Towards a competency framework for student work-based learning

Transcription

1 Towards a competency framework for student work-based learning Dr Hilary M Jones, University of Sheffield Dr Lorna Warnock, University of York September 2014

2 Contents Section Page 1. Rationale 3 2. Draft framework for employers 4 3. Guidance to competencies for students 4 4. Employer feedback 5 5. Responses to questions on employer questionnaire 5 6. Amended framework 7 7. Further work 8 Appendix A 10 A competency framework for undergraduate, Masters and PhD students in the biosciences an employer s guide 10 Appendix B 16 Draft guidance to competencies for students at undergraduate, Masters and PhD level 16 Appendix C 25 Employer comments 25 Appendix D 29 Employer questionnaire 29 Appendix E 30 Acknowledgements 30 2

3 1. Rationale Work experience is growing in importance in both undergraduate and postgraduate curricula, and many higher education institutions (HEIs) are considering ways of incorporating work-based learning into their programmes. While so-called sandwich placements have been in existence for a long time, there has recently been a proliferation in the diversity of forms an internship or placement may take. For many years, the word intern was an American one, with US students undertaking internships with external organisations as part of their degrees. More recently, UK undergraduate students have taken the opportunity to complete vacation internships over the Summer vacations periods of their degrees. The newest development in this area is the PhD internship. This was introduced by the Biotechnology and Biosciences Research Council (BBSRC) in The Professional Internships for PhD Students (PIPS) scheme required PhD students on BBSRC s Doctoral Training Programme scheme to undertake three-month internships in areas other than that of their research subject. Other research councils are now following suit and the new funding model of Doctoral Training Centres which are frequently collaborations between several organisations (not necessarily exclusively universities) often include some kind of internship as a requirement of their funding. Therefore, the word internship has more recently taken on a broader meaning. An internship can be an integral part of a degree programme, employment undertaken during vacation periods, or a period of shortterm employment undertaken immediately after the degree has been completed. Internships, particularly those taken as part of the degree for university credit, may be unpaid or, increasingly, paid at a level commensurate with the work being undertaken and the educational level of the intern undertaking it. A more accurate definition of an internship undertaken by university students in the UK could be: An internship is a period of work experience offered by an employer to give students and graduates exposure to the working environment, often within a specific industry, and often related to their field of study. An internship should be funded by the host, unless it is a credit-bearing part of a degree programme, or if it forms part of a wage-subsidy scheme. All of these changes mean that universities are now seeking to engage with employers more broadly and may be looking for a whole range of opportunities for their students from short Easter vacation opportunities through to Summer vacation internships to work-based learning programmes embedded within programmes, and full year-long sandwich placements. Universities are also reconsidering the nature of their relationship with their alumni. Over the last decade or so, universities have approached their alumni with the aim of raising funds to support scholarships, development projects on campus or other financial initiatives. There is a growing realisation that alumni have more to offer than their financial contributions, and alumni are now more frequently being invited to return to campus to give skills talks, become mentors or to offer work-based learning opportunities within their organisations. This piece of work was undertaken at the Universities of York and Sheffield in order to: (a) enable employers to decide which level of student may be most suited to the project they have in mind; (b) articulate the full range of work-based learning opportunities sought by a university when in discussion with alumni and other employers; 3

4 (c) create a skeleton document that can be adapted for different subject areas and different higher education institutions. 2. Draft framework for employers The authors are familiar with competency frameworks having devised one for the assessment of Masters students taking a module in Business and Leadership Skills at the University of York. The Business and Leadership Skills competency framework was developed with input from employers sitting on the external advisory board for the Masters programme, and was therefore a useful starting point for the creation of a competency framework describing students in the Biosciences at the University of York. The initial competencies identified for the framework were: teamworking, working with others; leadership and management potential; communication skills; self-management, motivation and professionalism; commercial responsibility and business development; professional development; ethical and sustainable practice; scientific skills. To create the framework, each of the skill levels was described considering the training students have received through their courses and potential involvement with extracurricular activities. The skills were placed into three student categories undergraduate, Masters and PhD. For example, PhD students have significant experience of managing a large and complex project, and in some cases of managing the finances associated with the project. Masters students will have experience of managing a shorter project with more input from their supervisor, while undergraduates are likely to be working to more established protocols with a higher level of support and taking fewer decisions relating to the management of the project. The draft competency framework is given in appendix a, with an alternate layout included in appendix b. 3. Guidance to competencies for students Alongside the competency framework for employers, guides for students were also created. From the authors work in preparing students for job applications and interviews, it has become apparent that many students are not familiar with the concept of competencies and are unsure of how to talk about them. Three guidance documents were created in student-friendly language, one for each of the categories, to enable students to consider their skills and to prepare for competency-based internship and other interviews. The three guidance documents to competencies for students are given in appendix c. 4

