Mind the Gap
Graduates seek opportunities
Each year the number of people who go to university and obtain degrees grows – but studies show that those increasing numbers of graduates are struggling to find work. Is there a gap between education and necessary experience?
A recent government report showed that – once again – graduates are struggling to find skilled employment which fits with their qualifications – particularly those who have studied sciences.
Not only are graduates battling against a trend for employers looking for staff with experience – which many students won’t have the opportunity to obtain around their studies – but often the qualifications themselves have gaps in the important skills required for the positions available.
The problem is that training is so often lacking in new information, or fails to evidence application of learning. Too many students are being left behind in ever-changing industries, failing to adapt quickly to new technologies and methodologies that those in-position are having to learn on the go.
This isn’t just a problem being faced by students, but by many young people who are already employed in roles where the organisation hasn’t kept up with the most modern training and techniques – meaning that these businesses inevitably fail to perform at the top end of what their market would expect from them and frustrate the development of their workforce, leading to high staff turnover and an avoidable lack of expertise.
Are you missing out?
Graduates are finding themselves in low-skilled roles, carrying the burden of huge debts from their studies, struggling to know how to progress in their desired careers without the experience employers want – and in return employers are missing out on the skills that these graduates could bring by ruling out those without hands-on experience.
Perhaps it’s the world of training that needs to change? If graduates are entering the workforce lacking the full range of skills they need, what can employers and L&D practitioners do to bring them up to speed and ensure they in turn benefit?
The Learning and Development industry needs to adapt to the needs of the market, or we will continue to let down the next generation of worker.
Here at ASK we take great pride in our constant strive to develop and grow, keeping on top of the most up to date methods and technologies for not only providing the absolute best in training programmes, but in proving a measurable improvement in the way you work with our in-depth metrics.
We work with your business leaders to develop their skills, and to enable the support and educational development of your workforce. We can prove that our training courses benefit our clients – and offer the tools for you to pass that knowledge on throughout your organisation.
The gap in education doesn’t have to be a block to a successful career – but the ongoing development of younger workers is a vital component of employment and it’s important that those in charge of recruitment factor in these issues before the problem escalates.