ANNUAL ENTERPRISE AND

EMPLOYABILITY REPORT
2005/06

Prepared by Helen Gleaves

Annual Enterprise and Employability Report, 2005/06
 Annual Enterprise and Employability Report, 2005/06

Contents
Page
1.0 Introduction 1

2.0 Work Experience 1

2.1 Overview 1
2.2 Work Placement Support 2
2.2.1 Workshops 2
2.2.2 Enterprise and Employability Resource Centre 3
2.2.3 Work Placement Materials 4
2.3 Work Placement Quality Procedures and Feedback 4

3.0 Careers 5

4.0 Curriculum Development 5

5.0 Enterprise 5

6.0 Employer Contact 6

7.0 Research 6

8.0 Recommendations 6

9.0 College-wide Targets for 2006/07 7

Annual Enterprise and Employability Report, 2004/05
Annual Enterprise and Employability Report, 2005/06

1.0 Introduction
The following report details activities relating to the work of the Enterprise and
Employability Unit during 2005/06, including:
• Work experience
• Business start-up support
• Careers information and guidance
• Curriculum development
• Enterprise and Employability Unit Resource Centre activity
• Industry links

2.0 Work Experience 1

2.1 Overview
During 2005/06, 323 placements were organised by the Enterprise and
Employability Unit. 255 of which were for students in the Faculty of
Communication Media and 68 for students from the Faculty of Design. 264
employers hosted placements. 903 applications were received and
processed.

2005/06 placement activity by course

Companies
No. of Applications
Faculty Programme of study offering
placements received
placements
FdSc Broadcast Media
7 7 22
Technology
FdA Broadcast Operations
153 87 443
and Production
FdA Broadcast Post
Production (inc Cert HE 47 43 113
Broadcast Post Production
FdA Computer
Communication Visualisation and 1 1 14
Media Animation
BA (Hons) Content
Creation for Broadcast and
31 43 110
New Media & BA (Hons)
Animation
FdA Creative Sound
6 7 6
Design
BA (Hons) Graphic Design 7 6 64
BA (Hons) Moving Image 3 3 20
BA (Hons) Fashion (2 yr) 21 21 35
BA (Hons) Fashion (3 yr) 39 39 53
BA (Hons) Interaction
3 3 16
Design
Design
BA (Hons) Interior Design
2 2 3
Environment Architectures
BA (Hons) Product and
3 2 4
Furniture Design
TOTAL 323 264 903

The data illustrates a shift in the nature of support for work experience within the
Faculty of Design (except Fashion) and also Graphic Design and Moving Image.
Increasingly, students are being encouraged to find their own placement in
preparation for graduation. The Enterprise and Employability Unit supports on
students on these courses in finding their own placement and also offers more
detailed guidance on applying for work experience and career guidance.
1
Findings were collected by the Enterprise and Employability Unit and are of known placement activity.
Data may not include placements organised independently of the Enterprise and Employability Unit /
Course Leader.

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 Annual Enterprise and Employability Report, 2005/06

2.2 Work Placement Support

Students are supported throughout the period of work experience by the
academic tutor and the Enterprise and Employability Unit. The academic tutor
provides academic support, for example, assessment, project briefs,
presentations, reports etc. The Enterprise and Employability Unit support
students in applying for and finding placements, liaison with host
organisations, support whilst on placement and involvement in post
placement feedback.

Support is offered through work experience workshops, one-to-one advice,

resources from the Enterprise and Employability Unit Resource Centre, and
materials and guidance documents.

2.2.1 Workshops
A total of 52 workshops were organised, which were attended by 859
students. Details can be found below:

No. of
Type of Workshops Date of
Course Students
Conducted Workshops
Attended
FD Broadcast Operations & Production & FD CV & interview techniques 95 Oct 05
Broadcast Media Technology Placement briefing 95 June 06
Oct 05
FD Broadcast Post Production (inc Cert. H.E. CV & interview techniques 24
Broadcast Post Production)
Placement briefing 24 Feb 06
FD Computer Visualisation & Animation and BA Framestore applications
28 April 06
Animation level 2
CV & interview techniques 8 Nov 05
FD Creative Sound Design
Placement briefing 8 June 06
CV & interview techniques 36 Oct 05
BA Content Creation for Broadcasting & New Media
Placement briefing 36 June 06
Induction 21 Jan 06
1:1s 21 Feb 06
Placement and CV
17 Feb 06
workshop
BA Fashion (2 years)
Interview techniques 18 Feb 06
Final placement briefing 21 March 06
Careers workshop (all 3rd
34 June 06
years)
Induction 39 Oct 05
1:1s 39 Oct 05
Placement and CV
39 Oct 05
workshop
BA Fashion (3 years)
Interview techniques 34 Nov 05
Final placement briefing 39 Nov 05
Careers workshop (all 3rd
See above See above
years)
Induction level 1 32 Oct 05
BA Graphic Design Work experience workshop 26 Dec 05
CV workshops level 2 26 Dec 05
BA Interior Design Environment Architectures n/a
BA Interaction Design n/a
Work Placement 22 Jan 06
BA Moving Image
Placement Surgery 13 Feb 06
CV review and finding work 27 Nov 05
BA Product & Furniture Design
CV review and finding work 3 Nov 05

