Developing skills acknowledging skills development Dr Andrea Laczik

Developing skills – acknowledging skills development Dr Andrea Laczik TRACK-VET Virtual Conference 24 November 2020

Overview - How to promote development of employability skill? - What methods, solutions might be implemented? - What are the challenges and good practices? • Employability skills • Joint Dialogue • National Software Academy, University of Cardiff

Some clarification • Employability skills – some overlap with TKC Definitions of employability: A set of achievements, understandings and personal attributes that make an individual more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen occupations ( Yorke and Knight) A set of attributes, skills and knowledge that all labour market participants should possess to ensure they have the capability of being effective in the workplace – to the benefit of themselves, their employer and the wider economy (CBI/NUS 2011)

Joint Dialogue Phase 1 and Phase 2 • What employers are looking for? (focus group with employers: 12) • What do teachers tell us? (Survey with teachers: 626) • Phase 2: What do young people tell us? (on-going) Background • Labour market in a flux • Skills shortages and skills gaps • Growing emphasis on transferable skills

Employability skills Communication; teamwork; problem solving; initiative and enterprise; planning and organisation; self management; learning; technology. Self awareness; self promotion; exploring and creating opportunities; action planning; networking; decision making; negotiation; political awareness; coping with uncertainty; development focused; self confidence. Imagination/creativity; adaptability/flexibility; willingness to learn; independence/autonomy; team working; management; ability to work under pressure; oral and written communication; numeracy; attention to detail; time management; ability to take responsibility; decision making; planning. Co-ordinating and organisation ability. (University of Birmingham)

Employability Skills and Competencies: 8+4

What employers are looking for: focus groups

Informed Confidence Drive Resilience Reflection not developed in school Digital Skills through interaction with peers Numeracy skills (outside of maths lessons) in other activities during the school day Creativity through extra -curricular activities Teamwork in other lessons Selfmanagement through assessment activities Communication through homework Problem solving through class work Teachers responses: where are skills and being developed 92% 71% 90% 88% 67% 30% 81% 17% 66% 69% 45% 57% 29% 43% 48% 75% 42% 62% 46% 63% 75% 55% 84% 67% 33% 52% 38% 44% 31% 44% 79% 35% 65% 39% 5% 1% 7% 3% 6% 66% 41% 36% 43% 34% 19% 14% 16% 64% 29% 79% 67% 74% 86% 62% 8% 46% 45% 50% 52% 21% 5% 52% 55% 68% 21% 77% 65% 38% 52% 53% 42% 37% 75% 56% 59% 30% 17% 39% 51% 28% 40% 30% 23% 17% 57% 29% 33% 18% 12% 9% 16% 14% 5%

Phase 2 of the project It is important that young people are aware of how these behaviours or attitudes are formed, and when they have demonstrated them in the past, and being able to draw on real, concrete examples to make these more and more tangible for prospective employers. Industry Talent Specialist & Apprenticeships, Telecommunications. Aim: to investigate young people’s views and experiences of their employability skills development in schools Focus: on students at schools (14 -16 year olds and 16 -19 year olds); 4 -5 young people in one focus group

Phase 2 – initial findings • Young people seem aware of the jargon/terminology and use it correctly However • 14 -16 year olds found it difficult to articulate how they develop skills and to give examples • 16 -19 year olds lack the time to participate in extra-curricular activities that often support skills development • Young people suggested that they do not develop digital skills and creativity in school • Special schools very consciously develop skills and prepare their 14 -19 old for employment and in general for independent life.

Cardiff University National Software Academy Regenerational University - Address local skills deficit Cardiff University National Software Academy (NSA) 2013 Aim: develop software engineers – respond to local skills shortage NSA offers a 3 year BSc in Applied Software Engineering Aims to provide strong links with local industry and the wider South Wales economy. Uses a range of industry-engagement activities, such as client-developed projects and student placements with industrial partners They claim: their students are immediately effective as commercial software engineers in the workplace Students choose NSA for its different approach to course delivery and for its emphasis on linking theory and practice during each element of the course

Teaching of transferable skills Example of skills Evidence Communication [from working with clients] ’they are really great communicators…not shy to ask questions’ (NSA teacher) Confidence ‘but we’d been taught and well-prepared about how to present ourselves, how to speak confidently and properly and what to do in that sense’ (Y 3 student) Team-working ‘navigating other people, their efforts, that helps you to work on helping other people as well and bringing them up’ (Y 2 student) Problem-solving ‘when I look at a problem I just start to think about it a lot more logically now. I just think, “If this happens, what will it do, or will it affect another thing that happens in the problem? ” Yes, just being a bit more methodical when working through a solution’ (Y 1 student) Self-learner ‘Here’s the basics. Now, go and teach yourself another part within a framework… you need to be able to teach yourself, because things are always changing. ’ (Y 2 student) Resilience ‘it’s not easy having a deadline and doing all these things, so we learn a bit about to approach that. ’ (Y 2 student) Independence ‘They don’t need babysitting, they don’t need pampering. They’re in the team and, within the first week or two, it’s like they’ve been here for months. They just fit in’ (Employer)

Emms, K. and Laczik, A. (2020). A contemporary approach to employable students. Cardiff University National Software Academy. London: Edge Foundation https: //www. edge. co. uk/sites/default/files/documents/edge_cardiff_nsa_research_final. pdf Kashefpakdel, E. T. , Newton, O. , Clark, J. , Rehill, J. , Emms, K. , Laczik, A. (2018). Joint Dialogue: How are schools developing real employability skills? London: Education and Employers, Edge Foundation and National Education Union https: //www. edge. co. uk/sites/default/files/documents/joint_dialogue_-_final_report_update-2. pdf