Employability:the Work Friday pilot

Dr Jon Howden-EvansDeputy Head, Department of Professional Legal Studies

j.p.howden-evans@swansea.ac.uk

Overview

The problem facing our studentsTraditional placements and the changing market

for our graduatesThe ideaThe objectives, process and outcomesLessons we learntThe future

The problemThe Product was working fairly well – Legal

Practice Course (LPC) is a postgraduate diploma, authorised/monitored by a rigorous process, delivered by practitioners

The Market was changing – graduates without training contracts…

The Solution? – a work in progress (Review 2020)

we needed something asap…

General view of placements?As a busy solicitor – a real pain!

students have limited knowledge (and leave a bad impression?)

students might not have the requisite skillstypically placements occur in school holiday

periods, when partners are away (so I’m already busy…)

Firms like to have someone they know will be “ok” so look for previous work experience on the CV…

The changing market…The LPC an intensive course – difficult to find a

mutually convenient time for the placementRecession – redundancies in the office do not

make for a harmonious placement experienceTechnology – less need for “junior” support, so

some of the traditional placement tasks have declined…

The result = significantly less opportunities

The ideaTo create a “day” for a meaningful placement

(on a very limited budget) to ensure our students not only got “work experience”, but developed their abilities and gained a competitive edge

In doing so, develop inroads into firms that would not ordinarily look at our students, due to the use of strict criteria used as part of recruitment “portals”

The objectivesTo provide our students with the opportunity to

use their knowledge and skills in an organisation that matches their career aspirations

To provide organisations with quality work placement students

To structure the placement so that both parties actively benefit

Result = 1 day per week placement for 14 weeks

The processWe find the organisation and agree to advertise

the placement(s)We appoint a point of contact within the

Department to liaise with the organisation and handle student queries

A short time period is allowed for application by CV and cover letter

The processThe organisation selects (paper exercise or

interview) with references from the Department Once appointed, the organisation sorts out all

administration (e.g. professional requirements such as confidentiality)

Organisation and student agree to the hours of work for the 14 weeks (and any continuation thereafter and the terms…)

The outcomesStudents were of real value to the organisation,

undertaking useful work in areas that (for the majority) matched their career aspirations

As a weekly placement, the organisation could plan the tasks, enabling the student to see the matter progress

At quiet times in the study (Easter vacation) and post LPC, some students did more work

Has led to some paid work, full time contract, training contract

Lessons for us?Easier to break into smaller firms (less internal

regulation, no guaranteed places with other LPC providers), although this has started to prove less of a problem

Getting organisations to sign up is very time consuming – with firms, fee earning has priority…

Even where a student was not successful in obtaining the placement, they still benefitted

The futureNeed to formalise the capture of knowledge &

skills acquired (cannot make this assessed – for now…)

Need to find a less time consuming way of opening up the placements - already trying the greater involvement of the student in signing up the organisation

The profession is changing: ABS’s, social mobility – presents new opportunities

Employability:the Work Friday pilot

Dr Jon Howden-EvansDeputy Head, Department of Professional Legal Studies

j.p.howden-evans@swansea.ac.uk