Higher Education and Employability

Employers feedback on important elements of graduates’ employability

Results of a study

Julie FIONDA

European Commission – Higher Education Policy Unit

Overview:

1. EU Policy Context: Employment and Employability

2. EU actions to help bridge the gap between the worlds of education and work

3. Focus on 'Graduate Employability: what makes the difference?'

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Growing Youth Unemployment

Shielded butstill vulnerable

• Higher Education Graduates are significantly better off than non-graduates in the labour market.

• … But increasing graduate • unemployment and • underemployment …

Europe needs more graduatesIncrease attainment (to 40% by 2020), including among underrepresented, reduce drop-out

Quality, relevance and employability Student centred, high quality provision with enhanced graduate employability

Higher education’s contribution to economic recovery and long term growth

Modernising Higher EducationAn EU Strategy – (adopted 20 Sept 2011)

to boost graduate numbers, improve teaching quality and maximise what HE can do to help the EU economy emerge stronger from the crisis

Analysis of skills requirements

- Vacancy monitor

Analysis of skill mismatch – Surveys on employers

Anticipation: European and

national projections

Up to date information on the

most requested occupations

Foresight analysis at sector level –

European Sector Skills Councils

The EU skills panorama central access point for

information on skills needs from various sources

Research project: What makes the difference: A qualitative appraisal of HE graduate employability in Europe: the employers’ perspective

Perceived quality of graduates - how employers see the output of European universities/HEI

What combination of competences and attributes is most likely to secure that first (or early career) job and why?

Why one graduate may 'have the edge' over another with a similar profile.

Implications for curricula – content and pedagogy?

Graduate employability

Study Design

Phase 1: Literature review

Phase 2: Conjoint study: 900 employers in 9 countries (CZ, DE, ES, FR, IT, NL, PL, SE, UK)

Simulation of selection procedure in two steps

• Step 1: who to invite for job interview

• Step 2: who to hire

Phase 3: In-depth interviews: 120 employers in 12 countries (Finance, Engineering, ICT, Media/Comms, Legal, Admin/Policy)

Phase 4: Focus groups with stakeholders in each country

A word on the conjoint analysis

force employers to choose between different hypothetical profiles

Realistic simulation

Choices reveal underlying preferences. These preferences can be calculated in so-called ‘part-worths’ and compared to each other

Backed up with more 'traditional' qualitative methods to explore and test the findings and motivations behind choices

Conjoint – step 1

Conjoint – step 2

Findings

What gets candidates an interview?Field of study and work experience

“The discipline is really a main indicator for how quickly someone is broken in.”

“Work experience shows they can hit the ground running and get on with the job straightaway.”

Interview

Signal bachelor’s and a master’s degree differs between countries 

Interview

Low grades a big deterrent, but not much difference between average and high grades

Interview

Prestige of the university comparable to having above average grades vs. average grades

“There are universities that are extremely easy, and if on top of that the person doesn’t have good marks, then this means it’s not a very bright person.”

Interview

Study abroad signals positive personality characteristics.

“Those who spent half a year abroad have a different state of mind, a certain openness.”

“Studies abroad? Not that important for this position, but not a downside either.”

Job offer

Conclusions

ConclusionsSpecific knowledge is the most crucial factor both in securing an interview and in choosing the candidate to hire

Match between the field of study and the job tasks relevant work experience;

Interpersonal skills: almost as important when choosing whom to hire

Less than average and recruitment is extremely unlikely

→ underperformance in any one a fatal blow

Entrepreneurial/commercial skills: innate?

Strategic/organizational skills & Innovative/creative skills: established workers

International orientation: ‘a feather in your cap’ but your cap must already be good

General academic skills: assumed all graduates have – so doesn’t weigh heavily in selection/recruitment

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Thank you

Where to find out more -

EU Higher Education Policyhttp://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-policy/doc62_en.htm