THE NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS FRAMEWORK Working with the Education, and Economic, and Engagement Partnership (EEEP) Working with the EEE Partnership
INTRODUCTION Employability Skills Framework For a number of years it has been recognised that there are key qualities, attributes and traits that people need to possess to be successful in both their studies and in the work place. The following Employability skills have been defined by business in collaboration with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) as essential qualities which people require in addition to formal academic achievement: 1. Self Management 2. Teamwork 3. Business and Customer Awareness 4. Problem Solving 5. Communication and literacy 6. Application of numeracy 7. Application of information technology To ensure the effective transition into higher study, apprenticeships or other employment opportunities you need to be able to reflect on these seven attributes in order to continually improve your performance. 1. Self Management readiness to accept responsibility, flexibility, resilience, self-starting, appropriate assertiveness, time management, readiness to improve own performance based on feedback/reflective learning. 2. Teamwork respecting others, co-operating, negotiating/persuading, contributing to discussions and awareness of interdependence with others. 3. Business & Customer Awareness basic understanding of the key drivers for business success including the importance of innovation and taking calculated risks and the need to provide customer satisfaction and build customer loyalty. 4. Problem Solving analysing facts and situations and applying creative thinking to develop appropriate solutions. 5. Communication and literacy application of literacy, ability to produce clear, structured written work and oral literacy - including listening and questioning. 6. Application of numeracy manipulation of numbers, general mathematical awareness and its application in practical contexts (e.g. measuring, weighing, estimating and applying formulae). 7. Application of information technology basic IT skills, including familiarity with word processing, spreadsheets, file management and use of internet search engines. Schools, Colleges and Employers already recognise the importance of these skills and although terminology may vary fundamentally employability skills, transferable skills or core skills provide the foundation for future success. This framework aims to provide a common methodology and language for individuals tutors and employers to be able to reflect on these skills, understand the person s strengths and provide a shared understanding of what they need to do to further develop their employability skills.
Using this framework INDIVIDUALS TUTORS EMPLOYERS This framework will provide individuals, tutors and employers with a common approach to discussing, measuring and improving employability skills. The framework is not prescriptive, but aims to provide a common language that can be used in encouraging the development of employability skills. This will be particularly helpful in periods of transition from schools to college or into employment, allowing individuals to confidently describe their strengths and development needs in a common language. Gain an understanding of employability skills and why they are important Reflect on their current employability skills Set targets for improvement Work with peers, tutors and employers to enhance their employability skills Have a record of employability skills Be able to talk confidently about their employability skills Enriching the curriculum to improve motivation and raise standards Provides a framework to measure progress Helps developing an understanding of employer needs Provides a common language for discussions with employers Enables sharing of best practice Can be used to measure the impact of a range of activities Assists employers to work with School and Colleges to develop individuals Develop an understanding of what Schools and Colleges approach to employability skills entails Provides a framework for measuring work experience placements Provides a focus for talks to prospective employees Can be used to assess apprentices and other staff
1.SELF MANAGEMENT TIME MANAGEMENT Basic time management skills but requires supervision and support Takes responsibility for time management, meeting deadlines, personal behaviour and presentation; minor lapses Consistent high standards of time management, behaviour and presentation; requires no supervision Able to identify and prioritise according to the need of the task Able to prioritise and adapt as the situation dictates whilst maintaining deadlines in sight PROFESSIONALISM Basic personal standards of behaviour/presentation, requires supervision and support Looks for opportunities to develop personal competence and professionalism Readiness to accept advice and constructive criticism and act accordingly to improve professionalism Highly motivated role model learning to develop in different situations Sets high personal standards and has a positive personal impact, highly motivated and applies skills and knowledge in a range of situations RESILIENCE Needs support in maintaining effectiveness in the face of setbacks or pressure Capable of exploring personal strengths and weaknesses with minimal support and guidance Keen interest in doing well, willing to learn from mistakes Resilient, remains focused despite setbacks Retains composure and control even in difficult circumstances Self-confident shows belief in own ability REFLECTIVE Needs support in reflecting on personal development opportunities Listens to advice and with support can reflect upon it Readiness to improve own performance using feedback and reflection Reflects on own progress and agrees ways of improving Realistic assessment of own abilities, able to reflect and adapt accordingly Determined to get the best possible outcome by working effectively alongside others PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Personal confidence will grow with help and guidance Consistent positive attitude is displayed Demonstrates responsibility and supports other team members without prompting Actively pursues training and development opportunities Confidently takes on and actively seeks challenging opportunities that offer long term benefits Recognises strengths in others and actively learns from them Willing to respond to change and adapt approach Willing to respond to change and adapt approach, demonstrating flexibility Flexibility, willing to respond to change and adapt approach, able to maintain positive attitude Actively responds to change and influences change in others Proactive in their need to recognise necessary change MOTIVATION Needs direction of when/what/ how a task needs to be done Needs confirmation of when/ what/how a task needs to be done Takes the initiative in when/ what/how a task needs to be done Can direct through the project when/what/how a task needs to be done Can lead and direct through the project when/what/how a task needs to be done
