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?'
2
Growing Youth
Unemployment
3
Shielded but
still vulnerable
• Higher Education Graduates are significantly
better off than non-graduates in the labour
market.
• … But increasing graduate
• unemployment and
• underemployment …
Modernising
Higher Education
An 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
 Europe needs more graduates
Increase 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
The EU skills
panorama central access point for
information on skills needs
from various sources
Foresight analysis
Analysis of skills
requirements
- Vacancy
monitor
Analysis of skill
mismatch –
Surveys on
employers
at sector level –
European Sector
Skills Councils
Anticipation:
European and
national projections
Up to date
information on the
most requested
occupations
Graduate
employability
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?
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
Interview
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.”
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
Conclusions
Specific 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
28
Thank you
Where to find out more EU Higher Education Policy
http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learningpolicy/doc62_en.htm