5 Number of responses 4. Employer feedback Initially, we aimed to target employers in the Biosciences sector that have experience of hosting undergraduate, Masters, and/or PhD students studying the Biosciences. We sent the competency framework to 50 employers and had a 62% response rate. We arranged for the employers to access the competency framework and the questionnaire electronically, such that the survey was automatically returned to the authors d_form or, We included a guide to the thesis of the study and how to complete the survey. Employers were issued with the competency framework and asked questions to elicit feedback on the structure and usability of the framework. A full transcript of their comments for improvement is given in appendix c and the original questionnaire is given in appendix d. The frameworks defining undergraduate, Masters and PhD student competency levels were very well received by employers, the feedback was very positive, articulate, and of great value to the evolution of the framework. 5. Responses to questions on employer questionnaire 1. To what extent does the competency framework give you a clear definition of the skills at each of the three levels (undergraduate, Masters, and PhD)? 20 To what extent does the competency framework give you a clear definition of the skills at each of the three levels? Very clear Clear Ambiguous Unclear 50% of employers suggested that the framework provided a very clear definition and 45% a clear definition of the skills an employer could expect from the three groups of students. 5

6 Number of responses Number of responses 2. To what extent could this document help you to decide between offering an undergraduate, Masters or PhD internship at your workplace? 15 To what extent could this document help you to decide between offering an undergraduate, Masters or PhD internship at your workplace? It would greatly help me to decide It would somewhat help me to decide It might be helpful in deciding It would not help me to decide Only 7% of employers would not have found the framework helpful, whereas, 28% suggested that it would be a great help, 48% somewhat helpful and 21% said it might be helpful. The employer that said it would not help added that as they already worked closely with the university, they already had an excellent knowledge of the skills of students at each level. 3. To what extent do the skills described here match the skills that you look for in an employee or intern? To what extent do the skills described here match the skills that you look for in an employee or intern? There is a close match There is a partial match The skills listed differ in some key ways from our own requirements The document in no way reflects the skills that we look for Only 3% of employers felt that there was a mismatch between the skills they would be addressing and those outlined in the competency framework. Of the remaining 97% of employers responding to this question, 59% reported a close match and 38% a partial match of skills. 4. If you have experience of hosting placement students and interns in your workplace, to what extent do you feel that the descriptions of the skills at each level are accurate? 6

7 Number of responses If you have experience of hosting placement students and interns in your workplace, to what extent do you feel that the descriptions of the skills at each level are accurate? They match well with the skill level of students I have hosted It matches somewhat There is a partial match The descriptions do not match the skill level of students I have hosted. 48% of employers responded to question four saying that the skills were well matched, 45% that skills were somewhat matched and only 7% suggested that the skills outlined were only a partial match. Our final question asked employers to comment on how the competency framework document could be improved to help employers decide between offering an undergraduate, Masters or PhD internship within their own organisation. Firstly, the employers commented that the initial draft framework document presented in this study was comprehensive, well defined, cogent, well written, well laid out and accessible. Employers said that the framework described the competencies expected at the three different levels and that the framework would be valuable to help employers understand what level of employee they needed given the specific skills and experience that were required to complete a particular project. One employer stated that the framework was an excellent way to marry candidates to a position. Another employer thought that we had too high an expectation of our students and their competencies. However, we have based the draft framework on a competency framework that we initially designed for our Masters students as previously mentioned and the competencies defined were a really good match for the skill set of these Bioscience students. A full transcript of employer comments is given in appendix c. 6. Amended framework Many of the suggestions for improvement of the competency frameworks are ideas that the authors will be able to incorporate into the final draft of the competency framework and have considered including in additional information for employers. Suggestions from employers also further support our ideas for the enhancement of and availability of the competency frameworks which will we discuss in this review. Employers suggested that the authors prepare such a framework for the students so that they would have a clearer understanding of the expectation of employers. This has been done and a guide to competencies has been produced which is accessible for the three levels of students to enable them to look at the skill sets that would be expected of them during their professional development and to identify their strengths and weaknesses within this framework. 7