2.TEAMWORK COLLABORATION Prefers to work on their own Co-operates with others to accomplish tasks Actively and positively interacts with others to ensure team success Understands a team can be more successful than an individual and as long as all members fully contribute to team goals. Advanced understanding of teamwork in a variety of situations valuing individual roles and responsibilities within leading to a high level of commitment from all members of the team. GOALS Reluctantly works with others towards achieving given objectives Works with others towards achieving set targets Maintains a positive & constructive approach to teamwork contributing to setting new targets Understands the importance of setting clear challenging targets to get the most from the team Is able to set clear, realistic and challenging targets for the team ENGAGEMENT Does not actively engage in discussion with others Actively engages in discussions with others making positive suggestions to the team Able to lead team discussions, taking on board ideas from all team members Understands the importance of discussing tasks to allow all in the team to contribute and give their view Being able to take on board all of the team s views and evaluate the best decision to make for the team. DYNAMICS Recognises the need to improve the ability to work with others and understands how it benefits all concerned. Understands the impact on the team success of their own actions Recognises every member of the team is responsible for the team s success Understands the impact of each team member in contributing to overall success Able to support others to clearly understand their roles, responsibilities and what is expected of them RELIABLE Would be considered a reliable team member when given clear instructions. Would be considered a reliable team member capable of completing tasks with some supervision and instruction, responding constructively to supervisors Consistently reliable and dependable. Adapting and overcoming problems with minimal supervision and instruction Able to understand a team that is reliable and resilient will be more successful. Able to support others in adapting and overcoming their problems TOLERANT Readiness to take part and contribute to the team when asked to do so Listens and takes on board other people s ideas, tolerating others who are not yet effective team members Trusts and respects other team members to do their part in any task Recognises that teams are made up of different characters and of people with different levels of experience Able to work with people of differing character and experience to get the best out of them FLEXIBLE Shows flexibility in changing roles and responsibilities to ensure team success Actively responds to the need for group flexibility when asked to do so. Sees the need for flexibility and is able to adapt to others needs Identifies the changes to bring about success Successfully implement the changes needed about team success
3.BUSINESS & CUSTOMER AWARENESS TARGET DRIVEN Needs clear targets and objectives Understands key objectives of a business Understands and acts on key performance indicators Has a positive approach to achieving targets and results Gives high priority to meeting standards and fulfilling requirements BUSINESS BIG PICTURE Reflects on own achievements rather than organisational achievements Has little understanding of the key drivers of business success Recognises the need for efficient working to achieve organisational goals Beginning to measure own results against pre-determined targets Measures own results against predetermined targets Delivers projects or activities to a high standard within time scales Evaluates own goals against predetermined targets Able to consider problems and develop initiatives to improve systems Uses information effectively to make informed decisions Is willing to allocate resources on the basis of what is best for the business Sets goals and targets above historical achievements Understands the need to take calculated risks CUSTOMER CARE Successfully role plays to respond appropriately to routine and non-routine customer enquiries Able to respond appropriately to routine and non-routine customer enquiries Gives high priority to meeting customer satisfaction standards and fulfilling quality requirements Consistently focusses on both customer and commercial outcomes Makes decisions which link efficiencies, customer satisfaction and business sustainability GOODWILL IN BUSINESS Begins to recognise the need to build customer loyalty with reminders Understands the importance of providing customer satisfaction Addresses the impact of decisions against goodwill factor Investigates ways to evaluate customer satisfaction Understands and acts on the wider needs of the customer in line with evaluations
4.PROBLEM SOLVING LOGIC Identifies with symptoms rather than root causes Can make connections between causes and symptoms Good reasoning ability, logical approach Able to help and support others to develop logical solutions Can deal with several problems simultaneously REASONING (USING DATA) After demonstration can show the basic ability to cope with a range of information and figures Basic ability to cope with a range of information and figures Able to deal readily with a range of numerical and written information Confident in developing new and imaginative solutions to problems Can relate different events and link past experiences to current problems High level of reasoning ability rational and logical approach SYSTEMATIC APPROACH With support can break a problem down into key elements Can begin to deal with one problem at a time Able to break problems down into manageable parts, identifying key factors Explores problems, considers different ways to solve them and then selects options Ready to consider options, decide on a course of action and follow through DECISIVENESS Unable to make decisions Prefers others to take decisions but is willing and able to make own decisions in a limited, supported range Makes sound decisions based on a balanced consideration of information and options available Analyses facts and solutions and applies creative thinking to develop appropriate responses Takes personal ownership and control
