High Impact Practices: Addressing Workplace Needs

For at least three decades, employers have observed a gap between the skills they look for in recent college graduates and the skills these graduates possess. This has been noted in multiple studies involving both direct employer input and curricular reviews to determine alignment with professional standards (Association of American Colleges Universities [AACU], 2013, Azevedo, Apfelthaler, Hurst, 2012; Bayerlein Timpson, 2017; Hart Research Associates, 2006a; 2006b; 2008; 2010; 2013; 2015; 2018; Pratt, Keys, Wirkus, 2014; Ray, Stallard, Hunt, 1994; Ullah, Kimani, Bai, Ahmed, 2018). These studies have also indicated consistency in the specific skills that employers value, typically written and oral communication, teamwork, ethical decision-making, critical thinking, and the ability to apply knowledge in real-life situations (Hart Research Associates, 2015). These are prioritized by most employers over technical or discipline-specific knowledge and abilities (Hart Research Associates, 2015).