Graduates worry over job skills

Published on Monday 23 January 2012 00:00

The vast majority of university leavers feel they have the skills required to get jobs, but worry it is more difficult than ever to find work, new research shows.

Eight out of ten students surveyed, who had completed degrees, said they felt they had the skills employers wanted, but a similar number (84 per cent) felt it was harder than ever to get a job, research by the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU) found.

However, researchers found that one in ten believed the skills they developed on their course had not made them more employable and 6 per cent said they did not have the skills employers wanted.

More than 50,000 students were tracked from UCAS application until two years after graduating for the Futuretrack research at the University of Warwick.

The third stage of the project surveyed how final-year students felt about their readiness for the world of work. It revealed a discrepancy between what employers look for and what skills students think will be valued.

Students said they thought commercial awareness, numeracy and computer literacy were less important than softer skills, such as communication and work ethic.

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Hector the Lessor

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 02:26 AM

There is a problem that Industry tells the University who they want, the Universities introduce the courses and by the time the students qualify, Industry has moved on. There could be an argument for taking HNC graduates into the workforce in a company and training them in situ as it were. I think they used to have this approach in the likes of the Oil companies but cannot mind when.

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Tintock Pete

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 11:50 AM

How can, for example, Human Resources be a "skill"?

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jdships

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 10:00 AM

Would agree totally with posters 1 and 2 . -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- During my managerial " career" there have been many instances of graduates applying for a job with a degree that has no bearing on the skills or duties required. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There seems to be a preconception among many attending Uni that a degree is a passport to a job but as AW rightly says " If you want a good job then train in a useful skill." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There are many talented non graduates out there . Thank goodness !!!!

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Ancient Wisdom

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 09:23 AM

Graduates are gaining skills that nobody wants. No one owes you a living. If you want a good job then train in a useful skill. We are short of doctors, engineers, moral politicians, etc. Go for it!

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duelaynomore

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 05:25 AM

Employers want people who can do the job, not those who would prefer to describe their preferences for duties ,locations and ethics. Universities often have courses which sound interesting (and not too hard), to encourage school leavers to partake in that lecturer's or professor's pet subject. Its hardly surprising that there is a perception gap at the end of the course. The professor does not have to worry, he's nicely ensconsed in an academic womb, free from the reality of life in a difficult economy. By and large if the academic staff were any good at what they teach, they be doing it for living...not teaching it.....unless of course they have discovered that this skill only pays well, when under the university's roof.

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