Employability and Skills
"The attitudes, personal attributes, knowledge and skills that underpin this broader capability for employment in the 21st century are additional to the specific capabilities for a particular occupation, whether doctor, electrician, accountant or florist." (UKCES)
One of the key education challenges for the UK is to develop a more highly skilled workforce which can compete in an increasingly competitive global market (Leitch Review 2006). Developments such as 14-19 diplomas and foundation degrees and the push to expand apprenticeships are examples of the drive to meet the needs of employers more effectively and engage them more fully in the development of the curriculum and work-based learning initiatives.
 Dumfries and Galloway College |
The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) has long-since supported the development of key skills relevant to the workplace and have built on this by developing a broad framework for personal, learning and thinking skills PLTS) which are an essential component of the 14-19 Diploma. These aim to develop characteristics such as 'independent enquirers', 'creative thinkers' and 'reflective learners'. Communication, teamwork and planning/organisational skills were highly rated by graduate employers in research conducted in 2008 by the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE). The importance of students setting objectives and reflecting on experience in work-based contexts such as placements was also highlighted. Self-awareness and language for effective self-presentation (Moon 2004) and being self-directed (Elias and Purcell 2004) are other key requirements voiced by employers.
Relevant Projects
A number of ongoing projects are also addressing employability and skills:
Further Resources
Learners can develop these attributes in the process of developing an e-portfolio by reviewing and reflecting on their achievements and how they relate to what an employer requires. They can then communicate their attributes and experience to employers in a format and a language that employers will understand and respond to. e-Portfolios are a way of demonstrating evidence of 'softer skills' to employers, such as teamwork and communication skills (Stefani et al 2007). In the ISLE project, employability was seen as one of the most important roles of an e-portfolio and a very strong incentive for learners to engage with the e-portfolio. The use of e-portfolios for presentation for employment was explored at Plumpton College as part of the JISC-funded myWORLD project. Some learners felt that that having an e-portfolio gave them an edge when it came to applying for jobs, especially jobs abroad, and that developing CVs using their e-portfolio was a useful process.
The level of engagement of employers with e-portfolios and their full potential to support employability is not yet fully understood. Building on the findings of previous projects, a number of recent JISC initiatives focused on the development of e-portfolios for work-based learning, for instance, the Helpp project aimed to facilitate student and employer engagement with the reflective and developmental processes of foundation degree work placements through e-portfolios in order to enhance the placement experience for both stakeholders. EPICS-2, building on the work of the EPICS project, developed an existing regional approach to e-portfolio development in the North-East, reviewing e-portfolio technologies to support work-based learning and meet the needs of employers more effectively.
There are also many projects looking at the use of e-portfolios to support professional practice and development, such as the pilots underway in the Higher Education Academy's UK Centre for Legal Education.
