SMEs: An untapped employability resource? Presentation by Brendan Bacon & Jim Reali University of Birmingham Careers Network
Objectives By the end of this session we want to cover: What can SMEs offer students / the HE institution that is unique? How can SMEs help the institution achieve its employability goals? What are the goals, aims and barriers to SME engagement? What methods are available to increase SME engagement? Also
Icebreaker exercise! Split into four groups you have 5 minutes to identify and feed back: A maximum of three things you would like to take from this workshop
What attendees wanted to cover The following points were raised in the Icebreaker exercise: Strategic engagement with SMEs How can we bridge the gap over expectations that can help in the process of recruitment and yet maintain impartiality Discuss issues around managing expectations around employer requirements How to move from engaging with SMEs in an ad hoc way to doing so in a more systematic way How to identify SMEs Working with business networks SME internships and funding problems SME expectations for graduates Encouraging SME / Uni involvement SMEs and international student experience Keeping SME involvement after initial engagement SMEs and seeing students as free labour Best networking events to attend to meet SMEs Who are they and where are they? How to find out where the new ones are Encouraging placements and internships How do we best engage SMEs UK-wide?
What is an SME?
Definition Sections 382 & 465 of the Companies Act 2006 state that SMEs: Have fewer than 250 employees Turnover less than 50 million
SMEs in the UK According to the Federation of Small Businesses: SMEs account for 99.9% of all private UK businesses SMEs employ 59.1% of the private UK workforce (23.9 million people) SMEs generate 48.8% of private sector turnover SME representation varies by industry and total industry turnover London & South East contain the most SMEs
SME Opportunities The 2010/2011 DLHE survey identified 42% of graduate level employment with SMEs (source: HECSU) Design Technician Design Engineer Junior Consultant Security Test Engineer Penetration Tester.NET Developer Arts Festival Assistant Junior Researcher (Media) Production Assistant
University of Birmingham
UoB Work Experience Bursaries For further information, visit the internship web pages: www.birmingham.ac.uk/internships
SME opportunities at UoB 2012/13 Number of engaged businesses by size No. of vacancies by type of organisation 38% 15% 28% under 10 staff 10 to 50 staff 251 or more staff 51 to 250 staff 19% 51 to 250 staff 251 or more staff 10 to 50 staff under 10 staff 0 100 200 300 400 Over 500 vacancies offered by over 400 SMEs
SMEs and the curriculum Employability Modules: CoSS Accounting & Finance J.W. Hinks (Presentation) LES Undergraduate Careers Talk (Presentation) Work Experience Placement Modules: CAL History & Cultures 60% of placements with SMEs CoSS Employability Module 20% of placements with SMEs Room for development Year In Industry programmes..
Exercise time! Split into four groups you have 10 minutes to discuss: GROUP 1: What can SMEs offer students / the HE institution that is unique? GROUP 2: How can SMEs help the institution achieve its employability goals? GROUP 3: What are the goals, aims and barriers to SME engagement? GROUP 4: What methods are available to increase SME engagement?
GROUP 1 responses What can SMEs offer students / the HE institution that is unique? New ideas Entrepreneurial ideas Opportunities for employment Varied experience Diverse opportunities with a flatter structure (potentially) Special projects e.g. website images Sense of graduate value Students engaging with local community Various regional programmes to fund internship programmes
GROUP 2 responses How can SMEs help the institution achieve its employability goals? SMEs getting involved in inputs, research etc to help students learn about industry (without placements) Keen to come on campus Collaboration between SMEs and the Students Union Big cog in a small machine business skills Real world application Leadership Business Development involvement Networking and diversity Business / SME dialogue Most local businesses are SMEs Most needed for local engagement
GROUP 3 responses What are the goals, aims and barriers to SME engagement? Goals: Aims: Barriers: Persuade SME to offer bespoke opportunity Changing student perception / showing the value of SMEs SMEs understand the benefit of working with HEIs - Sell the benefits Use their language Make the process painless and SIMPLE (what are our responsibilities?) A clear message from all parties at the university Putting your own house in order Universities working collaboratively Clear proposition is difficult (competing offers, lots of jargon) Power of the big companies Time / resource Give evidence to students Making it relevant to the local community
GROUP 4 responses What methods are available to increase SME engagement? Secure funding Alumni European Community Development Fund University Careers Service Project focus on placement? Studies offer consultancy to SMEs E.g. Business School / School of Management Mentors from SME sector helps their presence on campus SME networking specific Careers service acts as a recruitment shortlist service for SMEs
SME networking events What? Breakfast networking (Council, networking clubs ) Trade shows (NEC ) Conferences (trade, academic ) Bespoke (in-house) All-day networking events (speed dating, etc) Advertised networking breakfasts mainly sole traders selling their wares Council events larger organisations with stakeholders including SMEs Trade conferences and shows full range, but luck of the draw Bespoke tailored to our requirements All day events similar to breakfasts
Bespoke UoB SME event: Tapping Into talent Goal(s)? - 60+ SMEs attending - Increase SME awareness of UoB as valuable stakeholder - Increase internship opportunities Spec? - Autumn, evening event timing important - Keynote speaker wide appeal: Chamber of Commerce representative - UoB Business School appropriate location Incentives? - Networking opportunities - Other UoB support (e.g. Business Engagement) - Funding e.g. Santander - External stakeholders Chamber of Commerce, LEP, CBI - Wine and cheese!
DABE Development, Alumni & Business Engagement Alumni Relations Alumni have affiliation to the university. Offering roles is a chance for them to give something back and that benefits them Gives alumni s organisation exposure within the University network E.g. case studies for marketing materials; Corporate Social Responsibility too Dedicated Alumni Relations Managers have access to 170,000+ alumni details (in 190+ countries) Reciprocal: new leads provides Alumni Relations Managers with opportunity to engage previously unknown SMEs
DABE Development, Alumni & Business Engagement Business Engagement Link businesses of all sizes to commercial and research opportunities with UoB, including: KTPs Biz Inn Innovation Vouchers, ERABUS, Innovation Networks ( 5,000-12,000 SME grant for knowledge transfer) Packaging all University services as one product?
UoB Successes - Uni requirement: improve students understanding re-living in London Alumni contact (thanks to alumni office) informal chat over drinks Identify mutual benefit - to Uni (students) and company Identify Corporate Social Responsibility benefits Potential additional benefits? Insight days / graduate talent day in London Bespoke workshop delivery at UoB Develop streamlined feeder for recruitment Develop graduate roles Trainee specialist recruitment consultant Cyclical potential
Case studies are crucial!
Santander graduate internships Who else here is taking part? Graduate internships match funding ( 1,500) Three month duration Full time 2012-13: 10 available Running again 2013: more available Graduates from last two years 25% for penultimate year undergraduates Issues? E.g. Graduate uptake of opportunities
Careers Lab
Q&A / Discussion All points covered? Any questions / thoughts?