Why is the foundation year underrated?

In this article, Dr Lucy Atkinson outlines how the foundation year opens doors to the disadvantaged.

Foundation years are subject to frequent debate. But during the era where there is dire need for diversity in industries that are lacking the skills and talent they desperately need, Lucy argues that we need foundation years now more than ever.

Now, more than ever, we need to be widening access to education. Yet foundation years remain under threat from funding cuts. The government thankfully hasn’t withdrawn funding completely, but fees are proposed to be capped at £5,197. It’s thought that this will prevent ‘poor value for money’ for students from diverse backgrounds accessing education. Yet, foundation years are an underrated but vital route into higher education for many students and deserve the same level of contact hours, investment and time and effort as any other course.

It’s time to break the myths surrounding foundation years.

The growing skills gap

Research from Arden University has shown that by 2030, 30% of jobs in the UK could be eradicated due to automation changing the workforce.

The research asked UK employees about the areas of technology they thought would be relevant to their jobs over the next 10 years and then how prepared they were for that change. With more jobs set to involve working alongside or in tandem with new technologies, it was revealed that only a minority of employees are currently up to speed and comfortable working with developing digital technology.

This is quite concerning. With the labour market being extremely short on talent, specialist candidates for certain roles are hard to come by and this is only set to worsen. As digital technology plays a more prominent role in most jobs, and more employees work alongside tech, basic digital literacy will become an essential skill, on a par with reading and writing. As more jobs require digital skills, ensuring the population have the right skill set for the future labour market is a key priority.

The pandemic also created the opportunity for individuals to self-reflect and think about their own skills gaps and whether they are in the right job. The digital skills gap and levelling up is high on the government’s agenda which is encouraging individuals to either rethink their existing career or to upskill. It won’t be a surprise to see an influx of mature students and universities should certainly be preparing for it.

A big roadblock when considering upskilling pertains to the logistics; we can look to businesses to fund and train their employees, but in instances where the skills gap is not only prevalent but requires specific, technical skills, some will need to return to education or consider doing so if their job becomes extinct. But for this to happen, universities need to focus on widening access to education.

How foundation years widen access to education

A year-long longitudinal comparative case study examined three alternative entry routes in two selective higher education institutions in England and Ireland: a well-established foundation year; a newly formed foundation year and the route of contextualised admissions.

Foundation year students’ sense of belonging significantly increased over the year, with students reporting increased confidence and sense of belonging due to the relationships established during the year. Contextualised admission students’ sense of belonging remained the same, with students reporting feeling different and isolated.

Results indicate that students utilising foundation years may be ‘more disadvantaged’, but their experience on the foundation helped establish a sense of belonging, and therefore increasing confidence and helping students continue to develop the skills they need as they progress through higher education. This illustrates the need for diverse widening participation routes catering to a wide range of needs.

The above suggests that foundation years could also be a useful way of helping disadvantaged learners access university studies and continuing to reduce the lack of diversity in higher education, while continuing to close the widening skills gap.

When it comes to widening access, universities and companies will be targeting the older generation, ethnic minorities or neurodivergent and differently abled people. These could be people who have been working in their respective industry for a considerable amount of time or may be choosing to enter university at a later age. Nonetheless, this cohort of potential students may have complex or different needs compared to students who enter straight from finishing school at 18 years old.

If they are a mature student, they could also have additional requirements, come from more deprived areas, or have family or caring responsibilities.

Dispelling foundation year misconceptions

A lot of misconceptions around the foundation year circle around the notion that they are a waste of money, or is an indication that the person is not actually qualified for the degree they want as they don’t have the relevant grades or education. This is so far from the truth. The purpose of the foundation year is to help students who may not meet the traditional standard requirements for entry into university to spend one year developing the academic and soft skills needed to succeed in higher education.

And studies have shown that foundation year students say they actively chose a foundation year course as they need to adapt to university often after a break from education, want to update their academic skills, address their lack of confidence with academic studies and improve chances of success in their course. Students report the foundation year as being helpful for preparing them ‘for all the types of assignments’.

Oftentimes, the demand and cost of university puts a lot of people off from applying for a degree as they may have different requirements which are often not met by universities. With some, and often mature, students often having other commitments, (a day job, caring for a family member, or looking after children – to name a few), allowing them to fit their higher education journey around their life is appealing. It doesn’t mean they have to pull their hair to make ends meet.

Universities ought to do more to attract an eclectic range of students.  And a good way to do that is by offering an enticing introduction to higher education to ensure they are ready to commit to a journey into getting a new degree, new skills and new career.