8 A number of employers thought that we could present the framework in an alternate way to produce a sideby-side comparison of skills in a tabulated format. This alternative version has been completed is included in appendix a. Employers also suggested competencies that we could add to the framework such as; responsibility for health and safety; responsibility for project management; quality assurance ISO 9001; statistical analysis; science communication/outreach activities; professionalism and maturity; scientific/academic knowledge. We agree that these competencies could easily be included into the basic framework and we would envisage that the framework be tailored depending on the employer and the demands of the project to which the student would be recruited. We will amend the draft framework to include as many comments as possible from employers. A number of employers also suggested that we provide case studies as part of the competency framework defining the impact that students have made during their placement or internships and the opportunity afforded to develop specific professional skills during the internship. The authors had considered providing case studies. However, due to the time constraints of this short pilot study we were unable to do so. 7. Further work Our initial competency framework was designed specifically for the Bioscience sector and we hope that the reader can see how easily the initial framework could be adapted to other academic disciplines and employment sectors. Our intention is to write a guide to employers to show how the competency framework document can be used in conjunction with employers existing recruitment criteria and, of course, alongside an interview which we know is still an invaluable employee selection procedure. This should assuage some of our responding employers who rightly suggested that the competency framework should not be used in isolation of other recruitment procedures but that it could enhance the ability to match the student to the specific internship opportunity. In the future, we would like to invite undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to comment on the competency framework so that we can make amendments which are pertinent to students and also invite our colleagues in the placement and internship sector to help us further hone and adapt the competency framework. We would also like to work with students to provide case studies which we consider to be a valuable addition to the competency framework and guide to employers. Having provided the first basic competency framework for all three levels of students that can be shared and incorporated into our best practice documents, we would like to progress to further improve the document, add case studies, identify how the document can evolve, and be adapted to cover different spectrums of academic study and employability. We will go on to describe how the framework can be tailored to meet the 8

9 needs of employers and provide a map for the level of competency expected of students at the different stages of their professional development. 9

10 Appendix A A competency framework for undergraduate, Masters and PhD students in the biosciences an employer s guide Dr Hilary M. Jones and Dr Lorna J. Warnock Introduction hosting and employing students and graduates As internships become more common in university degree programmes at all levels, employers have a greater choice over the kind of student they may choose to host or employ at their organisation as part of an internship or in a graduate position. Most universities offer three levels of degree programme: Undergraduate The three or four year degree with which most people are familiar. Undergraduates may complete a sandwich year in employment as part of their degree, and may also undertake internships during the university vacation periods. Masters Masters students complete a further one or two years of study and undertake a substantial research project, which may be undertaken for an employer. Doctorate (PhD) The highest level of study. Doctoral students undertake an independent research project, of three to four years in length. This document outlines the skills and experience typical of undergraduate, masters and doctoral students in the biosciences. The skill set The competency framework consists of descriptions of a set of skills and experiences for students at each of the three levels. The skills are: teamworking, working with others; leadership and management potential; communication skills; self-management, motivation and professionalism; commercial responsibility and business development; professional development; ethical and sustainable practice; scientific skills. 10