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Annual Enterprise and Employability Report, 2005/06

2.2.2 Enterprise and Employability Unit Resource Centre

During 2005/06, additional resources were added to the Enterprise and
Employability Unit Resource Centre. More resources are required to bring the
Centre in line with other HEIs. In addition, online tools need to be investigated
and where appropriate implemented.

The space is shared with RaveMedia and Short Courses, which is

increasingly causing problems as there is no confidential space for guidance
sessions. Based on recommendations from AGCAS and QAA, it is strongly
recommended that a confidential one-to-one space is sought.

In 2005/06, 1551 students arranged appointments with the Enterprise and

Employability Unit. A breakdown by programme can be found below:

No of student
Course appointments
per course
FD (Science) Broadcast Media
50
Technology
FD (Arts) Broadcast Operations &
434
Production
FD (Arts) Broadcast Post Production
97
inc Cert HE Broadcast Post Production
FD (Arts) Computer Visualisation &
29
Animation & BA (Hons) Animation
FD (Arts) Creative Sound Design 26
BA (Hons) Content Creation for
131
Broadcasting & New Media
BA (Hons) Graphic Design
216
BA (Hons) Moving Image Design 205
Total for Faculty of Communication
1188
and Media
BA (Hons) Fashion 189
BA (Hons) Interaction Design 61
BA (Hons) Interior Design Environment
15
Architectures
BA (Hons) Product and Furniture
89
Design
Total for Faculty of Design 354
Diploma in Foundation Studies in Art
7
and Design
Total for Faculty of Further
7
Education
MA Interactive Digital Media 2
Total for Faculty of Postgraduate
2
Studies

TOTAL 1551

Students are also encouraged to ‘drop in’ to the Resource Centre to research
and collect information. The number of students accessing the Resource
Centre in this way is not recorded, as it is difficult to monitor. Equally, support
and guidance via email and telephone is not formally recorded.

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Annual Enterprise and Employability Report, 2005/06

2.2.3 Work Placement Materials

During the academic year 2005/06, work placement and careers materials
were updated as part of the annual review process:
• Student work placement guide – all students on placement received a
copy.
• Employer work placement guide – again, all employers hosting a
placement were given an employer guides.
• Handouts (CV writing, interview techniques, self-promotion,
application letters, report writing and presentation skills) were
distributed to all students preparing for work experience.

2.3 Work Placement Quality Procedures and Feedback

Procedures for enhancing quality and receiving feedback about the work
placement scheme include:
• Student feedback questionnaire.
• Health and safety questionnaire.
• Code of practice for placement learning.
• Student presentations/debrief post-placement. Students present their
experience to level one students and staff. Students are also asked to
complete a report as part of the assessment.
• Work placement guides for both students and employers, detailing the
roles and responsibilities for all involved.
• Use of a learning agreement where placement learning is assessed.
Students are also encouraged to adopt a learning agreement where
placements do not contribute to the programme.
• Learning journals.
• Employer feedback questionnaire.
• Organisations are requested to return a copy of their equal
opportunities policy/statement.

All students and host organisations are given copies of the above
questionnaires and agreements, and are requested to return completed
questionnaires to the Enterprise and Employability Unit by the required date.
However, despite continuous chasing, the response rate is relatively low. The
College needs to explore ways of ensuring both students and employers
return the necessary documentation to ensure quality of placement provision
and that legislation is adhered to. It is strongly recommended that where
placements are assessed, the procedures for agreeing placements are
revised so that academic tutors ‘sign off’ the placement opportunity. This can
be achieved through the learning agreement. Equally, placements with
organisations who have not returned equal opportunities and health and
safety documents should not be allowed.

3.0 Careers
The majority of careers guidance has been channelled through the Enterprise
and Employability Resource Centre and workshops as described above. In
addition, a number of employability masterclasses were organised:
• Getting into broadcasting / CV workshop led by industry
representatives.
• Ask the Board – a panel event, in which students had the opportunity
to ask key members of the Broadcasting Advisory Board questions
relating to changes and developments in the industry.
• Alumni – a panel event with Ravensbourne alumni.
• Pitching skills.

