1. Individualised Self-assessment to Enhance Employability in postgraduate students
Dr Debbi Marais

2. Employability
‘a set of achievements – skills, understandings and personal attributes - that make graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy’

3. Link with Retention
How does enhancing employability improve retention?
For Postgraduate students - Non-progression main reason for discontinuing
Proven relationship between learning and employability
skills that facilitate learning such as being able to analyse data, solve complex problems and to communicate effectively, can also enhance an individual’s employability
Improving chances of progression = better student retention

4. Why postgraduate? PGT students - unique group Induction programmes
Short intensive period of study
Diverse graduate/professional backgrounds and nationalities
Previous experience and skill levels
Educational experiences
English language proficiency
Induction programmes
To ease the transition of international students into new learning environment
Not individualised or reflective in nature

5. Aim
Develop an online resource to extend employability provision for PGT students
self-awareness employability questionnaire on MyAberdeen
individualised feedback and links to supportive employability resources

6. Process 1. Skills Audit 2. Reflection 3. Articulation Self-assessment
Tailored feedback
Signposting to supportive resources
2. Reflection
3. Articulation

7. 1. Skills Audit Critical Thinking & Communication Academic Excellence
Self-assessment of employability skills based on HEA employability profile for Health Studies & UoA Postgraduate Attributes
Academic Excellence
Critical Thinking & Communication
Learning & Personal Development
Active Citizenship

8. 1. Skills Audit Complete prior to self-assessment questionnaire
Existing non-credit bearing courses
Academic writing skills (AW1001)
Summarising a given text in ≤150 words within 1 hour
Different article extracts for different programmes
Assessed by Programme Coordinators using standardised rubric ito accuracy of summary AND language (grammar, punctuation and spelling)
Skills info (SK5003)
50 Questions regarding basic IT skills required ( , Excel, PowerPoint, Word, internet)
Yes (score 1), No (score 0) or Unsure (score ½)
Psychometric testing – Profiling for success

9. Profiling for Success
University Careers Centre acquired via the ‘Profiling for success’ website
Freely available to registered students
4 identified for I-SEE
Abstract reasoning skills
Numerical reasoning skills
Verbal reasoning skills
Type Dynamics Indicator Form
~10 min each

10. Feedback Academic writing skills IT Skills Psychometric testing
CAS uploaded in MyGrades with standardised feedback and signposting to either online support (CAS 6-8) or SLS language workshops (CAS <6)
IT Skills
Score (/50) in MyGrades automatically
Automated feedback of ‘correct’ if answered YES and signposting to specific online guides and page reference for specific section if NO/UNSURE
Psychometric testing
Score and individualised feedback ed to student from website

11. 1. Skills Audit Self-assessment Questionnaire
Provide scores from various sources for:
Academic writing skills; IT Skills; Abstract, Numerical and Verbal reasoning skills and Personality Typing results
Self-rating of:
Communication skills/academic writing (essays, exams, oral and poster presentations, publications, referencing)
IT skills (basic word processing, TurnitInUK, track changes, data base search)
Group work
Personality typing (awareness of strengths and weaknesses)
Social/civic responsibilities/engagement

12. Feedback Self-assessment questionnaire Automated and Individualised
Best responses as correct
Identifying development areas
Signposting for links to supportive employability resources
Online
Workshops/courses within the University

13. 2. Reflection Record progress in e-portfolio
Directions on how to create own e-portfolio provided
Reflect on progress using a checklist
After 6 months
Identify development areas
What has been done?
What do you plan to do?

