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ERIC Number: EJ1168229
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 4
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0009-1383
EISSN: N/A
Bridging the Gap: Creating a New Approach for Assuring 21st Century Employability Skills
Wolff, Ralph; Booth, Melanie
Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, v49 n6 p51-54 2017
Which higher education paths will truly prepare students for the future is a big question with serious implications for students and families who invest their time and money, as well as for employers and communities that seek capable career candidates. It also leads to a bigger question: "Should graduates' employability be central to the mission of higher education?" Until recently, the answer was generally "No," with the exception of workforce development programs or specialized degrees for licensed professions. Universities and colleges have historically taken a longer, more holistic view--their role is to prepare graduates (at least at the undergraduate level) with a well-rounded higher education for a lifetime of meaning and service. However, the clues to what makes a higher education experience relevant and rewarding come from those who have the most at stake: employers and students themselves. A significant issue those in higher education face is how to define institutional and program quality with respect to graduates' employability skills. Will it be measured primarily, if not exclusively, through graduates getting a job within six months of graduation, in their field, with a high enough salary to repay their loans? Shouldn't there be more to defining employability success than these metrics?
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A