STUDENT
‘REALITY GAP’ OVER JOB PROSPECTS AND
EMPLOYABILITY 59% of students and
graduates think developing workplace skills is down to them
A new study from skills self-help specialist My Performance Pitstop shows a stark undergraduate ‘reality gap’ persists with current students being overly optimistic about their career prospects and how well universities are preparing them for the workplace. My Performance Pitstop warns that an unmerited level of faith in the power of a degree could put current and future students at risk if they fail to develop workplace skills alongside their studies.
86% of current students rated their university highly in wanting to prepare them for work, with 34% scoring their university a first class nine or 10 in their employability focus. 84% of current students also think employers value their degree above work experience. 100% of undergraduates said university is the best route to improve job prospects.
In bleak contrast, the picture from graduates shows reality sinking in. One in three rate their university a failing five or less for their interest in preparing students for work. A third (30%) realise employers look beyond their degree, and are also
50
keen to see how students develop skills through their Gap year and work experience. Graduates were also more attuned to the fact that in addition to superior analytical and problem-solving ability, employers look for confidence, communication skills, work ethic, self-sufficiency and independence when making a hire. Not surprisingly, around one in eight graduates are questioning whether university is the best way to a great career.
However, most undergraduates and graduates (59%) think developing work-related skills is really down to them - only 29% think it’s up to employers to train them.
In order to help students and recent graduates develop the vital workplace skills which they will need to get on the career ladder, My Performance Pitstop has drawn on the knowledge of HR experts with over 40 years’ experience of working with major corporates to bridge the skills gap. The company
has created a series of simple to use development guides to help candidates quickly acquire vital workplace skills at very low cost. These include how to get a job, time management, presentation and communication skills.
Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the AGR, says “These days a good degree is not enough to guarantee a graduate a decent job. Nor does a degree, by itself, prepare the graduate for the demands of the world of work in the 21st century. I am the first to acknowledge the growing emphasis in our universities to improve the employability of students. The challenge is to get the students to treat their own employability seriously. The excuse of “If only I’d known” will not wash any more. Employers have high expectations of the graduates they recruit including skills, knowledge and understanding of business, and the ability to take control of their own learning and career.“
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