14. 3. Articulation CV template Supportive documentation with tips
Link to Career Services

15. Implementation Division of Applied Health Sciences PGT students
2013/14 academic year
As a Compulsory non-credit bearing induction course

16. Progress
reminders

17. Academic Writing scores
CAS Range - 6 to 20
Mean Score – 13.95
5 Below CAS 9 [Signposted to Online Resources]
Not reported accurately in Skills Audit
-12 Unanswered and 7 Don’t know

18. Rating of English Language
Poor self-rating
Excellent [8-20]
Good [6-17]
Average [9-14]
Poor [20/unanswered]

19. IT skills N = 37 Range 21 – 50 (/50) Mean score – 43.38
3 poor skills
Not reported accurately in Skills Audit
-9 Unanswered and 7 Don’t know

20. IT Self-rating Poor self-rating Excellent [>48] Good [19-50]
Average [32-43]
Poor [25]

21. Self-confidence

22. 4 unanswered Strengths and weaknesses
3 Don’t know and 5 unanswered what friends and peers would describe
6 unanswered Personality typing, 2 can’t find, 5 only 1 letter

23. Challenges Not accurate self-reporting / don’t remember
Poor self-rating
Not understanding feedback

24. Possible Development Area
Checklist
Possible Development Area
Yes
Attended/Done
No but support
Communi-cation
Oral 12 9 2
Verbal reasoning 1
Written 11 IT PP 8
Posters 6
Word
Excel 7 4
www 5
Literature search
Referencing 10
Active Citizenship
Attributes
UK CV 3

25. Checklist vs Skills Audit
Possible Development Area
Yes
Skills Audit
Communi-cation
Oral 12
3 Never, 11 classmates/lay audience, 17 Nervous public speaking
Verbal reasoning
25 Below/Average
Written 11
Only 2 published, 5 poor/average language skills IT PP
15 irregular/never used
Posters
21 never
Excel 7
7 identified 6
2 identified
Literature search
4 identified
Referencing
3 identified
UK CV 3
18 Don’t have

26. What did the students think?19 7
MSc Human Nutrition
MSc Nursing/ Midwifery 5
MSc Public/ International Health
Do you think I-SEE had any impact?
What did you find most helpful?
[prompts for specific stages in the process – skills audit, reflection and articulation]
What did you find least helpful?
What do you think could help or be added?
How can we improve engagement?
Do you think improvements/development should be on your own initiative or followed up by programme coordinators?
30-60 min depending on time available to students

27. This is needed in the ‘real world’ so everyone should do it
Impact of I-SEE
I already have a job and a career, so I did not see the use of it for me - it was a bit of a waste of time for me - but I can see it can be useful for others who have not had this at undergraduate level.
It was helpful to me but I wasn't really sure what it was for, perhaps if we knew earlier on, we would have taken part more.
Initial responses were fairly unsure to this question - a lot of shrugging and some head shaking
Students seemed divided according to their previous exposure or experience (local vs international students)
Not a total waste of time as it did reaffirm what I already knew, but perhaps more useful to others who have not done this before.
This is needed in the ‘real world’ so everyone should do it

28. Comments on usefulness
Responses differed between
International and Home students
English home language speakers or 2nd language
Practical problems with MyAberdeen
MyGrades, e-portfolios and submitting
Online support (guides) not helpful
Improve engagement
Explaining aim overall and for each assessment
Better timing of assessments (course workload)
Reflection least useful
... in the real world this is what you need to do (reflect) ...

29. Improvements Introductory session Importance of I-SEE
Use of MyAberdeen especially Mygrades, e-portfolios
Timing of assessments
Induction week
When needed
Workload of courses taken into consideration
Rather all do together at one time for checklist
Additional
Interview skills
Using social media to market yourself
Career information eg. Job adverts

30. ... actually I suppose it is really our own responsibility ...
Improvements
Incorporated into Generic Skills Course
Some sessions less useful/superficial, some very useful but opinions differ between students – should be tailored to previous exposure and skill levels
Prevent overlap
Support in terms of workshops / presentations rather than online support
Provide an opt-out for students who do not want to complete
Own initiative or not?
... actually I suppose it is really our own responsibility ...

31. Way forward Improvements as suggested by students where possible
Extend to College PGT programmes and PGR students
Staff engagement

32. Acknowledgements HEA – Individual Teaching Development Grant
Support from colleagues in the DAHS & CLSM Graduate School
Research assistant – Ettienne Marais