Ways to influence syllabus content

Ideas?

[vincevincevince]

In the country I'm currently working in, amongst candidates for employment, I'm finding a large number of people with degrees or diplomas which by title should be entirely ideal, but by syllabus/module content are entirely unsuitable.

For that reason, I am wondering if I can't find some way to get the syllabus changed.

So far, I've started requesting references from all listed referees if they happen to be lecturers, even if I've already rejected the candidate. I'm using the reference request to list the skills I require and then posing the question whether, in the opinion of the lecturer, the candidate possesses such skills. My thought is that in answering 'no' the lecturer will gain some insight into what changes could be made to the course in future. Am I just wasting my time here?

At present I don't have the time or financial resources to create my own training system, I need to have staff able to be at least slightly productive from their first month. Is this unreasonable for graduate intake?

How do others handle this? Is it beyond our control or is it something we can influence?

Some examples of modules or topics which need to be added, in my opinion:
- Basic web technologies [complete HTML and CSS to advanced level]
- Database design [theory and practice]
- Standards [reading, understanding, implementing]
- One serverside-scripting web language to advanced level [Advanced PHP / ASP /...]
- One compiled language to advanced level [Advanced C++ / fortran / java / ...]
- One client-side language to advanced level [javascript / flash actionscript / ...]
- *nix server administration and security [shell use, compilation, packaging, vi, logging, pipes, cron, etc...]

[aspdaddy]

What country are you in if it’s the UK please sticky me.

In the UK, Sector Skills Councils now approve syllabus content for 14-19 & 19+ vocational education (awards, Certifcates, diplomas). You can participate in syllabus development by contacting the relevant skills councils e.g e-skills for computer programming.

Also all funded programs are published now, this means you can find out for any qualification, all the modules and all the modules learning outcomes and asesment criteria so as an employer you can know exactly what a national qualification means.

For Higher education (Bsc, Msc etc) the university may not publish this information. But the skills you list won’t be gained in HE as HE is not vocationally focussed so I would look for these skills in non-graduate courses the candidates have done instead.

I agree theres ssome demand with most of the skills you list, the problem is how to convince the SSC’s there is a real demand for them, otherwise its very difficult to get them on the national curriculum especially when the vendors all offer private training for them.