Supporting student innovation through an engagement, employability and employment ecosystem

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how students, full-time and part-time, may be supported in becoming ambidextrous – developing “intrapreneurial” skills and capabilities, as well as being introduced to more typical “entrepreneurial” activities. It is proposed that both perspectives will be necessary for future graduates. Design/methodology/approach The paper highlights the fast-changing nature of the economic and employment context and the future requirements for graduate skills. It analyses and evaluates a framework of curricular and extra-curricular activities which has been developed to address future skills needs. The paper uses a case study to illustrate the issue. Findings The paper concludes that with increasingly flexible career paths, there is a need for graduates to be prepared for portfolio careers in which they move between employment and self-employment. The development of an independent mindset which can identify and exploit innovation is therefore important. Practical implications The paper outlines an approach that has been implemented in a UK higher education institution to the development of innovation skills which is responsive to a wider range of students than the conventional cohort of young, full-time students. Originality/value The paper highlights the importance of designing educational experiences which directly address students’ situations and experiences. It also identifies the role of work-based research in the development of an innovative mindset.

A research on mix‐teaching method: Characteristics of employment education teachers on employability of students in Chinese institutions

“…When in the education sector, attention is paid to IA, social and professional actors produced from education institutions have high employability. These results agree with Walsh and Powell (2018), which reveals that when teachers have a tendency to adopt innovativeness in their teaching processes and thus, adopt technologies specially designed for teaching and change the procedures applied, they are successful in providing an improved learning environment. In an innovative learning environment, the students can develop skills like increased knowledge, research abilities, analytical skills, concentration, understanding, problem‐solving skills, and many other specific professional skills.…”

“…When in the education sector, attention is paid to IA, social and professional actors produced from education institutions have high employability. These results agree with Walsh and Powell (2018), which reveals that when teachers have a tendency to adopt innovativeness in their teaching The findings suggested that in the post-pandemic age, the mixed teaching technique is a suitable mediator between instructors' personality and SE. These results are supported by Pouratashi (2019), which indicates that the adoption of a MTM which includes both manual-based teaching processes and teaching processes based on technologies, brings much improvement in TP, inculcating many positive characteristics and enhances SE.…”

Is It Possible To Create An Enterprising And Innovative Educational Ecocommunity?

“…For example, more on how to develop entrepreneurial skills and capabilities, as well as introducing more entrepreneurial activities. Such activities especially for higher education could be found in Walsh and Powell (2018).…”

Professional artefacts: evaluating creative outcomes for work-based inquiry

“…Fleming and Haigh (2017), when studying work-integrated learning, point to more recent definitions of employability that focus on “ability” (citing Bennett, 2016) and the importance of developing attributes and capabilities that are dynamic and future-facing. Walsh and Powell (2018) discuss how some work-based learners develop a perspective consistent with an “intrapreneurship” approach that enables them to problematise and more deeply engage with their own work context.…”