Despite the sneers from a minority of academics,
people continue to make and take them. The MOOC phenomenon is
clearly driven by demand, and we can now add ‘employer needs’ to that demand.
Positive reactions
Research from Duke University and RTI International,
funded by the Gates Foundation, shows that employers are positive about MOOCs for
recruitment, hiring and professional development. In ‘The Employer Potential of MOOCs (A Survey of Human Resource Professionals’
Thinking on MOOCs ) nearly
400 employers were researched
from November 2013 and January 2014. Many hadn’t heard of MOOCs but even those
who had the idea explained to them for the first time, 57% said they could see
themselves using MOOCs for recruitment. When hiring, nearly 75% said they would
treat job-related MOOCs positively. This was especially true of businesses,
communications organisations and in education. While some were already using MOOCs,
71% could see their organisations using them in the future. This positive
reaction was seen across all sectors.
7 indicators for
employers
I can see why, as someone who was an employer for many
years, they are seen positively. Taking MOOCs says something about you as a
person. What takes them beyond the ‘rite of passage’ degree course are several
impressive indicators:
1. Motivated learner
2. Self-starter
3. Organised
4. Perseverance
5. Interested in own personal development
6. Wants relevant knowledge & skills
7. Completer
What came
through in the responses was a keen eye, not just for the course but what it
indicates about a potential or existing employee.
“If [an applicant] is trying to educate
themselves, it says something about the individual. [It shows that individual
wants] to stay on top of what is going on in their field…”
“[I] see it as someone
who wants to further their education and to do more themselves, to develop themselves
(to develop) a higher emotional intelligence.”
“I can see people who
want to advance, who need to advance their education. We have a tuition
reimbursement program but it is limited. If someone thought that they could go
online and take a course on something or take classes for certification I think
people WOULD really jump on it.”
MOOCs tend to be focused, and practical courses, so
the employer gets to see a specific set of skills acquired by the potential
employee or employee.
Professional
development
Some were already using MOOCs for CPD, and 71% could
see their organisations using them in the future.
“[MOOCs have been] a
great opportunity to provide variety and content to staff ... [We] made our
staff aware of those opportunities to tailor learning to different topics they
are interested in. “
“We’re always looking for ways and options for team members to engage in
ongoing learning to help the business grow. We have a small internal training
and [human resources] staff; we’re only going to be able to deliver so much
content. We know we’re not going to be the subject matter experts. We’ve
encouraged people to have their own exploratory learning experience. “
“It could be
applicable to everyone. Low level support staff [could take] classes on how to
be more organized and have better time management ... all the way up”
Conclusion
It’s early days, and even though many hadn’t heard of
MOOCs, when they did, they were impressed. MOOCs solve the sort of problems
employers have long complained about on recruitment, hiring and professional
development. They are one solution to the crisis of relevance in higher
education, where a gap between supply and demand has, for many reasons, led to
a loss of faith in the traditional degree course. Massively expensive, one
intake a year, fixed location, fixed time courses, are seen by many as
anachronistic. MOOCs not only bridge that gap, the provide an on-going solution
to the skills gaps within organisations. All round this is a win-win–win-win
situation, for Higher education, people looking for work, employers and
employee looks set to continue.
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