School counselors are mental health professionals who support students' emotional, academic, and social development. Numerous studies have documented outcomes to support the efficacy of school counselors. To excel in student support services, counselors should possess a diverse set of skills and attributes to successfully assist and guide…

The cybersecurity talent gap has been a hot topic for most of the 2000s, yet only one aspect or viewpoint of the gap has been investigated: that of the employers. Governmental and private organizations suggest what they think led to or is a contributing factor to the cybersecurity talent gap. This study detailed aspects that could contribute…

Nursing education programs are faced with urgent demands to transition to competency-based education (CBE) to address the limitations of the nursing workforce. The AACN (2021) has developed the Essentials, or the core competencies for graduating entry- and advanced-level nurses to inform CBE. A concept analysis of Foundational Competence was…

The emergence of new credentials is changing the landscape of traditional post-secondary education. The tight labor market's rising demand to fill vacancies in high-demand career fields such as cybersecurity has led to so-called "alternative credentials" to rapidly upskill and reskill existing professionals to move into the industry.…

When examining career pathways, post-secondary institutions such as community colleges align education and training to career success, aiming to connect students to gainful employment. Career pathways support the skill needs of industries and incorporate competencies in an occupation or field represented by certificates and degrees awarded by the…

If this is the age of innovation why is our educational system still navigating the future from the past? Recounts of industry hiring managers' negative perspectives about recent graduates' soft skills, when will this end and how will it be achieved before the 22nd century? The problem addressed in this study is that industry hiring managers and…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how hiring managers describe the importance of education and industry related/real-world experience as criteria in hiring recent business graduates for the Consumer Products Goods industry in the United States. The theoretical foundations for the study were the CareerEDGE Model, and…

The focus of this pragmatic qualitative research study was to better understand the collaborative experiences and perceptions of secondary transition practitioners as they work on employment preparation for students with disabilities (SWD). Although there is a plethora of research around collaborative secondary transition efforts over the past few…

Autistic individuals have numerous strengths that are valuable in work settings (e.g., attention to detail, punctuality, low absenteeism, high work quality, strong work ethic, trustworthiness, loyalty). Yet, when compared to neurotypical peers, many autistic individuals continue to have difficulty securing, maintaining, and advancing in…

Using a qualitative case study design, the researcher sought to understand the internship phenomenon at one small, private four-year institution with an experiential learning graduation requirement of every student. This study sought to expand the research on mandatory academic internships and their impact on student development of communication,…

The research study aimed to determine if a career readiness training program can help college students identify their transferable skills, understand the competencies necessary for workplace success, and articulate those skills and competencies to potential employers. Managers who interviewed Paradise University students for jobs, expressed that…

The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry is to explore how first-generation community college students perceive major and career goals, the factors that impact career decision-making and the development of key employability skills. It is important to understand how to develop or promote programs that can help expose students to various…

Scholars debate the criticism higher education has received for not adequately preparing students for careers that reflect employer and industry needs and low job placement rates (Holzner, 2017; Monis, 2018; Niu et al., 2019). The skills desired for today's qualified applicants continue to change, and employers are experiencing difficulty finding…

In 2013, roughly 7% of college graduates under 25 could not find employment, and about 37% were underemployed. Public university tuition costs increased by 42% between 1999 and 2012, and 71% of college graduates have an average of $29,400 in outstanding student debt. Employers for several decades have complained about how higher educational…

This study examined the ramifications of the skill gap and the ways in which it can be mitigated. It touches upon numerous facets of employability, such as the skills needed and the strength or weakness of a university's curriculum. The stark differences between how employers perceive recent graduates and the ways in which graduates perceive their…