Using the Living CV to help students take ownership of their learning gain

There is an increasing emphasis on embedding employability skills and experience within the higher education curriculum to address new concepts of ‘learning gain’ and the perceived student demand for a value for money experience. An exploratory study, at a southern university in the UK, found that students articulated an improved work readiness when they were presented the ‘Living CV’, an initiative that connects programme learning outcomes into CV outputs. During 2018, a larger, mixed methods study (n=127) was conducted across all three years of fashion degrees. Students completed a pre and post questionnaire before and after a presentation on the Living CV and their views were further explored in a focus group and interviews. Results found that the Living CV presentation heightened students’ awareness of the applicability of their programme learning to their future employability and how they could use their academic learning outcomes on their CV as a tool to achieve this. The study recommends that personalised and explicit coaching on ‘work literacy’ should be integrated into university programmes at all levels to include the Living CV, discussion about and experience in the world of work, increased employer engagement and preparation for interview

The pre-entry guidance experiences of students undertaking an 'access to health and professions allied to medicine' (PAMs) programme

This research project explores the pre-entry guidance experiences of adult learners undertaking an 'Access to Health and Professions Allied to Medicine' (PAMs) course offered by Darlington College of Technology (DCT), a Further Education (FE) college in the north-east of England. The study generates qualitative data on the sources of guidance accessed by these students, the types of guidance they have received and their reasons for accessing this guidance. Results support both Social Learning Theory and the Social Learning Theory of Career Decision-Making. They also highlight the key role of FE admissions tutors as a source of guidance and raise concerns about the quality of formal guidance received by some respondents