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Annual Enterprise and Employability Report, 2005/06

• Freelancing.
• ROA -
• Careers in Fashion.

432 vacancies were advertised during 2005/06, of which 355 were full-time;
21 freelance; 31 graduate work experience; 14 part-time; and 11 through
agencies. The Enterprise and Employability Unit also promoted 35 graduate-
related careers events.

330 (88%) graduates responded to the 2004/05 Destination of Leavers from

Higher Education survey: 211 (64%) were employed/self employed, and 97
(29%) in further study, 13 (4%) unavailable for work and 9 (3%) unemployed
and seeking work. The College exceeded its HESA benchmark of 88.3% for
the second time. The actual employment performance indicator was 93%.

4.0 Curriculum Development

During 2005/06, the Enterprise and Employability Unit developed the
Personal and Professional Development (PDP) strategy and associated units
as part of the revalidation process. The focus of the strategy is to encourage
students to reflect on, and articulate, their skills development to future
employers. There is a 10 credit PDP unit at each level of study. Level one
focuses on learning development, level two on industry awareness and
preparing for work experience, and level three on freelancing and self-
employment.

5.0 Enterprise
In 2005/06, the Enterprise and Employability Unit delivered 2 iterations of the
Creative Business Start-up Programme. The Programme was delivered by
the Creative Industries Development Agency and consisted of 6 workshops:
• First steps
• Money, money, money
• Marketing on a shoestring
• Showing off
• Protecting your ideas
• Finance and funding

Over 50 students and 25 graduates from animation, broadcasting, fashion,

graphic design, interaction design, interior design environment architectures,
moving image, and product and furniture design attended the workshops.
Feedback from students was extremely positive, with students and alumni
commenting on the added value of the sessions. Issues raised focused on the
appropriateness of the content as students and alumni are at different stages.
It was therefore agreed that separate workshops for alumni and students
would be organised in the future.

In 2005/06, the Emerald Fund was launched. This is a pre-commercial fund to

support students and staff to exploit their intellectual property (IP). The
initiative is funded by the LDA and Ravensbourne is one of eight London
Universities participating in the project. To date, Ravensbourne has
successfully supported 4 applications (3 from students and 1 from a tutor).
The Emerald Fund raises issues relating to IP and ownership of ideas. For
the Emerald Fund to succeed in Ravensbourne, the College needs to ensure
that its IP policy is in place and that a programme of training is instigated.

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Annual Enterprise and Employability Report, 2005/06

During 2005/06, The Enterprise and Employability Unit has actively promoted
National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) initiatives. As a
result, 8 students/graduates attended the Flying Start Rally in London in
March 2006, and 1 student and 1 graduate were successfully accepted on to
the NCGE/RSA 2-day intensive training programme in July 2006.

6.0 Employer Contact

A role of the Enterprise and Employability Unit is to liaise with employers to
develop mutually beneficial relationships for work experience, course
contribution and job opportunities. Organisations are contacted in a number of
ways, including mailshots, visits and networking. 40 companies were visited
during 2005/06.

The Enterprise and Employability Unit has played an active role in developing
the Industry Advisory Boards. In 2005/06, it was decided that the Faculty of
Design Industry Advisory Board should be split into two, forming a Fashion
Industry Advisory Board and a Design Industry Advisory Board.

The Broadcast Advisory Board established the ROA-BAB Industry Mentor

Award in 2004/05. In 2005/06 4 students successfully applied for the awards,
in leadership, team work and special contribution.

7.0 Research
During 2005/06, Ravensbourne commission the Centre for Research and
Evaluation, at Sheffield Hallam University to investigate the career pathways
of Ravensbourne graduates and perceptions from industries in which
graduates are working. Full details can be found at
http://intranet.rave.ac.uk/employ/

In January 2006, The Enterprise and Employability Unit was commissioned to

undertake research on behalf of the LDA and Greenwich Education Business
Partnership to explore employer engagement in the proposed Creative and
Media Specialist Diploma.

8.0 Recommendations
Preparing this report has provided an opportunity to evaluate enterprise and
employability activities. As a result, the following recommendations are:
1. Resources required to delivery PDP activities and to develop
associated resources.
2. Employability targets, including work placement activity, to be built into
course monitoring.
3. Work placement staff to be more integrated in course teams.
4. Careers provision to be enhanced. Additional careers resource
required to improve the Resource Centre and provision, such as
confidentiality space.
5. Placements with organisations who have not returned equal
opportunities and health and safety documents should not be allowed.
6. Learning agreements and learning logs to be further embedded, with
academic tutors ‘signing off’ placements as part of quality
enhancement.
7. The size of the Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE)
survey is growing year on year. Therefore, sufficient resources should
be ‘ring-fenced’. This should be a centrally resourced activity.

