How to improve young people employability?

Tony Ward,

University of York, England

Career Supply / Demand Model

AdaptabilityTechnical

Personal

Career identity

Employment motivation

Extrinsic

Intrinsic

Industry SectorIndustry Sector

Career Potential Development

Employment Package

Work Location Environment and

Conditions

Specific jobJob Specification

Person Specification

Specific jobJob Specification

Person Specification

Specific Company

and/or Job

Specific Company

and/or Job

Graduateattributes

Technical ability to find and secure a job

Work readiness

CapabilityTechnical skillsPersonal skillsBusiness skills

Personal circumstances

DemandSupply

Where do graduates go?

Full time61%

Part time7%

Work & further study7%

Full time study12%

Part time study2%

Unemployment9%

Other4%

Graduate Destinations2011/12

Full-time Employment: 15,709Part-time Employment: 1,740Work & further study: 1,663Full-time study: 2,993Part-time study: 384Unemployment: 2,200

Technical content is high > Curriculum is full > Time for other development is smallStudents need to take ownership of their own personal development from day 1Students need to be helped to recognise what they need & how they need to developHEI’s need to signpost students to appropriate sources of help

HEI’s role is to prepare the engineering generalist – flexible, adaptable graduates