Graduate employability is an important issue for higher education as the global financial crisis has led to a significant decline in the employment prospects of new graduates over the past few years. This issue is additionally important due to the reported dissatisfaction of many employers with graduates’ ability to contribute effectively to the workplace. The Graduate Employability for Monash Science (GEMS) Project seeks to address these problems by exploring the skills needs of recent science graduates and their employers and, importantly, designing interventions that will inculcate such skills and attributes into undergraduate students via the curricula. This paper presents some initial results from the investigation of recent science graduates’ and employers’ views of employability skills needs. More specifically, this paper will discuss: (a) whether there is a mismatch between the knowledge and skills developed through undergraduate study and those actually required in post-graduation activities, (b) what knowledge and skills employers view as important when employing graduates in the current and future work climate, and (c) what graduates and employers consider universities can do to better support employment for graduates.

/pdf/graduate-employability-views-of-recent-science-graduates-and-4a7wgxy16c.pdf

Graduate Employability: Views of Recent Science Graduates and Employers

The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual model to examine key employability skills that match workplace requirements and foster employability.,This research comprises a cross-sectional study from self-financing institutions in Hong Kong. The current study adopted structural equation modeling to examine key employability skills that match workplace requirements and foster employability.,Based on the empirical findings, the acquired employability skills of young graduates are entrepreneurship, professional development, work with others, self-management, communication and problem solving. Moreover, higher education institutions should work closely with industry stakeholders to get employers engaged with the work-integrating learning (WIL) programs and subsequently equip young graduates for better employability opportunities. In connection with employer engagement, employability skills of communication, problem solving and self-management would be improved. Furthermore, entrepreneurship and problem-solving skills could further be developed for young graduating students working in SME organizations during WIL.,As a notable gap exists in the current literature to examine young graduates' key employability skills in the context and content of Hong Kong self-financing tertiary education, this research explores key employability skills of self-financed young graduates and the relative importance of employability skills across company size using a quantitative approach.

What makes better career opportunities for young graduates? Examining acquired employability skills in higher education institutions

Student volunteering has many benefits for students, universities, and nonprofit organizations (NPOs), but research on these from a multistakeholder perspective is scant. Using psychological contract theory, this article compares outcomes to expectations of students, universities, and NPOs, proposing a model of the benefits of volunteering to all three stakeholder groups. Based on a large-scale qualitative research with over 60 interviews in six Australian universities, the article offers an in-depth analysis of student volunteering benefits, surprises (benefits exceeding expectations), and disappointments (unmet expectations) for each stakeholder group. Some of these benefits align with existing literature, while others contribute new knowledge on the outcomes of student volunteering. The results show that training, preparation, and management of expectations have the potential to build positive benefits for all. It concludes with implications for universities and NPOs and directions for future research on student volunteering.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0899764019863108

The Multidimensional Benefits of University Student Volunteering: Psychological Contract, Expectations, and Outcomes:

This study considers academic identity and the performance of identity work in the context of the design and delivery of new degree apprenticeships. Recent UK Policies have driven many changes in U...

/pdf/juggling-hats-academic-roles-identity-work-and-new-degree-2u2qzp4wr3.pdf

Juggling hats: academic roles, identity work and new degree apprenticeships

This paper explores the implications for higher education of the rapid development in technology used by the manufacturing sector. Higher education programmes change or new courses are introduced in attempts to match labour market demands. However, the pace of change in the manufacturing industry challenges the authors to reconceive how programmes and modules can and should be designed and delivered.,This study is based on interviews with 26 senior management representatives from manufacturing companies in Ireland. The 26 senior managers and their companies represent the wide diversity of Ireland's manufacturing sector. All the interviews were face to face, complimented by a short questionnaire. Follow-up interviews focussed on the emergent findings were carried out to aid the writing of recommendations for the best practice in programme design and delivery.,What emerges from this study is that the manufacturing industry needs skills at three distinct levels. The authors define and classify the skill requirements at entry, competent and expert level. The authors place an emphasis on upskilling as an aid to movement between the three levels. In addition, and significantly, the desired time frame for delivery of these skills and/or upskilling is very short.,Accelerated reskilling programmes with faster, shorter bursts of work-based learning (WBL) and experiential training are required. With a growing demand for those at competent and expert level, it is necessary to promote WBL to facilitate the upskilling of those employed in manufacturing roles, particularly in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The skill needs of the manufacturing industry: can higher education keep up?

Higher education institutions (HEIs) in the UK are increasingly engaging in work-based learning. The tripartite relationship between the HEI, the employer and the employee is viewed to be of great significance in work-based learning, not only in the initial stages of procurement of a contract, but also in designing and delivering the programme to meet the employer and employee needs, and those of the HEI, to make the programmes successful. This paper is based on one theme related to a larger EU-funded project on work-based learning leading to qualifications. Based on in-depth interviews at a post-1992 university in the UK with a range of staff including executive, senior management, managerial, teaching and administrative staff, we focus on this theme, to analyse employer engagement from the perspective of the HEI. We recommend strategies to enhance the tripartite relationship for the benefit of those involved and to improve policy and practice in the field. These include a strategic approach to work-based learning and regarding it as an integral part of higher education activity rather than a supplementary pursuit.

/pdf/higher-education-institutions-and-work-based-learning-in-the-7lc6y8eg08.pdf

Higher education institutions and work-based learning in the UK: employer engagement within a tripartite relationship


Work Based Learning (WBL) is not a new concept. Authors such as Baud and Solomon [8] have discussed both the concept and practice of learning in the workplace. There has been widespread acceptance of the value of education in the workplace rather than ‘training’, particularly when academic programmes involve the learner and the employer in the design and delivery of curriculum, thus allowing the specific matching of the employer’s strategic needs with the planned development of the learner. This has been described as a ‘tri-partite’ , ‘negotiated’ approach. Since then however, there has been limited evidence of widespread acceptance or uptake of WBL, either by employers or Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It is suggested that there remain significant barriers both to the communication of WBL opportunities, and to the implementation of WBL academic programmes. The WBLQUAL [1] project was funded to research into the barriers and enablers of tri-partite, negotiated WBL - from the viewpoints of Employers, Learners and HEI institutions, and to examine how up-skilling work based learners through Higher Education Qualifications can contribute to European Union (EU) objectives.
WBLQUAL involved partners from 5 EU countries (Led by the UK, and involving partners from Denmark, Italy, Poland, Latvia). Each partner led a research ‘work package’, focusing on Employer, Student and HEI viewpoints, and from an economic sector (leisure and tourism). It is intended that each partner will present results from their work package during the WBL ‘section’ of the conference.
The research methods involved primary research using questionnaires, in depth interviews and case studies, supported by literature reviews. By integrating findings from across the EU the project was able to analyse and identify common factors, as well as country specific issues relevant to WBL. 
This paper will describe the context and the aspirations of the WBLQUAL project, and how it relates to EU objectives. It will describe the main project activities and deliverables, thereby setting the scene for the related presentations in the WBLQUAL conference section.

/pdf/the-aspirations-and-achievements-of-wblqual-an-erasmus-5g8i613zkr.pdf

The aspirations and achievements of wblqual, an erasmus funded project on up-skilling work based learners through higher education qualifications.

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Higher education institutions and work-based learning in the UK: employer engagement within a tripartite relationship

The aspirations and achievements of wblqual, an erasmus funded project on up-skilling work based learners through higher education qualifications.