Positioning Placement on the STEM student journey

Dr Colin SmithDirector of HE Engagement

Sally SmithHead of Computing

Project Lead for e-Placement Scotland

Rosemary AllfordHE Employability

Event

Why is work experience so valued by employers?

Why is work experience so valued by employers?

Dilemmas for the universities

Four Positions

Inexperience

“we haven’t done this before”

Silo Approach

“some students get to do it”

Antipathy

“we don’t do this here”

Integration

“placement is available across

all our programmes”

Placement Landscape: the Event

2. Networking:Employers, Students

and Academics

1. Community of Practice: Defining the Placement Landscape for

Computing

3. Facilitated Discussion: ‘on the sofa’ with Employers, Students

and Academics

Overview of Outcomes

Exemplar 1: the ‘sandwich’ Edinburgh Napier University

Exemplar 2: the ‘summer’ University of Dundee

Exemplar 3: the ‘advanced’University of Aberdeen

Exemplar 4: the ‘part-time’ professional practice, Edinburgh Napier

• 20 credit module

• 180 hours with an employer (or school or third sector organisation)

• Based on establishing a Learning Agreement

Edinburgh Napier’s Graduate Employability Project

• Scottish Funding Council £1m over 3 years

• Different approaches in each faculty/ school

• University-wide employer liaison, careers service and ‘confident futures’

Deploying the GEP in the School of Computing

Third Year Group Project

Work Based Learning

(sandwich placement)

Professional Practice

(part-time placement)

Masters DissertationHonours

Project

Overseas Study

Employability Interventions!

Preparing Students for Placement:

PLACEMENT ACADEMY

Moving Students

away from ‘Programming

Project’ and towards ‘Professional

Practice’

Making the Most of a 3rd Year Group

Project

Helping Students Recognise (and Document) their

Learning

Employability Mapping of Programmes

• Exploitation

• Evangelism

• Promotion

• Interest

• Awareness

Programme Leaders: Ladder of Engagement

AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

                       

AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL

We

ek 1

We

ek 1

Yr 1

Yr 2

Yr 3

Yr 4INF10101 - ISS1 hour – Situational Judgement Tests + Labour Market + Career planning for Yr 4

INF10101 - ISS1 hour – Situational Judgement Tests + Labour Market + Career planning for Yr 4

INF10101 - ISS1 hour – Situational Judgement Tests + Labour Market + Career planning for Yr 4

INF10101 - ISS1 hour – Situational Judgement Tests + Labour Market + Career planning for Yr 4

Placement preparation (optional)Careers Workshops: CVs, Interviews, Assessment Centres+ CV Clinics

Placement preparation (optional)Careers Workshops: CVs, Interviews, Assessment Centres+ CV Clinics

IMD07101 - HCIInteracting with OthersKnowing Yourself and Others

IMD07101 - HCIInteracting with OthersKnowing Yourself and Others

SOC09109 – Group ProjectUnderstanding employment competenciesPresenting skills to employers

SOC09109 – Group ProjectUnderstanding employment competenciesPresenting skills to employers

Placement preparation (optional)CF Workshops: Knowing Your Strengths, Resilience

Placement preparation (optional)CF Workshops: Knowing Your Strengths, Resilience

SOC09109Group SkillsManaging Conflict?Creating Convincing Proposals

SOC09109Group SkillsManaging Conflict?Creating Convincing Proposals

CSN08112Careers + Placements Office introduction

CSN08112Careers + Placements Office introduction

SOC101011 hr workshop about describing honours projects

SOC101011 hr workshop about describing honours projects

Optional Networking Workshop

Optional Networking Workshop