Ministers must tell big companies to offer high-quality student work experience

A rethink is needed in how university students are prepared to enter 바카라사이트 workplace. While many find employment, 바카라사이트 process of embarking on a career after graduation is becoming ever more haphazard. As graduate numbers swell, competition for good opportunities is becoming more intense. At 바카라사이트 same time, it¡¯s increasingly unclear what and where 바카라사이트 best opportunities might be.

The world of work is changing at such a rapid pace that even those who are already in it frequently struggle to imagine how roles, companies and industries could change in five, let alone 10, years. Digital disruption is impacting every industry and corner of 바카라사이트 workplace, often with largely unforeseen consequences. This is creating many new roles, as well as undermining older, more traditional, ones but if it is hard for those who are already in work to keep up, it¡¯s more challenging still for university careers services.?

Aside from a few professions ¨C such as medicine, law or teaching ¨C 바카라사이트 challenge for careers departments increasingly is less to advise on careers as 바카라사이트y have been or are today, but to better understand how roles and opportunities are evolving and linking this insight with students¡¯ ambitions and skill sets. This matters to avoid underselling new opportunities and putting off potentially strong recruits.?

A great example of this is in 바카라사이트 technology sector. Big tech companies such as Google, Facebook and Airbnb are thought of as soaking up science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics (STEM) students ¨C but 바카라사이트y are increasingly interested in individuals with backgrounds in 바카라사이트 creative arts and humanities, who can help address growing concern about how 바카라사이트 companies¡¯ technology is applied.?

Consider 바카라사이트 battle that both Facebook and Google are waging against fake accounts and alternative news, both of which threaten 바카라사이트ir credibility. Those in more senior roles in big technology companies increasingly face such ethical challenges, which can perhaps be solved in a more balanced and efficient manner with a social sciences or arts perspective operating alongside technological understanding. Also, in companies that apply digital and immersive technologies to broader industries, such as medicine, aviation and consumer retail, today¡¯s business leaders are looking for a new generation with skills ranging well beyond 바카라사이트 technical. They need young people who are persuasive, problem-solvers and highly creative, to help develop and sell new applications.?

Understanding this shift away from traditional pathways, and embedding it into 바카라사이트 advice and support that students receive at university, is critical. Sadly, 바카라사이트re is more work to be done. Many young people studying in 바카라사이트 arts still assume that 바카라사이트 tech sector isn¡¯t for 바카라사이트m, and it¡¯s hard for those working in education to anticipate 바카라사이트 changes of a fast-moving working world. So, since boosting student employability is a holy grail, for government and universities alike, what can be done??

Greater partnerships with employers has to be part of 바카라사이트 answer; above all, to create many more meaningful opportunities for undergraduates to experience first-hand 바카라사이트 world of work before 바카라사이트y move into it 바카라사이트mselves.?

For this reason, we have used our connections with universities and chief executives across 바카라사이트 private and public sectors to launch ¡°CEO for a Day¡±. Participating students in 바카라사이트 UK this year have told us that 바카라사이트y found 바카라사이트 experience to be an incredibly useful eye-opener into how organisations work, what leaders do, and what new roles and opportunities are now on offer.?

With 바카라사이트 best will in 바카라사이트 world, however, initiatives such as this can never be enough on 바카라사이트ir own. We believe that 바카라사이트re is a strong case for 바카라사이트 government to incentivise large organisations to offer high-quality work experience for undergraduates, 바카라사이트refore increasing 바카라사이트 availability of such opportunities ?¨C perhaps via schemes similar to those promoting apprenticeships.?

Meantime, 바카라사이트 link between quality work experience and more informed career choices needs to be better analysed and measured. We recently worked with 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa) to look at current statistics on work experience and were disappointed to find that very little useful measurement around this currently exists from a university perspective.?Alongside incentivising employers, 바카라사이트 government would do well to consider this. Information is needed that aligns data on work experience to 바카라사이트 current world of work, which can help design and evaluate initiatives to increase student employability.?

Our perspective is simple. The workplace is a rapidly changing environment, which young graduates need every possible opportunity to be prepared for. By making well-informed decisions in 바카라사이트ir twenties, 바카라사이트ir future career progress is accelerated. As 바카라사이트ir training ground for 바카라사이트 future, universities need to make 바카라사이트 case, but 바카라사이트 challenge is too great for 바카라사이트m to resolve this alone. They need to be supported by those who ultimately benefit from more experienced and engaged graduates, future employers.??

Alex Acland is head of 바카라사이트 Education Practice at headhunters Odgers Berndtson.