Michaela Holmes Team Leader, Development Officers, CIMA 4. WORKING WITH EMPLOYERS TO SUPPORT HIGHER EDUCATION

CIMA’s perspective of the student market Why CIMA? Employers’ perspective How we work with employers… …To support HE Agenda

CIMA’s perspective of students Of UGs interested in careers in business, 48% are specifically interested in accountancy (Source: NOP/CIMA HE Brand Awareness Survey Nov 2003) At least 70% of UK CIMA students are degree holders 20% of our grads from highly relevant degrees

CIMA’s perspective of students At least 70% are working when they register 12% increase in new student registrations 50,000 CIMA students in UK most aspire to board level jobs - CIMA has 19 FDs and CEOs in FTSE 100 companies

Why do they choose CIMA? CIMA has good brand awareness: 28% of students surveyed correctly identified CIMA logo compared to 19% ACCA, 7% ICAEW, 6% CIPFA and ICAS. (Survey statistically representative of the UK - therefore Scottish students focus on ICAS incorporated in figures) Students associated: Leadership, Strategic, Forward looking, Innovative and Chief Exec with CIMA. Research is in early stages, but initial reports indicate:

Why do they choose CIMA? Lecturers / Tutors were the second most likely source of info on CIMA (35%) with careers fairs top at 42% Students explore variant exemptions offerings and exemptions played significant part in their choice Research is in early stages, but initial reports indicate:

Why do they choose CIMA? Employers highly influential too - students look into level of support offered, are keen to get support for PER and achieve requirements ASAP Most students rate the syllabus content and structure as CIMA’s greatest asset Research is in early stages, but initial reports indicate:

‘CIMA is rapidly becoming the qualification of choice’ (Source: Robert Half International 2003 salary survey) No training contract - rather a close relationship with greater flexibility for everyone 2500 different employers signed up to CIMA Training - more than 900 of them working in close one to one partnership Examples : Microsoft, NASA, GSK, NHS, PwC, Motorola … Employers’ perspective

CIMA closely involved with AGR (Association of Graduate Recruiters) - in touch with employer views Still concerned about personal skills Increasingly concerned with identifying graduate trainees from what is a growing pool of candidates Employers’ perspective

Most have no policy about selection eg degree classifications, candidates being convincing in terms of interpersonal skills is far more important CIMA is stringent in ensuring no bias - uphold impartial position Employers’ perspective

How do we work with employers... Developing the qualification to ensure at cutting edge of industry (ranges from developing syllabus with employers needs in mind to adding Record of Skills Development to our PER) CIMA Training Scheme By giving them opportunities to meet students eg CIMA Finance Fair + presentations and events

How do we work with employers... Through AGR + CRAC Insight into Management CIMA Opportunities

….to support HE Try to bring CIMA students to as many of the 200 careers fairs & presentations we attend a year as possible to give students the ‘real’ story Have developed a Business Game that reflects skills employers need and helps you to develop students We offer 100 University Prizes - many sponsored by employers - to reward the high fliers

….to support HE Reward students who undertake sandwich years by counting relevant experience towards their PER Recently started working with NCWE to support their aims Providing high level industry speakers for special events Using profiles of students and employers who students can relate to

….to support HE Working with individual careers services to help them build links with employers Always open to ideas and feedback!

Advocates’ Benefits Financial Management/Insider CIMA Mastercourses: – Free one day course p.a. (£600 approx) – Reduced rate on CIMA 2 day courses (£300 +VAT instead of £980 + VAT) – Half price lecturers’ rate on all courses

Advocates’ Benefits Access to Tutors’ Centre for CIMA exam papers, post exam guides CIMA Insight e-newsletter to CIMA Members on hot topics Confidential information on numbers of your institution’s graduates who have registered with CIMA since 1996 Early notification of change e.g. new qualification framework

The team…. South East: Midlands and South West: North: Scotland and Northern Ireland

Any Questions