Employability at Bradford

Ron HarleHead of Career Development Services

Director of Support, Progression and Employability

Myths and Realities

• 2nd in UK for Employability (Times 2005*).• No1 in North of England for Employment.• No 1 in Yorkshire for Employment.• 10th in UK for Professional Employment

(Sun. Times Good University Guide 2010)• Aren’t we great? Well not exactly! (19th)• Goal: “Making Knowledge Work” a reality.

Factors on our side

• High Proportion of Health Professional courses• Proportion of courses with sandwich opportunities• Strong in niche areas• Record of public sector recruitment• Vocational orientation/few general arts degrees• Embedded CPD/prof. development modules• Individual services focused on client needs

Additional Factors

• Relatively high proportion of students from lower income backgrounds

• Consequent high levels of part time employment• Imperative to find work quickly after graduating• Continuance of same work (expanding hours)• Good range of employability enhancing options• Realism, flexibility, attainable aspirations

Challenging Issues

• Strengths mask problem areas (courses)

• “Bradford Tether”(cultural/apathy)

• Limited higher level jobs in district

• Relative levels of academic entry profiles

• Limited aspirations of some students

• Have to fight hard to win employers

• Expected downturn in public sector

Annual First Destinations Survey (DLHE)

2008 2009 2010 (Provisional)

92% success 89% success 90.5% success

(Emp/F.Study) (Emp/F.Study) (Emp/F.Study)

7% Seeking 10.5% Seeking 9.5% Seeking

(97 grads) (126 grads) (110 grads)

Best year in last decade 94.5% success, 5.3% seeking

Graduate/Graduate Track Employment

• 2003 89%

• 2008 80%

• 2009 77%

• 2010 ???

Health Professional Courses• 36% of total output• 51% of all jobs gained• 64% of all graduate/graduate track jobs

All other courses• 64% of total output• 49% of all jobs gained• 36% of all graduate/graduate track jobs

Differences (2009)• Males: 11.3% unemployed, 40% of all grad/grad

track jobs• Females: 6.8% unemployed, 60% of all

grad/grad track jobs• No significant differences in rates of employment

with ethnicity• BUT the Bradford Tether has a very significant

impact• Locally based more likely under/unemployed

Graduate level employment in Yorkshire

2008 2009

National 64% National 61%

Yorks Univs 66% Yorks Univs 61%

Bradford 74% Bradford 71%

So a glimmer of hope, but a big danger!

The Big Issues for us

• How do we equip students better to get graduate level jobs?

• How do we encourage students to make the most of their learning opportunities?

• How do we encourage students to widen their horizons?

• How do we help them to let go of Bradford?

Milestones

• 2003: Bradford Graduate Profile (blocked); Employability embedded in L & T Strategy (lip service).

• 2007: Action Plan on Employability (limited success); 3 Stage Employability Model (adopted); Traffic Light Analysis (core evidence); Employability Coaches (3 yrs).

• 2010: Employability Statement; Consultation on new employability policy with strong support (woken up).

• 2011: Accredited Work Based Learning (all programmes); Development of new Employability Strategy; Ongoing: a real challenge to realise the vision.

Key to new impetus

• Statistical Evidence/Metrics (Traffic Light)• Recession bringing rapid deterioration• New Deans/Associate Deans (L & T)• Competition from other Institutions• New funding systems for HE• Regular papers/analysis of data• Innovation eg YoYo/Challenge Yourself/Mentors• Head of Service not afraid to be direct!