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Skills, professional and career development Ellen Pearce, Vitae 6 July 2010

Skills, professional and career development Ellen Pearce, Vitae 6 July 2010

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Skills, professional and career development

Ellen Pearce, Vitae6 July 2010

Aims

Researcher development framework

Doctoral careers

Resources to manage doctoral careers

Planning for future scenarios

Supporting transitions

Researcher developmentframework

Major new strategic approach to researcher development which aims to:– Enhance our capacity to build the UK workforce

and develop world-class researchers– Extend the UK’s international leadership in the

professional development of researchers and professionalisation of researchers

– Underpin researcher training and development in the UK by providing a strategic and operational framework for the HE sector

Responds to sector recommendations to update and extend the Joints Skills Statement

RDF: background

Empirical data from analysis of audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews with experienced researchers

Tool for planning, promoting, supporting personal, professional and career development for researchers

Describes knowledge, skills, behaviours and personal qualities of researchers

Builds on the Joint skills statement to cover full career continuum

Recognises individual difference and different career paths (in and out of HE)

NOT intended for job descriptions, person specs or appraisal systems

RDF: themes from the consultation

> 240 responses– 65 HEIs; stakeholders; 72 researchers

Majority of responses positive – 60-80% agreement

Wide relevance and applicability; empirical basis welcomed; developmental framework

Concerns over:– Expectations on HEIs (links with the QAA and Concordat)– Links with other professional frameworks and progression– Wider recognition of transferability of skills– Relevance to all researchers– Usability and tools

RDF: latest developments

Consultation analysis published

New web section live www.vitae.ac.uk/rdf

RDF: additional feedback from employers

Feedback from 10 employers– RBS, Rolls Royce, Quinetiq, AstraZeneca, Detica,

Natural History Museum, ESD consulting, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Johnson Matthey

Overall a very positive response and is seen as a useful document

Commercial awareness and operating in changing environment could be stronger

‘as a tool to support the development of researchers I think it is good, and I would certainly use it’

RDF: … and the Researcher development statement (RDS)

Creation of the Researcher development statement as policy tool

The Joint Skills Statement replacement

The larger Researcher development framework for individual researchers

RDS: links with the QAA

Anticipated that the RDS will be included in the Code of Practice for research degree programmes, to replace Appendix 3, JSS

RDS will provide guidance to institutions: no expectation that formal training opportunities will cover the full scope

‘The extent to which research students are required to take advantage of these opportunities will normally be negotiated through the supervision process, taking account of subject and individual needs.’ [precept 19]

Institutions may decide to use the RDS as a reference point in the development of their RDPs

RDS: links with the RCs

Identifies the broad range of knowledge, skills, behaviours and personal qualities which are required to be an effective researcher and employee in a world driven by knowledge production and innovation

Skills may be present on commencement of a research degree, explicitly taught, or developed during the course of the research

Statement of expectation, March 2010: HEIs to take forward researcher development within ‘normal business’

HEIs will wish to take into account the Researcher development statement when reviewing their range of formal and informal support and provision for researchers

Currently exploring how RDS will be referenced in RC guidance for doctoral provision

RDS: structureKnowledge and intellectual abilities

– knowledge base– cognitive skills– creativity

Personal effectiveness– personal qualities – self-organisation– professional and career development

Research governance and organisation – professional conduct– project management– finance, funding and resources

Communication, influence and impact– working with others– engagement and impact– Communication and dissemination

RDS: structure

Sub-domain Sub-domain summary JSS

B3 Professional and career development

Career management

Continuing professional development

Responsiveness to opportunities

Networking

Reputation and esteem

Knowledge of:

Career and employment opportunities inside and outside academia

Behaviour:

Takes ownership of and manages professional development.

Shows commitment to continuing professional development and enhancing employability.

Maintains and develops relevant skills set and experience in preparation for a wide range of opportunities within and outside academia.

Actively networks for professional and career purposes and seeks to enhance research reputation and esteem.

D4

G1

G2

G3

G4

RDF: structure

Cognitive skills

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5

Evaluating Summarises, documents, reports and reflects on progress. (A6)

Evaluates the impact and outcomes of own research activities.

Receives and gives constructive criticism.

Evaluates progress, impact and outcomes of peer researchers’ activities.

Is able to provide and accept fair criticism at appropriate times.

Monitors and evaluates progress, impact and outcomes of a range of other researchers’ activities.

Manages difficult criticism positively.

Creates evaluation processes and evaluates progress, impact and outcomes for national/international organisations and/or projects.

