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Explore the impact of the Hallam Award on student employability, with insights on participation, completion rates, and recommendations for improvement. The study delves into the relationship between employability skills and the prestigious Hallam Award, informing enhancements for the future. Findings show the need for increased clarity, easier registration processes, and recognition for part-time students. The study emphasizes the importance of extra-curricular activities in building students' skills and recommends clearer communication about criteria and benefits.
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Hallam Award- from skillset to graduateness SimonaPantiru, ArpitSheth , Charmaine Myers, Vanessa Marshall
Introduction to project • Rationale • Working with Student Researchers • Employability theme • Focus of research • Aims of research
Defining ‘skillset’ and ‘graduateness’ • Skillset = ‘the skills needed to accomplish a specified task or perform a given function’ • Graduateness = ‘shared attributes (attributes that go beyond the knowledge, understanding, skill and other qualities that are specific to their field[s] of study) that graduates are expected to possess’ HECQ (1995)
Background literature Hallam Award (http://hallamunion.org/hallam-award/) • supports the recent Wilson Review recommendations "to develop and record students' employability, enterprise and entrepreneurial skills" (Wilson, 2012) • one mechanism for SHU students to demonstrate their employability skills and have the prestige of an award that allows them to present themselves as different from other graduates
Other awards nationally • The Leicester award (Grant, 2012) uses the same objective to enhance the student experience through employability skills. • Loughborough Employability Award (Hamblin, 2013) provides self-awareness of students’ skills and competencies • Participation and completion rates of other universities’ employability schemes are similar to HA
Methodology • Mixed methodology • 3 groups of students surveyed online/face-to-face (TOTAL = 106) • Survey Monkey – data collection • SPSS and Excel – data analysis Never registered for HA (56/56) Started & not completed HA (8/153) Completed HA (42/575)
Results * 75% of students who have not registered for HA never heard of HA, but 56% of these are Level 4 * Students who completed HA (46%)/ not finished HA (56%) are Level 6
* Majority of students are involved in extra curriculum activities that are perceived as not being accredited for use in the HA
Results Reasons for participating in the Hallam Award • Reasons for not participating/ not completing Hallam Award
Other findings • 89% of completed HA used it on CV • 72% of completed HA felt it improved their career • 83% of completed HA would recommend it to others • 80% of non-completed HA blame lack of time • 78% of non-registered HA students say they would take part if other activities would be accredited
Suggestions for improvement: • ‘Make it less time consuming. Being in final year left me with no time to fill out the form for HA’ • ‘More clarity on what criteria you have to meet’ • ‘Have an online registration process instead of emailing the person running it’ • ‘Part-time students should also achieve recognition’ • ‘Student Trustees/other elected roles could start higher up the awards scale’ • ‘Not enough information’ • ‘SU Reps should attend Freshers events i.e. induction programs to tell students more about it’
Applying results • Research results have informed the refreshed Hallam Award for 2013-14 • Increased clarity in marketing of the award • Relationship between employability skills and Hallam Award made more explicit • Support for students enhanced • Process improved - online sign up and form completion