W:
www.universitybusiness.co.uk | T: @UB_UK
| GR ADUATE EMPLOYABILITY | 33
Growing the graduate skill pool I
How can universities equip their graduates with the skills that make them stand out from the crowd when they enter the competitive world of work?
t’s a hot topic for all concerned. Prospective students are looking for courses that will help them put a foot
on the career ladder after graduating. Universities are tracking the paths of their graduates more closely in order to continuously evaluate the transferable skills covered in their courses. Employers want a more skilled pool to choose their next recruits from. So what’s missing at the moment? For
graduates, it’s often a mater of harnessing the transferable skills they have built up. Do they recognise the transferable skills that they have been nurturing, and can they succinctly describe these in an interview, and indeed transfer them into their working environment? Universities are including more
additional, ‘off-topic’ modules to their degree courses, such as entrepreneurship and leadership to help bolster the briefcase of their graduates. However, do these modules cover all the skills that employers feel are lacking in graduates? From our own research, we have found that employers are crying out for graduates with beter communication skills. Graduates that can present in meetings, communicate without going near a computer. However, this cannot be seen as a one-
way street. Industry needs to connect with
universities more through initiatives
such as KTPs and internships, or even just being in touch with their local university. Most universities have an Employer Engagement or Workforce Development Department, and all
that I have connected with are more than happy to nurture relationships with
employers in their area, whatever the level of engagement. Relationships with universities
are often embraced by bigger businesses, but with 99.9% of private sector companies being SMEs, it is surely these companies that should be engaging with universities more, and have input into the future of graduates. UB
Beth Walthew MA (pictured) is a Director at Prospect Research, a business development consultancy based in Cambridge that specialises in employer engagement for universities.
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