Closing the Gap: Preparing Computing Students for Employment through Embedding Work-Related Learning in the Taught Curriculum

McKinnon, Sabine; McCrae, J.

doi:10.5367/ihe.2012.0106

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Although the intention of the value-adding events was to benefit all students, not just those who secured a placement, the preplacement preparation events had no impact on the students' sense of self as a professional. McKinnon & McCrae (2012) found that students had less confidence in their skills and abilities on completion of a work-related module with speculation that this was due to greater awareness of the challenges that lay ahead. Evidence elsewhere points to the importance of embedding meaningful employability activity in a discipline specific way (Oliver, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Supporting student transitions to placement and work: developing a new self-identity

Webster

Smith

2016

NEW DIR TEACH PHYS SCI

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Moves towards the marketisation of higher education together with concerns over the challenges of graduate employment have led to an increased prioritisation of students undertaking relevant work experience while they study. Recognising a strong student demand for placements, universities are establishing employability initiatives including those designed to increase the availability of quality paid placements for students. To complement this activity, industry, sector-specific, regional placement projects such as e-Placement Scotland, take an employer-led approach to maximise opportunities for students across a number of universities. In spite of these initiatives, not every student will successfully obtain a placement, and so e-Placement Scotland aims to ‘add value’ for students in various other ways. Interventions such as industry tech talks and speed networking sessions have been deployed to develop awareness of the employment landscape and encourage students to start thinking about their self-identification, easing their transition into the workplace. Adopting the lens of identity theory, this study explores student and professional identity in order to recognise the transition from student to graduate, and to consider the role of placement and other value-adding activities in that transition. The study found that, while the incidence of students self-identifying as professionals increases in later years of their courses, placement preparation interventions did not themselves have an observable effect. These findings challenge the project assumption that placement preparation activities can offer students valuable insights that can help them identify with their profession. Keywords: Student identity, placement, professional identity

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Supporting student transitions to placement and work: developing a new self-identity

Webster

Smith

2016

NEW DIR TEACH PHYS SCI

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“…These programmes, such as internship, artisanship, placements and other work-based opportunities, are believed to provide students with valuable experience and skills (Lowden et al, 2011). Studies reviewed reveal that participants in graduate employment preparation programmes reported positive experiences with these, citing the benefits of having undergone such training (Lowden et al, 2011;McKinnon and Wood, 2012). According to these authors, the employers too reported satisfaction with the skills expected of the new graduate intake so much that some expressed that they reportedly appreciated the knowledge transfer opportunity and valued their work with the students as a useful recruitment tool.…”

Section: Graduate Employment Preparationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Untitled

2016

International Journal of Education and Practice

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The phrase 'access for student success' is familiar in the South African Higher Education (SAHE) sector since the formation of the Department of Education in 1994, a result from the desegregation of the then 17 racial departments. Numerous initiatives to address this concept have been instituted in different ways by the Higher Education (HE) institutions. These have taken the form of student support programmes which have, inter alia, included access and/or foundation provision, academic development initiatives, career development and employment preparation programmes. The University of South Africa (Unisa) has not been omitted in taking on similar initiatives. Unisa in its attempt to enhance student success offers academic development (AD) programmes such as the Science Foundation Provision (SFP), amongst others. However, academic development remains an ad-hoc activity being offered by different directorates working in silos and often times duplicating some of the services. This paper aims to present a proposal towards developing an integrated model for learner support whose objective is to identify students' academic and career needs at the point of entry; refer them to appropriate learning and career development programmes; and thereafter enrol them in a job readiness training and placement programme (JRTP) in preparation for work-integrated learning (WIL) placements. This is a mixed methods study, involving a diagnostic academic literacies assessment, student and employer questionnaires as well as focus group discussions. Participants were 'employers' of Unisa students in WIL programmes with and/or without the career development and JRTP experience as well as Unisa students in these programmes. It was found that most senior students view student success as obtaining a qualification, and being able to use such qualification in gainful employment.

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“…Studies reviewed reveal that participants in graduate employment preparation programmes reported positive experiences with these, citing the benefits of having undergone such training (Lowden et al, 2011;McKinnon and Wood, 2012). According to these authors, the employers too reported satisfaction with the skills expected of the new graduate intake so much that some expressed that they reportedly appreciated the knowledge transfer opportunity and valued their work with the students as a useful recruitment tool.…”

Section: Graduate Employment Preparationmentioning

confidence: 99%