ERIC Number: EJ1390248
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1838-3815
EISSN: N/A
A Career Research Module Promotes Career Exploration and Understanding of the Labour Market and Transferable Skills
Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability, v14 n1 p31-52 2023
Students, the public, and government expect university graduates to find meaningful employment and contribute to the economic and social prosperity of society. Universities have a responsibility to support students to develop their career management skills. An assessed career research module was embedded into a second-year human physiology subject taken by students in health-science related undergraduate STEM degrees. Students conducted research on the logistics of entering their preferred career, the Australian labour market for this career, and the transferable skills and personal attributes required. They communicated their learnings in a video and completed reflection activities comprised of Likert-scale and open-ended questions. The aims of this study were to determine students': (1) ability to research the logistics of entering their preferred career and the labour market; (2) perceptions of the most important skills and attributes for their preferred career, and development of these; (3) perceptions of module activities and career planning, and perceived career management skills. To address the aims of the study, 265 student videos and reflection activities were analysed. Results indicate that the module supported students in gaining career management skills that were a focus of the curriculum. Most students identified their current university course as the main way they were developing important skills and attributes, with their course, volunteering and further study the main ways they planned to continue skill and attribute development. In conclusion, a career research module is an effective career development tool for students in a range of undergraduate courses.
Descriptors: STEM Education, Undergraduate Students, Career Choice, Labor Market, Job Skills, Transfer of Training, Student Characteristics, Student Attitudes, Skill Development, Career Planning, Foreign Countries
Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability. Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3125. Web site: https://ojs.deakin.edu.au/index.php/jtlge/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A