Employability for the workers – what does this mean? (original) (raw)
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Equipping students with appropriate skills to enter the workforce is increasingly seen a requirement of university education. However, little has been done to assess the student perspective as to how they believe employability skills are included or developed. Through an audit of employability skills within modules and focus group interviews with students this study examined the difference between what academics believe is included and students perceptions of employability. Students acknowledged a number of employability skills that were developed but suggested limited sources for this occurring. Strong emphasis was placed on living away from home, work placement, and practical classes as being the main source of development. The audit revealed that academics believe there are extensive opportunities for augmenting employability skills. These findings suggest that more needs to be done to communicate to students how the varied types of curriculum activities enhance employability skills.
A social constructivist approach to introducing skills for employment to Foundation Degree students
Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 2013
Expectations for higher education providers to produce graduates ready for the workplace has shaped provision, with the introduction of the Foundation Degree, and expectations of an employability component within HE programmes. This paper reports on an intervention for three groups of foundation degree students, which introduces them to ideas of skills for employability. An initial evaluation was followed up two months later exploring the longer-term impact and connections within students' programmes of study, and data were captured from employers and tutors supporting this intervention. In agreement with similar studies, benefits for students were identified; however this research reinforces the challenging nature of the employability agenda, particularly within the context of Foundation Degrees and their dual vocational-academic remit. This paper suggests there is a case to be made for a social constructivist approach within programmes and institutions for promoting awareness and consistency in developing student employability skills.
Students’ reflections on an employability skills provision
Journal of Further and Higher Education
For many years, a key driver for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) has been ensuring that students are prepared for employment post-graduation. This has often resulted in HEIs providing specific modules of study focussing on employability and soft skills. The existing research literature presents a variety of strategies for embedding employability within curricula, often focusing on frameworks to review the provision of employability opportunities within a degree programme. The authors have previously investigated an employability module within an Undergraduate Chemistry Programme at their UK HEI, particularly focusing on students' perceptions-these coalesced around the themes of personal progression, relevance of the module and interactions. However, before using these findings to further develop the module, it was deemed necessary to investigate the module in a different context. This study investigates the employability module in an Australian HEI and its delivery to undergraduate and postgraduate students from a range of different disciplines. Free text comments from questionnaires answered by 85 participants were subjected to thematic analysis in order to understand students' perceptions of the module in this new context. The new thematic map was compared to that from the original study to reveal several key similarities and differences between students' perceptions. However, the most important finding is thast employability modules should be tailored to a specific cohort to ensure they are aligned with their needs. This suggests that Central University employability module providers should work closely with individual departments to maximise the impact of these for students. ARTICLE HISTORY
EMPLOYABILITY PROGRAMMES AND GRADUATES’ ASSESSMENT OF THEIR EMPLOYABILTY
Discourse on graduate employability issues has centered on issues relating to the "quality" or rather the lack of quality of graduates. In this light, Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) and other agencies have taken heed to enhance students' competencies through the implementation of graduate employability programmes (EP). This paper presents the finding of a study on the perceived impacts of graduate employability programmes on their work-related knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs). A set of questionnaire was developed and distributed to a sample of participants who attended an EP. Based on the responses of the participants, the paper discusses among others, the different perceived competencies amongst participants. The findings could be used to guide the EP providers, trainers, and HLIs in reviewing and improving the existing EP.
Employability programmes and graduates' assessment of their employability
2012
Discourse on graduate employability issues has centered on issues relating to the "quality" or rather the lack of quality of graduates. In this light, Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) and other agencies have taken heed to enhance students' competencies through the implementation of graduate employability programmes (EP). This paper presents the finding of a study on the perceived impacts of graduate employability programmes on their work-related knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs). A set of questionnaire was developed and distributed to a sample of participants who attended an EP. Based on the responses of the participants, the paper discusses among others, the different perceived competencies amongst participants. The findings could be used to guide the EP providers, trainers, and HLIs in reviewing and improving the existing EP.