11 The competency framework Format A to compare skills within student group Competency: Teamworking, working with others Leadership and management potential Communication skills Selfmanagement, motivation and professionalism Commercial responsibility and business development Professional development Ethical and sustainable practice Scientific skills Expected ability at undergraduate level: Undergraduate students gain teamworking experience through various group work projects that form part of their degree. Those that have completed an internship, work experience or extracurricular activities may have further developed these skills, understanding the importance of clear communication and delegation and challenging inappropriate behaviours. Depending on their experience in the workplace and in extracurricular activities, students should have an understanding of what makes a good leader and should be willing to begin to develop these skills in themselves. The student has good skills in verbal and written communication. The student should be developing strategies and creating opportunities to improve them. The student should have a bioethical awareness of their study/research and understand that they have a responsibility to communicate science professionally to others. Undergraduates work to a structured timetable and are required to meet fixed deadlines and organise their own time for project work and revision. Students may also fit these tasks around extracurricular activities and employment. Attainment of high academic grades usually indicates success in self-management, organisation and motivation, owing to the high workload of a science degree. Professionalism may be reflected in the amount of time spent in employment, voluntary work or extracurricular activities, and may be limited at this stage in their development. Depending on their work experience and extracurricular activities, students may have some limited experience of commercial and business operation. Some students may have studied an enterprise module or undertaken other enterprise activities. Many undergraduate students undertake internships or a year-inindustry, which significantly develops their understanding of business operation. Undergraduate students make limited, short-term career decisions at this stage. They are introduced to the concept of skills and competencies and how to talk and write about them. Students are encouraged to identify areas of strength and weakness and to look for opportunities to develop them. Students work on their communication, written and presentation skills. Some high-flying students undertake an employability award such as the York Award. Students undertaking internships and year-in-industry placements are likely to seek professional development opportunities at their host organisations. Depending on their work and extracurricular activities, undergraduate students should have an awareness of the concepts of ethical and sustainable practice. Will have spent 150 hours per year acquiring basic laboratory skills such as aseptic technique, basic molecular biology, basic protein expression techniques, fieldwork, statistical analysis, basic experimental design. Students should recognise their responsibility to follow Health and Safety guidelines and will understand the principles of GLP. Final year students complete a ~ten-week research project where they design their own experiments, analyse data, prepare an 8000-word report and present their results verbally. 11

12 Competency: Teamworking, working with others Leadership and management potential Communication skills Selfmanagement, motivation and professionalism Commercial responsibility and business development Professional development Ethical and sustainable practice Scientific skills Expected ability at Masters level: Masters students develop further teamworking experience as part of a group project, building on from their undergraduate experience. They may also have received training and feedback relating to their performance as part of a team. Students that have completed a work placement, extracurricular or outreach activities may have further developed these skills Masters students are likely to have had the opportunity to challenge inappropriate behaviours or courses of action. Some Masters students will have covered transferable and leadership skills and should demonstrate an understanding of leadership capabilities. These students should be looking for opportunities to further develop these skills. These students may have experience of both good and bad leadership and should be able to understand how their own leadership skills are developing, particularly within the context of the group work that forms part of their degree. Very good verbal and written communication skills, with experience in writing extended reports and critiquing others' work. They will have experience of delivering assessed verbal presentations and answering questions about their work. Students at this level familiar with interacting with the primary literature. Masters students work to a structured timetable with fixed deadlines, and are expected to take more responsibility for the management of their own time, for example working in groups, reading around their subject and managing their research project. Masters students are usually highly motivated since the workload on this type of degree is very high. Masters programmes include a longer research project, requiring self-management to plan and write up the project. Students at this level may have experience of undergraduate placements or internships in which to develop their professionalism, or have spent time in employment before returning to study. Building on their undergraduate experience, Masters students are likely to demonstrate a good understanding of enterprise issues such as intellectual property and the steps involved in commercialisation of a scientific idea. As a significant part of the Masters programme, students will undertake a ~28-week placement, within a commercial organisation. Masters students are encouraged to think carefully about their career aspirations and professional development. Many Masters courses include comprehensive training and transferable and employability skills, the identification of strengths and weakness and the consideration of personality types and learning and leadership styles. Masters students are likely to aspire to managerial roles, should have a good awareness of their professional development needs and should be seeking opportunities to develop them within their placement. Masters students should have further developed their awareness of the bioethical implications of their research and may have studied a module on bioethics. Masters students may also have considered the importance of responsible communication of science to the public. In addition to the hours spent at undergraduate level, Masters students will have gained further experimental techniques according to their specialism. They will have further experience of experimental design and adaptation of protocols/sops. Students will work to GLP standards. Masters students are likely to hold additional IT skills such as programming, graphics, bibliographic systems and others according to their specialism. Masters students will demonstrate a higher level of numerical skills and statistical analysis than their undergraduate counterparts. Students complete a 28-week research project, often with an industrial partner. Students prepare an 8000-word report and deliver a presentation on this work. 12

