1. Developing UG employability:
unearthing multiple expectations
Helen Ure
SL Work-based Learning and
Academic Consultant to
NBS Centre for Employability and Enterprise

2. Northampton Business School
2537 Undergraduate students (01/12/2013)
31 UG Degree Programmes, 9 FD/HNDs, 20 PG Degrees, 8 Certificates / Diplomas, 17 Joint Honours Components
Circa.122 members of teaching staff
A Top 50 UK Business School
(Guardian University Guide )

3. Context Accredited work-based learning modules levels 4 to 7
Optional placement year
Embedded employability, enterprise and internationalisation
Career development and planning module at level 6
NBS C4EE activities

4. What is employability
Definition:
“A set of achievements – skills, understanding and personal attributes – that makes graduates more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations, which benefits themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy.”
Source ESECT based on Yorke 2006

5. NBS Developing Employability
Creating a culture of employability
We will create an expectation within the school that students will engage with a range of activities alongside their degree programme. We will encourage an attitude of active participation in their own development, their course, the University and the wider community. NBS will offer a range of activities and projects that will be of interest to students and which will also have a positive impact upon their employability. The culture of employability will be built upon the following principles:
Student ownership of action
Enabling students to make their own decisions
Supporting and challenging students
NBS (2013)

6. Pathways to Employability
In the workplace
Extra-curricular activities
YEAR ONE
Part-time work
Voluntary work
Self employment
Vacation work
Make it Happen! (timetabled activity)
Review CV
Create online presence (meet the real me)
UoN Employability award (via Careers/UCEE)
Membership of societies/ group
NBS Employability conference (2 days in June to set up activities for year 2)
YEAR TWO
Self-employment
Social Enterprises
Summer placement
Hot House
Update CV & online presence
Skills development sessions
Mock interviews
NBS Placement Mentor scheme
UoN Employability award (via Careers)
Leadership in societies/groups
Bright Futures

7. Pathways to Employability
In the workplace
Extra-curricula activities
YEAR THREE
12 MONTH PLACEMENT
FINAL YEAR
Part time work
Voluntary work
Self employment
Social Enterprises
Leadership in societies/groups
Bright Futures
Placement Champions (for NBS Mentor scheme)
NBS Business Mentor scheme
Mock interviews

8. What has happened so far?
Relatively low engagement with placement year
Low engagement with extra-curricular activities
Engagement with activities resulted in positive outcomes
Low engagement with timetabled activities
Focus of conferences changed to placements

9. Employer expectations
Students to be competent in application process
Students to meet selection criteria
Students to have work experience
Students to demonstrate higher skills and subject expertise
Students to demonstrate positive attitude and generic skills:
Self management
Team working
Problem solving
Communication
Application of IT
Application of numeracy
Business and customer awareness
AGR (2013). CBI and NUS (2011)

10. NBS expectations
DLHE statistics – about employment and professional employment, salary
KIS – employment, professional employment, salary, classification
League tables, - good degree classification

11. Staff perspectives
Employability is relating subjects to the workplace, theory to practice
Employability is enabling students to understand what employers are looking for
Preparing them for selection process
Developing skills, “soft skills”, professionalism
Experience some apathy and disinterested attitude towards employability and job search
NBS survey (n18)

12. Student perspectives
56% intended to apply for graduate role during final year
18% postponing job search until after graduation
Barriers to applying for graduate role:
Lack of time 50%
Rather focus on degree 11%
Unclear about future role 8%
Low UCAS points 7%
NBS survey (n62)

13. Areas of congruence and tension
Students achieving the best possible classification
Tension:
Timescale/ priorities
Selection criteria: class and UCAS points
Significant work experience
Student engagement with extra-curricular activities

14. Possible contributory factors
Socio economic factors:
Students from routine and manual backgrounds less likely to engage with extra-curricular activities,
Black and Asian graduates were associated with greater levels of participation than White graduates
Students who lived at home during their degree less likely to be in a graduate job
Futuretrack (2013)

15. Possible contributory factors
Work experience:
Those who had undertaken structured work placements more likely to be in graduate employment
Unpaid work undertaken alongside study enhanced likelihood of gaining a graduate role
Unpaid work undertaken after graduation diminished the chance of gaining a graduate role

16. Where next?
Further research into staff expectations of employability development
Continue to capture data on student behaviour
Questions for today:
What does UG employability development mean?
Who are we developing employability for?
How can we engage our students more in employability development?