With the skyrocketing costs of higher education and the increased scrutiny of how educational institutions prepare graduates for the workplace, this dissertation explored how the "outsiders," or employers, view and determine the value of academic credentials. Using the premise of credentialism, this grounded theory, qualitative study…

Students who take university sales courses are expected to graduate with a better understanding of what contributes to a successful sales career. The current research identifies 33 factors recruiters use in evaluating sales candidates. The top 10 attributes identified by recruiters as most important to the sales candidate's selection are: 1)…

The 2018 International Graduates Outcomes Survey (IGOS) provides an insight into international graduates from Australian universities post-study employment, work readiness, and reflections on course experiences, study motivation and overall satisfaction. Over 10,000 international students who graduated from an Australian university in the last…

The report looks into the incidence of skills mismatches in the Republic of Moldova (hereafter referred to as Moldova). In 2017, the European Training Foundation (ETF) initiated a mismatch measurement project in selected ETF partner countries with a view to showcasing gaps and shortages in skills utilisation on the labour market including aspects…

This report looks into the incidence of skills mismatches in the Republic of North Macedonia (hereinafter referred to as North Macedonia). In 2017, the European Training Foundation (ETF) initiated a skills mismatch measurement project in the ETF partner countries with two objectives: (1) to identify regular data sources; and (2) to develop and…

In 2017, the European Training Foundation (ETF) began a project on skills mismatch measurement in ETF partner countries. The project objectives were to identify regular data sources, and develop and test indicators that can capture various angles and implications of skills mismatch. In the first phase of the pilot project, four partner countries…

This paper provides an up-to-date picture of trends in the uptake of VET in Schools (VETiS) programs, the profile and participation of students who undertake VETiS programs, and the level and type of qualifications that are undertaken. It also reports on investigations into the education and training experiences of VETiS students five years down…

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workers help drive our nation's innovation and competitiveness by generating new ideas and new companies. For example, workers who study or are employed in these fields are more likely to apply for, receive, and commercialize patents. STEM knowledge also has other benefits; while often very…

The investigation of targeted competencies and respective learning environments in two cases of piano teacher education aimed to identify themes for higher music education programme development. Application of the model of six instrumental/vocal music teacher roles resulted in the conceptual understanding of these roles in four permeable spheres…

Using vignettes, this study compares employers' assessments of matched and mismatched job applicants in England and the Netherlands. It contributes to the overeducation literature in several ways. First, matching is measured from the perspective of employers, who are better informed about job requirements than employees. Second, overeducated…

Purpose: Educational mismatches constitute negative impacts on labor markets in most countries, Thailand is no exception. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the degree of educational mismatch in Thailand and its impacts on labor market outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: This study analyzes data obtained from Thailand's Labor Force Survey…

This summary pulls together the relevant key findings for qualification and approval bodies from the research program "Vocations: The Link between Post-Compulsory Education and the Labour Market." The program was comprised of three different strands: (1) pathways from VET in Schools, (2) pathways within and between vocational education…

The debates between vocational/technical training and education are getting old. On one side, we have academics arguing for the timelessness of an education--learning that is not specifically tailored toward work or "the what." On the other side, there are employers retreating more and more from training candidates--and blaming…

Open online courses could provide stepping stones for audiences that are underrepresented in higher education (HE). However, there are concerns that these instead proliferate forms of exclusion and do not address known difficulties for widening participation. We explore how organisations that represent the perspectives of particular underserved…

The links between vocational qualifications and occupational destinations are weak in many Anglophone countries, even though the explicit purpose of vocational qualifications is to prepare individuals for occupations. Using Australia and Canada as case studies, this is explained at three levels of analysis: at the national level by systems of…