To nail graduate employability of your students, you must first understand the definition of the term. Then, commit yourself to these 3 best ways to improve it! The result will be rewarding for both you and your students.
The labor market is shifting towards new changes in Vietnam. And with new changes, come new challenges for job seekers, especially those who are fresh out of university.
The bitter pill to swallow for the majority of education organizations these days is the inability to equip their students with the adequate job readiness that employers seek. Data revealed by the General Statistics Office of Vietnam predicts that the unemployment rate of young people will increase to 8,24% in 2023, and the reason behind this trend is due to employers’ dissatisfaction with the degree quality of candidates.
Thus, universities and other educational institutions must improve the graduate employability of students as fast as possible. But first, let’s dive into what graduate employability means.
DEFINING GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY - NOT JUST A STATIC TERM!
“Employability” is often confused with “employment”, but they are not the same! Surprised! While “employment” is a generic term referring to the holding of a job, “employability” is deeper in context.
Professor Manz Yorke of Lancaster University defines employability as the set of skills, achievements, and personal qualities that can give students the competitive edge in finding and keeping the job that they study for in a university. From the perspective of education organizations, it means an understanding of where your students will be positioned in the future job market and what to train to make it happen.
Bringing it into the context of Vietnam, the term as defined by RMIT Doctor of Education Tuyet Tran means “making university students relevant to the workplace and prospective employers.”
Some examples of graduate employability:
- Critical thinking
- Strategic planning
- Job readiness
- Teamwork and Communication
- And many more!
WHY SHOULD UNIVERSITIES WORK ON GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY?
The first and most important reason is: your graduate students reflect you! If the majority of your students can meet employers’ demands, your reputation as an education organization is enhanced. Thus, it will be easier to market your teaching and training to new generations of students. Wouldn’t it be a nice punch to proudly announce that, “90% percent of graduates get a job after graduation!” or something like, “Employers prioritize graduates from our institution!”
Also, graduate employability is like a promise you make to your students. Having good enhancement programs in it can give your students the motivation they need to continue pursuing education at your university. You’re telling your students, “Hey, just stick with us and you’ll be able to land a job in your chosen major.”
Furthermore, well-formed employability implements in the mindset of your students that after graduation, they will become useful people – to their personal development, future employment, and the community as well.
3 WAYS TO IMPROVE GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY OF STUDENTS
1. Tailor the courses to be workplace-relevant
Vietnam is one of the many countries rethinking its university education to be less of the traditional “do-as-the-books-say” into a more modern approach of “workplace integration”. Your students are more perspective than you think they are! The youth are not just choosing courses because they are there; but rather because they serve a purpose for their careers. By making your curriculum more connected with market demands, you are setting your students up for successful work readiness.
One of the ways to modernize your curriculum is to offer interactive and situational learning. Similar to the ways elementary schools use engaging games to teach real-world problems, universities can expand their courses to include mock environments that closely resemble actual workplaces or link up with local businesses to provide “field trips” to give students a more intimate look at how real employees work.
This process requires great effort and commitment, but graduate employability is a long-term reward. Think of planting a tree! Once the hard work is paid off, the fruits are so very sweet!
2. It’s all about connections
Building a bridge connecting your students to employers is a good way to promote graduate employability. The internship is a good answer to that because it provides on-the-job learning.
This also gives employers a good view of what your students can bring to the table. Internship reports of students can also give you a great chance to see the “big picture” of what your students are good at and what needs to be improved. In addition, internships can help students fill in the blanks on their future resumes.
Another way to network your students with employers is to offer student-powered campaigns. Let students be the initial force behind, for example, a small-scale marketing campaign for a local business. Many companies are keen on fresh ideas that appeal to the youth, thus they love to get hands-on solutions from the youth themselves.
3. Workshop and career fair works wonder
Workshops allow students to learn more insights about the current market, the issues, and which gaps they will need to bridge once they are out there on the scene. Universities can hold workshops on various topics relating to graduate employability, such as business communication skills, time management, or critical thinking. They are oftentimes cost-effective and easy to operate.
A career fair is a portal for face-to-face communication between employers and undergraduates. At this event, students can have their resumes reviewed by professionals or practice interviewing skills.
CAREER SERVICES TO ENHANCE GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY
If your institution is looking for a facilitator for career events that can help students, and yourself too, understand more about graduate employability, The Bear Connection can be a great choice. We can also provide exceptional strategies on how to operate smooth student campaigns.
