Business-University Collaboration
JOINED UP THINKING
>>
The University of Winchester helped us develop our sponsored degree which offers students the chance to gain a BA (Hons) Business
Management or Business Management with IT degree in three years by attending the University of Winchester one day a week and combining this with four days a week working full time.
In 2007, Logica, now part of CGI, partnered with the University of Winchester to deliver a fully sponsored degree programme which offers school leavers the opportunity to gain a BA (Hons) alongside real-world work experience. To date, 23 students have graduated and retention rates upon graduation stand at 91%. Alexandra Sinton, Manager, UK Graduate Recruitment at Logica, tells all…
W
ith numerous headlines about fees, debt and unemployment the rise in demand for school leaver
programmes should be no surprise to employers. We have seen a 187% increase in applications from 2011-2012 and a 141% increase seen so far this year. And while supporting the employment of apprentices, with intakes into three of our main offices in 2012 and on-going work to develop a Gold Standard apprenticeship in South Wales, we understand that some students still want a degree and the work experience so valued by employers.
With this in mind the University of Winchester helped us develop our sponsored degree which offers students the chance to gain a BA (Hons) Business Management or Business Management with IT degree in three years by attending the University of Winchester one day a week and combining this with four days a week working full time. Applications are received from students with a wide variety of educational backgrounds, including those from private, grammar and IT or technical colleges. We also ensure we can accommodate our level three apprentices’ appetite for further development by offering them the opportunity to continue their education by moving onto the Sponsored Degree Programme. Longer term we also plan to enable students to attain a higher IT apprenticeship – levels four and five – through the first two years of their degree. Students joining the Sponsored Degree Programme study for a Foundation Degree in Management over years one and two before progressing to year three to gain their BA (Hons). Eight modules are completed per year with assessments, via coursework, portfolios and presentations. The delivery of the degree has been tailored to suit Logica with the University delivering the management modules and Logica delivering a significant part of the technical syllabus. Applications for the programme are independent of UCAS, effectively adding a sixth school leaver choice. Selection for the programme is run by Logica in conjunction with the University of Winchester and by utilising both parties’ expertise this has greatly enhanced the process and the candidate experience. Requirements
14 GRADUATE RECRUITER
for the programme stand at 300 UCAS points and a minimum of five GCSEs at grade C or above. Of course, there are challenges for both sides; for the university it is ‘teaching a curricula which is focused on employment needs but remains student centred’. For Logica the challenge lies in ensuring experiences on the job are sufficient and appropriate to give learning opportunities as well as contributing to business success. These are heavily outweighed by the benefits. As Stella McKnight, University of Winchester Head of Employer Engagement and Programme Lead comments, “The University of Winchester has become increasingly focused on employer engagement and more responsive to the needs of the business world, and Logica has become more sympathetic to the needs and wants of education providers, enhancing our ability to work collaboratively with all the schools and universities we recruit from across our programmes.” Since 2007, 83% of graduates have achieved a 1st or a 2:1, results which would put us in the Complete University Guide’s top five for the percentage of students graduating with a ‘Good Degree’ (2:1 or above). With a strong provider and results that speak for themselves, now is the time to focus on continual improvement and ask ourselves ‘where do we go from here?’. One of our biggest initiatives for 2012 was to improve accountability and measurability across all our strategies. Over the next few months we will be conducting a programme wide review to map how school and university results correlate to on the job performance review ratings and promotions, in the process analysing Assessment Centre scores verifying relevance and effectiveness in selecting the right candidates for the programme. Our second initiative for the New Year is to focus more on in-house resource to support our recruitment team, developing a schools ‘Toolkit’ to educate students, parents and teachers about careers in business and IT, Logica and our opportunities. Alumni teams or schools ‘champions’ would then deliver our message, widening our catchment area and enhancing our reach while ensuring a consistent and ‘on-brand’ message.
www.workatlogica.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32