13 Competency: Teamworking, working with others Leadership and management potential Communicati on skills Selfmanagement, motivation and professionalis m Commercial responsibility and business development Professional development Ethical and sustainable practice Scientific skills Expected ability at Doctoral level: PhD students should have extensive and well-developed team-working skills on top of their previous experience particularly when part of a large research group. Those that have completed an internship, extracurricular activities or outreach programs may have further developed these skills. They should also have an awareness of their integration into their team and their preferred role, strengths and weaknesses. At this point in their career, PhD students should be giving thought to how they would be developing their own team in the future. They may also undertake training in teamworking/building and personality types. Many PhD students are involved with committees and professional bodies, further exposing them to teams and their function. As part of their research, PhD students are likely to have to negotiate over use of resources and to offer or draw support to/from others. PhD students undertake a range of professional development training to assist them in the development of their leadership skills. They will have first-hand experience of leadership from working closely with their supervisor and training advisory panel, and will be developing their own skills by working with technical staff, overseeing undergraduate projects and working with visiting associates. These students may be involved in networking and setting up collaborations outside of their own research group. Students take responsibility for their own research projects, and learn to take a leadership role, making and defending important decisions and managing risk relating to their work. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, experienced at writing high-level scientific reports and journal papers. Experienced in delivering professional presentations, to international audiences and facing robust critique of their work. Experienced in preparing poster presentations and networking with professionals in their field. PhD students take responsibility for the successful planning and delivery of their (3-4 year) research projects, requiring high levels of motivation and self-organisation. PhD students schedule their own working hours and therefore develop excellent time management skills. Most PhD students have excellent levels of professionalism, interacting with sponsors and professional contacts on top of any workplace experience gained through undergraduate or Masters placements. Building on their previous experience, some PhD students are sponsored by external organisations and spend time at the business premises of their sponsors. PhD students undertake a range of professional development training, which includes intellectual property, entrepreneurship and business-orientated skills. Many PhD students are responsible for the financial planning of their project, developing commercial acuity and may undertake negotiations for equipment and consumables with suppliers. PhD students undertake an extensive and compulsory professional development programme (the Researcher Development Framework) and are required to reflect on their professional development over the course of their research degree. PhD students tend to aspire to leadership positions and are looking for opportunities to develop those skills. Depending on their previous work experience, they may have a limited view of their employability outside of academia, and the PhD internship will stimulate the student to consider a wider application of their skills. PhD students should have a further developed understanding of their own values and motivations relating to their career aspirations and the work that they currently undertake. As part of their compulsory professional development programme, they may have studied bioethics and academic integrity. PhD students involved with grant writing will need to describe the ethical considerations relating to their work. PhD students are frequently involved in the public communication of their science, and may receive specialist training in this area. Extensive experience in experimental design, troubleshooting, and project management. PhD students will have excellent verbal communication skills, having presented and defended their work nationally and internationally. They will be experienced in engaging with the primary literature and critiquing work from peer-reviewed journals. PhD students will develop novel techniques and write their own protocols and SOPs. PhD students will contribute to the organisation and functioning of the workplace, and will be experts in the techniques that they use in their field. They will enforce and adhere to health and safety procedures and are responsible for the implementation of GLP. These students are likely to hold additional IT skills such as programming, graphics, bibliographic systems and others according to their specialism. They should also demonstrate a higher level of numerical skills and statistical analysis than their counterparts. PhD students will be involved in the preparation of publications for peer-reviewed journals, posters, grant applications and other reports. They will prepare a ~70,000 word thesis outlining their research findings, and will defend this verbally in front of external professionals. 13

14 Format B to compare skills across the student group Table 1: Teamworking, leadership and management, and communication skills Teamworking, working with others Leadership and management potential Communication skills Undergraduate Undergraduate students gain teamworking experience through various group work projects that form part of their degree. Those that have completed an internship, work experience or extracurricular activities may have further developed these skills, understanding the importance of clear communication and delegation and challenging inappropriate behaviours. Depending on their experience in the workplace and in extracurricular activities, students should have an understanding of what makes a good leader and should be willing to begin to develop these skills in themselves. The student has good skills in verbal and written communication. The student should be developing strategies and creating opportunities to improve them. The student should have a bioethical awareness of their study/research and understand that they have a responsibility to communicate science professionally to others. Masters Masters students develop further teamworking experience as part of a group project, building on from their undergraduate experience. They may also have received training and feedback relating to their performance as part of a team. Masters students are likely to have had the opportunity to challenge inappropriate behaviours or courses of action. Some Masters students will have covered transferable and leadership skills and should demonstrate an understanding of leadership capabilities. These students should be looking for opportunities to further develop these skills. These students may have experience of both good and bad leadership and should be able to understand how their own leadership skills are developing, particularly within the context of the group work that forms part of their degree. Very good verbal and written communication skills, with experience in writing extended reports and critiquing others' work. They will have experience of delivering assessed verbal presentations and answering questions about their work. Students at this level familiar with interacting with the primary literature. Doctorate PhD students should have extensive and well-developed team-working skills on top of their previous experience particularly when part of a large research group. They should also have an awareness of their integration into their team and their preferred role, strengths and weaknesses. At this point in their career, PhD students should be giving thought to how they would be developing their own team in the future. They may also undertake training in teamworking/building and personality types. Many PhD students are involved with committees and professional bodies, further exposing them to teams and their function. As part of their research, PhD students are likely to have to negotiate over use of resources and to offer or draw support to/from others. PhD students undertake a range of professional development training to assist them in the development of their leadership skills. They will have first-hand experience of leadership from working closely with their supervisor and training advisory panel, and will be developing their own skills by working with technical staff, overseeing undergraduate projects and working with visiting associates. These students may be involved in networking and setting up collaborations outside of their own research group. Students take responsibility for their own research projects, and learn to take a leadership role, making and defending important decisions and managing risk relating to their work. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, experienced at writing high-level scientific reports and journal papers. Experienced in delivering professional presentations, to international audiences and facing robust critique of their work. Experienced in preparing poster presentations and networking with professionals in their field. 14

