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Employability at Bradford. Ron Harle Head of Career Development Services Director of Support, Progression and Employability. Myths and Realities. 2 nd in UK for Employability (Times 2005*). No1 in North of England for Employment. No 1 in Yorkshire for Employment.
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Employability at Bradford Ron Harle Head of Career Development Services Director of Support, Progression and Employability
Myths and Realities • 2nd in UK for Employability (Times 2005*). • No1 in North of England for Employment. • No 1 in Yorkshire for Employment. • 10th in UK for Professional Employment (Sun. Times Good University Guide 2010) • Aren’t we great? Well not exactly! (19th) • Goal: “Making Knowledge Work” a reality.
Factors on our side • High Proportion of Health Professional courses • Proportion of courses with sandwich opportunities • Strong in niche areas • Record of public sector recruitment • Vocational orientation/few general arts degrees • Embedded CPD/prof. development modules • Individual services focused on client needs
Additional Factors • Relatively high proportion of students from lower income backgrounds • Consequent high levels of part time employment • Imperative to find work quickly after graduating • Continuance of same work (expanding hours) • Good range of employability enhancing options • Realism, flexibility, attainable aspirations
Challenging Issues • Strengths mask problem areas (courses) • “Bradford Tether”(cultural/apathy) • Limited higher level jobs in district • Relative levels of academic entry profiles • Limited aspirations of some students • Have to fight hard to win employers • Expected downturn in public sector
Annual First Destinations Survey (DLHE) 20082009 2010 (Provisional) 92% success 89% success 90.5% success (Emp/F.Study) (Emp/F.Study) (Emp/F.Study) 7% Seeking 10.5% Seeking 9.5% Seeking (97 grads) (126 grads) (110 grads) Best year in last decade 94.5% success, 5.3% seeking
Graduate/Graduate Track Employment • 2003 89% • 2008 80% • 2009 77% • 2010 ???
Health Professional Courses • 36% of total output • 51% of all jobs gained • 64% of all graduate/graduate track jobs All other courses • 64% of total output • 49% of all jobs gained • 36% of all graduate/graduate track jobs
Differences (2009) • Males: 11.3% unemployed, 40% of all grad/grad track jobs • Females: 6.8% unemployed, 60% of all grad/grad track jobs • No significant differences in rates of employment with ethnicity • BUT the Bradford Tether has a very significant impact • Locally based more likely under/unemployed
Graduate level employment in Yorkshire 2008 2009 National 64% National 61% Yorks Univs 66% Yorks Univs 61% Bradford 74% Bradford 71% So a glimmer of hope, but a big danger!
The Big Issues for us • How do we equip students better to get graduate level jobs? • How do we encourage students to make the most of their learning opportunities? • How do we encourage students to widen their horizons? • How do we help them to let go of Bradford?
Milestones • 2003: Bradford Graduate Profile (blocked); Employability embedded in L & T Strategy (lip service). • 2007: Action Plan on Employability (limited success); 3 Stage Employability Model (adopted); Traffic Light Analysis (core evidence); Employability Coaches (3 yrs). • 2010: Employability Statement; Consultation on new employability policy with strong support (woken up). • 2011: Accredited Work Based Learning (all programmes); Development of new Employability Strategy; Ongoing: a real challenge to realise the vision.
Key to new impetus • Statistical Evidence/Metrics (Traffic Light) • Recession bringing rapid deterioration • New Deans/Associate Deans (L & T) • Competition from other Institutions • New funding systems for HE • Regular papers/analysis of data • Innovation eg YoYo/Challenge Yourself/Mentors • Head of Service not afraid to be direct!