Equality of opportunity for work experience? Computing students at two UK universities “play the game”

Smith, Sally; Taylor‐Smith, Ella; Bacon, Liz; MacKinnon, Lachlan

doi:10.1080/01425692.2018.1489219

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…This situation rises concerns regarding equal access of students to internship opportunities and strategies to ensure this. Recent research has been claiming that internships are replicating social inequalities [51,52]. As such, institutional investments in monitoring and evaluating these strategies are crucial to grant equal access of students to internships and guarantee the quality of the learning experiences, as envisaged by the Agenda 2030 (Goal 4).…”

Section: Discussion: Framing the 'Lunar Side' Of Curricular Internshimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is believed that these moments of participatory reflection should be done on a regular basis, since roles and persons change over time (a supervisor is not only a supervisor in the university, and a student is not only an intern during his/her internships, as he/she will be a future employee and perhaps a future employer) [50]. Internship management needs to be thought of in a long term perspective in order to maximize its sustainability and impact [52].…”

Section: Discussion: Framing the 'Lunar Side' Of Curricular Internshimentioning

confidence: 99%

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The ‘Lunar Side’ of the Story: Exploring the Sustainability of Curricular Internships in Higher Education

et al. 2019

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Curricular internships are increasingly seen as an effective strategy capable of contributing to the objectives and targets of the sustainable development paradigm, both in its social, economic and institutional dimensions. This positive outlook is ingrained within the large bulk of existing research, which has been focused on the discussion of positive outputs, such as the enhancement of graduates competences (employability) and their work integration (employment). An important, albeit relatively unexplored, feature of the sustainable institutional politics of curricular internship management pertains to the assessment of its associated liabilities and tensions. This article seeks to address this challenge, by analyzing two interrelated dimensions. First, it seeks to understand the internship processes ranging from the planning to the implementation stages. Second, it elicits the associated negative aspects (the 'lunar side') of internships, allowing for an assessment of the features where there is room for improvement. Empirically, this article draws on in-depth qualitative research. It presents the results of four focus groups, voicing the perceptions of top management structures and students involving first cycle degrees in the areas of Marketing, Management, and Accounting from four public Portuguese Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)-three polytechnics and one university. Findings confirm the general positive outlook of internships. Perceived negative perspectives report to both internal problems (such as the lack of institutional support and curricular design) and external problems (e.g., the shortage of suitable internship placements), constituting barriers towards sustainable institutional policies and strategies. Adaptive strategies to overcome specific difficulties are highlighted (e.g., establishment of advisory committees with local businessmen). Finally, recommendations regarding curricular internship management at HEIs are delineated (e.g., investment in monitoring and evaluation strategies of internships).

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Section: Discussion: Framing the 'Lunar Side' Of Curricular Internshimentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussion: Framing the 'Lunar Side' Of Curricular Internshimentioning

confidence: 99%

The ‘Lunar Side’ of the Story: Exploring the Sustainability of Curricular Internships in Higher Education

et al. 2019

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“…In the study by Bathmaker et al, middle class students enjoyed advantages including recognising the opportunity for work experience, social capital to acquire access to work experience, finance as an enabler for unpaid work, and cultural capital recognised by employers. Smith et al (2019) found evidence that while a wide range of students recognised the opportunity posed by work experience, white students had more success in their applications than those from other ethnic groups.…”

Section: Social Mobility and Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Placements have been found to help students gain graduate work more quickly and start on higher salaries (Smith et al 2018b;Wilton 2012). There is evidence, however, that not all students have equal recognition of, or access to, student work placements (Bathmaker, Ingram, and Waller 2013;Smith et al 2019). In the study by Bathmaker et al, middle class students enjoyed advantages including recognising the opportunity for work experience, social capital to acquire access to work experience, finance as an enabler for unpaid work, and cultural capital recognised by employers.…”

Section: Social Mobility and Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

A multi-institutional exploration of the social mobility potential of degree apprenticeships

Smith

Taylor‐Smith

Fabian

et al. 2021

Journal of Education and Work

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This mixed-method study at six universities asked degree apprentices about their trajectories into the apprenticeship, to better understand the social mobility potential of apprenticeships. The degree apprenticeship offers a route to a degree for apprentices, who are employees studying for a degree. As a new model, little is known about the apprentices: who they are, their journey towards this degree, and whether they fulfil the social mobility aspirations expressed by apprenticeship policymakers. Computing and IT apprentices at six universities in Scotland, UK, were surveyed (n = 160) to ask about their background and previous experience. Interviews (n = 28) were carried out with apprentices studying with one of the institutions, to enquire how their backgrounds impacted on their journey to this point. By taking a multi-institutional approach, the study reports findings across different degree apprenticeships and geographical locations. Apprentices were found to be drawn from all socioeconomic groups and represented those new to work and upskillers, already in work. For upskillers, the degree apprenticeship offered a belated opportunity for degree-level study. However, young people recruited into the apprenticeship were disproportionally from more privileged groups. We make recommendations for recruitment and selection processes to increase equality of access to degree apprenticeship places.

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“…However, the apprentices' conceptualisation of the school's on-campus students tends towards caricature, rather than representation, neglecting the proportions of our students that are older (e.g. 23% over 25) and the prevalence of work experience [27].…”

Section: Outcomes Future Work and Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identity and Belonging for Graduate Apprenticeships in Computing

Taylor‐Smith

Smith

2019

Proceedings of the 2019 ACM Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education

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In September 2017, our university's first graduate apprentices began degrees in Software Development, Cybersecurity, and Information Technology Management for Business. This study explores how apprentices experience their association with the university and identities as students, but also employees. In Scotland, Graduate Apprenticeships (GAs) are undergraduate degrees in which the students are in full-time employment, while completing degree modules over four years, as for a traditional full-time degree. The curriculum follows a skills framework designed by employers so that graduates have the professional and technical attributes required by the industry. The degrees parallel Degree Apprenticeships in England, though there are national differences in implementation.Themes of identity and belonging are central to current investigations of the experience of STEM students, especially computing students, as fewer students choose STEM courses, and many transfer out of their subjects or do not complete their degrees. The research hypothesis is that the apprentices' employment will provide a strong IT professional identity supports their progress at university. Semi-structured interviews with apprentices in the first computing cohorts explored their situated perspectives. Responses were identified which concerned the apprentices' identity as students or employees, including themes around belonging. Thematic analysis of these responses revealed that apprentices defined themselves in opposition to traditional student identities and did draw strength from their identity as employees. They experienced belonging specifically within their GA cohort-the first of its kind in the university. A better understanding of identity and belonging can be used by universities to address the challenges of retention.

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Equality of opportunity for work experience? Computing students at two UK universities “play the game”

Cited by 9 publications

References 37 publications

The ‘Lunar Side’ of the Story: Exploring the Sustainability of Curricular Internships in Higher Education

The ‘Lunar Side’ of the Story: Exploring the Sustainability of Curricular Internships in Higher Education

A multi-institutional exploration of the social mobility potential of degree apprenticeships

Identity and Belonging for Graduate Apprenticeships in Computing

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