​Keynote speaker - Ian Deamer

"Preparing students to be competent in the workplace: how new models of teaching can enhance students"

In January this year the BBC printed an article that said research conducted by High Fliers Research showed;
“New graduates who've not had any work experience at all during their time at university have little hope of landing a well-paid job with a leading employer” Martin Birchall High Fliers Research

It might be argued that not every graduate will want a well paid job with a leading employer and that the role of a university is not to provide employee fodder.

For a considerable time, there have been traditional tensions between the University’s role as a sharer and builder of knowledge; a place to develop academic skills and their role of preparing graduates for the world of employment.

I believe we will come under increasing pressure from those who study with us to make sure we fulfil both roles equally well.  We must provide the opportunity for the individual to develop academic skills, engage in learning and explore knowledge and we must support the development of employability skills.

The two things are not mutually exclusive are they?

Do we have the competence ourselves to do both?  It is not just a question of how well we prepare our graduates but how well prepared are our academic staff?  What do we understand about employability skills?  Are Universities, as employment locations, representative places to find the key employability skills suggested by the major employer’s bodies?  When was the last time you applied for a job?  When did you last have to demonstrate competence and capability?  How up to date is your CV?  Did you know the CV of an academic is different in almost all respects from the CVs used by a greater majority of the population? Did you know that many employers look for competence and capability first and educational achievement second?

Do we have the competence to develop graduate employability skills?  If we don’t can we quickly develop these as I am pretty sure with increased fees are going to come increased demands and challenges in the employability arena. 
If we don’t develop the skills do we face a scenario where organisations will seek to capitalise on our neglect and set up their version of a University?  After all with increased fees maybe some see market opportunities and the chance of profit.  Do we want Universities that are only concerned with employability and feeding the corporate world.  It is likely to be an impoverished society that allows this to happen.
Are we fit for purpose?