Employability

Azevedo, A., Apfelthaler, G. & Hurst, Deborah (2012). Competency Development in Business Graduates: An Industry-driven Approach for Examining the Alignment of Undergraduate Business Education with Industry Requirements, International Journal of Management Education, 10(1), 12-28.

by Gerhard Apfelthaler

The paper proposes a conceptual framework and industry-driven approach to measure required competencies of business... more The paper proposes a conceptual framework and industry-driven approach to measure required competencies of business graduates. The suggested approach was designed and tested within a project implemented in Austria, the UK, Slovenia and Romania. Evidence from this multi-country study of employers and business graduates suggests that it is possible to investigate industry requirements with a cluster of eight key generic competencies. Competencies were selected following a detailed analysis of academic literature and 39 semi-structured qualitative interviews. A survey was conducted with 900 business graduates and employers in four European countries. The survey confirmed that the eight key competencies selected were both valuable for business graduates’ current job performance as well as relevant for future career development. Survey results showed that employers were not very confident in the level of capability of business graduates in the eight competencies investigated in this study. Results are consistent with other empirical evidence concerned with graduates’ level of key generic skills and highlight the need to strengthen competency development within undergraduate business education. Implications for future research and curriculum improvement are discussed.

Engaging Biological Science students in the development of employability skills through creative teaching and peer reviewed action plans

by Ian Turner

Ian J. Turner and Liz Day. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, Issue 4, March 2012

In this article the authors describe how a creative teaching methodology can encourage students with a Bioscience... more In this article the authors describe how a creative teaching methodology can encourage students with a Bioscience background to reflect on their understanding of employability. Students were asked to construct personal action plans to show how they could demonstrate their achievement of two Bioscience academic standards that related to employability skills from the Higher Education Academy Subject Benchmarks. These action plans were then critiqued anonymously by their peers.

Pedagogy for Employability HEA 2012 revised edition

by Sonia Hendy-Isaac

Experience in programmes for income protection and employability improvement

by Fabio Bertranou

Employability and emotional intelligence of the individual within the school-to-work transition phase

by Christopher Beukes

Well rounded Postdoctoral Researchers with initiative, who are not always “tied to the bench” are more successful academically

by Isobel Gowers

New Approaches to Employability In the UK: Combining 'Human Capital Development'and 'Work First'Strategies?

by Matthew Dutton

Employability through health? Partnership-based governance and the delivery of Pathways to Work condition management services

by Matthew Dutton

Working together? Research into the role of inter-agency co-operation in improving employability

by Matthew Dutton

Gender, risk and employment insecurity: The masculine breadwinner subtext

by Elisabeth Kelan

Kelan, E.K. (2008) Gender, Risk and Employment Insecurity: The Masculine Breadwinner Subtext. Human Relations, 61,9, 1171-1202.

The decline of the male breadwinner model goes hand in hand with an increased perception of insecurity and risk in the... more The decline of the male breadwinner model goes hand in hand with an increased perception of insecurity and risk in the new economy. This article explores how the perception of and responses to risk and insecurity are influenced by gender. The article is based on interviews with male and female information communication technology (ICT) workers, and it identifies four main discourses through which they conceptualise risk. First, they draw on a discourse which normalises risk as part of their jobs. A second discourse implicitly suggests that women are less likely to be made redundant. A third discourse is based on the assumption that becoming a breadwinner influences one’s perception of risk. The topic of the final discourse is the importance of continually improving one’s skills in order to remain employable and maintain one’s position as a breadwinner. The discourses all assume- the ideal of a neoliberal self-entrepreneurial subject. The article then discusses ageing as a factor that changes perceptions of risks and the ability to remain on top of one’s game. While there is little difference in the interpretative resources men and women use to make sense of insecurity, the article shows that the subtext underlying all four discourses is that of a masculine breadwinner. The article contributes towards developing a gendered understanding of risk and insecurity through exposing the masculine subtext with which these discourses are saturated.

Lindsay, C. and Sturgeon, G. (2003) ‘Local responses to long-term unemployment: delivering access to employment in Edinburgh’, Local Economy Vol. 18, No.2, pp. 159-173.

by Colin Lindsay

This paper examines locally developed policy responses to long-term unemployment in the city of Edinburgh: a labour... more This paper examines locally developed policy responses to long-term unemployment in the city of Edinburgh: a labour market characterised by relatively lowunemployment and generally high levels of demand. Drawing upon in-depth interviews with 115 long-term unemployed people residing in the city, the paper first analyses the complex combination of barriers to work faced by members of this client group. Two recent labour market initiatives, developed by the local authority in partnership with other public and third sector agencies and (in one case) major employers, are then discussed. It is suggested that this locally focused, partnership-based approach may provide a useful model for local policy responses to long-term unemployment, particularly in buoyant labour markets.

