ERIC Number: EJ1334758
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2051-3615
EISSN: N/A
Improving Graduate Futures and Employability through Embedded Industrial Experience
Dixon, John; Gordon, Neil
New Directions in the Teaching of Physical Sciences, v17 n1 2022
The financial cost to individuals of higher education is now regularly exceeding £50k before maintenance in the UK; consequently, students are more concerned than ever that their degree should offer value for money when they enter the jobs marketplace. Overshadowed by long-term debt, lack of career options and job offerings with low salary, student numbers in the arts, languages, humanities and philosophy areas have suffered compared to most STEM disciplines (Universities UK, 2018). Computer science, I.T. and computing tend to buck this trend (HESA, 2020), and, with a drive toward reskilling the workforce for a more technology-focussed future, this suits Government strategy. However, graduate employers want to hire individuals who are well rounded and have experience; businesses identify that more general workplace experience is key. The subsequent sections describe a level 7 (Master's) capstone project module, Commercial Development Practice, dedicated to fulfilling these employer requirements by focussing on project processes rather than project products. The practicalities of running this module and considerations that have been key for the successful application of this technique over the 14 years the module has been running are discussed. The curriculum, pedagogic approaches and assessment methods are presented. The evaluation of this approach, which analyses the impact and student experience and perception of the module using data gathered since 2015, has found that participants gain valuable skills, experience and confidence which leads to more employable graduates.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Graduate Students, Masters Programs, Employment Potential, Capstone Experiences, Student Projects, Active Learning, Qualifications, Computer Science Education, Job Skills
University of Leicester Open Journals. University of Leicester Library, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK. Tel: +44-116-252-2043; e-mail: openaccess@le.ac.uk; Web site: https://journals.le.ac.uk/ojs1/index.php/new-directions
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A