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There has hitherto been little direct evidence of what is learned
in the early years after graduation, the best way to facilitate
this learning, or how university knowledge is adapted to practical
situations. This project will investigate three groups of graduates
(accountants, engineers and nurses) through their first three years
of full-time employment, examining the factors affecting their learning
and approaches to improving the management and support of learners.
The accountants will be developing job competence and working
for professional qualifications, the engineers will be working towards
Chartered Engineer status and the nurses will be engaged mainly
in post-qualification learning to develop their expertise.
Research partners include the Institute of Electrical Engineers,
the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, City
University (Barts) and a number of employers of accountants, engineers
and nurses.
The outcome for user groups such as employers, professional bodies
and government, will be evidence-based recommendations for the management
and support of these learner groups, and advice for staff who carry
that responsibility.
For teachers of professional/vocational education, the outcome
will be much better evidence on the transition from higher education
to work, how and what HE acquired knowledge is used, and what is
learned in the workplace; and a discussion of its implications for
the relevant HE programmes.
For researchers in teaching and learning, fuller and more theorised
accounts of the research will be communicated, together with implications
for employers, higher education and other sectors of education.
Interim reports for our employee partners will be circulated next
month (July 2003) and then made public in an appropriate form.
Conference paper will also be coming on stream in the Autumn.
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