The Thames Gateway region has a vibrant creative and cultural industries sector, one which supports employment opportunities and economic prosperity. A significant number of students, in Further Education and VIth Form Colleges, across the region, are studying courses related to the creative and cultural industries. This is a knowledge-based, high skills sector in which graduates form a higher than average proportion of the workforce. Evidence suggests that graduates in creative and cultural subject areas have better employment prospects than those who leave after completing level 3 courses.
After finishing their college course, some students go on to degree level study. Yet a significant number of students take other pathways: they may find jobs, continue to develop their creative skills informally, or make other choices. We want to understand better why some learners following vocational programmes in the creative and cultural subject areas opt to progress to HE whilst others do not.
The Moving On : The Creative Way research project posed questions about college students following creative and cultural courses:
To explore these questions, researchers will conducted a series of group interviews with students in Further Education and VIth Form Colleges and Universities across the Thames Gateway region. The research will focused particularly on gaining an insight on learner perspectives, and also included college tutors, staff offering educational advice, and employers.
The results of this research project were published in a report in September 2008, and distributed to national and regional policy makers and to heads of institutions. This research was commissioned by the Thames Gateway Lifelong Learning Network – The Creative Way.
If you would like further information about Moving On: The Creative Way then please contact Tony Hudson.
Providing opportunities for staff involved in widening participation to develop their skills and knowledge and to gain recognition for them is critical to sustaining and embedding widening participation across the education sector.
Continuum has undertaken this scoping study with the Higher Education Academy on Recognition and Support for Widening Participation Practitioners.
The aims of the scoping study were:
Web-based search
The providers of existing accreditation opportunities were identified by undertaking a web based search and details of their provision recorded.
On-line survey
An on-line survey was used to gather information on the opportunities that widening participation practitioners have already taken advantage of; as well as identifying and exploring their support and development needs. Practitioners were invited to participate in the survey through a series of targeted e-mails using existing e-mail distribution lists such as JISC mail. In addition all Aimhigher Area Coordinators were advised of the scoping study to enable them to encourage their WP practitioners to contribute to the survey. The questionnaire was conducted between 7th August and 10th September 2006.
Workshop
The findings from the survey were fed into discussions at an invited workshop to be held at HEFCE in London on Monday 25 September 2006. A range of stakeholders were invited to participate in this workshop including: funding bodies, accreditation bodies, deliverers and users. The outcomes of the workshop, as well as the survey, were reported to the HEA in the final report, and will be used as the basis for ongoing discussions around the development of recognition and support for widening participation practitioners.
To read the final report please go to the publications page. For further information please contact: Tony Hudson.
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