Presentation at HESPA 2016.

1. Eureka!
An academic portfolio informed by
specific employment trends
Dr Jamie Mackay | Business Development Manager for HE
e: Jamie.Mackay@economicmodelling.co.uk | t: 07740 344750

2. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Outline
• Universities and colleges as Economic
Developers?
• A new vision
• Why understand your regional
economy?
• Planning a strategy
• Shaping a curriculum portfolio

3. Universities and colleges as
Economic Developers?

4. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Universities and colleges as
Economic Developers?
• Providing skills and knowledge
for employers
• Creating businesses and jobs
• R&D activity to (e.g.) raise productivity
• Attracting investment and talent to the
region - domestic and foreign
• Support delivery of LEP strategic
priorities

5. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Insights from
Income created by Scotland’s Colleges
For every £1 spent…

6. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Insights from
For every £1 spent…

7. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Insights from
Income created by Bucks New
University

8. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
See also:
So where next?

9. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
The traditional model
Universities perceived as supply-
driven producers of workforce talent:

10. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
What’s missing?
• The needs / demands of:
– the labour market
– the local / regional / national economies
– (the learners themselves)

11. A new vision

12. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
A new vision
(Ref. Andy Westwood)
Universities take on a larger role in balancing
supply/demand components of education
and the labour market:

13. Why understand your
regional economy?

14. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
1. Devolution / Combined Authorities
2. Apprenticeship reforms
3. FE Area-based Reviews
4. Graduate migration…
Why understand your
regional economy?

15. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Why understand your
regional economy?
> 70%
61 – 70%
51 – 60%
41 – 50%
31 – 40%
< 31%
• ‘Loyal’ graduates from
2012/13 employed after six
months in each region*
– Scotland: 84.3%
– Wales: 64.8%
– North East: 62.3%
– North West: 58.9%
– Yorkshire & Humber: 45.9%
– West Midlands: 45.4%
– East Midlands: 40.4%
– South East: 36.1%
– East of England: 31.4%
– London: 28.9%
* Reference: Ball, C. 2015. Loyals, Stayers, Returners and Incomers:
Graduate migration patterns. HECSU.

16. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
> 70%
61 – 70%
51 – 60%
41 – 50%
31 – 40%
< 31%
* Reference: Ball, C. 2015. Loyals, Stayers, Returners and Incomers: Graduate migration patterns.
HECSU.
31 – 40%
21 – 30%
11 – 20%
0 – 10%
‘Loyal’ graduates from 2012/13 employed after
six months in each region*
‘Returner’ graduates from 2012/13 employed
after six months in each region*

17. Whyunderstandyour
regionaleconomy?

18. Planning a strategy

19. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Planning a strategy…
• to improve graduate employability?
• to get a better understanding of the
regional labour market?
• to improve income streams via employer
engagement?
• to develop a demand-led curriculum
model?
• to become a leading economic driver in
your region?

20. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Planning a strategy
• Which industry sectors are growing
fastest in your region?
• Which graduate level occupations are
driving these industries?
• Which graduate level occupations in your
region are set to see the most growth?

21. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Insight from
• Professional education provider, looking to
expand HRM provision into new regions
• Wanted to establish a business case, citing
occupation figures and growth projections
• Also wanted to compare regional growth
• Result: Recently partnered with Sheffield
Hallam University to validate a Masters in
Professional Practice Strategic HRM and
Development.

22. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Insight from
• Drastic change to the regional economy
amid 12-year lows in the price of crude oil
• University curriculum portfolio partly
aligned to the Mining & Quarrying industry
• University’s Outcome Agreement to
demonstrate contribution to creating
sustainable economic growth for Scotland
• Result: Now using LMI to inform growth.

23. Shaping a curriculum portfolio

24. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Shaping a curriculum portfolio
• Where are your students coming from?
• Local?
• National?
• Overseas?
• What are your students’ expectations?
• Accessibility and inclusivity?
• Flexible delivery?
• Graduate employability?

25. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Shaping a curriculum portfolio
• Where are your graduates going?
• Local?
• National?
• Overseas?
• How does your curriculum portfolio map
to the needs of these regions?
• What is the competition doing?
• Other universities?
• Alternative / private providers?
• Colleges?

26. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Insights from
the classes of 2012-14*
2011/12 2012/13 2013/14
Graduate
employment rate
72.6% 74.7% 73.8%
Unemployment
rate
8.5% 7.3% 6.3%
Graduate-level
employment
64.0% 65.6% 67.7%
* First degree graduates excluding Postgraduates
.
Reference: Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education, Higher Education Statistics Agency
See also: What do Graduates do 2014? / What do Graduates do 2015?. HECSU.

27. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Insights from
the class of 2015
• More career-focused than predecessors
• Researching careers in first year
• Undertaking work experience including
placements and internships
• Higher salary expectations - £41k by 5yrs
– although these are not always met
• Feel underemployed by some businesses
• Commonly looking to work in SMEs
References:
The UK Graduate Careers Survey 2015, High Fliers Research
Accenture Strategy 2015 UK University Graduate Employment Study, Accenture

28. www.economicmodelling.co.uk
Summary
1. Universities as Economic Developers
2. Balancing supply/demand components
of education and the labour market
3. Regional insights are key
4. A strategic plan and curriculum portfolio
both informed by LMI
5. Transform lives.

29. Dr Jamie Mackay | Business Development Manager for HE
e: Jamie.Mackay@economicmodelling.co.uk | t: 07740 344750