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NCWE Foundation Degree Report

This practical project aimed to provide students on the new Foundation Degree in Computing at London Metropolitan University's City Campus with the insight and skills to support them in their search for work experience. It set out to help them develop relevant skills and to gain insight into the value of reflective learning during the period of work experience and how this might relate to the their academic studies.

The LMU Foundation Degree in computing is new and work experience is obligatory. Work experience of a minimum 15 weeks is scheduled during the first semester of level 2 of the course. Whilst the FD is structured to provide a bridge to an Honours Degree, it is also recognised as a qualification in its own right and direct route to employment.

A series of 'Preparing for Work Experience' seminars were held during level 1 of the course. The aim was to enable students to better prepare themselves for the mandatory work experience element of the course. The seminars were designed as a combination of lecturing and student participation and comprised a mix of group work, exercises, role-plays, tasks and feedback.

Outcomes for students

  • gained a heightened awareness of the importance of work experience and how it might impact on their overall performance and progress towards an Honours Degree
  • perceptions of work experience shifted from scepticism and indifference to recognition of its value in securing full time employment
  • began to take ownership for preparing and planning for work experience with an improved grasp of employer requirements and basic recruitment criteria. They began to understand that the process requires careful preparation and planning
  • had a more informed view of the wide range of roles and capabilities required in the IT sector
  • understood the value of articulating their skills effectively and how this might be derived from a reflective process
  • accepted the central nature of their Progress Files and the importance of updating these in the context of learning and experience.

For further information and details of this report, contact: Liz Rhodes: Tel: 0845 601 5510 or e-mail: L.Rhodes@work-experience.org

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