15 Table 2: Self-management, motivation and professionalism, commercial responsibility and business development, and professional development Self-management, motivation and professionalism Commercial responsibility and business development Professional development Undergraduate Undergraduates work to a structured timetable and are required to meet fixed deadlines and organise their own time for project work and revision. Students may also fit these tasks around extracurricular activities and employment. Attainment of high academic grades usually indicates success in self-management, organisation and motivation, owing to the high workload of a science degree. Professionalism may be reflected in the amount of time spent in employment, voluntary work or extracurricular activities, and may be limited at this stage in their development. Depending on their work experience and extracurricular activities, students may have some limited experience of commercial and business operation. Some students may have studied an enterprise module or undertaken other enterprise activities. Many undergraduate students undertake internships or a year-in-industry, which significantly develops their understanding of business operation. Undergraduate students make limited, short-term career decisions at this stage. They are introduced to the concept of skills and competencies and how to talk and write about them. Students are encouraged to identify areas of strength and weakness and to look for opportunities to develop them. Students work on their communication, written and presentation skills. Some high-flying students undertake an employability award such as the York Award. Students undertaking internships and year-in-industry placements are likely to seek professional development opportunities at their host organisations. Masters Masters students work to a structured timetable with fixed deadlines, and are expected to take more responsibility for the management of their own time, for example working in groups, reading around their subject and managing their research project. Masters students are usually highly motivated since the workload on this type of degree is very high. Masters programmes include a longer research project, requiring self-management to plan and write up the project. Students at this level may have experience of undergraduate placements or internships in which to develop their professionalism, or have spent time in employment before returning to study. Building on their undergraduate experience, Masters students are likely to demonstrate a good understanding of enterprise issues such as intellectual property and the steps involved in commercialisation of a scientific idea. As a significant part of the Masters programme, students will undertake a ~28-week placement, within a commercial organisation. Masters students are encouraged to think carefully about their career aspirations and professional development. Many Masters courses include comprehensive training and transferable and employability skills, the identification of strengths and weakness and the consideration of personality types and learning and leadership styles. Masters students are likely to aspire to managerial roles, should have a good awareness of their professional development needs and should be seeking opportunities to develop them within their placement. Doctorate PhD students take responsibility for the successful planning and delivery of their (3-4 year) research projects, requiring high levels of motivation and selforganisation. PhD students schedule their own working hours and therefore develop excellent time management skills. Most PhD students have excellent levels of professionalism, interacting with sponsors and professional contacts on top of any workplace experience gained through undergraduate or Masters placements. Building on their previous experience, some PhD students are sponsored by external organisations and spend time at the business premises of their sponsors. PhD students undertake a range of professional development training, which includes intellectual property, entrepreneurship and business-orientated skills. Many PhD students are responsible for the financial planning of their project, developing commercial acuity and may undertake negotiations for equipment and consumables with suppliers. PhD students undertake an extensive and compulsory professional development programme (the Researcher Development Framework) and are required to reflect on their professional development over the course of their research degree. PhD students tend to aspire to leadership positions and are looking for opportunities to develop those skills. Depending on their previous work experience, they may have a limited view of their employability outside of academia, and the PhD internship will stimulate the student to consider a wider application of their skills. 15

