Universities have traditionally been seen as supply-driven producers of workforce talent. But this model is now becoming increasingly out-dated as universities find themselves operating in a more complex economic environment where the supply and output of courses and degrees must be considered against the demands of learners, businesses and the local, regional and national economy. As higher education (HE) increasingly becomes a competitive marketplace with institutions tempting prospective students with promises of engaging and enriching courses together with comprehensive support and teasing glances at DLHE statistics, those students from traditional backgrounds are drawn in. However, widening participation cohorts – in particular first generation students - are looking for more: How do these courses prepare me for employment? Which jobs? Where are these jobs? How much will they pay me? Will these jobs still be around when I graduate?... How can we as practitioners access the evidence (i.e. labour market information) to answer these questions? For the last few years, Southampton Solent University has deployed an innovative piece of web-based software, developed by EMSI, as part of its outreach activity. Engaging with thousands of learners and utilising unique, robust labour market data, the Career Coach software has enabled learners to discover how higher education leads to more sustainable careers that interest them. Moreover, as the tool is universally accessible, it can be used to inform that difficult conversation with parents and carers – demonstrating the local pathways that exist between courses and careers and facilitate long term social mobility. More recently, North East Scotland College (Award winners at the College Development Network Marketing Awards 2014) has worked with EMSI to enhance their student support services. Their own version of Career Coach incorporates links to My World of Work plus maps out progression pathways (and articulation agreements) to universities in Scotland making it a truly unique and valuable careers, information, advice and guidance tool. Originally presented at the Social Mobility in Scotland conference on Friday 15 May 2015, these slides present ways in which widening participation practitioners can utilise web-based tools to help inform conversations with prospective students about the long term benefits of higher education.

1. Informing higher education
decision-making with LMI
Dr. Jamie Mackay, Anthony Horne | EMSI

2. We are passionate about using good, local labour market data to help
connect people to jobs through learning and skills development
Background to EMSI

3. Background to EMSI
2000: EMSI began conducting Economic Impact Studies
for Community Colleges in the US (>1,000 to date across
four countries).
2003: Launched Analyst for professionals who need to
understand workforce and economic characteristics and
trends within different economies.
2008: Launched Career Coach to help learners and
jobseekers access good, local labour market data to gain
the right career vision.
2010: EMSI branched out to the UK.
2012: CareerBuilder acquired EMSI. The two companies
have partnered to continue to bring solid data and
analysis to a broad array of clients.

4. Our source datasets
EMSI
products
Earnings
&
Proprietors
Projected
employment
Historic
employment
• Annual
Business
Inquiry
(ABI)
• Annual
Popula?on
Survey
(APS)
• Annual
Survey
of
Hours
&
Earnings
(ASHE)
• Business
Register
&
Employment
Survey
(BRES)
• Department
for
Environment,
Food
&
Rural
Affairs
(DEFRA)
• Labour
Force
Survey
(LFS)
• Working
Futures
(WF)
• Workforce
Jobs
Series
(WJS)

5. LMI – Why Detail Matters
1
-­‐
Managers,
Directors
and
Senior
Officials
2
-­‐
Professional
Occupa?ons
3
-­‐
Associate
Professional
and
Technical
Occupa?ons
4
-­‐
Administra?ve
and
Technical
Occupa?ons
5
-­‐
Skilled
Trades
Occupa?ons
6
-­‐
Caring,
Leisure
and
Other
Service
Occupa?ons
7
-­‐
Sales
and
Customer
Service
Occupa?ons
8
-­‐
Process,
Plant
and
Machine
Opera?ves
9
-­‐
Elementary
Occupa?ons
Standard Occupational Classification

6. LMI – Why Detail Matters
Professional Occupations
• c464,000 ‘Professional Occupation’ jobs in
Scotland right now
• 5 year growth of +3% in total jobs across
Scotland (2015 – 2020)
Occupational Detail Matters. 2015-2020:
Ø Electrical Engineers = +4% growth
Ø Solicitors = -2% decline
Ø Biochemists = +8% growth

7. LMI – Why Detail Matters
Geographic Detail Matters
Ø Nurses
• c70,000 jobs in Scotland
• In the next 5 years:
Great
Britain:
+5%
Scotland:
+6%
Aberdeen
City
Region:
+6%
Glasgow
City
Region:
+9%

8. Workforce talent: Supply or Demand?
• What are the roles of a university?
• Business developer?
• Career counsellor?
• Strategic advisor?
• Community champion?
• Economic driver?
• Witty (2013) called for more university
engagement in economic development

9. Workforce talent: Supply or Demand?
• Andy Westwood - Old ‘strategic context’:
Universi?es
• Human
capital
• Research
• Services
• Spin-­‐outs
Industry
• Na?onal
economy
• Local
economy
• Sectors
• Labour
markets

10. Workforce talent: Supply or Demand?
• Westwood – Call to change this:
Universi?es
• Human
capital
• Research
• Services
• Spin-­‐outs
Industry
• Na?onal
economy
• Local
economy
• Sectors
• Labour
markets

11. LMI & Social Mobility
• Good Labour Market Information can:
– Inform strategic planning
– Support business and public-facing
activities
– Support delivery of efficient CEIAG to
potential and current learners
– Reach out to non-traditional learners

12. Introducing Career Coach
https://nescol.emsicareercoach.co.uk
https://solent.emsicareercoach.co.uk

13. Contact info
Dr Jamie Mackay | Business Development Manager for HE
e: Jamie.Mackay@economicmodelling.co.uk | t: 07740 344750