Executive Summary 1. Project context This project responded to growing social and economic demands for higher education graduates who can negotiate rapidly transforming employment contexts. It was based on the premise that higher education institutions have responsibility for helping students gain the skills, knowledge and personal attributes required of them in the initial stages of their careers. The project emerged from the understanding that despite evidence on what is required by employers, the existence of graduate attributes statements, and a large body of scholarly literature, many graduates are not optimally work ready (Fullan & Scott, 2014). The project was implemented in parallel with two other commissioned projects on graduate employability. Recognising that the number of part-time, casual and/or multiple job-holding workers has never been higher and that traditional forms of employment are increasingly rare, this project focused on disciplines with ill-defined or difficult-to-enter graduate destinations. These included music and dance; biomedical sciences and biotechnology; professional and creative writing; and computer science. In contrast to the employer focus of the other projects, the team focused on students, graduates and academic leaders. 2. Project aims The project aims were twofold: to increase understanding of critical issues in enhancing graduate employability in higher education; and, to identify support for educators seeking to develop student employability. 3. Project approach The project adopted a multi-stage approach involving four overlapping core activities: • To synthesise through a scoping review existing research on employability, its development, and impediments to its adoption within higher education; • To investigate employability through survey and case study research with students, graduates/practitioners, higher education leaders and careers advisors; • To showcase good practice with higher education stakeholders through a series of workshops and presentations; and • To develop a toolkit of employability resources for educators to use with their students. In Phase 1: Student survey and scoping review, the team designed an online student survey instrument that included items from extant data sets for comparison. The survey was distributed through academic networks and instrumentalised for delivery in English, Spanish and Portuguese. The team also prepared a comprehensive scoping review of extant literature and resources relating to students’ enhancement of employability skills, impediments to practice, and ways in which these impediments might be overcome. In Phase 2: Case study research and resource development, the findings of Phase 1 informed four distinct case study instruments. Case studies were undertaken with students, graduates/practitioners, leaders and careers advisors. An evidence-based discussion paper synthesised the findings and identified options for improved institutional capacity. This informed a “toolkit” for which team members synthesised resources to develop employability with higher education students. The toolkit is hosted by Curtin University. 4. Project outputs Outputs from the project included: • Survey data from 415 students and data summaries for four institutions; • Case study data from 60 stakeholders and 10 vignettes for the targeted disciplines; • A website and toolkit housing resources from this project and other sources; • An open-access conference paper; • Industry snapshots; and • Guides for educators. 5. Project dissemination and engagement The team implemented a dissemination and engagement strategy that leveraged the work of this and previous employability projects. Engagement activities included 32 conference presentations, 11 workshops and 6 related papers, including presentations at national events organised by the other commissioned project teams. Half-day workshops and an expert panel were presented at two national conferences and a national forum. The website includes employability toolkit resources organised around the five themes discussed below. 6. Impact of the project (outcomes to date and projected future impact) • More than 470 stakeholders have contributed to the project’s findings. • To date, more than 1,500 academics, leaders and practitioners have attended presentations at university learning and teaching events and at conferences; • 1,720 students and educators have attended in-class workshops. • Resources trialled with 1,500 students in 2014 have been embedded into their courses. • Four institutions have received data summaries to inform their employability initiatives. • Industry organisations with an interest in career support and development have begun to link to and from the website and resources. • Educators who ran the survey have adapted resources for use with their students. • Post-project activities, including through the website, will encourage systemic adoption. 7. Key findings and recommendations This project has enhanced understanding of graduate employability in relation to the contrasting perspectives of different stakeholders. The research confirms that to identify and develop the skills and attributes needed to navigate post-graduation pathways, higher education students need timely and informed support. Graduates assert that the lack (or under development) of these skills and attributes is one of the most critical disadvantages encountered by graduates transitioning into work. Educators are central to the process of change, but higher education leaders, graduates and students report many educators to be ill equipped for the task. Whilst the team acknowledges the expert and impactful employability work undertaken by many colleagues, one reference group member reminded the team of a “fundamental disconnect” between the development of employability within higher education and those academics who “would say that universities are not ‘responsible’ for anything, except perhaps the pursuit of truth and beauty”. As such, the resources for educators are likely to have three audiences. The first and second of these are most likely to be interested in sharing and accessing resources. These educators became the target audience for the online toolkit: 1. Educators who agree they have a role in the development of employability, and who have the skills and resources to undertake this task; 2. Educators who agree they have a role in the development of employability, but who need some assistance to engage students and others; and 3. Educators who do not agree they have