Employer Commitments
The information below summarises the involvement of employers who make up the e-skills UK ITMB ESF (Employer Strategy Forum) and their commitments on behalf of their companies and industry.
Commitment 1 - relevant to the industry
The e-skills UK ITMB ESF members represent their individual companies from an IT and related business perspective and work together to ensure their collective views represent industry as a whole. They will work together to ensure the learning outcomes and skill requirements of the ITMB programme are relevant and current to industry today and will, on a regular basis, review the learning outcomes and skills requirements to ensure they remain relevant and current to the IT industry sector in the future.
Benefit of Commitment 1
The Universities and ITMB students can be confident they are covering the right topics and acquiring appropriate and relevant skills which are in demand by industry.
Universities or ITMB students should not expect any preferential treatment from employers simply because of the ITMB programme. The students should however take maximum advantage of the knowledge and skills they have acquired via the ITMB programme to significantly differentiate themselves when applying for employment.
Commitment 2 - inspirational gurus
The ESF members will support the ITMB Guru Lecture programme by providing inspirational leaders and professional speakers to pass on their industry experience, up to date knowledge and views with the ITMB students.
Benefit of Commitment 2
Throughout the programme ITMB students will have the opportunity to learn about those issues which industry is grappling with today, benefit from the experience and wisdom of the industry speakers themselves and ask any questions they might have.
Most speakers have offered their contact details to the ITMB students to enable them to ask supplementary questions following the lecture.
Commitment 3 - working and networking events
The ESF will support ongoing development and events at which ITMB students, lecturers and employers can get together, enjoy working together and network. These may include business games, presentations and mock interviews and/or selection centre exercises for second and third year students.
Whether these will be a national or regional events in the future will depend on the numbers concerned, availability of venue and university commitments.
(This commitment has already delivered two very successful events so far at the BT Tower for all ITMB students plus a mock selection centre day at IBM for second year students.
Benefit of Commitment 3
ITMB students will have the opportunity to practise their skills in front of executives from the companies participating and develop their team-working skills via the competitions and workshops set on the day. Everyone attending will have the opportunity to network with others present. Students will be able to get feedback and advice on their progression from ESF representatives, which will help them to improve and also to realise the importance of the blend of skills they have been developing.
Commitment 4 - graduate and placement programmes opportunities
Any Graduate and Placement programmes within the ESF Companies will be communicated to all ITMB Universities.
Effect of Commitment 4
ITMB students can be confident their universities will be advised of all opportunities within the ESF companies.
The skills the students acquire through ITMB will be sought after by ESF organisations and many other companies alike.
ITMB graduates and undergraduates should not expect any preferential treatment but must demonstrate their abilities, both written and oral. ITMB students need to understand they will always need to meet a Company’s basic entry requirements.
Commitment 5 - industrial mentors
The ESF will work with universities to try to provide an Industrial Mentor for each ITMB course. The Industrial Mentors will typically work with just one university and visit once or twice a year.
Benefit of Commitment 5
The ITMB students will have someone outside of the university they can contact confidentially if necessary for advice and guidance.
Commitment 6 - industry training materials
When the ESF views it as appropriate, one or more employers may offer its own internal training materials or courses to one or more of the participating universities. This may be for the benefit of ITMB students, staff or both.
Benefit of Commitment 6
ITMB Students and University staff will be able to take advantage of knowledge and materials which are currently used by one or more of the employers within their companies and gain first hand experience of how these are delivered within industry.
Commitment 7 - Assured interviews
The members of the e-skills UK Boards - the IT and Telecoms Industry Board and the CIO (Chief Information Officer) Board - will ensure every ITMB graduate will get at least one interview with one of the companies represented on either of the Boards, subject to meeting minimum entry requirements.
This will apply to ITMB students graduating in 2008 and 2009. It is not expected such a commitment will be required even for these cohorts and this commitment will be reviewed in 2009 to see if it is still required.
Benefit of Commitment 7
ITMB Students are assured of at least one interview with one or more companies represented on the e-skills UK Boards - ubject to meeting minimum entry requirements.
Last modified: 06 Jun 2007