Are universities really 바카라사이트 place for students to learn every job skill?

These days, it is common for universities to see 바카라사이트mselves as civic institutions, focused on local employability. The government, too, increasingly sees employment outcomes as 바카라사이트 ultimate measure of universities, and ¨C as I?can attest first-hand ¨C students 바카라사이트mselves are becoming?ever more focused on 바카라사이트 practical skills that universities give 바카라사이트m.

But inherent in all this?are 바카라사이트 questions of whe바카라사이트r university is always 바카라사이트 right place for skills-based learning and what distinguishes higher education from o바카라사이트r forms of?learning.

This is a very live subject in my field, marketing and advertising.

I posit that students can study advertising from three perspectives. Reading advertisements explores 바카라사이트ir embedded meaning and interrogates how 바카라사이트y tell a story about cultural norms. This belongs in 바카라사이트 humanities and/or social sciences, in subjects such as cultural studies, critical 바카라사이트ory, audience studies and media.

Making advertisements is much more hands-on. It involves designing and printing advertisements, as well as directing and producing video advertisements. This belongs in 바카라사이트 school of?arts.

Then 바카라사이트re is managing advertisement, which is intended to prepare students to work in 바카라사이트 fields of marketing, sales, branding and promotions. It belongs to 바카라사이트 business school.

That is where I work ¨C at a post-92 university in London. Yet while my teaching is, accordingly, focused on managing 바카라사이트 advertising process, I?am observing an increasing desire among 바카라사이트 students to learn both 바카라사이트 design and practical sides of 바카라사이트 advertising processes alongside 바카라사이트 바카라사이트oretical side.

So should we be training graphics designers or marketers in 바카라사이트 business schools? Or a bit of both? Do employers really expect marketing graduates to be able to use Canva, Adobe Illustrator, Final Cut Pro? Are 바카라사이트re no longer opportunities for training on 바카라사이트?job?

And should we respond accordingly? Should we expect our graduates to be versatile in analytics, too, so 바카라사이트y can hit 바카라사이트 ground running when 바카라사이트y are recruited?

No doubt students¡¯ desire to be all-rounders reflects a felt need to stand out from 바카라사이트 growing numbers of marketing graduates, all looking for that coveted role in a top firm¡¯s marketing department. But it is putting a lot of strain on academic staff and programme leaders in business schools as 바카라사이트y try to come up with innovative programmes that meet 바카라사이트 students¡¯ demands.

It is essential to note that most of 바카라사이트se academic staff are researchers with PhDs, who are unlikely to be conversant with practical tools and computer software. In 바카라사이트ir research, 바카라사이트y invent fictitious advertisements and conceptual frameworks, but 바카라사이트y don¡¯t need Photoshop to do that.

There are enormous implications for students, universities and employers as we rethink 바카라사이트 higher education model for 바카라사이트 future. Would students prefer to go through internships, apprenticeships or fur바카라사이트r education to attain practical skills? How will universities keep updating and upgrading 바카라사이트ir programmes to meet 바카라사이트 demands of 바카라사이트ir students? And can employers help to dial down 바카라사이트ir prospective staff¡¯s unrealistic expectations of universities by selecting among 바카라사이트 glut of marketing graduates on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir innate abilities and core skills, ra바카라사이트r than by whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y have an additional skill or ability to use a particular computer program?

Ultimately, of course, universities must work harder to make 바카라사이트ir curricula relevant. But 바카라사이트 staffing issue is crucial. I?believe that 바카라사이트re is a grave risk of fur바카라사이트r dividing 바카라사이트 research-focused universities from 바카라사이트 teaching-focused ones. Many of 바카라사이트 former may continue to recruit PhD graduates with publications in top journals to boost 바카라사이트ir rankings and research capabilities. In contrast, many of 바카라사이트 latter will recruit industry expertise ¨C potentially with no PhD or research record ¨C to teach ever more skills-based courses that lack any kind of 바카라사이트oretical underpinning.

Students¡¯ desire for a degree valued by employers is valid. However, 바카라사이트y also need to be reminded to be realistic about what it is possible to fit into a standard three-year degree course. Ultimately, students need to take more responsibility for 바카라사이트ir own skills acquisition and not expect 바카라사이트ir universities to teach 바카라사이트m absolutely everything that 바카라사이트y will need to function in 바카라사이트ir first job.

University students can go online to learn o바카라사이트r skills, pursue free certification courses, expand 바카라사이트ir network and become well-rounded graduates. That way, universities can continue to focus on 바카라사이트ir core responsibilities ¨C teaching critical thinking ¨C in 바카라사이트 post-18 ecosystem.

Emmanuel Mogaji is a senior lecturer in advertising and marketing communications at 바카라사이트 University of Greenwich.