16 Appendix B Draft guidance to competencies for students at undergraduate, Masters and PhD level The mysterious language of competencies what every undergraduate student needs to know What is a competency? During your degree, you will be assessed thoroughly on the knowledge of your subject and your ability to critique and analyse your own work and the work of others. These are excellent skills that prepare you well for your next step, but employers use the language of competencies. A competency describes a skill, and your level of ability at that skill. For example the skill of negotiation, of verbal presentations, or a technical skill such as operating a microscope. When you apply for internships or a job vacancy, you will need to speak the language of competencies and provide evidence for them, so that employers can understand how good you are! Some people feel very uncomfortable about blowing their own trumpet, but by talking positively about your competencies, you are helping employers to understand how you can fit into their organisation and the contributions that you can make and perhaps getting that dream job offer! What competencies do I get from my degree? Depending on the nature of your degree you will be developing a range of competencies all the time however you may not realise it, and your lecturers may not speak to you in the mysterious language of competencies. Some of the competencies that you will be building up are: working in a team and understanding best ways of working together with and leading others; communicating, whether in writing, by giving a formal presentation or speaking informally with colleagues; meeting deadlines and planning your work; technical skills such as biology laboratory techniques. How will an internship help my competencies? An internship will help you to understand how all of the competencies you have learned so far can be transferred into workplace situations. You might find that your essay writing skills mean that you can turn out an excellent report for the boss, or that the presentation skills you developed in tutorials allow you to put ideas across to clients. Am I assessed on my competencies? The big difference between university and the workplace is that employers will use competency frameworks almost exclusively to assess your ability, which will determine your progression and pay. At university your main form of assessment will be on the subject knowledge and understanding that you can demonstrate in exams, essays and practicals. How do I talk about my competencies on a CV or at a job interview? Therefore, it is very important that you learn the mysterious language of competencies when writing job applications and talking at interview. Look at the competency framework below to get an idea of the kind of competencies that you should be able to talk to employers about. 16

17 What are the common competencies that employers look for? The table below shows you a section of a competency framework it describes the common competencies that an undergraduate student should have. Each employer uses a slightly different competency framework, and smaller organisations may not have a formal framework but are still likely to be looking for the same sort of competencies. 17

18 Competency: Teamworking, working with others Expected ability at undergraduate level: You should be able to provide evidence of teamworking through various group work projects that form part of your degree. If you have completed some kind of work experience or extracurricular activities you will have further developed these skills, understanding the importance of clear communication, delegation and challenging inappropriate behaviours. Leadership and management potential Depending on your experience in the workplace and in extracurricular activities, you should have an understanding of what makes a good leader and should be willing to begin to develop these skills in yourself. Communication skills You should have good skills in verbal and written communication. You should be developing strategies and creating opportunities to improve them. You should have a bioethical awareness of your study/research and understand that you have a responsibility to communicate science professionally to others. Self-management, motivation and professionalism You are working to a structured timetable and are required to meet fixed deadlines and organise your own time for project work and revision. You may also fit these tasks around extracurricular activities and employment. Attainment of high academic grades usually indicates success in self-management, organisation and motivation, owing to the high workload of a science degree. Professionalism may be reflected in the amount of time you have spent in employment, voluntary work or extracurricular activities. Commercial responsibility and business development Your work experience and extracurricular activities, may have given you some experience of commercial and business operation. If you have studied an enterprise module or undertaken other enterprise activities you will have further developed this competency. Professional development A competency in professional development means that you are continually looking for ways to learn and develop yourself. Throughout university you will have had opportunities to learn new skills, sign up for courses and improve yourself. These are examples of your willingness to develop professionally. If you do an internship or year-in-industry, you might have further opportunities to take part in training courses or other opportunities at your host organisation. Ethical and sustainable practice Depending on your work and extracurricular activities, you should have an awareness of the concepts of ethical and sustainable practice. Scientific skills You will have spent 150 hours per year acquiring basic laboratory skills such as aseptic technique, basic molecular biology, basic protein expression techniques, fieldwork, statistical analysis, basic experimental design. You will understand the principles of Good Laboratory Practice. In your final year you will complete a ~10-week research project where you design your own experiments, analyse data, prepare a 8000-word report and present your results verbally. 18

