Graduate meets employer – a model for embedding industry professional involvement in the development and assessment of student portfolios

The benefit of higher education institutions working with industry professionals has received significant attention in literature and policy. Despite this, the challenges in institutions themselves, and the nature of the music industry makes this concept challenging to manage. In response to this, a project was funded by the Higher Education Academy for Coventry University to examine a model for embedding the involvement of industry professionals in the development and assessment of Music Technology student portfolios. This article explains the background, the rationale, realization and outcomes of the project. First, it outlines the issues of employability within music and creative industries courses as reflected in the literature. It then examines the contextual challenges of the music industry and higher education. It continues by describing how the project embedded industry professionals in student portfolio development and assessment. Finally, it outlines the outcomes of the project, its implications and the key risk factors to its implementation in other disciplines and institutions.