CBI/Universities UK report, ‘Future Fit: Preparing graduates for the world of work’ was launched yesterday, and it makes interesting reading, but personally I think there's still a place for greater use of the social web to help students develop an insight into the world of work.
The research highlights the importance employers of graduates place on skills such as self-management, team-working, customer awareness and problem solving.
Eight out of ten employers said employability skills were a top priority in graduate recruitment. But a YouGov survey for the CBI also found that student's perception of the importance of work experience did not come close to this until students graduate and actually start applying for jobs.
At school/college only 49% think work experience will be an important consideration by graduate employers. After graduation this rises to 75% as reality bites. In fact half of graduates wish they had been offered a chance of work experience lasting more than one month and 41% wished they'd had a whole year's work experience as a sandwich year within their degree programme.
"Future Fit" recommends:
* Colleges should provide a dedicated resource focusing on the development of employability skills as part of degree courses, and use it to build long-term relationships with employers.
* More employers should offer work experience opportunities to students.
* Students should address employability issues from day one of their course, taking up the opportunities that are offered and regarding the acquisition of employability skills as a key part of their university experience, not an optional extra.
There are some interesting case studies demonstrating how universities and employers are working together to create opportunities for students to gain employability skills. The report also raises a concern that organisations may cut back on their provision of work placement opportunities during recession to concentrate on core business.
I believe the social web could have a part to play here, not just as a tool for students to use to find internships and placements, but as a place for reflection on the learning taking place in work experience, and for ongoing conversation between students, academics and employees.
* College career services can help update students about the latest opportunities, and provide tips and insights through services like Twitter, Facebook or blogs.
* Students should be encouraged to blog about their work experience.
* Employers should encourage their workers to connect with students through commenting on blogs, and writing their own blogs about their professional areas.
* Employers should also encourage workers to participate in industry social networking groups on sites like Facebook and Linkedin.
* Other ways employers can help may be through online video sites like icould.org offer learners the chance to view video case studies. In the US Career TV offers college students an insight into opportunities and employers.
* Careers Scotland has developed a virtual work experience for younger students, and a number of organisations have also used public environments such as Second Life to create virtual activities.
* Online mentoring is another possibility to explore. Horsesmouth lets learners connect with a variety of people at work to learn from each other and establish a mentoring relationship.
Even if physical placements start to dry up, and become shorter, students and employers can still engage through many of these social web tools. Of course we can't pretend virtual placements are a complete substitute for the real world, but they may still offer ways for learners to develop some of the skills and attitudes employers say they want from their future graduate workforce.
Photo credit: fotobydave
