How to Enable the Employability of University Graduates

Students invest significant resources in coming to university and universities play a crucial role in enabling their students to benefit from this investment and to be employable once they have finished their degree. Giving a platform to the debate about graduate employability from the student, university and employer perspectives, this innovative How To Guide explores the challenges associated with ensuring the employability of university graduates. In defining the nature of employability, the book discusses how the concept is a shared responsibility dependent on individual capabilities, the labour market and social capital.

Considering what employers want from graduates, this book looks at how universities can provide strong graduate outcomes and inclusive career opportunities irrespective of student background. The book illustrates ways to embed employability across the curriculum, suggesting innovative approaches to careers guidance and specific employability initiatives, while upholding the benefits of entrepreneurial activities and widening participation opportunities. With insights from around the world, the book concludes by thinking about the institutional response to the challenges faced by the employability agenda, reflecting on how research has developed over the past 20 years.

Interdisciplinary and comparative in scope, this book of international case studies of employability approaches across a wide range of educational institutions will prove an engaging resource for students and scholars of business, education management, and teaching methods. Its exploration of regulatory environments will also prove useful for policymakers working in education.