scholarly journals Student engagement and partnering for employability skills development

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-213
Author(s):  
Ofoegbunam Thaddeus ◽  
Kevin Chinemerem ◽  
Ifeyinwa Edith
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Skills Development

scholarly journals Am I Fit for Tomorrow’s Labor Market? The Effect of Graduates’ Skills Development during Higher Education for the 21st Century’s Labor Market

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7746
Author(s):  
Omar Habets ◽  
Jol Stoffers ◽  
Beatrice Van der Heijden ◽  
Pascale Peters
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Labor Market ◽  
21St Century ◽  
21St Century Skills ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Perceived Fit ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Higher Education Curriculum ◽  
New Graduates

This study contributes to the employability skills debate by investigating how students’ self-perceived 21st century skills relate to the self-perceived fit between their higher education curriculum and their future labor market for a sustainable entry to this labor market. Survey data from 4670 fourth-year students over a period of four years were analyzed. Furthermore, out of this group, 83 students were monitored longitudinally over their full educational student careers. Results showed a positive relationship between students’ self-perceived 21st century skills and their self-perceived “education-future labor market fit”. Among more recent cohorts, a significant improvement in their self-perceived 21st century skills was found. Overall, this study indicated that in order to deliver “employable” graduates, students need to be thoroughly trained in 21st century skills, and their development should be retained and expanded. This is one of the few studies that uses a vast amount of both cross-sectional and longitudinal data on skills and labor market perspectives among new graduates.

Impact of Industry Guest Speakers on Business Students' Perceptions of Employability Skills Development

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Riebe ◽  
R. Sibson ◽  
D. Roepen ◽  
K. Meakins
Keyword(s):  
Learning Styles ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Guest Speaker ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Quantitative Results ◽  
Perceptions And Expectations ◽  
Qualitative Responses ◽  
Guest Speakers

This study provides insights into the perceptions and expectations of Australian undergraduate business students (n=150) regarding the incorporation of guest speakers into the curriculum of a leadership unit focused on employability skills development. The authors adopted a mixed methods approach. A survey was conducted, with quantitative results analysed using SPSS allowing comparison of mean values between items and the identification of any statistical difference by student demographics. A thematic approach using inductive coding was applied to analyse the qualitative responses to open-ended questions. The results indicate that an appropriately briefed, qualified, interesting and engaging guest speaker plays an important role in active learning by exposing students to the ‘real world’ of the workplace and can reinforce the significance of key employability skills for future career success. The results also indicate that students' experience of guest speakers may be influenced by cultural factors and learning styles, with differences between the perceptions and expectations of domestic and international students with regard to certain factors. The paper has practical implications for those organizing the implementation of guest speaker programmes in HEIs and for the guest speakers themselves.

scholarly journals Integrating academic skills and employability - final

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-120
Author(s):  
Mario Menz
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Academic Skills ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Scholarship Of Teaching ◽  
Academic Literature ◽  
Professional Success ◽  
The World ◽  
The One

Across the world, universities are more numerous today than at any other time in history, yet at the same time there is unparalleled confusion about their purpose and scepticism about their value. Based on an extensive literature review, a survey of the academic landscape and discussions with academics as well as employers, this reflective piece highlights the importance of academic skills development on student’s success at university and illustrates the link between academic skills, employability and professional success.The article was prompted by the current discussion around universities’ struggle to provide students with the necessary skills to succeed after graduation. The article argues that the differentiation between academic skills on the one hand and employability skills on the other is no longer relevant or appropriate in the 21stcentury knowledge economy and invites universities to enhance their curriculum with additional, mandatory skills development modules. It provides an innovative suggestion on how to link academic skills and employability in curriculum development based on the existing academic literature around the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning as well as research into employability skills.The importance of academic skills on students’ professional success can never be overstated. The article offers an innovative approach to linkingacademic skills, employability and professional success. It adds fuel to the discussion around employability from the perspective of industry practitioners.

scholarly journals A structured reflective process supports student awareness of employability skills development in a science placement module

