Employability Skills and Work Integrated Learning in Higher Education Dr Caroline Perkins Branch Man

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Employability Skills andWork Integrated Learning
in Higher EducationDr Caroline PerkinsBranch
Manager,Tertiary Collaboration and Participation
BranchTertiary Skills and Productivity Group
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Outline

• Governments vision for education
• Bradley Review of Australian Higher Education
• Employability Skills Higher Ed and VET
• Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement
• Diversity and Structural Adjustment Fund

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Education Revolution

• Through the Education Revolution the Government
  aims to provide universal access to a high
  quality education from the earliest age,
  world-class teaching and learning in schools, and
  effective training and ongoing learning
  opportunities in universities and the workplace.

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The Bradley Review

• An expert panel, chaired by Emeritus Professor
  Denise Bradley AC, is examining whether the
  Australian higher education system is capable of
• Contributing to the innovation and productivity
  gains required for long term economic development
  and growth and
• Ensuring that there is a broad-based tertiary
  education system producing professionals for both
  national and local labour market needs.

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Key Challenges for Higher Education

• Meeting the needs of the labour market and
  industry for high level skills
• Providing opportunities for all capable students
  to participate
• Providing students with a stimulating and
  rewarding higher education experience
• Connecting effectively with the other education
  and training sectors
• Playing a vital role in the national research and
  innovation system
• Operating internationally
• Contributing effectively to the development of
  Australias social and cultural structures and
  its national and regional economies
• Appropriately, effectively and efficiently
  resourced to perform its functions and
• Appropriately, effectively and efficiently
  governed and regulated.

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From Review of Higher Education Discussion Paper

• One of the core functions of universities is
• Developing high level knowledge and skills
• For self-fulfilment, personal development and the
  pursuit of knowledge as an end in itself
  throughout and individuals life and
• To prepare a highly productive, professional
  labour force, alongside the vocational education
  and training sectors, appropriate to the needs
  and opportunities of the economy and its
  component industries and sectors, including in
  the preparation of graduates in relevant fields
  for professional practice.

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VET and Employability Skills

• Embedding employability skills in VET has
  included
• Agreement from stakeholders on the need for
  incorporation of broader skill sets
• Funding of Industry Skills Councils to embed
  employability skills in Training Packages
• National Quality Council assessment and reporting
  model and
• Employability Skills Summaries website.

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Business, Industry and Higher Education
Collaboration Council

• Membership from leaders in business, industry and
  higher education
• Advises the Minister for Education on ways to
  increase collaboration between the higher
  education sector and other public and private
  business, industry, community and educational
  organisations.

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BIHECCGraduate Employability Skills 2007

• Report Findings
• Industry satisfied with technical skills but see
  employability skills as under-developed
• Universities and industry acknowledge role in
  developing employability skills and
• Employability skills are acquired through many
  different experiences.

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BIHECCGraduate Employability Skills (cont.)

• BIHECC recommended
• Employability Strategy Fund to support
  development of strategies to address
  employability skills and
• Funding to support Work Integrated Learning
  initiatives and integration of employability
  skills into curricula.
• Report available www.dest.gov.au/highered/bihecc

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Higher Education Sector comments on WIL

• 48 of the 345 submissions to the Bradley Review
  discussed employability skills of graduates.
• Universities Australia National Internship
  Scheme
• IRUA HE and business/industry dialogue
  framework
• Group of Eight inclusive national dialogue

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Approaches toWork Integrated Learning

• Higher Education
• Victoria University
• (Learning in the Workplace and Community)
• Macquarie University
• (Global Futures Program)
• University of Western Australia
• (consideration of community service component)

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Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement

• The Deputy Prime Minister has announced funding
  of 3.7 million for the implementation of the
  Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement.
• The Government will provide grants of 100,000 to
  publicly funded universities to assist them in
  the implementation of this initiative.

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Diversity and Structural Adjustment Fund

• Proposals that will enhance outcomes in graduate
  employability skills were invited under teaching
  and learning performance (priority b) for the
  2008 competitive round of the Diversity and
  Structural Adjustment Fund.
• 200 million over four years (2008-2011) to
  support structural reform by higher education
  providers

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