A gap analysis of student employability profiles, employer engagement and work-placements

Abstract

Abstract It has become increasingly apparent that higher education (HE) plays a fundamental role in making a country more competitive by promoting the knowledge-based aspects of an economy. By supporting lifelong learning, Universities and colleges provide employers and employees with the skills and qualities they need for economic productivity and growth, but this can only happen effectively when the HE sector works in partnership with employers. This paper investigates and assesses the value of student-employer engagement in the discipline of environmental sciences (ES), focussing on three key themes: othe skills, attributes and knowledge developed by environmental science students during their studies, compared to the expectations of employers othe enhancement of student employability through work-placements othe relationship between Higher Education Institutions and employers. Through addressing the identified gaps in skills, attributes, knowledge and expectations, it is clear that employer engagement activities and work placements can be a valuable means of improving the employability profiles of students whilst ensuring the professional relevance of environmental science degree courses. Although the study focuses on environmental sciences, it is anticipated the findings will enable the wider academic community to respond to the changing needs and expectations of its students and employers.