RDF: actions and next steps

Further conversations with key stakeholders, including HEA and links to the Professional Standards Framework

Full framework published by end July

Researcher profiles will illustrate how researchers use the framework

Links to career stories will evidence the use of skills in non-HE roles

A simple tool for researchers will be developed by September

Reflection period, April - November

Professional conduct 1 2 3 4 5

Health and safety

Ethics

Legal requirements

Respect and confidentiality

Attribution and co-authorship

Copyright and IPR

Appropriate practice

‘As a new researcher I have not fully up to speed with copyright and IP issues, however this is an area I am currently developing’

Tips:Explore attending a course at your university to get a better general awareness of the issues related to copyright and IPRAsk colleagues for a briefing on issues to be aware ofCheck out http://www.ipr.co.uk/ and similar sites

‘Completing the RDF was a very helpful way of reflecting on the skills that I have already – developed through all my experiences up til now – and it also helped prioritise (with my manager) the areas I’ll work on developing further’

‘Whilst I am a new researcher I have placed myself at level 4 as in my spare time I lead an army cadet group which has developed my skills in this area. I have talked to my supervisor about how I might best use these in our lab environment – I could become a departmental Health and Safety rep’’

Doctoral careers

What do we mean by ‘career’?

Paid work? Totality of life experience?

Journey v destination

Career management v career planning– Curiosity, Persistence, Flexibility, Optimism, Risk

taking

Interaction between ‘self’ and ‘opportunities’

Numbers employed in the education sector - 49% overall

Employed as research staff in higher education - 23%

‘My doctorate changed my life. It opened doors, and it also opened my mind. I take on challenges now, in my life and career, because I have faith in my own abilities’

Associate lecturer at the OU

Consultant neurologist and senior lecturer in neurology ‘My doctoral research was useful and a necessity for my current job. I understand the processes of research and

some of the workings of higher educational organisations.’

Head of skills and careers at the BBSRC‘My doctorate gave me the opportunity to hone my abilities to think critically and systematically through a complex set of issues, learning how to persevere even when faced with baffling and challenging questions’

Chairman of a small banana business in Africa‘I only wish that I had taken more advantage during my doctorate of the training courses that were offered. I soon discovered that in the world of work training opportunities are severely

constrained by budgets!’

Research manager at Ipsos Mori‘I would recommend making the most of all the training opportunities you get. Once you start work, you will not have the time and your employer will only want to fund courses that are directly relevant to their business’

Senior consultancy associate for Cambridge Enterprise‘My doctorate taught me to take every opportunity to learn from other people and to be self aware about what I enjoy and what my key strengths are.’

Employers views

Vitae employer survey– Surveyed over 100 non-HE employers– Over 70% said they would welcome more applications from

doctoral graduates– The more experience employers have of doctoral graduates

the higher they rate their skills– Engaged employers rated highly

• Problem solving, drive and motivation, data analysis and project management

• Leadership and commercial awareness more highly rated by this group

CIHE report http://www.cihe.co.uk/talent-fishing-what-businesses-want-from-postgraduates/ – 7 out of 10 surveyed wanted to recruit doctorate graduates– More focus on ‘work-wisdom’ needed

Careers during down-turn

Graduate employment rate falling

Importance of prioritising career aspirations

Options A, B, C etc

Networks

Commercial awareness, be savvy

Research Councils cohort study [3.5 yrs on]:

2000 doctoral graduates responded

Majority moved on from initial job on graduating

For 50% PhD was formal requirement of job

¾ felt their doctoral programme had been good value for money

High career satisfaction 91% very or fairly satisfied

Over 80% used research skills and over 90% used generic skills

½ feel their PhD has enabled them to be innovative in the workplace

90% said had enhanced to quality of their life generally

Longer term career tracking: emerging findings

Vitae resources to support doctoral careers

Vitae web section www.vitae.ac.uk/careers

including personal review questions: http://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1349/General-personal-review-.html

What do researchers do? www.vitae.ac.uk/wdrd

– *New*: ‘career stories of researcher entrepreneurs’, 3.5 years after graduation, RCUK cohort study longitudinal follow up

Career stories database www.vitae.ac.uk/careerstories

Next steps: doctoral careers

DOC-Careers recommendation that all institutions track their doctoral candidates

Understanding longer term career paths for researchers

Building a national dataset via the Database of Careers Stories [www.vitae.ac.uk/careerstories]

Continue to work with employers to ensure that doctoral candidates are meeting their needs

A new focus on professional development via a new Researcher development framework

Aim to demonstrate tangibly that researchers are valuable in a whole range of occupations/sectors and that their doctoral training shapes them for this

Use evidence to make the case for resources and continuing investments/support of researcher career development

Planning for future scenarios Trend: scoping, coordinating, main-streaming, capacity building

Strategic approaches

Themes:– Cost effectiveness– Collaborations for high effort/cost activities– Maintaining capacity; experienced staff– Learning materials and programmes– Researcher-led activities– Links with the doctoral training centres

Supporting transitions

Policy discussions from January published in March

http://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy-practice/167-250651/Exploring-future-funding-options-for-researcher-development.html

Resources for researchers: ‘engaging researcher’

http://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/169081/Researcher-booklets.html

Resources for HEIs: Effective Researcher, Broadening Horizons, Careers in Academia, Leadership in Action, masterclass programme for HEI staff

Vitae conference 6/7 September, Manchester (includes outcomes from the RCUK independent review of Roberts and major RTIF evaluation report)

www.vitae.ac.uk/conference10