Are university studies a ticket for entry into the labour market?

Is the acquisition of a degree enough or do students need to gain more skills that are sought after by employers?

 

By Marlene Philippou

 

Tertiary education studies are considered indispensable and directly related to a successful career and good employment prospects.  Parents and children dedicate a considerable amount of time (in both preparing and searching for information and the right means) in their efforts to ensure that the right path and direction will be followed, which will help them to make their dream come true: to gain one or even two University Diplomas. With these they believe that many doors will open, more options will be available, their professional aspirations will be realized and they will have a more comfortable and better quality life.

Is this how it works though?

Practice shows that the acquisition of academic qualifications is, on one hand substantial and necessary, but on the other hand, it is not everything that is required.

As the number of students graduating is increasing and competition for jobs grows fiercer, businesses, guided by their need to operate more effectively, focus more and more frequently to peoples’ capabilities/skills. The profitable operation of an organisation can be achieved via the selection, development and reward of the most suitable people.  Consequently companies look for specific skills, which, they appreciate, will lead to excellent professional performance. This need is expressed during the selection process for new personnel, where among the plethora of candidates possessing excellent typical qualifications, those who “can make a difference” are most sought after. Employers therefore are putting greater emphasis on the skills that students have gained while studying  for their degrees.

Academic work is of course the crux of what being at university is all about and students learn a huge amount from learning how to study independently. At university students are expected to work under their own steam and they don’t have people chasing them up the next day if they miss a lecture; they have to learn to be much more self-reliant and to set up good work routines. Often academics are quoted saying that some people work best if they set aside a certain number of hours every day, others work best at night – students have to find out what style suits them and learn not to be influenced by what their friends are doing.

The most common problems that students usually encounter are to do with meeting deadlines. Because it is very tempting to focus on the subjects they most enjoy and neglect the ones they find hard, students have to learn to devote equal time to all subjects and balance their different classes. These are the skills that will be useful in their future careers.

At university students learn to be able to sustain intensive work pressure over a period of time and not just academic pressure – a lot of them are working for money at the same time.

They are also learning the skills to adapt to new technology, and the skills for learning in a multicultural environment – they learn to be tolerant of people with different values and these are invaluable qualities.

Through the way that they are expected to work students learn:

–         how to access information

–         to formulate and present arguments

–         to analyse and solve problems, to communicate and to present.

Additionally, today’s modern university facilities and grounds offer a huge selection of activities (sports, dance, debate, exchange students’ programmes etc), through which students can acquire a wealth of skills.

Consequently, students, at the end of the day, do not graduate from university with “just” a degree but “arm in arm” with a big number of capabilities and skills that are sought after by employers.

The areas of graduate attributes that emerge as a major factor of importance to employers apart from knowledge and intellectual ability are:

–         interpersonal skills

–         communication,

–         enthusiasm for learning and willingness to learn

–         team work

–         initiative

–         problem solving

–         commitment and motivation

–         flexibility and the ability to work in a modern organization

 

Additionally, employers like to see that applicants have some business awareness – that graduates have an insight into what is happening in industry or commerce and the impact this could have on the organization that they are interested in.

 

Marlene Philippou is Founder and Director of S.M.A.R.T. Options, academic counsellors and university representatives offering advice and assistance to those wishing to study in UK