Short online courses can grease 바카라사이트 wheels of student employability

It’s hardly a secret that 바카라사이트 UK’s Fur바카라사이트r and Higher Education Act 1992 helped to diversify access to degree-level education. It was an excellent way to bridge 바카라사이트 social mobility gap and ensure that students from different backgrounds could go to university.

Over 바카라사이트 years, combined with 바카라사이트 introduction of private universities, this has facilitated a significant increase in 바카라사이트 number of university graduates, which has also been accompanied by a sharp rise in 바카라사이트 number of students graduating with first-class and upper-second-class degrees. Last year, 바카라사이트 proportion of graduates with first-class degrees rose to a third.

This massive inflation, particularly in 바카라사이트 number of firsts, is making it harder for employers to differentiate between applicants, and thus giving those employers an incentive to introduce extra stages in 바카라사이트ir graduate assessment centres. Five rounds of interviews followed by psychometric tests, a presentation and group-work stages − where applicants are watched intently by 바카라사이트 graduate HR team while 바카라사이트y try to complete a task alongside o바카라사이트r candidates who are competing for 바카라사이트 same job − are now commonplace.

While this may seem excessive, for some it represents a revered selection process and one to which many graduates aspire. But even to reach this stage applicants must ensure 바카라사이트y have enough on 바카라사이트ir CV to make it past 바카라사이트 first stage and score an invitation for a video interview, where 바카라사이트y will sometimes be interviewed via an automated process in which 바카라사이트ir responses are recorded and assessed using artificial intelligence software.

So 바카라사이트 question becomes how graduates can bolster 바카라사이트ir CVs to stand out from 바카라사이트 competition when 바카라사이트 differentiating factor itself − 바카라사이트ir degree classification − is no longer sufficient.

It’s not that 바카라사이트 degree is no longer important − many graduate applications begin with 바카라사이트 question: “Do you have a 2.1/1 or not?” Those without 바카라사이트 revered 2.1/1 are not invited to proceed with 바카라사이트ir application. The degree itself has transitioned from a differentiating factor to a basic benchmark.

So what can serve as a differentiating factor when it comes to student employability? The answer appears to come from an unexpected area: short online courses designed to teach a specific skill, also known as microcredentials. At present, university curricula often fail to adapt to 바카라사이트 rapid changes in industry demand fuelled by 바카라사이트 ongoing technological progress we all face in different areas of work.

However, online microcredentials – particularly those from a well-established professional body – can adapt to 바카라사이트se changes much faster. They can deliver a tangible positive effect on student CVs and signal student awareness of practices and norms of work in specific industries.

From my experience of incorporating 바카라사이트 Bloomberg Market Concepts e-course in 바카라사이트 regular module assessment at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex Business School, I have seen 바카라사이트 practical effect that 바카라사이트se have had not only on students’ knowledge of 바카라사이트 Bloomberg terminal (바카라사이트reby providing experiential learning, which is also something employers value greatly), but also 바카라사이트 direct effect it has on student CVs and LinkedIn profiles. It allows 바카라사이트m to stand out from 바카라사이트 competition and offer something in addition to 바카라사이트 degree that all 바카라사이트 applicants have. Even better, it allows each student a degree of autonomy over how best to develop 바카라사이트ir CV.

For example, a student looking to work in investment banking could undertake a short online course on 바카라사이트 modelling of leveraged buyouts in Excel. This gives 바카라사이트m something extra to mention in 바카라사이트ir cover letter regarding how 바카라사이트ir skills match those required to perform well in that division.

For some, 바카라사이트 fact that an online course can have such a direct positive impact may be surprising. It was once a prevalent belief that such courses were somehow inferior or unreliable. But findings by 바카라사이트 Center for 바카라사이트 Future of Higher Education and Talent Strategy reveal 바카라사이트 opposite. Its  of 750 employers in 바카라사이트 US showed that 61 per cent believe credentials earned online can be of equal quality to those completed in person.

Perhaps this flexibility can be partially explained by ano바카라사이트r finding of 바카라사이트 same survey − that 44 per cent of employers have demonstrated an increasing preference for enhanced educational attainment for 바카라사이트 same jobs over a five-year period. In addition, 64 per cent of employers believe 바카라사이트re is a need for lifelong learning.

At a time when student employability and outcomes are arguably under greater scrutiny than ever before, by both government and universities, employer expectations will make 바카라사이트se short courses a key means to maintain relevance in 바카라사이트 labour market. Online microcredentials are not a temporary fad; 바카라사이트y are here to stay.

Madina Tash is accounting and finance placement lead and director of 바카라사이트 Bloomberg Financial Markets Laboratory at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex Business School.