The majority of HE-level work-based learning at the University of Glamorgan involves either work-based projects or work placements both of which aim to increase graduate employability.  There are also work-based learning programmes for individuals already in employment providing them with the opportunity and flexibility to obtain a higher education qualification focused around their specific area of work.  An example of this is the MAPD run by Glamorgan Business School.  We are currently in the process of validating a generic framework for ‘Learning through Employment’ which can be tailored around any subject and which aims to equip individuals already in employment with HE-level skills relevant to their work.

If you are a member of staff who would like to submit an example please contact:

Peter Green

Lecturer in Learning Through Employment

Telephone: 01443 654540

e-Mail: pgreen@glam.ac.uk

University Wide

Institute of Leadership & Management at the University of Glamorgan

Updated: February 2008

The University of Glamorgan has worked with the ILM to develop a unique Graduate Membership scheme for our students.  Glamorgan is the first university in the country to pilot the groundbreaking new scheme. The scheme is open to all students on all courses of study at Glamorgan University. This innovative scheme will be of particular interest to students who are undertaking a management or business-related programme of study, but will also be relevant to any student across the university who would like to become more familiar with current management and leadership issues. 

ILM Level 7 Diploma in Executive Management

Glamorgan Business School has been an ILM accredited Assessment Centre for several years and has traditionally delivered these programmes both corporately to external organisations and internally to University staff as part of their Continuing Professional Development. Recently, there has been a demand for more open programmes from a number of potential students currently employed in management positions. As a consequence, the Business School is currently in the process of implementing delivery of the ILM Level 7 Diploma in Executive Management on an open programme basis, targeting practising senior managers within organisations throughout Wales. Work-based learning will be assessed by a combination of work-based assignments, reflective reviews, oral presentations and written reports. The ILM award will then be mapped across to the MSc Management to give an advanced standing of 60 credits and enabling direct entry to year 2 of this programme.

Please see www.ugcs.co.uk for further details

Faculty of Advanced Technology

Network75 Professional Academy

Network75, introduced at the University of Glamorgan in 2000, is a unique, innovative work placement scheme that created a network of 75 companies to support and attract able young people into Higher Education. Students combine work and study, applying their academic, innovative knowledge to their work within a company. Host companies and the Network75 team work closely to develop high-quality individual student training plans and to ensure that the learning experiences and achievements of students are of the highest quality.
The project was initially developed to benefit Engineering and Technology students. However, as a result of growing demand, the scheme has been expanded to suit students studying a variety of degree programmes, including Business-related degree courses.

Network 75 provides students with the opportunity to:

- Earn while they learn.
- Gain valuable industrial experience.
- Have tuition fees paid.
- Receive long term benefits.

Network75 also provides companies with:

- High quality, motivated people who will grow within the company.
- Recruitment and administration.
- Back-up from the University.
- A method of long term resource planning.

Combining work and study helps to improve individuals’ future employability as Network75 trainees graduate with both academic and practical training, making them industry-ready and well prepared for the workplace.

Network75 trainees receive a bursary of £5000 per annum, which rises by £500 each academic year. However, 40% of students receive additional payments directly from their host companies.

Network75 is beneficial to companies as the scheme provides a cost-effective means of accessing graduate employees. Our research has shown that 70% of companies who have participated in work experience believed that Network75 undergraduates provide knowledge, expertise and qualities that non-graduate employees could not. These include: methodical thinking, management skills, ability to learn new skills more quickly, enthusiasm, transferable skills, general knowledge and technical/IT abilities.

Network75 provides the university with an innovative way to attract students who may not have considered higher education. Network75 enables the university to build key partnerships within industry for future collaboration.

100% Employability

To date all graduate of Network75 have been offered full-time positions within their companies.

- Strong Links with host companies enabling individual training plans to be developed.
- Established Quality management system Network75 is accredited to ISO9001:2008 standard.
- Review and Monitoring procedures ensuring students continual personal and professional development.

Network75 is in its 10th year and has a proven track record of providing a high quality work based learning programme. The Network75 scheme has built excellent links with industry and FE partners providing applicants with the opportunity to balance academic studies with relevant work experience. Network75 continues to expand its offering in a variety of subject areas including Built Environment, Engineering, IT and Business.

www.glam.ac.uk/network75
www.twitter.com/network75
www.youtube.com/networkseventyfive

For further information please contact:
Louise Hawker on 01443 482203 or lhawker@glam.ac.uk
 

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

The Law School has been running a module called Reflections on Legal Advice Work, as part of the LL.B degree programme, for a number of years. This entirely work-based learning module was introduced in response to the Legal Services Act 2007 which many believe will lead to a more practical focus to LL.B degrees. The development of modules such as these are also required if the Law School is to be able to compete with private legal education providers which have the resources and flexibility to fully support and incorporate work-based learning into their programmes.

