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Work-Ready Graduates: Building Employability Skills for a Hybrid World
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Work-Ready Graduates: Building Employability Skills for a Hybrid World

Work Ready Graduates: Building Employability Skills for a Hybrid World

Introduction and Context

  • Maxwell Rick introduces the digital event, emphasizing the importance of employability skills in a hybrid world. Attendees are encouraged to use the live chat for questions.
  • The session is recorded and will be shared later, highlighting the ongoing relevance of discussions around student outcomes post-pandemic.
  • The pandemic has intensified scrutiny on student value and job market variability, necessitating higher education institutions to demonstrate effective career preparation.

Key Research Insights

  • The research identifies essential skills that businesses seek in graduates, focusing on visibility in remote work environments and necessary career management skills.
  • Institutions have an opportunity to enhance their responses to learner needs by embedding relevant employability skills into curricula.
  • CMI's 21st Century Leaders report (2018) serves as a foundation for innovative teaching methods; now, there's a call to apply this innovation towards employability skill delivery.

Importance of Employability Skills

  • Acknowledges diverse student experiences; some may find jobs quickly while others struggle. All stakeholders share responsibility for supporting positive outcomes.
  • Introduces key speakers: Professor Julian Gordon from the University of Glasgow, Dr. Daniel Berger from Anglia Ruskin University, and Liz Brad from CMI’s research team.

Research Overview

  • Liz Brad discusses the project overview focused on building employability skills amidst significant changes due to COVID-19.
  • Emphasizes practical recommendations aimed at benefiting students and employers alike through enhanced understanding of employability requirements in a digital context.

Methodology and Findings

  • The research aims to assess how the pandemic has influenced required employability skills and how employers can shape educational programs moving forward.
  • Engaged with various stakeholders including university representatives across different types of institutions (Russell Group, post-'92 universities).

Employability Skills Research Findings

Overview of Research Methodology

  • Conducted 16 in-depth interviews with HR senior decision-makers and polled 528 senior decision-makers across the UK.
  • Engaged with the student voice through 6 focus groups with undergraduate students and polled 600 students, split evenly between those on CMI accredited courses and those who are not.

Defining Employability

  • Employability is defined as the behaviors and skills that enhance an individual's likelihood of securing high-skilled employment, crucial for economic benefits.
  • It also emphasizes helping students secure their first job and progress towards becoming future managers and leaders in their fields.

Key Findings on Employability Skills

  • Traditional skills like teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving remain essential; however, new digital skills are increasingly important. These include:
  • Self-management
  • Digital communication
  • Creating a personal digital brand
  • Effective networking in a digital context

Gaps in Preparedness for Employment

  • Nearly 80% of employers believe graduates lack necessary workplace readiness skills; conversely, about 25% of students feel unconfident in demonstrating employability skills.
  • Just under one-third of students reported insufficient support from universities in developing careers management skills.

Employer Engagement Insights

  • A significant portion (48%) of students feel disconnected from potential employers, indicating a gap in university-facilitated connections.
  • Despite challenges, 57% of employers have actively participated in shaping employability skills over the past two years; however, many find it difficult to engage effectively.

Opportunities for Collaboration

  • There is a strong desire among employers (61%) to collaborate more closely with universities to shape employability skills but only 11% know how to initiate this engagement.
  • An overwhelming majority (92%) expressed interest in having an organization bridge the gap between them and academic institutions regarding employability skill development.

Development of Employability Skills Framework

  • The research identified 11 key employability skills, forming CMI's framework which includes:
  • Critical thinking
  • Problem-solving
  • Resilience
  • Teamwork
  • Communication

These were deemed essential by nearly all surveyed employers (97%) for preparing graduates adequately for the workforce.

Training Programs Demand

Employability Skills and Recommendations for Graduates

Key Findings on Graduate Employability

  • 55% of employers prioritize the completion of accredited training courses or qualifications as a key indicator of graduate employability.
  • 55% also value internships, placements, or work-based learning experiences highly in assessing candidates.
  • 51% of employers look for graduates who have completed short, bite-sized employability skills programs to demonstrate readiness for the workplace.