5.COMMUNICATION & LITERACY ARTICULATE Basic verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills, unable to make extended contributions Uses straightforward vocabulary and grammar, showing awareness of some main features of standard English Satisfactory verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills, able to make some extended contributions in familiar discussions Able to make extended contributions in formal and informal discussions and exchanges in both familiar and unfamiliar contexts (verbal, non-verbal and written) Articulate and fluent, able to adapt and shape talk making effective use of English vocabulary and grammar Articulate, fluent and persuasive RESEARCH Reads and obtains information from a single source Interprets and recounts information from a limited range of sources Interprets and recounts information from a limited range of sources and beginning to apply appropriately Interprets and recounts information from a limited range of sources and applies appropriately Self-confident with a range of situations and individuals and can use research as evidence in communications WRITTEN WORD Written work satisfactory Written work satisfactory or better and beginning to show an understanding of elements of the text Written work is clear and well presented; clear evidence of understanding significant meanings of the text, able to adapt information to present to others Able to write a range of texts including extended written documents, communicating information, ideas and opinions effectively and persuasively Able to write a range of texts including extended written documents, communicating information, ideas and opinions effectively and persuasively and adapts according to the audience LISTENER Beginning to listen to the opinion of others Considers the opinion of others Recognises the impact and implications of how things are said Good listener, willing to consider and act upon other points of view, demonstrating respect and is seen to value peers In group situations is able to create opportunities for all members to contribute COMMUNICATOR Briefly expresses points of view, ideas and feelings Keeps team members informed Keeps team members and other stakeholders well informed Understands the unspoken meaning in a situation Networks well and sees the need to build long term relationships PERFORMANCE Reluctant to engage with supervisors Communicates problems to supervisors Seeks feedback and acts on it Asks questions to develop and check understanding Seeks opportunities to support and develop others as a means of developing coaching skills RELATIONSHIPS Reluctant to engage Co-operates with others Respects peers Appropriate use of body language Actively seeks to collaborate with peers and instils sense of value in colleagues
6.APPLICATION OF NUMERACY STANDING NUMBER Basic numeracy skills Satisfactory numeracy skills Good numeracy skills Is confident using numeracy in a working environment, can recognise the place it plays in identifying targets and achieving results Can recognise trends in business data and figures and can understand how this can be used to move business forward PRACTICAL APPLICATION TO PROBLEMS Can recognise practical problems they have seen before Can recognise practical problems in situations that they have not seen before Can use numeracy skills to solve problems in situations that are unfamiliar Can read data presented in different ways and understand the meaning of this in terms of the part it plays in relating to the work place Is confident using data and figures to put in place activities that will drive business in the future APPLICATION TO BUDGET Use basic numeracy skills to answer simple practical problems, showing a method Can select the information needed to solve a straightforward problem and show a clear method for solving and has a basic understanding of the need to budget Can use numeracy in a business situation and begin to apply to a budget Can use numeracy confidently and apply to a budget Can use and review a budget and recognise next steps MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE Can begin to use mathematical language to describe and explain how to solve a practical problem in a real life situation Can use mathematical language to describe and explain how to solve a practical problem in a real life situation Knows that working out needs to be checked and can explain how to do this Understands the parts that both cost and profit play in the workplace Working out is always checked Demonstrates an understanding of profit and loss within business models Uses skills to check others working out Can transfer and apply these skills to different situations Can investigate forecasting of profit and loss in certain situations PLANNING Has a simple understanding of cost in terms of the job they have Gives reasons for why a solution works Can look at the calculations they have done and explain why this supports or disproves the way forward that is planned Can use their calculations and prior knowledge to build a business plan Can explain a business model to others and revisit their business plan and evaluate
7.APPLICATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY KNOWLEDGE Basic IT skills Uses correct procedures to start and shut down ICT systems Satisfactory IT skills Confident use of IT, takes action before being asked or directed Has a positive approach to using ICT to inform the organisation Promotes and develops effective ways to enable self and others to improve use of IT APPLICATION Under direction identifies ICT requirements of a straightforward task and uses these in a familiar context Identifies ICT requirements of a straightforward task and uses these in a familiar context Applies IT systems for complex routine and nonroutine tasks in familiar and unfamiliar contexts and situations Confident in developing new and imaginative solutions to problems using IT Takes personal ownership and control STORAGE Uses correct procedures to store information Manages information storage Consistently strives to use IT to improve business performance Searches for and selects information using IT for the benefit of operational effectiveness Is able to transfer IT skills to a variety of business environments SAFEGUARDING Able to follow safety and security practices Recognises the impact of safety and security practices Good understanding of software and implications Good understanding of software and seeks to develop further Selects software to be the most efficient for the task STANDING DATA SOFTWARE Finds and selects information, communicating and presenting in simple form Finds and selects information from a variety of sources for straightforward work tasks Retrieves and selects information efficiently using IT Can create, retrieve, interpret and manipulate data to demonstrate effective business strategy Can explain and discuss the reasons behind data selection IT POTENTIAL Uses ICT for basic communication Uses software to meet requirements of straightforward data-handling tasks and/or design tasks Uses software to begin to address complex data-handling and/or design tasks Uses best choice software to meet complex data-handling and/or design tasks and can support others in their use of IT Uses best choice software to meet complex data-handling and/or design tasks and can explain the choice of software
North Lindsey College, Kingsway, Scunthorpe, N. Lincolnshire DN17 1AJ Tel: (01724) 281111 Fax: (01724) 294020 Minicom: (01724) 294033 Email: info@northlindsey.ac.uk Website: www.northlindsey.ac.uk Beacon Awards Winner 2007-2008 and 2009-2010