The opportunities and challenges for employability related support in STEM degrees
This research explores the opportunities and challenges for incorporating employability related support into STEM (Sciences; Technology; Engineering; Mathematics) degree programmes, based in part on recent research (O'Leary, 2016a) outlining that significant variations in employability related support exist across the STEM disciplines. These issues were highlighted at a recent conference on STEM pedagogy (O'Leary, 2016b) and this paper explores them in more depth. While O'Leary (2016a) finds that Engineering and Sciences are performing relatively well on employability support matters, in comparison with Social Sciences and Humanities, there is still room for improvement across STEM programmes. The research suggest that students' employability can be enhanced through a combination of the content of the curriculum and the development of key student capabilities and characteristics. To achieve this, it is necessary to address several issues; the development of academic staff, the use of external speakers, the provision of business and management expertise, cross disciplinary approaches and the integration of professional services into the curriculum. In addition, the most effective gains from a cross Faculty viewpoint may exist in what may seem unlikely liaisons; for effective employability related support, the Sciences and Humanities think along the same lines; while Social Sciences Engineering think along another line. Therefore, improvements to the provision of such support may be better achieved by such non traditional cross Faculty partnerships. An approach based on the "3E's" is suggested: Enhanced Learning Teaching; Employer engagement; and Embedding into the Curriculum.