Introductory description

The module allows staff engaged in career and employability work in higher education to consider the role of work experience in their service provision. It integrates theoretical consideration of the role of work experience in learning and career development, with the practice of working with individual students, groups of students, other staff and with employers on work experience related issues. It considers contrasting institutional approaches and allows participants to apply their learning to diverse contexts.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Articulation of participants' context and practice in relating work experience to career and employability.
Theories of learning and career development and their relationship to work experience and employability.
Support of individuals and groups in learning from work experience.
Institutional approaches to work experience, including curricular and extra-curricular provision, models of support in sourcing opportunities, availability and targeting of opportunities, pre-, during and post- placement support for learning, quality assurance and evaluation.
Approaches and methods for working with employers to develop work experience opportunities including placement design, legislative and other regulatory requirements such as health and safety and liability insurance, assessment and evaluation.
Strategic considerations in developing placements drawing on labour market intelligence.
Professional values and ethics in the support of work experience.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Understand a range of perspectives on work experience in Higher Education, including:the role of work experience in theories of learning and career development,institutional infrastructure to support work experience, institutional infrastructure to support work experience,
• Critique competing perspectives on the above with reference to own context and professional values.
• Formulate responses and implement recommendations, by applying the knowledge and understanding above to own institutional setting in the support of career and employability development.
• Present material in clear written form by identifying, analysing and applying key texts and practices using appropriate and adequate structure, spelling, grammar, syntax, length and referencing.

Indicative reading list

Purcell, K. and Elias, P., (2010) The impact of paid and unpaid work and of student debt on experience of higher education. Manchester: HECSU.
Inkson, K. (2007) Understanding Careers: the metaphors of working lives. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Frigerio, G., Mendez, R. and McCash, P. (2012). Re-designing Work-related Learning: a
management studies placement module. Coventry: University of Warwick.
Jensen, K (2009) Why Work Experience Matters: Real prospects: 2009 graduates' experiences of placements, internships and work experience, Manchester: HECSU.
Little B & ESECT Colleagues (2006) Employability and work-based learning, York: Higher Education Academy.
Little, B. & Harvey, L. (2006) Learning through work placements and beyond, Manchester: HECSU Moreland, N. (2005) Work-related learning in higher education, York: Higher Education Academy.
Pegg, A; Waldock, J; Hendy-Isaac, S. & Lawton, R (2012) Pedagogy for employability, York: Higher Education Academy.
Simon, R.I, Dippo, D., and Schenke, A. (1991) Learning work: a critical pedagogy of work education, New York, NY: Bergin and Garvey.
Watts, A.G. and Butcher, V. (2008). Break-out or Break-up? Implications of institutional
employability strategies for the role and structure of university careers services. Manchester:HECSU.
Wilson, T. (2012) A review of business-university collaboration, London: Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Subject specific skills

Understand a range of perspectives on work experience in Higher Education
Identify the role of work experience in theories of learning and career development
Contrast differing institutional infrastructure to support work experience.
Critique competing perspectives on the above with reference to own context and professional values.
Apply the knowledge and understanding above to own institutional setting in the support of career and employability development.

Transferable skills

Formulate responses and implement recommendations.