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciane V. Mello ◽  
Tunde Varga-Atkins ◽  
Steve W. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Summative Assessment ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Independent Research ◽  
Reflective Process ◽  
New Horizons ◽  
Science Degree ◽  
First Results ◽  
Personal Skills ◽  
Undergraduate Science

ABSTRACTPlacements are often an extra-curricular activity of a science degree. This study reports on the outcomes of a final year credit-bearing 6-week placement module that was specifically designed to develop and enhance students’ employability skills. A key element of this module was that the student placements were not just evaluated from a science perspective, but with an emphasis on meaningful reflection and evaluation of employability skills development. Students recorded their levels of confidence in skills before, during and after the placement via an Online Reflective Log, as part of a module’s summative assessment. First, results showed that taking part in the placement and conducting their own independent research helped students to make connections between their scientific knowledge, otherwise constrained within the walls of the undergraduate science lab, and the wider impact of their research on society. Another theme that emerged concerned career choices and aspirations, and the placement experience either confirmed prior choices or opened new horizons. The Online Reflective Log helped students to feel supported by their university supervisor who were at a distance, while feedback on their tasks challenged them to reflect on the scientific and personal skills as they were engaged in scientific activities during placement. Students agreed that they had further developed their employability skills during the placement. Students acknowledged it was challenging to have to acquire evidence of skills development but appreciated the usefulness of this reflection in relation to their future careers.

scholarly journals Can a Skill be Measured or Assessed?

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-24
Author(s):  
Yuliya Shtaltovna
Keyword(s):  
21St Century ◽  
21St Century Skills ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Skill Development ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
World Economic Forum ◽  
Strategic Vision ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
World Economic

This paper reviews historic and current definitions of skill as a concept, as well as frameworks that have been applied to analyse levels of skills development across the academic and professional spectrum. The author proposes a 6-level chart of skill development based on the “can-do descriptors” approach by CEFR, also known as the ability assessment approach, for further discussion, development, and application. The proposed chart is based on six levels. These are organized into two Entry levels, two Operational Use levels and two Strategic Vision levels. Further debate on the typology of skills by Deloitte, LinkedIn Research and World Economic Forum is presented as of 2020 documentation. Its dynamic manner of paradigms changing the importance of a wide array of skills (alternatively denominated as employability skills, soft skills and/or 21st Century skills) are analysed, both for educators and employers.

scholarly journals Student Skills and Employability: A Study from Students’ Perspective

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Le Thai Hung ◽  
Pham Thi Anh Phuong
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
21St Century ◽  
21St Century Skills ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Informal Logic ◽  
Employability Skills ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Research Report ◽  
Viet Nam ◽  
Graduate Attributes

