Employer engagement: Curriculum Development

Background

The University of Derby Corporate was launched in September 2008 in direct response to UK Government call for higher education institutions to do more to foster higher level skills development in the workforce. It is a project which aims to enhance the University of Derby’s capacity for employer engagement and fully exploit its proven flexible frameworks for responsive, customised skills development and lifelong learning.

Aims and targets

The project seeks to engage more employers, including those in sectors with no tradition of higher education (HE), through a continuum of opportunities. These opportunities aree designed to develop a highly skilled workforce underpinned by the university’s flexible framework for bespoke and shorter awards.

Specifically, the three complementary objectives of the project are to:

Establish a new business model for employer engagement to result in more HE programmes in partnership with employers
Create a new academic career pathway within the university in employer engagement through establishing 'Workforce Development Fellows'
Create a purpose-built facility for services to employers that meets the standards required by business clients.

Through the project, more employers, including those in sectors with no tradition of HE, will be engaged though a continuum of opportunities. These opportunities will help develop a highly skilled workforce underpinned by the University of Derby’s flexible framework for bespoke and shorter awards.

Strategy and actions

Pennine Healthcare is a manufacturing company in Derby who produce surgical equipment. The business continues to develop and drive into new markets, despite the external environment being particularly difficult. Pennine Healthcare is increasing its overseas business and the export of products is an area of major growth. The company has recognised that, in order to grow its business further, investment in staff development is required at the highest level.

A bespoke senior management development programme has been designed around the needs of the team and the business to ensure that future developments are not only embraced, but also engineered and driven. The programme is accredited – whilst this was not the main requirement for the customer, through innovative design, academic requirements have been incorporated within each stage to enhance the learning journey. The accreditation is seen as adding value, without moving away from the key purpose of the development being undertaken.

Monitoring and evaluation

Funding/Cost effectiveness

Between 2008-11 we are investing £150m in 93 lead institutions (HEIs and FECs) to develop courses in conjunction with employers to meet their workforce development needs. £105 is funding capacity building and £45m funds course costs. These programmes are co-funded by employers and funded at a reduced HEFCE rate. Of these 93 institutions, 35 have received development funding as well as course costs to ensure their infrastructure (such as IT system and quality assurance procedures) can meet the needs of employees who primarily learn through flexible and work-based modes of study and need access to support and resources that fit their distinctive needs. We expect to fund at least 35,000 additional co-funded entrants by 2011 with a view to further growth should this be available.

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Sustainability/Transferability

Activity such as the ECIF is limited to an 18 month period, but it is anticipated that demand for employer engagement and standard courses will continue for the foreseeable future.

Achievements

In addition to casework with particular companies, the university runs standard courses specially designed in association with the construction materials industry.

The courses have been created with employers in the construction industry and are constantly updated. They're also supported by the Institute of Quarrying and the Institute of Asphalt Technology.

Success factors

A main success factor is the direct approach to local companies, and the development of standard courses in partnership with specific sectors.

Unintended impacts

Strengths and weaknesses

Name of contact

E-mail

udc@derby.ac.uk

Website(s)

http://www.derby.ac.uk/corporate