NORTH EAST SCOTLAND COLLEGE ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR EMPLOYABILITY: CORE AND SOFT SKILLS STRATEGY

Transcription

1 NORTH EAST SCOTLAND COLLEGE ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR EMPLOYABILITY: CORE AND SOFT SKILLS STRATEGY

2 ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR EMPLOYABILITY: CORE AND SOFT SKILLS STRATEGY 1.0 Intrductin Nrth East Sctland Cllege recgnises the imprtance f nt nly develping vcatinally-specific knwledge and skills, but als in enabling students t develp essential skills fr learning, skills fr life and skills fr wrk that frm the basis f Curriculum fr Excellence. These skills have been defined as Cre Skills and Sft Skills. The key imprtance f the Cre Skills f Cmmunicatin, Numeracy, ICT, Wrking with Others and Prblem Slving, and Sft Skills f Citizenship, Emplyability, Envirnmental and Ecnmic Sustainability, Enterprise and Study Skills is reflected in the Cllege s verall range f services. The Cllege is cmmitted t develping the experiences and utcmes f Curriculum fr Excellence acrss the curriculum in ways that develp in learners the essential skills fr life and wrk beynd cllege. The Cllege recgnises that the develpment f a wide range f essential life skills including the prmtin f equality and diversity helps learners t secure psitive destinatins pst Cllege. The Cllege is cmmitted t including Cre Skills units and Sft Skills develpment n full-time prgrammes, and n part-time prgrammes where apprpriate. The Essential Skills will be delivered using a cmbinatin f discrete unitised, embedded and/r integrated prvisin accrding t the vcatinal cntext. The Cllege recgnises the need fr the integratin f these skills int meaningful vcatinal cntexts. The mst apprpriate methd f integratin is determined n the basis f the client grup and their prir experience. In deciding n the apprpriate methd f delivery, issues f skill develpment and skill assessment will be planned. 2.0 Cre Skills 2.1 In rder t develp the Cre Skills f Numeracy, Cmmunicatin, ICT, Wrking with Others and Prblem Slving in mainstream Cllege prvisin, the Cllege strategy is t:- Where apprpriate incrprate cntextualised discrete Numeracy, Cmmunicatin and ICT units within curse prgrammes and prmte ICT pervasiveness in the curriculum. Thrugh prgramme design and lessn planning, prmte the inclusin and develpment f Wrking with Others and Prblem Slving (and ther similar essential skills fr life and wrk) thrugh apprpriate learning activities and experiences, and ensure that prgress is recrded in individual learning plans. Put in place arrangements t allw learners wh have already achieved the Cre Skills level fr the prgramme t prgress t the next level, and t supprt thse whse Cre Skill entry level is such that they cannt readily achieve the Cre Skills level fr the prgramme. Implement a diagnstic apprach t establishing Cre Skills cmpetency fr nn-advanced fulltime learners (with the exceptin f ESOL and Learning Opprtunities students) t establish and recrd individual skill levels and prmte the full develpment f Cre Skills: recgnitin by students f acknwledgement f prir attainment. curse verviews and lessn plans t include planning fr Cre Skills develpment at individual and class level. early interventin and supprt fr learners with particular difficulties. further develpment f learners wh are already at the required level and wh have the capacity t make further prgress. teaching staff t differentiate the learning and teaching experiences f learners t accmmdate differing levels f cre skills in any class grup. 2

3 Enabling learners t see the relevance f Cre Skills t their verall emplyability and citizenship skills prfile. Encuraging curriculum teams t be innvative in their appraches t reflecting n cre skills develpment with learners. Enabling HE learners t self prfile by giving access t prfiling sftware thrugh StudentNet. 3.0 Sft Skills The Cllege has identified fur brad clusters f Sft Skills, and fr each has identified the key elements in hw it will help students t develp them. Each cluster cnsists f a different mix f skills, essential understandings and underpinning attitudes. Hwever, the Cllege recgnises that there is a high degree f integratin f these essential skills. The Cllege has mapped the sft skills t the 4 capacities f Curriculum fr Excellence and t the experiences and utcmes t help learners identify the full range f essential skills that they are develping and being credited fr. 3.1 Citizenship Skills: develping Respnsible Citizens The cluster f skills, understanding and attitudes that enables an individual t be integrated as an active and infrmed member f lcal, Scttish, British, Eurpean and wrld sciety. Citizenship will be taken t incrprate bth the values f respect fr fellw citizens, whilst at the same time cnstructively participating in and cntributing t the life f the lcal cmmunity and wider sciety. Citizenship as a cncept incrprates an awareness regarding wider scial issues f justice, envirnmental sustainability and participatin in demcracy and decisinmaking. The cncept f Citizenship furthermre links the individual t cmpetencies f integrity, diligence and punctuality, which are essential values fr emplyability. 3.2 Enterprise and Emplyability Skills: develping Effective Cntributrs and Cnfident Individuals The cluster f skills, understanding and attitudes that (in cnjunctin with relevant specific vcatinal skills) enables an individual t enter and sustain paid emplyment, t create self-emplyment, t develp entrepreneurship in taking advantage f pprtunities fr career prgressin and t remain versatile by adapting t changes in the ecnmy. The Cllege will develp enterprise and emplyability skills in students by: Setting an example thrugh the prfessinal manner in which it delivers its service and the behaviurs f all its emplyees. Reinfrcing in students the essential skills and attitudes that underpin enterprise and emplyability, and develping the capacity fr challenging negative behaviurs. Prviding systematic wrkplace experience, where relevant. Invlving emplyers in prgrammes where apprpriate. Supprting learners t prgress t psitive destinatins. 3.3 Envirnmental and Ecnmic Sustainability Skills: develping Respnsible Citizens The cluster f skills, understanding and attitudes that enables an individual t make infrmed decisins relating t the impact f their actins n the envirnment and t act in ways that prmte a sustainable wrld envirnment. The Cllege is cmmitted t ensuring that all learners develp skills and habits that allw them t becme respnsible citizens wh can and d cntribute t the wellbeing f sciety and the envirnment. 3