This study is aimed at evaluating the relationship among students’ skills and their employability based on surveying students using 5 point Likert scale. The survey includes 490 students whose major are foreign languages and the results show that there are differences in the level of awareness between first year students, third year students and last year students. Thanks to the data analysis, it is revealed that most students believe that the university reputation has an important role in their employability (Mean= 3.80), they can do any kinds of work provided that work matches their skills and experience (Mean=3.05); therefore, students need to have some other skills in order to become successful in finding their jobs. Among the skills mentioned in the survey, the skills for working in group, skills for adaptability, skills for listening to others, skills for risk acceptability, skills for public speaking and skills for critical thinking are  more effectively contributing factors to employability in comparison with other skills. Keywords Students, employability, skills, attitude, influence References [1] Bộ Lao động Thương binh và Xã hội. (2018). Bản tin cập nhật thị trường lao động Việt Nam - quý II năm 2018. [2] Đào Đăng Phượng. (2017). Thị trường lao động và sự hình thành nguồn nhân lực ở Châu Âu và Việt Nam. Paper presented at the Hội Thảo Khoa Học Quốc tế "Tăng Cường Cơ Hội Tiếp Cận Thị Trường Lao Động Cho Thanh Niên và Sinh Viên Việt Nam Sau Khi Tốt Nghiệp. [3] Hà, T. T. (2017). Tiếp cận thị trường lao động cho sinh viên Việt Nam trong thời kỳ đổi mới giáo dục. Paper presented at the Kỷ yếu hội thảo khoa học quốc tế Tăng cường cơ hội tiếp cận thị trường lao động cho thanh niên và sinh viên Việt Nam sau khi tốt nghiệp.[4] Andrew Rothwell, Ian Herbert, & Frances Rothwell. (2007). Self-perceived employability: Construction and initial validation of a scale for university students. Journal of Vocational Behavior. [5] Andrews, G., & Russell, M. (2012). Employability skills development: strategy, evaluation and impact. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 2(1), 33-44. [6] Bailin, S. (1987). Critical and Creative Thinking. Informal Logic, 9(1), 23-30. [7] Bénabou;, R., & Tirole;, J. (2001). Seft-confidence and personal motivation. Paper presented at the the Oxford Young Economists’ Conference. [8] Cavanagh, J., Burston, M., Southcombe, A., & Bartram, T. (2015). Contributing to a graduate-centred understanding of work readiness: An exploratory study of Australian undergraduate students’ perceptions of their employability. International Journal of Management Education, 13(3), 278-288. [9] CBI on higher education. (2009). Future Fit: Preparing Graduates for the world of work. [10] Christopher D. Connors. (2017). Five Core Values that Define Success for Every Individual. The Mission Org. [11] Dearing, R. (1997). Higher Education in the Learning Society.[12] Hillage, J., & Pollard, E. (1998). Employability: Developing a Framework for Policy Analysis. DFEE Research Report RR85, Department for Education and Employment, London. [13] How to Develop Adaptability - One of the Top 10 21st Century Skills for Graduates. [http://oysterconnect.com/blog/how-develop-adaptability-one-top-10-21st-century-skills-graduates]. [14] Ilieva, D. (2014). Methods for perfecting presentation skills. Paper presented at the 13th international scientific conference Economy and Business, At Elenite, Bulgaria. [15] Joshua J. Jackson, & Dustin Wood. (2010). What do conscientious people do? Development and validation of the Behavioral Indicators of Conscientiousness (BIC). J Rer Pers, 44(4), 501-511. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2010.06.005[16] Kalfa, S., & Taksa, L. (2015). Cultural capital in business higher education: reconsidering the graduate attributes movement and the focus on employability. Studies in Higher Education, 40(4), 580-595. [17] Katherine Fulgence. (2015). Employability of Higher Education Institutions graduates: Exploring the influence of Entrepreneurship Education and Employability skills development program activities in Tanzania. (PhD degree), University of Siegen. [18] Le Thai Hung, Nguyen Thi Nhu Ngoc, & Duong Anh. (2018). Assessing career adaptability of early childhoodteachers invietnam. Paper presented at the Proceedings of international conference: New trends in education.[19] Lee, S., & Brinton, M. C. (1996). Elite education and social capital: The case of South Korea. Sociology of Education, 69(3), 177-192. doi:doi:10.2307/2112728[20] Mason, G., William, G., & Cranmer. (2009). Employability skills initiatives in higher education: What effects do they have on graduate labour market outcomes? Education Economics, 17(1), 1-30. [21] Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory: New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, Inc.[22] Osmani, M., Weekkody, V., Hindi, N., Al-Esmail, R., Eldabi, T., Kapoor, K., & Irani, Z. (2015). Identifying the trends and impact of graduate attributes on employability: a literature review. Tertiary Education and Management, 21(4), 367-379. [23] Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional Intelligence: Imagination Cognition and Personality.[24] Tom Oliver, & Lievens;, F. (2014). Conceptualizing and Assessing Interpersonal Adaptability: Towards a Functional Framework. Taylor & Francis Group, 52-72. [25] Ward, R., & Watts, A. G. (2009). Personal development planning and employability. York: Higher Education Academy. [26] Yorke, M. (2006). Employability in higher education: what it is – what it is not - Learning and Employability Series. The Higher Education Academy.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document