Changing the way we teach using co-creation: Embedding employability in the engineering curriculum through the students’ perspective

Abstract

Student voice is not often included in curriculum design, leading to limited course overview and student engagement. To improve student engagement for the “Skills for Employability” module available in all courses offered at the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering (CBE) at the University of Sheffield, we designed a student-led research project with three strands. A survey was deployed to academics, students, and alumni, our approach regarding employability was compared to that followed by 29 other universities with relevant courses, and a review of the module content was performed. Findings revealed that academics, students, and alumni are not always on the same page regarding employability or teaching practices. This project has shown that we need to actively listen to the student voice, encourage students to shape aspects of the module, and support them in understanding the link between their course and employability alongside outlining that employability skills are just as or more important as the technical skills they hold. This paper shows the approach we followed, highlights findings through all three project strands, and indicates steps, mainly proposed by students, as best practice to improve engagement and takeaways.