TQM and Student Work Experience (SWE)
| Published date | 01 December 1994 |
| Pages | 26-32 |
| Date | 01 December 1994 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09684889410071104 |
| Author | David Leslie |
| Subject Matter | Education |
A fundamental resource, if not the resource, of
any organization is the people who collectively
are that organization; thus ipso facto, the quality
of the staff reflects the quality of the organization.
Finding and retaining the right quality of staff
undoubtedly presents one of the greatest
challenges to organizations. How one assesses the
qualities of prospective employees is complex.
However, one area which stands out is an
individual’s level of personal development and
educational background and experience. But it is
not axiomatic that, because a person has
undertaken a programme of studies related to the
organization, for example, she/he has the
expertise and, more importantly, the
understanding of the organization’s operations
which a prospective employer would anticipate.
To develop this is a prime reason for the
introduction of student work experience (SWE) in
programmes of study.
This approach recognizes the value of work
experience as an integral part of the education
process. It also reflects and reinforces the view
(e.g. see Baum, 1988) that, to be an effective
manager, one first and foremost needs practical
experience. Attention to this need is evident
particularly in vocational courses in higher
education, e.g. “sandwich courses” involving a
substantial period of work experience (i.e. six to
12 months). Therefore, it is this area of education
which is the focus of attention.
However, programmes of study in many
vocational areas are increasingly oriented towards
management and are not operational (e.g., see
Mill, 1991), and are leading to a devaluing of
operational aspects within the course and due
regard for SWE. This “academic drift” (Leslie,
1993) arguably demands the opposite, militating
against devaluing SWE due to the declining
attention to operations within programmes.
Indeed, it accentuates the need for this experience
to be delivered within a course programme and
particularly utilized and developed in the context
of theoretical studies in the final year. Thus,
sandwich courses offer a range of benefits and
meet a number of key needs in terms of “the
product” of such courses. The extensive potential
benefits of the placement system have been well
documented (McAleenan, 1988). Additionally,
and according to research, nearly 50 per cent of
employers identified that experience gained in
their own company, and to a lesser extent a
knowledge of the work involved, cannot be
overstated in terms of influence in the selection
process (see Lavery, 1992; RISE Report, 1987).
A manager who is very good in operational
areas will, according to Constable and
McCormick (1987), be even better if this is
complemented by education. Logic
dictates that the reverse holds true.
It is evident that these benefits are not being
maximized (Leslie, 1991) and that SWE itself
may be counter-productive (Purcell, 1993). Such
evidence might encourage discontinuing the
industrial experience stage. Support of this view
is to be found amongst those who would like to
see shorter courses and potentially amongst
students, due to the introduction of self-financing.
This factor will almost certainly increase in
influence particularly if the findings of a recent
CBI Report on higher education are adopted,
which recommended that more entrants be
supported partly by increased use of resources
(e.g. delivery throughout the year) and by greater
demands for self- or parent financing.
However, reducing the duration of SWE, a
practice already evident in many programmes, or
QUALITY ASSURANCE
IN EDUCATION
Quality Assurance in Education, Vol. 2 No. 3, 1994, pp. 26-32
© MCB University Press, 0968-4883
TQM and Student Work
Experience (SWE)
David Leslie
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