Employer support for part-time study in higher education

1. Employer support for part-time study in higher education Geoff Mason National Institute of Economic and Social Research, London HECSU Futuretrack Conference, Manchester, 7 November 2012

2. Arguments in favour of employer support for PT study in HE • Potentially important means of developing high-level skills…. • and increasing supply of highly-educated people with ‘employability skills’ • Benefits from individuals’ willingness to invest own time and effort in study, minimising time off work • Employer support for PT college study widespread in US • So why are there not more UK employers providing support for PT study?

3. Part-time HE students aiming for First degree, Foundation degree or Higher National qualifications

4. HECSU/BIS surveys of employers of part-time HE students • PT Student survey, 2008 • 3288 PT students in employment, of whom: • 908 supplied contact details for employers • Employer survey, 2009 • 294 completed and usable interviews • 180 refused participation • 85% of employers in sample aware of at least one employee studying part-time in HE • Follow-up employer survey, 2011 • 145 completed and usable interviews

5. Employers Sample, 2009

6. 2009 Employer Survey: Main findings (1) • 80% of employers provided full or partial support with course fees for part-time student employees • Very supportive group of employers – not representative of employers in the wider economy • Majority of organisations report improvements in staff skills, knowledge and performance from part-time HE study, especially: • Job-related skills, practical skills communication skills • Plus increased confidence, better prepared for next role in organisation, more proactive

7. 2009 Employer Survey: Main findings (2) • In many cases employers respond to individual initiative for study, showing willingness to support staff development • Large majority of employers able to impose strict conditions on fee support • Courses typically must be work-related • Employees obliged to pay back fees if leave organisation within certain time • Employers value combination of job-specific experience and high-level skills gained through employees undertaking PT study in HE

8. So why don’t more UK employers support part-time HE study? • Not all employers have high-level skill requirements or recognise the need for this level of skills • Employers have many other options for meeting high-level skill needs, eg, internal training provision, private sector training providers – some prefer to use HE providers only for short training courses • Many employers still prefer to recruit Bachelor degree graduates educated at state and individual expense • Disappointing given willingness of so many individuals to self-invest in PT study in HE

9. Follow-up survey, 2011:Effects of recession on employer support with course fees

10. Follow-up survey, 2011:Likely impact on employer support of higher tuition fees in HE

11. Follow-up survey, 2011 • ‘We’re already starting to [support fewer people]…. It’s already gone down substantially from where it was before, so you know there will probably still be… 10 or 12 [next year]….. but a year ago it would have been 20 or more, but it’s already going down, it’s more to do with the economic situation here than to do with funding or fees’ [Manufacturing, Utilities, Construction, 250 – 499 employees] • ‘I think we’re inevitably going to have to look at [fee support] because I mean the money’s just not available and, you know, if we’re not recruiting qualified people, then we’re not going to be sending so many unqualified people to college’ [Professional, scientific and technical services, 100-199 employees]

12. Employers’ willingness to take on school-leavers to study part-time for HE qualifications while receiving work-based training Positive factors: • Ability to develop staff with better job- and firm-specific skills and knowledge • Improved staff retention • Prepare for future without currently ageing employees • Support for young people in general Negative factors: • HE courses not sufficiently relevant or cost-effective • Prefer to train existing staff • Limited resources to supervise trainees • Few vacancies in prospect

13. Assessment • Many positive reasons for employers to support employees to study part-time in HE • But only minority of employers across whole economy provide this kind of support • Not all employers have high-level skill requirements or recognise the need for this level of skills • Employers have many other options for meeting high-level skill needs, eg, internal training provision, private sector training providers • Many employers still prefer to recruit Bachelor degree graduates educated at state and individual expense • Even previously supportive employers showing signs of being deterred by increases in HE tuition fees and weak economic growth prospects