Students are placed at a number of Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) in South Wales and have an oppotunity to study for up to 40 credits. They are required to complete up to 10 hours of legal advice work per week (which can be offset against their training contract for those who wish to qualify as solicitors) and a 6,000 word portfolio based at Level 5 and a further 6,000 word portfolio at Level 6 on any aspect of their experience advising or training to be an adviser at the CAB. Students can exit after 20 Level 5 credits if they wish. Students start as "gateway assessors" which is a form of triage before progressing to generalist advice work. On successful completion of their placement, students will obtain a General Certificate in Advice Work from CAB. They also have the opportunity to become a specialist adviser in employment, welfare, immigration law or debt and a number of students have worked as specialist welfare and debt advisors which has included representing clients at Social Security and Child Support Tribunals.
 

‘The relationship seems sustainable as it’s a symbiotic ‘win win’ situation. They are taking our students and we are providing them with advisers at a time of national shortage of CAB advisers. It also fills the gap in social campaigning and critical thinking roles.’Richard Owen, Associate Head (Law School)
 

One of the issues encountered in developing this WBL module has been the attendance, time-keeping and reliability of the students. A backup module in Personal Development may be offered to allow students who are unable to complete their placement to utilise the work-based experience they have gained towards academic credits. In the next academic year, potential students will undergo a selection process which will involve an interview with CAB prior to a placement being offered.
 

One of the main benefits of work-based learning for the Law School is that it provides cost-effective Clinical Legal Education which, if incorporated into other modules, could help secure the Law School’s future ability to compete with the WBL provision offered by private colleges. For students, incorporation of work-based learning into other modules could facilitate development of their legal skills over the whole three years, enhancing their employability and helping to integrate all of their studies.

Faculty of Health Sport and Science

Foundation Degree in Football Coaching and Performance 

The Foundation Degree in Football Coaching and Performance not only fills the higher-level coaching skills gap within the football industry, it incorporates a triple module of work-based learning (360 hours) and has UEFA coaching awards embedded in it.  In addition to the compulsory work-based learning triple module in year 2, students are encouraged to undertake a 12 week placement abroad at the end of year 1, with either UK Elite or Manchester United Soccer Schools.  A reflective report on delivery of their lesson plans during this placement can offset up to 15% of the compulsory work-based triple module.

The work-based learning element is run in partnership with FAW football development officers and Cardiff and Swansea City Football Clubs.  Students follow a number of coaching units which develop their appreciation of what professional level coaching involves and allow them the opportunity to acquire a recognised coaching qualification (UEFA ‘B’ licence) and recognised coaching awards.  Students also have the opportunity to organise and deliver sports development programmes within the community thus gaining experience in both project management and event organisation.  Work-based learning is achieved through observation, ‘hands-on’ coaching experience, mentor and peer assessment and feedback, and reflective practice.

Issues for staff involved in development of this programme have mainly involved the time necessary to co-ordinate and plan the work placements, and the attendance of students on placement.  The benefits for students include increased employability and for employers increased workforce numbers albeit a couple of days a week plus a more highly skilled future workforce.  The Faculty is currently exploring the possibility of developing a work-based learning Masters programme for professional coaches and football development officers already in employment.  If the opportunity to gain an UEFA ‘A’ licence could be incorporated into this programme it would be a definite selling point.

Glamorgan Business School

Masters in Professional Development is 'a highly flexible, tailor-made, work focussed programme leading to formal accreditation at Masters Level. It allows organisations and individuals to focus on their own professional development needs.' David Colebourne, MAPD Programme Leader
 

Initially introduced as the MAPDE for individuals working within the Education Sector, this programme has since been rolled out to individuals practising in any professional field as the more general MAPD. The structure of the programme can be custom-built for both individuals and for organisations, having previously been delivered in-house for the Health Service, Local Authorities and others including the Welsh Development Agency. In fact, more than a dozen corporate programmes have been delivered based on the MAPD over the last 10 years. The programme is designed to be highly flexible and can involve online, face to face and a variety of study patterns.
 

The course consists of three core modules – Continuing Professional Development, Understanding and Managing Change, and Research Methods - worth a total of 50/60 credits. A further 60 credits can be obtained from other modules which are part of any University Masters Course or Independent Studies (‘empty box’) modules which can be subject-specific e.g. science or healthcare (depending on the workplace). Within these ‘empty box’ modules learning is gained via negotiated work-based projects which are formalised via a ‘negotiated learning agreement’. . Masters level credits gained with other institutions can be recognised. The work-based learning is both enquiry-based and reflective and is assessed by means of a reflective log book or work diary, report-writing and / or written and oral tests of intended learning outcomes. A research project accounts for the remaining 40/60 credits of the programme.