4 The Cllege is aware f its educatinal, rganisatinal and scial respnsibilities, therefre in prmting and develping envirnmental sustainability the Cllege will: Prmte sustainability acrss the curriculum whether it is delivered as a discrete unit in areas such as Science, Cnstructin, Hspitality, Engineering and Travel and Turism r in prjects integrated int the curriculum, such as in Fashin, Phtgraphy, Marketing and Hairdressing, it permeates the life f the Cllege. Recgnise sustainability as an essential skill fr life and wrk. Use bth the curriculum and CPD t prmte knwledge, attitudes and skills that enable learners and staff t make infrmed decisins relating t the impact f their actins n the envirnment. Act in ways that prmte a sustainable wrld envirnment thrugh reducing, reusing and recycling wherever pssible and implementing safe and ethical dispsal prcedures. Develp and share gd practice in rder t influence sciety in a psitive way, seek t engage creativity and diversity and prmte pprtunity fr all. 3.4 Study Skills: develping successful learners The cluster f skills, understanding and attitudes that enables an individual t manage their learning effectively and t take maximum advantage frm learning pprtunities whether in frmal r infrmal cntexts. The Cllege will develp study skills by: Prviding (subject t the availability f funding) specific curses relating t the use f IT and t infrmatin skills fr study. Ensuring that staff teaching curse prgrammes embed within prgrammes apprpriate methdlgies t allw students t learn effective study techniques. 3.5 Sft Skills develpment will be secured thrugh a range f enterprising appraches t learning and teaching t prvide learning experiences set in the daily life f the Cllege, discrete areas f the curriculum, crss-curricular experiences and activities invlving links with lcal, natinal and internatinal partners. Sft Skills develpment will be encuraged thrugh: Student invlvement in Cllege life and management. Students managing their wn learning. Student invlvement in lcal cmmunities and with charities and ther third sectr rganisatins. Student engagement in ecnmic activity. Prmtin f diversity. Awareness f glbal, natinal and lcal issues. Recgnitin f student achievement. Essentially the Cllege s apprach t Sft Skills invlves: Leading by example Cllege staff prviding rle mdels t demnstrate the essential skills needed fr emplyment, citizenship, sustainability and study. Reinfrcing the required skills, behaviurs and understanding in ur students and challenging inapprpriate behaviurs. Prmting best practice in relatin t their delivery and develpment thrugh the frmal gd practice in the curriculum disseminatin events. 4.0 Implementatin and Mnitring 4.1 The Cllege recgnises its crucial rle in the develpment f students Cre and Sft Skills underpinning the principles f Curriculum fr Excellence and understands that this strategy requires Cllege wide cmmitment. By develping students essential skills fr life and wrk, the Cllege is supprting its students t becme successful learners, cnfident individuals, respnsible citizens and effective cntributrs. 4

5 4.2 Cre Skills prfiles t be established prir t starting the curse fr relevant full time students: Lessn bservatins. Audits f curse materials. Self-audit checklist fr teaching teams. Cre Skills prfiling at the start f each academic year fr relevant full-time students. Learner attainment. First destinatin statistics, including prgressin t wrk r further study. Emplyer feedback. Learner participatin in cmpetitins and prizes. Learner invlvement in the life and wrk f the Cllege and in the wider cmmunity, including vlunteering and charity wrk. The mnitring rle f the Learning & Teaching Strategy Grup. Perfrmance Indicatr data relating t the impact f embedding Curriculum fr Excellence in the curriculum f the Cllege. A range f self reflectin appraches adpted by curriculum teams. Impact f embedding Curriculum fr Excellence acrss the curriculum, as evidenced by Perfrmance Indicatr data. The Cllege will ensure that students are aware f the essential skills they have gained and accept wnership f their prgressin, and the recrding f the prgress made. 4.3 Self-evaluatin f each curse will take place n an annual basis t review the prvisin with respect t experiences and utcmes, including essential skills develpments. 4.4 The Cllege s Cre and Sft Skills Strategy will be implemented by specialist teaching staff in Cllege Schls, Faculties and ther departments, and by staff develpment relating t Cre and Sft Skills. 5.0 Respnsibilities 5.1 The Vice Principal Learning & Quality has verall respnsibility fr the implementatin f the Cre and Sft Skills Strategy as part f the Cllege s apprach t the implementatin f Curriculum fr Excellence. 5.2 The Directr f Curriculum f Creative Industries, Cmputing and Business Enterprise is respnsible fr the management f specialist teaching staff wh will c-rdinate Cre and Essential Skills. 5.3 Teaching staff will plan lessns t take accunt f learners Cre and Sft Skill levels in the develpment f skills fr life and wrk. 5.4 Guidance Tutrs will discuss learners prgress in relatin t Cre and Sft Skills with them and will liaise with the apprpriate staff if interventin strategies are required. 6.0 Related Dcuments 6.1 The Essential Skills fr Emplyability: Cre and Sft Skills Strategy is a sub-strategy f the Learning and Teaching Strategy. Status: Apprved Apprved by: SMT Date f Versin: August 2015 Date f EIA: T be cmpleted Respnsibility fr Strategy: Vice Principal Learning & Quality Date f Review: July