FEATURE
THE PROMISED LAND In November 2012, Staffordshire University took the unusual step of
launching its Staffordshire Graduate Pledge across TV, radio, cinema and the press. It made a firm promise to both students and potential employers that it would support core discipline studies with the 3Es, namely Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Employability, ensuring that the student was (more) ‘work-ready’. Some heralded it as a bold claim, but it reflects the seismic shift in learning and teaching pedagogy at the University since 2009. Professor Mike Clements, Faculty of Business, Education & Law explains…
hat caused the University to feel it necessary to commit to such a promise, given surely that every university has the same aims? Whilst academics may debate as to which attributes and skills make graduates more employable (should that be less unemployable?), our feedback and reports from employers/researchers nationwide suggested that many graduates do leave their universities with an inability to adjust/adapt to their new (work) environment and/or are underprepared for their career development lacking transferable skills. Of course a strong core discipline knowledge remains important (but not necessarily so) for many graduate jobs, but evidence suggests they need also a broader range of (soft/transferable) skills too: “Soft skills such as team working are vital and even more important than most ‘hard’ skills; 86% of employers want good communication skills, yet many employers are dissatisfied that graduates can express themselves effectively.” (CIHE, 2010) Students, increasingly aware of these apparent shortcomings in university programmes feel it reasonable to ask ‘why’ aren’t universities being more responsive? Our Pledge is that we are responding, doing so in a clear demonstrative and testable way. Furthermore we have students joining our programmes with the ambition to start their own businesses either immediately upon graduation or within a few years into their careers; since 2006 we have had over 200 new student start-up companies. The Pledge will equip them to do so. To deliver the Pledge required a paradigm shift in 3Es teaching and learning in the University. In many cases it called for a shift from traditional transmission teaching models (learning ‘about’) to more experiential learning (learning ‘for’) applied in the real world. Now every programme has been revalidated to incorporate what we called the Staffordshire Graduate Attributes, where core discipline knowledge is supported by such things as problem-solving/critical analysis, global citizenship, communications and teamwork so as to develop a rounded professional and work-ready graduate (see box out). These Attributes are clearly identifiable within the modules, delivered relevant to discipline and importantly for student and employer, assessed. Learning experiences are recorded and reflected upon using an e-portfolio, providing a ‘living CV’ over their period of
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study. This can be transferred to recruitment social media such as LinkedIn or used in the construction of a formal CV for prospective employers. Currently the University is running a pilot developing the 3Es agenda still further involving over 700 students and 70 staff from all three faculties. Besides exploring the possibilities of further embedding the 3Es, attention is being given to capturing student-learning experiences in enterprise and entrepreneurial activity, whether voluntary or paid, taking place outside the classroom, in work- based or work-related environments.
www.staffs.ac.uk
THE STAFFORDSHIRE GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES
Discipline Expert • Have an understanding of the forefront of knowledge in your chosen field
Professional • Be prepared to be work-ready and employable, and understand the importance of being enterprising and entrepreneurial
Global Citizen • Have an understanding of global issues – and their place in a globalised economy
Communication & Teamwork • Be an effective communicator and presenter – and be able to interact appropriately and confidently with a range of colleagues
• Have developed the skills of independence of thought and, where appropriate, social interaction through teamwork
Reflective & Critical • Have the ability to carry out inquiry-based learning and critical analysis
• Be a problem solver and creator of opportunities
Life Long Learner • Be technologically, digitally and information literate • Be able to apply Staffordshire Graduate attributes to a range of life experiences – to facilitate life-long learning and life-long success
Learning experiences are recorded and reflected upon using an e-portfolio, providing a ‘living CV’ over their period of study. This can be transferred to recruitment social media such as
LinkedIn or used in the construction of a formal CV for prospective employers.
GRADUATE RECRUITER 21
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