McQuaid R.W., Lindsay, C. and Greig, M. (2005) ‘Job guarantees, employability training and partnerships in the retail sector’, Local Economy Vol. 20, No. 1, pp. 67-78.

by Colin Lindsay

This paper discusses the potential value of local, partnership-based employability training and job guarantee... more This paper discusses the potential value of local, partnership-based employability training and job guarantee programmes, focusing on one example—the ‘Alloa Initiative’. The Initiative involved an employability training and job guarantee scheme developed in partnership with Tesco, a major retailer, in preparation for the opening of one of the company’s new stores. This paper reports on the outputs from this project, which placed 109 disadvantaged job seekers into positions at the store, and proved particularly effective at targeting the long-term unemployed and those with limited experience of the retail sector. The analysis is based on the findings of survey research undertaken with 86 of the 109 training course completers (a 79 per cent response rate) and all the main partners involved in the Initiative. Innovative elements of the training programme that contributed to its positive outcomes are discussed, and a model for ‘managing successful partnerships’ is applied, in order to identify critical factors explaining the apparent success of the Initiative. In particular, the importance of employers providing job guarantees is noted.

Lindsay, C. (2002) ‘Long-term unemployment and the employability gap: priorities for renewing Britain's New Deal’, Journal of European Industrial Training Vol. 26, No.9, pp. 411-419.

by Colin Lindsay

This paper reviews recent reforms to the UK’s main active labour market policy for the long-term unemployed age over... more This paper reviews recent reforms to the UK’s main active labour market policy for the long-term unemployed age over 25: the so-called New Deal 25 Plus. It discusses the appropriateness of the New Deal’s approach to the activation of these long-term unemployed people, by drawing upon evidence from interviews with 115 job seekers in one urban labour market characterised by generally low unemployment rates. It is argued that these job seekers face a combination of personal and circumstantial barriers to work, best characterised as an “employability gap”. This employability gap is a product of deficiencies in job seekers’ skills, but also: severely limited recent work experience; a lack of awareness of opportunities within the labour market; and the effects of long-term economic deprivation and inflexible elements within the UK benefits system. It is acknowledged that following recent reforms to the New Deal 25 Plus, the programme is better equipped to address some aspects of the employability gap faced by many long-term unemployed people. However, it is argued that a stronger commitment to training within a “real work” environment and a more flexible approach to the administration of some social security benefits is required if the long-term detachment from the labour market experienced by these job seekers is to be overcome.

McQuaid R.W., Lindsay, C. and Greig, M. (2004) ‘Re-connecting the unemployed: information and communication technology and services for job seekers in rural areas’, Information, Communication and Society Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 364-388.

by Colin Lindsay

This paper discusses the potential uses of the Internet and other forms of information and communication technology... more This paper discusses the potential uses of the Internet and other forms of information and communication technology (ICT) as a tool for delivering information services for unemployed people, comparing the experiences and attitudes of jobseekers in peri-urban and remote rural labour markets. The analysis is based upon research carried out in two areas: the first combining a remote rural town with a much larger, more sparsely populated, rural ‘travel-to-work area’; the second, a centrally located peri-urban labour market. Survey research undertaken in the study areas gathered responses from 490 unemployed jobseekers. Emerging issues were then followed up during twelve focus groups. The study found that the use of ICT for job seeking remained a marginal activity for most unemployed people, but was much more important in remote rural communities. In these areas, jobseekers were more likely to use the Internet as a search tool and were particularly dependent on telephone helplines provided by the public employment service (PES). However, the study also found that a ‘digital divide’ was evident within the unemployed client group. Those with low educational attainment, the long-term unemployed, young people and those perceiving their ICT skills to be ‘poor’ were less likely to use the Internet. Although respondents in rural areas were more likely to use ICT to look for work, they also pointed to the overriding importance of informal, social networks as a means of sharing job information in remote communities. We conclude that ICT may have a future role in the delivery of services for jobseekers, especially in rural areas. However, policies are required to ensure that information provided through ICT-based services is locally relevant, and disadvantaged groups have access to the facilities and training they require.

Lindsay, C. (2010) ‘In a lonely place? Social networks, job seeking and the experience of long-term unemployment’, Social Policy and Society Vol. 9, No. 1, 25-37.

by Colin Lindsay

Combating long-term unemployment remains a central strand of policies to promote social and labour market inclusion.... more Combating long-term unemployment remains a central strand of policies to promote social and labour market inclusion. One area of increasing concern is that the long-term unemployed (and especially those residing in disadvantaged communities) can find themselves isolated from the diverse social networks that can contribute to effective job seeking. This article draws on interviews conducted with 220 job seekers in two areas of high unemployment within the city of Glasgow to investigate: whether long-term unemployed people in these areas struggle to access social networks for job search; and the extent to which long-term unemployment is in itself associated with a more general erosion of social/community relations and a withdrawal from what has been termed the ‘tertiary sphere of sociability’. The article concludes with a discussion of the potential role for social policy in seeking to help the long-term unemployed and other job seekers to develop and broaden social networks and activities.

