Mechanisms for sustainable Employer Engagement Toolkit:workflows, protocols and risk assessment

Mark Stone

Acting Dean

University of Plymouth Colleges facultyworking with colleagues from Weymouth College

plus inputs from other projects

EE in practice

• HEI / FEC EE work can be multifaceted and involve many staff on both sides - when mature

• However the relationship mostly starts or is taken forward through single points of contact

• Also commonly HEI /FEC staff undertake EE work for a narrow range of activity with short term goals in specific subject settings e.g. STEM

Employer perspective

• A common criticism for employers is they don’t fully understand what they can get from working with an HEI / FEC – plus when they get to speak to someone from an HEI / FEC they don’t understand the full range of opportunities

• HEI / FE staff undertaking EE work are exposed to questions they are ill equipped to answer - as an institutional representative

Work already done

• EE support resources, many focused on ‘Business Intermediaries’ - aimed at linking up employers and HEIs / FECs

• Work on business planning for HEI / FEC EE work including undertaking due diligence checks and maintaining risk registers

• However this work has mostly been focused at an institutional or business unit level

Aims

• To focus resources on supporting those that undertake EE work - away from the HEI / FEC

• Resources that allow HEI / FEC staff to more effectively outline / promote a wider range of EE opportunities, in broad strategic / practical terms

• For resources to be customisable by institutions• To have resources tested and refined by a range

of stakeholders• Make resources available via a repository + an

introductory RLO podcast

Resourceshttp://www.hestem-sw.org.uk/ & http://uplace.org.uk:8080/dspace/ 1. How to use guide

2. The value of EE to HEIs & FECs and its operation

3. The value of HEIs & FECs engagement for employers

4. The language of EE

5. Customer Relationship Management

6. STEM employer involvement in research

7. Accreditation of Prior Learning 2 x versions

8. Apprenticeships [Higher Level Apprenticeships]

9. Foundation Degrees

10. Work Based Learning

11. Labour Market Intelligence

12. Risk analysis

13. Employer Engagement Standards

14. Engaging with Employers

15. Customer Management Toolkit

16. Customer Satisfaction [and Procedures for obtaining Feedback]

17. Using a CRM System [training manual based on the Weymouth College system]

Resource e.g.12. Risk analysis tool / guide

•A focus on the risk associated with new work, new relationships, cross institutional working / non core activities et al•Providing advice and questions that allow HEI / FEC EE practitioners to recognise risk factors and how they can come together •Aim to create a tool that can be used in the field as an initial test of EE propositions / opportunities - also an aid to engaging in institutional systems to formalise EE work if potentially viable