Judith Smith, Jane Kettle, Employability and Employee Learning,

Higher Education Academy

Developing partnerships with employers and provision for higher level learning in the workplace poses new and exciting challenges for institutions

This session will share some of the learning, challenges and solutions from nine projects that explored various aspects of quality workforce development provision

Discussion -how academics can get involved in HEI partnerships with employers and workforce development

Working with employers to increase the quality and/or the quantity of higher education provision

Working with employers to enhance the employability and skills of our students, including those already in employment

2006 Leitch Review2009 Higher Ambitions (Framework

for HE)2010 CIHE/SWHLSP Strategies for

Effective HE-Employer Engagement2010 Browne Review

HEFCE/QAA Joint Task Force 2007 Implementation of recommendations of Report of

2008 Joint Academy/QAA /fdf partnership work Highlighting good practice on managing quality of

provision disseminated across the sector Support from QAA ‘Employer responsive provision

survey: a reflective report’ Development of ‘Demonstrator’ projects (highlighting

key learning emerging from the projects)

What is employer responsive provision? General considerations in assuring quality

and standards in such provision Setting up employer responsive provision Teaching learning and assessment in this

context The use of academic credit in employer

responsive provision

The demonstrator projects encompass a range of issues relevant to the sector

9 leads, 21 HEIs, 2 LLNs, 1 FEC, several employers contributed to the projects

Designed to draw out exemplar approaches to tackling key issues

Designed to be read alongside the QAA report Will be available on ‘EvidenceNet’

Managing employer and HEI partnerships to maintain quality and standards

Rapid response and fit for purpose solutions for employers, which maintain standards

Maintaining HE standards in accredited in-company training

Designing, accrediting and assuring bite size provision

Assessment, including use of external examiners, Boards, roles for employers

Determining the volume of credit for negotiated learning

Achieving equity and consistency by quality assuring APEL

Supporting employer-based staff and academics who contribute to academic awards on workforce development provision

Supporting workplace mentors

Demonstrator projects provide guidance on a range of scenarios

A rich picture of good practice is emerging from which to draw on guidance and support in developing systems and infrastructure

HEIs can learn from adaptations in providing employer responsive provision to benefit the institution as a whole

Employers may or may not be interested in supporting QA but will be familiar with requirements of providing quality products

Systems and processes can be flexible without damaging quality

Managing learner/employee identity – finding ways to support HE learning culture and support employer requirements

How to ensure transfer of theory into practice – pedagogical issues- new learning, the creation of new knowledge, staff development, application of learning in workplace

Many students of the future are likely to be employees first and foremost

The work-place is a context for learning and applying new knowledge- where does the campus fit in?

Learning enhances the individual’s skills and career progression but also meets employer need for workforce development – what role can and should HE have in this equation?

What’s in it for employers and HEIs? Maintaining HE quality/maintenance of

standards as it extends its employer responsive provision- is HE open to consider new approaches to LTA?

Forthcoming publications- online, hard copy University management of work-based learning Quality and responding to employer needsOn-line only Work-based Learning Guide – discipline related

development Learning from Experience in Employer Engagement Synthesis of research of technology enhanced

learning in the area of EEL. For more information visit: http://steelproject.wordpress.com/

How can HE develop a new constituency for the future in terms of workforce development?

There are challenges involved in developing partnerships with employers- what is the role for academics?

There are no standard or comprehensive solutions – how should University policies and procedures align with EE?

There may be new skills requirements for HE staff to engage- what are the issues in supporting, developing, rewarding HE staff?