McQuaid, R.W. and Lindsay, C. (2002) ‘The ‘employability gap’: long-term unemployment and barriers to work in buoyant labour markets’, Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 613-629.

by Colin Lindsay

We analyse the main barriers limiting the employability of long-term unemployed job seekers within a local labour... more We analyse the main barriers limiting the employability of long-term unemployed job seekers within a local labour market characterised by generally high levels of demand. We use four key elements of employability (employability assets, the deployment of assets, the presentation of assets, and context) as an analytical framework in order to analyse the manner in which job seekers' personal characteristics, social and family circumstances, and perceptions of the labour market affect their ability to pursue employment opportunities. The results of interviews carried out with 115 long- term unemployed job seekers show that individual and family circumstances and attitudes towards work and job seeking are likely to be increasingly important barriers given the context of a relative lack of demand-side problems and the availability of lower-skilled jobs in expanding industries. In particular, many long-term unemployed job seekers were reluctant to seek jobs in the expanding service sectors of the local economy. Although the concept of employability provides a useful theoretical and policy framework for analysing long-term unemployment issues, models based upon an employability framework should be expanded to incorporate the role of employers and so integrate supply-side and demand-side perspectives.

McQuaid, R.W., Lindsay, C. and Greig, M. (2003) Wired for work? ICT and job seeking in rural areas, York Publishing Services for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation: York.

by Colin Lindsay

The geographical remoteness of many rural communities limits the availability of public services, which tend to be... more The geographical remoteness of many rural communities limits the availability of public services, which tend to be concentrated in highly populated areas. As a result, policy makers are increasingly turning to Internet and other ICT-based approaches (such as telephone helplines) to deliver services. However, given that ICT access and use tends to be concentrated amongst more affluent and skilled people, concerns have been raised that ICT-based services will not be readily available to the most disadvantaged groups in society, potentially deepening their sense of exclusion. This report seeks to discuss these issues, with specific reference to the current and potential role of ICT, and especially the Internet, in delivering job search services for unemployed people.

Lindsay, C. (2005) ‘Employability, services for unemployed job seekers and the digital divide’, Urban Studies Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 325-339.

by Colin Lindsay

Providing accurate and accessible labour market information is a key priority for policies targeted at improving the... more Providing accurate and accessible labour market information is a key priority for policies targeted at improving the employability of unemployed people. In an attempt to develop the quality and reach of such services, policy makers are increasingly turning to ICT, and particularly the Internet. However, there are concerns that the expansion of services delivered though ICT risks leaving behind the most disadvantaged. This paper investigates the current and potential role of ICT within the job seeking activities of unemployed people in one urban labour market (the city of Glasgow). Deploying the concept of the ‘digital divide’ as an analytical framework, it examines differences between job seekers’ access to, and use of, the Internet. The paper finds an association between higher levels of economic capital (income) and cultural capital (skills) and Internet access and job seeking. It is argued that a renewed commitment to the development of community-based technology centres and ICT training for the unemployed is required, if disadvantaged job seekers are to reap the potential employability gains associated with the expansion of on-line services.

Lindsay, C. and McQuaid, R.W. (2008) ‘Inter-agency co-operation in activation: comparing three vanguard ‘active’ welfare states’, Social Policy and Society Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 353-365.

by Colin Lindsay

New forms of inter-agency co-operation have gained increasing prominence in the development and delivery of activation... more New forms of inter-agency co-operation have gained increasing prominence in the development and delivery of activation strategies. This article compares different models of inter-agency co-operation, drawing on case study research in Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK. The different models have reported variations in performance when delivering on the key benefits often attributed to effective inter-agency co-operation. The article raises concerns that the process of contracting-out in activation has at times conflicted with attempts to improve co-operation between agencies, while the increasing dominance of purchaser–provider relations can undermine progress towards ‘shared ownership’ of activation policies and effective partnership-working.

Lindsay, C. and Dutton, M. (2012) ‘Promoting healthy routes back to work? Boundary spanning health professionals in employability programmes in Great Britain’, Social Policy and Administration, Vol. 46, forthcoming.

by Colin Lindsay

Between 2003 and 2011, the Pathways to Work (PtW) initiative was established across Great Britain, as policymakers... more Between 2003 and 2011, the Pathways to Work (PtW) initiative was established across Great Britain, as policymakers sought to address the ‘health-related, personal and external barriers’ faced by people who were out of work and claiming incapacity benefits (IBs). In the first 18 districts that PtW was rolled-out, the Public Employment Service (Jobcentre Plus) and National Health Service (NHS) organizations worked in partnership to deliver ‘condition management programmes’, which helped IB claimants to cope with health problems. Evaluation research has identified significant health benefits associated with these condition management programmes, but there has been less discussion of the role of frontline NHS professionals in ensuring that services worked effectively on the ground. This article deploys the concept of ‘boundary spanning’ to explore the role of NHS professionals within PtW. Drawing on more than 50 in-depth interviews, the article concludes that these NHS staff played a key boundary spanning role in facilitating partnerships, based on an ability to engage with the values/practices of other partner organizations (especially Jobcentre Plus) and a willingness to challenge established professional boundaries and ways of working. The article notes that recent policy initiatives have abandoned the PtW partnership approach in favour of more familiar models of contracting out, and that NHS professionals have been excluded from the delivery of health/employability services. It is argued that these recent changes may negatively affect the quality and range of health-related services available to people on IBs.