In an information-based economy, what skills do employers expect from university graduates, and are our graduates meeting those expectations?
Many universities have referred to Information Literacy as either a graduate attribute in itself, or as an indicative example of an element contributing to other specific attributes. The University of West London Library is holding an event on December 12th to explore whether or not employers feel that graduates coming in to employment have the skills they would expect, and specifically if they are able to find, use and evaluate information in a useful and effective way.
Speakers will include Ruth Stubbings, Deputy Chair of CILIP CSG Information Literacy Group, Head of Academic Services at Loughborough University, and Jason Eyre, Lecturer in Learning and Development at De Montfort University, who presented a paper at LILAC this year on the need to ensure graduates are able to apply their information skills in the ‘real world’ as well and not just in the academic environment. We also hope to engage some local employers in the discussion or to give short presentations from their point of view, which will help us all to devise IL training with lifelong applicability.
The event will take place on 12/12/11 in the Savoy Suite, at the St Mary’s Road Campus, Ealing, and will start at 10.30 and finish at 3.30pm. Refreshments and light lunch will be provided. Cost per head will be £35.
Please email kanwal.virdee@uwl.ac.uk if you are interested in attending