and delivery

36. Indicators of good practices for programme teams
25/01/16
Connected curricula
Employer
engagement
Student personal,
professional and
academic
development Programme design incorporates
supported student personal, professional
and academic development

37. Indicators of good practices for programme teams
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Connected curricula
Employer
engagement
Student personal,
professional and
academic
development

38. Indicators of good practices for programme teams
25/01/16
Connected curricula
Employer
engagement
Student personal,
professional and
academic
development
+

39. Institutional preparedness
» Embedding and aligning technology for
employability and its development into
policies, plans and processes.
» Professional development of staff in relation
to employability and technology for
employability
» Technology tools, resources, infrastructure
and support for employability and student-
centred flexible curricula
» Improving communication and collaborations
to drive change in technology for
employability
» Quality assuring and continuous improvement
through employability data monitoring,
analytics and review
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40. Students driving change
25/01/16
Student as:
• change agent
• resource creator
• expert / advisor
• researcher
• mentor (students and staff)
• trainer (staff and peers)
• evaluator/reviewer
Jisc summer of
student innovation
Student technology solutions to improve
education, research and student life
www.jisc.ac.uk/rd/projects/summer-of-
student-innovation
CAN case study: “Mission Employable”
(University of Southampton)
https://journals.gre.ac.uk/index.php/studentchangeagents/article/view/207

41. Getting involved and next steps
»Invitation to share examples of practices of technology-
supported employability via guest blog posts
»Further benchmarking guidance in development (due end
Feb)
25/01/16

42. Study resources
» Summary report
» HE case studies and vignettes
» FE case studies and vignettes
» Full report including:
› 20 case studies + vignettes (HE/FE/skills)
› Challenges
› 5 dimensional model – technology for employability
› Guidance:
– programme teams
– institutions
› Recommendations for sector bodies
http://bit.ly/employabilityproject
25/01/16

43. Find out more
» Peter Chatterton
peter.chatterton@daedalus-e-
world.com
» Lisa Gray lisa.gray@jisc.ac.uk
» Geoff Rebbeck grebbeck@me.com
» Project page:
http://bit.ly/employabilityproject
» Join the conversation on the blog:
employabilityproject.jiscinvolve.org/
» and on twitter #jiscemployability
» Please share your feedback!
25/01/16