19 The mysterious language of competencies what every Masters student needs to know What is a competency? During your degree, you will be assessed thoroughly on the knowledge of your subject and your ability to critique and analyse your own work and the work of others. These are excellent skills that prepare you well for your next step, but employers use the language of competencies. A competency describes a skill, and your level of ability at that skill. For example, the skill of negotiation, verbal presentations, or a technical skill such as operating a microscope. When you apply for internships or a job vacancy, you will need to speak the language of competencies and provide evidence for them, so that employers can understand how good you are! Some people feel very uncomfortable about blowing their own trumpet, but by talking positively about your competencies, you are helping employers to understand how you can fit into their organisation and the contributions that you can make and perhaps getting that dream job offer! What competencies do I get from my degree? Depending on the nature of your degree you will be developing a range of competencies all the time however you may not realise it, and your lecturers may not speak to you in the mysterious language of competencies. Some of the competencies that you will be building up are: working in a team and understanding the best ways of working together with and leading others; communicating, whether in writing, by giving a formal presentation or speaking informally with colleagues; meeting deadlines and planning your work; technical skills such as biology laboratory techniques. How will an internship help my competencies? An internship will help you to understand how all of the competencies you have learned so far can be transferred into workplace situations. You might find that your essay writing skills mean that you can produce an excellent report for the boss, or that the presentation skills you developed in tutorials allow you to put ideas across to clients. Am I assessed on my competencies? The big difference between university and the workplace is that employers will use competency frameworks almost exclusively to assess your ability, which will determine your progression and pay. At university your main form of assessment will be on the subject knowledge and understanding that you can demonstrate in exams, essays and practicals. How do I talk about my competencies on a CV or at a job interview? Therefore, it is very important that you learn the mysterious language of competencies when writing job applications and talking at interview. Look at the competency framework below to get an idea of the kind of 19

20 competencies that you should be able to talk to employers about. What are the common competencies that employers look for? The table below shows you a section of a competency framework it describes the common competencies that a Masters student should have. Each employer uses a slightly different competency framework, and smaller organisations may not have a formal framework but are still likely to be looking for the same sort of competencies. 20

21 Competency: Teamworking, working with others Expected ability at Masters level: Having completed your undergraduate degree, your Masters will allow you to further develop your teamworking experience as part of group projects. You may also receive training and feedback relating to your performance as part of a team. You are likely to have the opportunity to challenge inappropriate behaviours or courses of action. Leadership and management potential You will have covered transferable and leadership skills as an undergraduate and should be able to demonstrate an understanding of leadership capabilities. You could look for opportunities to further develop your leadership skills. You probably have observed both good and bad leadership and should be able to understand how your own leadership skills are developing, particularly within the context of the group work that forms part of your degree. Communication skills You should have very good verbal and written communication skills, and experience in writing extended reports and critiquing others' work. You will have delivered a number of assessed verbal presentations and defended your work. You should be familiar with literature searches. Self-management, motivation and professionalism As you work to a structured timetable with fixed deadlines, you take more responsibility for the management of your own time, for example working in groups, reading around your subject and managing your own research project. Masters students are usually highly motivated since the workload on your degree is very high. Masters programmes include a longer research project, requiring self-management to plan and write up the project. Work experience that you have so far will have helped you to develop your professionalism. Commercial responsibility and business development Building on your undergraduate experience, you are likely to demonstrate a good understanding of enterprise issues such as intellectual property and the steps involved in commercialisation of a scientific idea. As a significant part of your Masters programme, you will undertake a ~28-week placement, perhaps within a commercial organisation. Professional development Many Masters courses include comprehensive training and transferable and employability skills, the identification of strengths and weakness and the consideration of personality types and learning and leadership style all of these contribute to your professional development. Ethical and sustainable practice You should have developed an awareness of the bioethical implications of your research and have studied a module on bioethics. You may also have had an opportunity to consider the importance of responsible communication of science to the public. Scientific skills In addition to the hours spent in the laboratory at undergraduate level, you will have gained further experimental techniques according to your specialism. You will have further experience of experimental design and adaptation of protocols/sops and will work to GLP standards. You may also have additional IT skills such as programming, graphics, bibliographic systems and others according to your specialism. You should be able to demonstrate a higher level of numerical skills than your undergraduate counterparts. You will complete a 28-week research project, often with an industrial partner and prepare an 8,000-word report and deliver a presentation on this work. 21