Upon graduating, about a third [pdf] of UK graduates migrate to London in search of work each year. Known as the brain drain, this trend for graduates to move to the capital leaves Britain’s regions with a serious skills shortage.
This brain drain has a particular impact on small businesses, but there are ways to build a vibrant, talented workforce in smaller towns and rural locations, and The Open University (OU) is leading the charge.
Committed to widening access to education for all, the OU has been driving innovation and championing change since its inception in 1969. Now it’s encouraging businesses in search of graduates to see its student population as part of the solution to regional brain drain.
“A traditional bricks-and-mortar university is generally seen as a regional hub, although it might build strong links outside of its region, whereas the OU is very different because our students are everywhere,” says Emma Laws, senior employer engagement manager at the OU.
With just under 180,000 students, many of whom have taken a non-traditional educational path to get to degree-level study, the OU has the highest proportion of students with disabilities in Britain – somewhere in the region of 25,000 students – and has strong representation with BAME students and those from lower socioeconomic groups. Given that diverse companies work more efficiently and profitably, it makes sense for businesses to consider OU graduates.
The OU also differs from traditional universities because of the pioneering distance learning model, which has evolved over the years to take full advantage of the digital, online world. Bringing years of experience in using these technologies for teaching to innovative methods of connecting with employers can be an advantage for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) when it comes to hiring graduates. “Engaging graduates is very time-consuming, quite expensive, and employers are often competing for students’ attention alongside corporates with dedicated graduate recruitment teams,” says Laws. “Our online offering, coupled with the fact that we connect with students differently, means SMEs can engage with our student population in more flexible and affordable ways.”
Virtual internships, facilitated by the OU, are one innovative way small businesses can gain access to graduates across all regions.
“SMEs are not only city-based, but may operate from more rural locations, so we’re a really good source of talent for them because of our geographically dispersed student population,” says Laws.
“OU students typically fit one of three career brackets; starters, changers or developers. By far the highest proportion of students are career changers, often with already established occupations. Their experience, skills and location across the UK can be a real benefit for organisations that aren’t necessarily Londoncentric.”
The virtual internship programme – an internship with a remote working “twist” – came about as a result of the OU seeking ways to reach students who encounter barriers to gaining work experience. As well as enabling students to access work experience that they might otherwise lack the confidence or opportunity to pursue, it’s also a way for employers to do something proactive in relation to diversifying their workforce.
“We also thought about the employers we’re engaging with, or with whom we want to engage, who find it difficult to access the talent and skills they need to support the growth of their organisation,” says Laws.
“Nowadays, it’s not enough for organisations to say they are committed to diversity – this is a tangible opportunity to engage with students who might be harder to reach or who might not consider themselves eligible for the kind of opportunities on offer.”
Because businesses can access graduates’ skills and talents from afar, there’s no need for the individual to live in the same city or town.
“Our distance-learning model is another reason why we’re a great partner for SMEs – it’s what we know and do best, so we can provide organisations, particularly those less familiar with remote working, with lots of support,” says Laws.
This includes sharing the approaches and tactics that the OU uses as a distance-learning provider to maintain contact with students to help them to feel part of the OU community.
Alongside the virtual internships programme, the OU also runs a Santander SME internship scheme, exclusively for SMEs, which enables the OU to pay for or partially fund a student’s internship.
Seventy-five percent of OU students are in full or part-time employment – another indication of how different its student population is compared with traditional bricks-and-mortar universities – so many students opt to do placements on a part-time basis to enable them to continue with existing work commitments. The OU recently commissioned independent research among employers of OU graduates. Employers felt they benefited from the fact many OU students work while studying. It means they already have workplace skills and, as one employer put it, are ready to “hit the ground running”.
In light of all we know about the positive impact of flexible working on everything from productivity to mental health, the OU’s approach seems destined to foster change in the workplace.
“The demand for flexible working is only likely to increase in the future, so for businesses that want to stay ahead of the curve, our virtual internships programme is a good opportunity to test out that style of working,” says Laws.
It’s also a golden opportunity for OU students. “Changing career, whether in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s or even 60s, can be very daunting, but a virtual internship could open doors for someone who might otherwise lack the confidence to try breaking into a new industry,” says Laws. “Our virtual internships enable small businesses to offer graduates that game-changing first step.”
Empower your business. It’s easy and free to tap into the diverse talents of OU students and alumni through the OU’s OpportunityHub
