By Cturtle founder and chief executive Shane Dillon
As institutions strive to prepare their graduates for the workforce, graduate employability has become a critical success metric. Graduate employability refers to a graduate’s ability to find and maintain meaningful employment in their field of study.
Institutions can enhance graduate employability by implementing the following strategies.
1. Foster strong industry connections
One key strategy for improving graduate employability is building solid connections with industries related to your academic programs. This can involve partnering with businesses to offer:
- internships
- co-op programs
- mentorship opportunities.
By developing a solid relationship with these industries, graduates are more likely to find job opportunities within their field.
2. Provide career preparation services
Institutions should offer comprehensive career preparation services to students, including:
- resume and cover letter workshops
- mock interviews
- job search assistance.
This can help students identify potential job opportunities and learn how to market their skills effectively.
3. Promote your graduates to employers
To improve graduate employability, institutions should actively promote their graduates to potential employers solving the ‘who you know’ issues faced by most graduates. This can involve:
- showcasing successful alum stories
- hosting networking events with employers
- providing access to an innovative platform like Job+ that uses global employment big data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to introduce graduates directly to hiring managers who have employed someone with a similar background in the last three years.
By promoting graduates to employers, institutions can help increase the visibility of their programs and the employability of their graduates.
4. Emphasise soft skill development
Employability skills, also known as soft skills, are the personal attributes that enable individuals to succeed in the workplace.
By emphasising the development of employability skills such as:
- communication
- problem-solving
- teamwork
- leadership
institutions can help ensure that their graduates are well-equipped to succeed in various professional settings.
5. Engage alumni networks
Alumni networks are a valuable resource for graduates seeking employment as they have successfully navigated the job market and can provide access to job opportunities and practical advice.
Institutions can leverage alumni connections to offer mentorship opportunities, job search resources, networking events and professional networks like the International Alumni Job Network and iGlobal Talent. This can provide recent graduates with a valuable support system and access to job opportunities.
In addition to these strategies, institutions can promote the most employable jobs and the skills that are most in demand by employers. For example, skills such as:
- digital literacy
- data analysis
- problem-solving
are highly sought after by employers. By promoting these skills and the jobs that require them, institutions can help students prepare for the most promising careers.
By implementing these strategies, institutions can help increase their graduate employment rates and improve their graduate employability rankings.
In doing so, they can ensure that their graduates are well-prepared for success in the workforce and positioned to compete for the most in-demand jobs.
Shane Dillon is a data driven entrepreneur and founder of Cturtle –– an AI company that addresses critical skills gaps globally, using pioneering AI personalisation technology and strategic corporate, university and government partnerships to connect top talent with international education and worldwide employment. Contact shane@cturtle.co.