Recommendations for Enhancing Employability

  • Embed accredited employability skills into course modules or provide standalone modules to ensure broad access for students.
  • Adopt a whole university approach to employability from day one, ensuring all students can access necessary skills regardless of their course.
  • Support students in recognizing and tracking their employability skill gains throughout their studies, addressing gaps in awareness identified during research.

Networking and Employer Connections

  • Utilize existing national and regional networks to connect with employers and better understand workplace skill requirements.
  • Create networking opportunities that allow students to engage with local employers through real-life assignments, mentoring, and career pathways.

Reflections on Research Findings

Timeliness of Research Insights

  • The research is timely due to rapid changes in higher education, including shifts towards hybrid learning environments which present new challenges.

Importance of Experiential Learning

  • Emphasizing experiential learning helps develop essential employability skills; universities should make these opportunities explicit within curricula.

Recognition of Skill Development

  • Universities need to clearly communicate the skills being developed throughout degree programs so that students can recognize their own growth.

Changing Perspectives on Student Ambition

Evolving Attitudes Towards Employability

Understanding the Importance of Soft Skills in Higher Education

The Dominance of Soft Skills

  • The speaker expresses surprise at the prevalence of soft skills listed as essential for graduates, indicating a belief that university experiences are crucial for developing these skills.
  • Emphasizes that while technical skills are important, social and cultural capital gained through academic programs is vital for embedding necessary competencies in students.

Data Insights on Graduate Preparedness

  • Highlights concerning data points: 79% of employers believe graduates lack readiness for the workplace; nearly one-third of students feel their universities do not provide career management skills.
  • Notes that only 25% of students feel confident in demonstrating their employability, with only 41% of non-business students having a LinkedIn account.

Confidence Issues Among Students

  • Suggests a correlation between the data points and student confidence, particularly within post-92 universities where low confidence is often noted.
  • Calls attention to widespread issues like imposter syndrome among students, which hinder their ability to seek support effectively.

Raising Awareness of Employability Skills

  • Discusses strategies to enhance awareness around employability skills and how this could potentially boost student confidence.
  • Introduces an innovative teaching approach aimed at integrating skill development into the curriculum rather than treating them as isolated concepts.

Curriculum Revisions for Skill Development

  • Describes a significant curriculum overhaul two and a half years prior, moving away from traditional lectures to more interactive learning models.
  • Explains the shift towards blended learning methods that include recorded materials followed by workshops led by tutors and eventually by students themselves.

Defining Critical Skills Clearly

  • Stresses the importance of clearly defining critical reasoning and problem-solving skills so that students can articulate them effectively to potential employers.

Employability Skills Development in Higher Education

Importance of Critical Reasoning and Confidence

  • Emphasizes the role of critical reasoning skills in helping students articulate their thoughts during interviews, fostering confidence in their abilities.

Spiral Curriculum for Employability Skills

  • Introduces a spiral curriculum that integrates employability skills from the first year through to graduation, focusing on career management activities like CV writing and interview preparation.

Co-Curricular Award: ARU CPD

  • Discusses the Anglia Ruskin University Certificate in Professional Development (ARU CPD), which consists of 25 modules aimed at enhancing employability skills essential for job performance rather than just securing employment.

Integration of Skills into Degree Programs

  • Highlights the distinction between career management skills and actual job-related skills, stressing that both should be integral to degree programs rather than treated as supplementary.

Student Engagement with Employability Modules

  • Notes a significant increase in student participation in employability modules, with 300 out of 500 students already signed up within a trimester, indicating growing recognition of the importance of these additional qualifications.

Active Learning vs. Passive Learning

Shift Towards Experiential Learning

  • Acknowledges a shift from passive learning methods to active-based learning and experiential opportunities across undergraduate programs, aligning with professional accreditation bodies.

Mapping Learning Journeys

  • Stresses the importance of having a clear narrative throughout students' four-year learning journey, allowing them to identify skill development and how it scaffolds over time.