a role in the development of employability and are unlikely to engage unless required to. The concerns expressed by students, graduates, employers and leaders related largely to academics’ lack of knowledge about the contemporary workplace; however, the case studies also revealed challenges including over-crowded curricula, modularised delivery, research-focused key performance indicators and ranking systems, an increasingly casualised workforce, and graduate destinations metrics that are insufficient for the task. Educators who attended the project’s engagement activities repeated many of these concerns. Combined, these factors highlighted the potential for a systematic approach to the development of effective employability skills. The research concluded that employability development should focus on the five themes illustrated at Figure 1: Figure 1: Five employability themes 8. Recommendations Employability is a critical concern for higher education and should be addressed as a matter of urgency. Recommendations are as follows: 1. That institutions embed and resource employability as a key institutional strategy, engaging the expertise of careers advisors and professionals at program and course level and developing an endorsed capacity building strategy for local leaders; 2. That all students explore and apply knowledge relating to self and career as foundational elements of their program. This should be achieved through authentic learning experiences that incorporate critical reflection and ensure that emerging capabilities are evidenced using a valid framework; 3. That program delivery reflects professional practice and that all educators be supported to become industry-aware and pedagogically proficient; 4. That higher education position itself to gather academic and learning analytics that track student behaviour and the development of employability capabilities and competencies; 5. That revisions of the Graduate Destination Survey be consultative and ensure the generation of data which is sufficiently nuanced to capture complex work arrangements, using a validated measure. In addition, that the Office for Learning and Teaching explore the ongoing collection of graduate data through agreement with the Australian Taxation Office and the Department of Education and Training; 6. That the successor to the Office for Learning and Teaching establish a “linkage” program to support industry partnerships that benefit both students and educators; and 7. That higher education institutions develop post-graduation support and professional learning initiatives as an extension of their core business.
Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, 2019
Employability is a complex, contested concept which has tended to be considered in terms of a dominant discourse of skills. This article argues that employability needs to be thought of more holistically, as ongoing, life-long, situated learning, whilst acknowledging that the contested language of skills and the need to demonstrate competency through examples is embedded in employers’ recruitment processes. Therefore the ability to articulate what a graduate can offer to employers, framed in terms of skills and expressed in narratives which provide convincing examples, is important in establishing potential employability. Research shows that undergraduate and postgraduate students can find this problematic. In addition, recent scholarship calls for research to create a theoretically informed understanding of why and how interventions aimed at enhancing employability are effective. The authors have researched a diverse range of interventions which have had a positive impact and which...
2019
The main aim of this doctoral thesis was to explore university graduates’ employability and transition to working life. The first aim was to explore graduates’ evaluations of their academic competences, their confidence in success in working life and usefulness of work experience, and what kind of profiles can be identified based on the evaluations. The second aim was to explore the interrelations between academic competences and approaches to learning. Thirdly, the purpose was to investigate the relation between work experience, approaches to learning and study success. The fourth aim was to explore graduates’ evaluations of the usefulness of their degree and career success three years after graduation. The fifth aim was to explore what kinds of challenges graduates have encountered in working life. This thesis consists of four studies. It was a longitudinal study and applied a mixed-methods approach. Data included 1023 survey answers and 83 interviews at the time of graduation and...
The impact of pre-entry work experience on university students' perceived employability
Journal of Further and Higher Education, 2023
Much research on the employability development of university students and the employability experience of graduates treats learners as experientially homogenous and ignores the potential impact of pre-entry work experience on either students’ confidence or their employability-related behaviours. This study explored the confidence of commencing students aged 17 to 21. The objective was to understand whether and how study and career confidence differs among commencing students according to whether they have never worked, are working whilst studying, or have worked previously and have stopped work. The impact of work experience including that gained prior to university entry is often overlooked when discussing students’ perceived employability. This largely quantitative study explores the perceived employability of commencing university students who began their studies soon after finishing high school and compares these self-perceptions relative to work experience. The study employed a self-measure of study and career confidence (Bennett, 2021) grounded in social cognitive career theory with 2,374 full-time students. Differences across the categories were explored using t-tests and multivariate analysis. The analysis concluded that 1,272 students (53.6%) were working at the time of the study, 1,025 students (46.4%) had previously worked but were not working at the time of the study and 77 students (3.2%) had never worked. The findings, illustrated by students’ text-based descriptions of their employability development activities, suggest a hierarchical relationship between pre-entry work-experience and more confident self-perceptions of employability. Implications for higher education employability development are discussed.