Exploring student identity through a university-wide graduate employability initiative

Smith, Sally; Smith, Colin; Taylor-Smith, Ella; Fotheringham, Julia; Dencer-Brown, Imi

Abstract

Universities are adopting institution-wide projects designed to enhance opportunities for student work placements and work-related learning across all subject disciplines, as inclusion and graduate employability are increasingly expressed as university core values. However, there are large variations between programs and disciplines in uptake, with limited evidence explaining why this might be the case. Furthermore, disparate routes to higher education, for example through direct entry to advanced stages of programs, provide further variation of experience. This study uses identity theory (Stryker, 1980) to explore student perceptions of placement and work-related learning. Students involved in an institution-wide graduate employability project, designed to increase the availability of placements and work-related courses on degree programs, were invited to express their attitudes to work-related learning through in-class surveys. The survey was distributed to 103 students across three different programs. Students drew on resources for identity work including role models and imaginings of themselves in a working environment. However, while they were found to have used developmental networks to support decisions about university courses, many had limited access to networks that could support their career decisions. Finally, the study highlighted that many students lacked awareness of the new courses as opportunities for work-related learning.

Citation

Smith, S., Smith, C., Taylor-Smith, E., Fotheringham, J., & Dencer-Brown, I. (2016, June). Exploring student identity through a university-wide graduate employability initiative. Paper presented at WACE International Research Symposium

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: WACE International Research Symposium
• Start Date: Jun 12, 2016
• End Date: Jun 15, 2016
• Deposit Date: Aug 31, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 1, 2016
• Keywords: employability, work-related learning, student identity, professional identity, work placement, transitions
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/369366
• Contract Date: Aug 31, 2016