In 2022, industry leaders voiced concerns to policymakers that Idaho was not producing enough engineering and computer science graduates from its public institutions to meet the needs of Idaho's economy. In response, the Idaho State Board of Education commissioned an analysis from Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) to…

This report presents findings from an online survey conducted in May 2023. The survey was developed by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), in collaboration with Morning Consult. The survey was administered online by Morning Consult to a sample of 1,010 employers. The findings reflect employer perspectives on the…

This paper explores the skills that Hong Kong employers and graduates see as important to have in the workplace as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our data are interviews with 40 employers and 69 graduates in the territory. Using reflexive thematic analysis, our qualitative findings center around four themes. First, we highlight the necessity…

This Policy Note reveals a lack of understanding among employers of the post-study working rights of international students in the UK, even though the Graduate Route visa could provide the answer to many current skills shortages. The Graduate Route visa was introduced in 2021 and allows international students to stay in the UK to work for two…

Established and well-known employers in Bangladesh often complain that suitable candidates are not available for employment in their organizations, despite the millions of unemployed graduates in the country. This bears clear witness that graduates in Bangladesh are mostly unable to fulfill the needs and expectations of established and well-known…

Purpose: Our work adds to the debate regarding higher education graduates' skills required in the labour market in Germany and beyond. Design/methodology/approach: Using Q-methodology and the accompanying narrations, we explore German employers' and employees' views (N = 26) on characteristics required at the entry level. Findings: Our findings…

Enhancing graduate employability is an increasing focus within higher education, however, although part-time work is a majority experience for students the skills gained through non-professional employment are often treated as having limited value in constructions of graduate employability. This paper engages in dialogue with a series of viewpoint…

This paper presents a qualitative study of Estonian video game companies. In total, 11 companies were interviewed regarding their company values and expectations for employees. The interviews consisted of two parts. First, a regular semi-structured interview was conducted. In the second part, we used three persona sheets based on Bachelor…

There is no single agreed-upon definition of data literacy because expectations of what it means to be data literate varies across contexts. The lack of agreement on a definition of data literacy across contexts is therefore necessary. However, definitions are important. Definitions embody our understanding of concepts and are the foundation for…

The growth in digitalisation has led to an increasing demand for digital skills in various job sectors. In particular, employers in scientific job areas have shown interest in candidates possessing digital competencies. This study aims to analyse the digital skill requirements for candidates in scientific job opportunities. The content analysis is…

Purpose: Employability is a key concept in higher education. Graduate employment rate is often used to assess the quality of university provision, despite that employability and employment are two different concepts. This paper will increase the understandings of graduate employability through interpreting its meaning and whose responsibility for…

This study proposes a way of evaluating the importance recruiters ascribe to certain social skills. In an increasingly competitive recruitment setting, the qualities employers seek are often psychological and relational and not always associated with applicant's actual education and training. If skills of this kind are to be enhanced in order to…

Our paper addresses the analysis of how the collaboration between HEIs and companies affects the employability of HEIs students. We approach the paper from a social capital theoretical framework, and the perspective of companies, investigating how the intensity of collaboration between HEIs and companies, as well as the diversity of mechanisms…

Purpose: This study investigates the effectiveness of ROTC programs in equipping students with competency-based skills crucial for career readiness. Methodology: Through a content analysis of ROTC curricula and employer expectations, this study compares what is being taught in ROTC to what employers expect college graduates to know. Key Findings:…

U.S. employers have reported that many college graduates are underprepared in written communication when hired and that lack of preparedness hinders these graduates' employment success. Higher education institution (HEI) administrators need information regarding which writing skills should be taught across the curriculum to improve student…