Embedding Employability Across Curricula

  • Advocates for embedding employability skills firmly within degree programs so that they are not seen as additional tasks but as core components essential for student success post-graduation.

Impact of Technical Degrees on Other Disciplines

Concerns Over Technical Degree Focus

  • Raises concerns about whether an increased focus on technical degrees might hinder students pursuing non-technical disciplines like social sciences when seeking employment after university.

Value of Social Science Degrees

  • Argues that social science degrees offer substantial knowledge and skill sets that can be valuable in various sectors, emphasizing universities' need to clearly communicate these benefits to employers.

Opportunities for Collaboration Between Universities and Employers

  • Suggests there is potential for better engagement between higher education institutions (HEIs) and employers to enhance understanding and collaboration regarding graduate capabilities.

Adaptation Post-Pandemic

University Experience and Student Engagement

Importance of Utilizing University Services

  • The university experience is enhanced when students actively engage with available services and support systems.
  • Many students attempt to balance full-time studies with a full-time life, leading to a transactional view of their education.
  • This approach can be problematic as it may hinder the depth of commitment required for a meaningful university experience.

Underutilization of Resources

  • Despite significant resources dedicated to student support, many students are unaware or do not utilize these services effectively.
  • Events aimed at improving employability often see low attendance, indicating a disconnect between student needs and available opportunities.

Employer Engagement Opportunities

  • Universities host events where employers recruit directly from students; however, participation rates are surprisingly low.
  • There is a need for institutions to clarify the value of these events to encourage greater student involvement.

Developing Professional Networks

Challenges in Networking for Students

  • A significant percentage (41%) of non-business students lack LinkedIn profiles due to feelings of inadequacy regarding professional experience.
  • This reluctance creates a self-perpetuating cycle where students feel they have nothing valuable to contribute.

Overcoming Barriers to Networking

  • It’s essential for universities to educate students on the humble beginnings of professional networking and its importance.
  • Personal experiences highlight that even those from non-traditional backgrounds can successfully build networks over time.

Strategies for Enhancing Networking Skills

  • Workshops focused on developing LinkedIn profiles could help, but attendance remains an issue due to preconceived notions about their usefulness.
  • Institutions should create unavoidable networking opportunities through informal settings like lunches or dinners with professionals.

The Role of Campus Life in Networking

  • Casual interactions on campus can lead to valuable connections; thus, being present and engaged outside formal classes is crucial.

Connections Between Education and Professional Networks

Importance of Networking in Education

  • The discussion emphasizes the significance of exposing students to various professional networks, including entrepreneurs facing real business challenges.
  • Former students working at major consultancy firms are brought in to provide insights on transitioning from university life to professional environments.
  • Extracurricular activities, such as business societies, play a crucial role in broadening students' professional networks beyond formal education.

Enhancing Curriculum with Experiential Learning

  • A shift towards active, experiential learning is proposed as a means to move away from traditional assessments.
  • Problem-based learning and assessments that engage with stakeholders can enhance student experiences and skill development.
  • There is ongoing sector-wide discussion about improving technical numeric assessments while maintaining examinations for foundational skills.

Authentic Assessment Approaches

Transitioning to Real-Life Scenarios

  • The conversation highlights the need for more authentic assessment methods that reflect real-world scenarios rather than hypothetical case studies.
  • Live briefs are introduced as a method where employers set questions based on actual problems, allowing students to apply their learning practically.

Feedback Mechanisms and Real Outcomes

  • Employers provide feedback on student work without marking it themselves, ensuring academic rigor while incorporating industry perspectives.
  • An example is given where students contributed to an FAQ page for a local authority, demonstrating tangible outcomes from their assessments.

Engaging Students in Research

Shifting Focus from Desk-Based Research

  • Postgraduate projects are encouraged to involve more primary research rather than relying solely on desk-based studies.
  • Despite institutional challenges like ethics approval processes, efforts are made to facilitate primary research opportunities for around 300 postgraduate projects this year.

