PowerPoint Presentation

Undergraduate Employability

Technology-enabled Employer Engagement in Analytical Chemistry

Project leader:Dr Carolyn Morton, Associate Head of Department for Forensic, Analytical and Chemical Sciences

Key researcher:Dr Adrian Crew, Research Fellow, Dept of Applied Sciences

1Why?Employability Awareness employer and studentEnhancement

Issues with employer engagementTimePerceived benefit

Project streamline the process with advantages for employers and studentsAwareness by employers of the relevant skills students are developing and by students of the relevance of what they are learning. Much more meaningful if employers tell them that what they are doing is what is required in the workplace than if lecturers tell them.Enhancement wherever we are with employability, this strategy is likely to improve the situation.2Technology-enabled engagement between employer and student

Dragons Den using video conferencing between

Employers from analytical and forensic science sectorsandYear 2 BSc Forensic Science students undertaking a module in analytical chemistry

What?

3

Aims:

Employer contact expand links, enhance curriculum, potential collaborations, work experience, employmentStudent experienceincrease motivation, see relevance of study, develop presentation and IT skills

Develop guidelines to facilitate adoption of similar approaches by others4

Approach:

Recruit willing employers - contacted 36 companies from the forensic, environmental, water, pharmaceutical, food and instrumentation sectors

Develop appropriate task for students- volunteers - 10 minute presentation on laboratory experiment including applications- all 400 word section in assignment on relevance of the analytical technique in industry after hearing from employers on videoResearch the available technologies - Polycom video conferencing (VCON) available at UWE- researched 25 online meeting systems

5Technologies compared - requirements:

FlashMeeting online meeting technologyaccess to internet with webcam and microphone for all participantsconvener to register to set up the meeting

2. Polycom Videoconferencing (VCON) system each participant ideally has (any version of) videoconferencing facility local arrangements alternatively can phone in (audio only) hosted at UWE book appropriate room(s)

6The exercise in action

Flash meeting:employer, then student

2. Video conferencing: a) student presenting to employers

b) employer giving context

c) employer giving information and questioning student7Conclusions:

Quality of video conferencing superior to FlashMeeting

Student perception of relevance of course to employers greatly enhanced

Very positive feedback from employers impressed by work being done by students, quality of presentations, usefulness of technology8Future:

Expand subject matter for exercise (to include DNA analysis)

Increase the number of employers involved

Incorporate in Graduate Development Programme year two support for employability

Encourage adoption by others

Encourage collaborations/research/projects/work experience to follow this exercise9Relevance?

- module perceived as difficult but useful for employability skills (specific or generic)

- employers who would be interested to learn what skills our students develop or talent-spot

Top tips 10-point guidelines on website Example student assessment Briefing document for employers10Thanks to: The project team at Bournemouth University

Royal Society of Chemistry

SW spoke HE STEM Programme11