1. e-skills UK Delivering Wales 2011 29 th September Janet Richards

2. Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology Employer-led centre of excellence for IT Professional skills development e-skills UK Group

3. Working on behalf of employers to make sure the UK workforce has the technology skills it needs to succeed in the global digital economy Labour Market Intelligence Standards & Qualifications Future Talent Existing Workforce Partnerships

4. Created by employers to promote excellence in IT learning and development Training & Resources Define New Training Professional Recognition Accelerate Career Progression By Employers For Employers

5. Key Themes The Gender Agenda Recruiting young talent Up-skilling existing workforceIn developmentBidding

6. Skills challenges Fewer students Fewer students choosing computing degrees 50% reduction in applicants to IT related degree Skills shortage 90% of firms reporting IT & Telecoms skills shortages experience delays in the development of new products and services. Employers’ needs Employers want graduates with business, interpersonal and technology skills

7. Recruiting young talent

8. Industry-backed placement programme Designed to reverse the decline in placement take-up Employer & academia defined set of: Best Practices Employability Skills Targets Managed by e-skills UK On-line reporting system Student portfolio of skills development Employer assessment & approval process Professional placements for students

9. Best Practices for : Students Employers Universities Employability Skills Targets Set by employers Monthly Reports Approved & Graded by line managers Viewed by tutors Final Report Approved & Graded by line managers Assessed by Tutors Professional placements for students

10. Maintain communication with the university through a named resource. Provide the student with a comprehensive induction into the company. Liaise with universities to support a suitable programme to help students achieve the learning outcomes and skills requirements (LOSR). Provide an ‘issue resolution’ process to deal effectively with problems, should they arise. Provide structured support for the student. Hold monthly progress reviews of LOSR with each student. Example Best Practices

11. On completion of the internship students will be able to: Communicate effectively and professionally, both verbally and in writing in a concise, engaging and well-structured manner. Demonstrate awareness of personal impact, e.g. appropriate dress, first impressions, body language. Be self-motivated and able to deal with setbacks in ways that strengthen a positive attitude and develop self-reliance; to have developed good experience in self motivation, review and reflection. ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ Student Outcomes

13. Impact so far.... 85% of students surveyed felt that the emphasis on employability skills in the e-skills internship helps to prepare them for the world of work. 92% of placement students surveyed intend to continue in the technology sector (cf 51% of the Computing cohort). 99% feel that they benefitted from their placement experience and feel in a stronger position to get a job. 30% of students taking the e-skills internship are female, double the average for Computing degrees (15%). 78% of students surveyed said that they are in a stronger position to complete their degree as a result of taking a placement. Over 650 + students now eligible for certificate 2011-12 Academic year just started...

14. Support in Wales “The e-skills Wales Employer Board is delighted to support the e-skills Internship program. A great advantage of the programme is its use of a standard set of procedures based on employer best practice for offering placements. This makes the task of tracking and reporting on a student’s progress considerably simpler for all involved, creating a common language between employers, students and universities. ….” Ronan Miles, Chair e-skills Wales Employer Board Director, Customer Innovation Services - Collaboration Platform at BT

15. Charles Hague “My placement helped me to discover new routes related to my subject and also helped me to clarify where I wanted to be in the future. Everyone should do it - you get an extra line on your CV, new skills, new ideas, broader horizons and so much more. And you get paid :)” Ahmed Patel “Doing the work placement helped me understand what the 'world of work' is like. It’s very different to studying - you get the chance to see how everything works in real life scenarios.” Stefan Wright “The year in employment for me was the best move I could make since coming to university. Nothing says 'this person has the willingness to learn and eagerness to excel themselves' like doing a placement.” Sam Sparkes “Would highly recommend a placement year, it’s a really great opportunity to gain some valuable experience in a real working environment.” Andrew Merrell“My year placement has prepared me for my final year and life after university. e-Skills UK provided a structured approach to develop my skills further, whilst on placement. I am now more aware of what I want to do after leaving university.” - Student Support

16. Marketing Activities Refer-a-Friend Annual Event (2011 sponsored by IBM) Annual Awards (2011 sponsored by ProspectSoft) Social Networking Project (Final year Student) Video diaries & case studies

17. How can we increase participation in Wales?