Continuous Improvement in Employability Strategies

Supporting Student Development and Employability

Focus on Meta Skills

  • The emphasis is on helping students develop meta skills such as complex problem solving, communication, creativity, adaptability, and entrepreneurial behavior.
  • Curriculum redesign at the undergraduate level aims to embed these skills from the outset, ensuring a scaffolded learning experience.

Stakeholder Engagement in Curriculum Review

  • Employers and corporate connections are considered key stakeholders in curriculum reviews at the postgraduate level.
  • Students are also recognized as vital stakeholders, participating actively in co-creation processes for program development.

Employability Initiatives

  • The University of Glasgow has a strong employability team that runs successful boot camps for students; transitioning online has increased participation.
  • Despite existing resources, student engagement can be inconsistent; however, COVID-19 has improved access to programs.

Institutional Support Structures

  • All students have access to central services like career support and an alumni network that connects them with professionals globally.
  • There is alignment between institutional graduate attributes and key skill sets across different faculties.

Active Learning Shift

  • The university is moving towards active learning methodologies supported by new facilities and staff training investments.
  • Sharing best practices from business faculties across the institution is seen as essential for enhancing overall student employability.

Innovative Programs for Skill Development

Competitions and Incubation Initiatives

  • Initiatives like "The Big Pitch" competition encourage participation from all faculties, promoting diverse ideas beyond just business-focused entries.
  • Participants receive support in developing employability skills such as writing business plans and effective communication before competing.

Supporting Startups

Subsidizing Resources for Student Development

Importance of Subsidized Resources

  • The discussion emphasizes the need to subsidize resources that are difficult for students to acquire independently, particularly in business faculties.
  • Networking opportunities and public lectures are highlighted as accessible to all students, not just those in business programs.

Enhancing Skills Beyond Business Students

  • There is a call for clearer communication regarding the benefits of activities aimed at enhancing skills for non-business students.
  • The integration of career management skills into degree programs is suggested without overwhelming students with additional tasks.

Recognizing Extra-Curricular Efforts

Value of Co-Curricular Activities

  • Acknowledgment that many students engage in extra-curricular activities beyond their academic requirements, which should be recognized and rewarded.
  • Students require accredited awards that align with learning outcomes to differentiate themselves in the job market.

Clarity on Learning Outcomes

  • Emphasis on making learning outcomes explicit so that students understand their significance and how they contribute to employability.

Utilizing CMI Resources for Employability

Engagement with CMI Resources

  • All students enrolled in CMI-accredited courses have access to valuable resources, which enhances their engagement and employability skills.
  • Successful events featuring industry speakers have positively impacted student perceptions and utilization of these resources.

Embedding Employability Skills

  • Past attempts at standalone employability modules were unsuccessful; integrating these skills into existing courses is deemed more effective.
  • A hybrid model is proposed where tangible benefits of employability training are demonstrated to encourage student participation.

Adapting Teaching Strategies Based on Student Levels

Tailoring Approaches by Cohort Level

  • Different strategies may be required based on the level of study; first-year students may be more open to diverse learning opportunities compared to final-year students focused on graduation.

Final Thoughts on Employability Integration

Discussion on Learning Purpose and Employability

Importance of Explicit Learning Objectives

  • Emphasizes the necessity of making learning objectives explicit to enhance student engagement and understanding.
  • Highlights that clarity in purpose helps students connect their education to real-world applications beyond university.

Insights from Webinar Participants

  • Acknowledges contributions from Julian and Dan, noting their valuable insights during the webinar discussion.
  • Mentions the role of CMI in collaborating with various institutions globally to improve educational outcomes.

Graduate Employment and Accreditation

  • Discusses the significance of dual accreditation for degrees, which can lead to better employment results for graduates.
  • Introduces a new digital diagnostic tool aimed at enhancing employability frameworks in partnership with universities.

Closing Remarks and Resources

  • Thanks participants for their attendance and encourages them to reach out for further discussions on improving employability skills.
  • Reminds CMI members about accessing exclusive resources through Management Direct, promoting community engagement.

Feedback Invitation