This project, funded by Foundation Degree Forward and Aimhigher and aimed to conduct an evaluation of the experience of work based learning and employer engagement in Foundation Degree (FD) programmes, within the Eastern region.
Recommendations from the research are as follows:
•Institutional programme specifications should ensure that specific and comprehensive reference is made to work based learning methods and employer engagement strategies, in order to promote a cohesive partnership between employer, educator and employee (student)
•Programme specifications should be made available to all stakeholders in the Foundation Degree partnership via electronic methods, for example, on institution websites. This may encourage employer contribution and ownership to work based learning modules
•Skill sector inequalities need to be addressed through employer empowerment and proactive strategies, these should be relevant to the particular area as opposed to general Foundation Degree issues
•Employers should be encouraged to become involved with future work based learning plans, as this tends to develop supportive behaviours
•Extending employer engagement in delivery and assessment should be a primary objective as these areas lack involvement and may promote engagement effectiveness in other areas.
•Some form of workplace mentor training should be provided as, in cases where this does occur, employers were reported as being supportive and more engaged in work based learning generally
•Employers should be involved in work based learning management as this advances supportive behaviour
•Some students perceived that the focus in some Foundation Degrees is heavily focused towards encouraging learners to move on to a degree level qualification. As this is not the original intention of all students, the programme rationale should make this clearer in the institutional documentation
•Care should be taken to avoid high staff turnover disrupting work based learning arrangements and planning
•There should be greater integration between the two sets of stakeholders, educational and workplace personnel, this may help to bridge the divide which students perceive exists
•Creating banks of knowledgeable, supportive and enthusiastic employers is vital, while other employers can be drawn in by the use of collaboratively trusting networks
•Work based learning should be meaningful and relevant for all stakeholders, and appropriate for a diversity of learners. A work based learning coordinator can facilitate this, along with appropriate funding, employer knowledge, skill sector relevance and sympathetic timetabling
•The profile and comprehension of work based learning in Foundation Degrees should be raised amongst employers by advancing their understanding of the curriculum, their role as a mentor and Foundation Degrees themselves
•A systematic evaluative programme can help work based learning to develop within Foundation Degrees. Areas to consider include; appropriateness of tasks, embedded activities, competency training, student progress, experiential knowledge, key skills and relevant industrial changes
•Employer engagement relationships need to be addressed and managed. Smaller employer engagement forums can encourage communication and careful timetabling can maximise the number of attendees. Liaison with Sector Skill Councils can foster high quality engagement and provide further examples of good practice. Positive strategies can prevent students from becoming isolated and provide workplace colleagues with knowledge
•Employer engagement strategies can help to enhance understanding and engaging students in some aspects can have beneficial outcomes
•In order to facilitate the successful integration of theory and practice, employer understanding of the Foundation Degree curriculum needs to be enhanced making explicit links between workplace and classroom content
•To promote integration of theory and practice, course development should incorporate discussion with employers over learning aims and objectives, ensure that there is a balance between academic and practical learning and provide encouragement for students to proactively integrate their learning in the workplace and vice versa.

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