Employment expectations in a sample of first year psychology students.

1. Embedding the HEA Psychology Student Employability Guide as an employability initiative Dr Linda K. Kaye & Dr Elizabeth A. Bates Employment expectations in a sample of first year psychology students.

2. Overview • Discuss some background research to our study • Discuss the methodology of our current project • Report some findings from one aspect of our project on efforts to improve awareness of employability

3. Background – Fee Rise • With rising cost of fees there was concern about the likelihood of enhanced students’ expectations • “Consumer culture” (Jones, 2010) • KIS data focused on graduate employment and salary data

4. Background – Fee Rise • These were worries in 2006; fees rose to around £3k • Research pre-fee rise highlighted the possibility that students would view themselves as consumers and their demands and expectations would exceed the realistic realms of academic staff (Jones, 2006). • These were worries that came to fruition: Jones (2010) notes the expectation of more communication and that of an “immediate response…irrespective of the time or day” (p.45).

5. Employability • Due to this “consumer culture” (Jones, 2006) students are likely to expect more relating to their employment prospects following graduation • Exacerbated by the pressures of the current economic climate and graduate job market. • It is thought HEI and course choice will be much more motivated by the graduate chances of employment

6. Employability • The increased fees have found to: • Enhance employment expectations of psychology students (Bates & Kaye, under review) • Focus psychology students on career-related motivations for attending Higher Education (Kaye & Bates, under review)

7. Methodology Pre Fee Rise: First year psychology students (March –May 2012) Post Fee Rise: First year psychology students (Oct-Nov 2012) Expectations Expectations vs Motivations Motivations Experiences Experiences

8. Rationale • Why these two institutions? • Why focus the research on psychology students?

9. Motivations for attending university (Pre fee rise) Avoid full time employment Go to university Enhanced job prospects Specific course/university Specific career requirements Cultural norm Continuity of education Family recognition

10. Motivations for attending university (Post fee rise) Enhanced job prospects Go to university Specific career requirements Specific course/university Safe option

11. Motivations for studying Psychology Study Psychology Interesting subject Versatile subject Vocational requirement

12. Expectations of University (Pre fee rise) Contact Time University Employability Enhancement Supportive Experience Resources Value for Money

13. Expectations of University (Post fee rise) Enhanced job prospects University Financial Investment Course Choice

14. Research Overview • The “What” Phase • What are students’ expectations, motivations and experiences of HE? • The “How” Phase: • How effective are current employability provisions for students at EHU and UoC? • The “Evaluation” Phase • What is the impact of these new employability provisions? • Can these provisions be effective in other UK HEIs?

15. Psychology Student Employability Guide (Lantz, 2011)

16. Initiative • “Essential Skills in Applied Psychology” module • Workshops include: • Academic writing; referencing; critical thinking; approaches to learning; PDP, employability; reflection; presentation skills; group work, using online resources; time-management • Assignments include: • Reference list; group poster presentation; book review; reflection exercises (skills assessment and attributes assessment) from HEA Guide

19. Methodology End of academic year 2013/2013 Start of academic year 2013/2013 Awareness of PDP Awareness of PDP Attitudes to PDP Attitudes to PDP Future Intentions of PDP Future Intentions of PDP

20. Preliminary Findings Time 1 Time 2 Awareness (M = 2.98, SD = .57) Awareness (M = 3.60, SD = .52) t (49) = 3.23, p < .05 Attitudes (M = 3.57, SD = .67) Attitudes (M = 3.36, SD = .90) t (49) = 1.44 , p = .200 Intentions (M = 3.64, SD = .48) Intentions (M = 3.90, SD = .73) t (49) = 1.08 , p = .321

21. Implications • Awareness of PDP significantly increased (but not attitudes or intentions to engage in PDP) • Awareness is a key starting point • Attitudes and intentions may be more difficult to change! • Review and consolidate our practices

22. The Next Stages • The “What” Phase • What are students’ expectations, motivations and experiences of HE? • The “How” Phase: • How effective are current employability provisions for students in EHU and UoC? • The “Evaluation” Phase • What is the impact of these new employability provisions? • Can these provisions be effective in other UK HEIs?

23. Questions? • Dr Linda K. Kaye, Edge Hill University • Linda.Kaye@edgehill.ac.uk • Dr Elizabeth A. Bates, University of Cumbria • Elizabeth.Bates@cumbria.ac.uk

24. If you’re interested... Bates, E. A., & Kaye, L. K. (under review). “I’d be expecting caviar in lectures”: The impact of the new fee regime on undergraduate students’ expectations of Higher Education. Manuscript under review in the International Journal of Higher Education Research Kaye, L.K., & Bates, E. A. (under review).  The impact of the new fee regime on psychology students’ reasons for attending university. Manuscript under review in British Educational Research Journal Lantz, C. (2011). Psychology Student Employability Guide: From University to Career. York: The Higher Education Academy Psychology Network