Project-Based Work-Based Learning in Glamorgan Business School

Most programmes within the Business School involve an element of project-based work-based learning where students conduct a live project for an organisation.  The objective is for every student to have completed at least one such project during their programme of studies.  Projects may vary in length from three months to a full academic year.

‘The projects give students a sense of working in the real world and of issues relating to time and task management.  Students learn skills such as problem-solving and communication which can’t be learnt at a desk.’Rob Hamilton, Lecturer (Business School)

There are currently thirty eight groups of students working on projects with various organisations such as the University, schools, community groups, the Gwent Dragons and the Marriott Hotel.  In module BS1 Contemporary Business Practice (Level 1), first year students conducted an attitudinal survey on employer motivation and were invited to present their findings at the factory which were recorded.  Another attitudinal survey was conducted amongst fans of Gwent Dragons on the development of the ground.  Overseas students have investigated the impact of the trebling in size of a community on public services such as fire prevention, health care, policing and access.  In year 2 of the HND Programme, a more business-related project investigated expanding the markets of a security firm.  There is also the part-time scheme where students in full-time employment have the opportunity to study part-time and engage in work-based learning projects.  There are some management issues associated with the co-ordination of project-based work-based learning which are mainly due to the sheer number of students and hence projects involved, and the fact that every project, student and organisation is different.

Cardiff School of Cultural and Creative Industries

Foundation Degree in Creative and Cultural Industries

This programme, the first of its kind in Wales, was established following the identification of a need for more vocational degree training in order to provide the relevant knowledge and skills that employers are looking for. Students can specialise in Creative Technology, Film and Video, Media Production, Photography, Radio, Sound Technology, Music Technology, and Drama. These courses now primarily run at the faculties collaborative colleges; Bridgend, Coleg Glan Hafren, Worcester, Merthyr and Neath & Port Talbot.
 

The programme which has successfully expanded to more than six institutions with twelve separate pathways has built on the focus of on hands-on and work-based learning which is at the core of this provision. It provides an invaluable opportunity for students to work with industry professionals on a range of projects thus enhancing their future employment prospects. The second year of the course account’s for 60 credits or 50% of the final year and will be assessed by observation and feedback from employers as well as workplace visits.

Students who successfully complete the Foundation Programme can progress onto a specifically developed ‘vocational’ final year of the Honours Programme at CCI. The Faculty is also in the process of designing a Work-Based Learning Degree in Creative Industries for individuals already working within the sector and for individuals wanting to retrain.

Foundation Degree in Interactive Media and Television

This programme is designed for learners already employed in the creative industries, without formal creative industries qualifications, or candidates wanting to re-train to enter the Interactive/TV Industry. This tailor made Foundation Degree is effective in managing to place candidates into the creative industries, and gain work in the creative sector. The skills and opportunities it gives students are second to none and students’ output is of a very high standard.

Further details on Foundations Degrees at the Cardiff School of Creative and Cultural Industries can be obtained from Cleeve Jenkins (cjenkins@glam.ac.uk).
 

Merthyr Tydfil College

The Work-Based Learning Unit at Merthyr Tydfil College is funded by DCELLS and offers both FMA at level 2 and MA at level 3.  These are offered in the following subject areas:-

• Business Administration
• IT Management
• Professional Health Care
• Public Services
• Retail
• Customer Service
• Construction
• Engineering
• Manufacturing
• Hairdressing 

For the FMA (level 2), students study NVQ Level 2 in the workplace, a Technical Certificate which is classroom-based, and Key Skills at level 1.  Key Skills comprises both core skills (communication, application of number and IT skills) and wider skills (improving own learning, working with others and problem solving).  For the MA (level 3), students study NVQ Level 3, a Higher Technical Certificate and Key Skills at level 2.  The entry criteria for both FMA and MA stipulate that students have to be employed.  

The funding priorities of the Unit are to service existing students and the guaranteed group of 16-17 year olds which would be those entering the SkillBuild Programme at NVQ Level 1.  The next priority would be the extended guaranteed group of 18-19 year olds entering either SkillBuild or the FMA/MAA.  Certain subject areas identified as priority areas due to an identified regional need for skills training include childcare and construction.  Whilst the FMA and MA Schemes are open to all ages, funding for adults is limited.  Skillbuild is also open to unemployed adults although the focus tends to be on the youth.