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 Annual Enterprise and Employability Report, 2005/06

8. Intellectual Property policy and training is required in order to fully

exploit the Emerald Fund. A dedicated staffing-base is required to
support applicants.

9.0 College-wide Targets for 2006/07

Target Activity Lead Performance Indicator Baseline Resources / Support
Responsibility Position 2005/06 Required
Increase number of Course leaders 100% of undergraduate and courses PDP units
courses offering work and HG to include work placement validated as part
experience opportunities or work based learning of the revalidation
equivalent process
Increase number of Employability Unit
work placement / Course Leaders
opportunities
Embed employability Enterprise and All undergraduate and postgraduate 48 workshops Will require additional
activities in the Employability Unit courses to include a ‘compulsory’ delivered. resources and
curriculum via PDP / Course Leaders programme of support and expertise for teaching
units, including work preparation for work placements or – needs to be built into
placement support and WBL equivalent as part of the PDP course budget
preparation level 2 unit
Procedures reviewed Enterprise and Reviewed work experience Return of H&S,
(H&S, EO, feedback Employability Unit procedures implemented EO and feedback
questionnaires, questionnaires
placement approval, sporadic.
dissemination of Placement
opportunities etc) as opportunities
part of the advertised via
Employability thematic intranet, and
audit. Focus on quality emails.
assurance
Employability Unit Employability Unit Increase number of students and Estimated 2500 Relocation of
Resource Centre staff using resources by 10% student enquiries Resource Centre.
to be recorded
Employment Bureau Enterprise and Increase number of vacancies
Employability Unit advertised to both students and
graduates by 10%
Employment Bureau Enterprise and Establish a tracking system
Employability Unit
Employability Unit KB Expand the careers library as part of Resources Resource budget
Resource Centre the Employability Unit Resource acquired in required. Relocation of
Centre 2005/06 Resource Centre.
Develop careers HG and KB Intranet site and resources available New
materials and intranet
site
Embed careers Course leaders, 100% of undergraduate programmes PDP units Will require additional
activities in the HG and KB to include PDP units validated as part resources and
curriculum via PDP of the revalidation expertise for teaching
units process – needs to be built into
course budgets
Careers Events KB and HG Pilot recruitment event New Needs appropriate
resourcing
Review CEIG HG and KB Reviewed careers provision New
provision and implemented.
implement CEIG Code
of Practice as part of
the Employability Audit
DLHE Undertake DLHE survey – January Annual Needs appropriate
and April resourcing – staffing,
prioritising, equipment
and support.
Annual Employment College-wide Maintain or increase annual 332 graduates
Outcomes employment outcomes and responded to the
employment performance indicators DLHE survey for
2004/05
graduates: 202

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 Annual Enterprise and Employability Report, 2005/06

(61%) were
employed/self
employed, and 96
(29%) in further
study, 10 (3%)
unavailable for
work, 4 (1%) due
to start work in
the next month, 9
(3%) unemployed
and seeking
work, 3 (1%)
other and 8 (2%)
refused.

2003/04
Employment PI of
95.4% /
Benchmark of
87.2% /
Response rate of
88.1%
Company visits Enterprise and Increase number of companies 40 companies
Employability Unit visited. visited in 2005/06
/ Course Leaders
Industry Advisory Enterprise and 2 meetings per Faculty Advisory 2 meetings per Needs to be led by the
Committee Employability Unit Committee per year Industry Advisory Faculty with support
/ Faculty Board from the Enterprise
and Employability Unit.
Budget for meetings
required.
Enterprise workshops HG 2 iterations of the Creative Business 50 students and Requires additional
Start-up Programme (6 workshops) 25 alumni funding. Need to
attended pursue grant/funding
workshops applications
Enterprise Resources HG Develop a series of enterprise New
materials and intranet site
Embed enterprise Course leaders 100% of undergraduate programmes PDP units Will require additional
activities in the and HG to include PDP units validated as part resources and
curriculum via PDP of the revalidation expertise for teaching
units process – needs to be built into
course budgets
Business plan LP and HG Review feasibility of introducing a New Requires additional
competition business plan competition funding. Need to
pursue grant/funding
applications
Ravensbourne proof of LP and HG Review feasibility of developing a New. Emerald Requires additional
concept fund proof of concept fund funding. Need to
pursue grant/funding
applications
Enterprise and HG, Course 1 masterclass per term per Faculty 8 masterclasses Needs support of
Employability master Leaders and JM organised Faculty and in
classes particular tutors
Develop new Peter Pilgrim with Proposals for new courses to include New
programmes of study HG feasibility study (market research
focusing on enterprise etc)