Aim/Purpose: Alignment of academic curricula and employer needs is widely discussed yet implementation lags. Research on EdD curricula has universality for other academic programs and may catalyze pedagogical innovation to promote employability in other disciplines. Background: This study contributes evidence-based data to strengthen career relevance of academic programs, align curriculum content with industry requirements, prepare students for the workforce, and improve job placement rates, defined as degree-related employment. Methodology: In this mixed method study, current Doctor of Education (EdD) students and employers of Doctor of Education (EdD) graduates commented on the alignment of the EdD curriculum with industry-specific needs. Contribution: Results may promote corporate and academic partnership to optimize alignment of curricula and industry needs. Findings: Partnerships between educators and employers in developing curricula can bridge the industry specific skills gap and enhance students’ understanding of the professional workplace and capacity to communicate, be empathetic, and solve problems. Recommendations for Practitioners: Educators can strengthen capacity for the adaptability and continuous learning associated with mastering new skills as technology evolves. Employers can provide skilling, reskilling, and upskilling opportunities, offer job shadowing and internships, and participate in collaborative research. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers can develop pedagogy targeting interpersonal, communication, participative, and organizational competencies. Impact on Society: Improving graduate employability creates positive outcomes for graduates, educators, employers, and the global economy. Future Research: Perceived employability is a powerful motivator. Research is needed to reframe curricula to synthesize discipline-specific skills with generic skills, such as teamwork, communication, and critical thinking, that enhance students’ self-confidence and self-perceptions of employability

Background: Robotic kits are a popular, modern pastime primarily marketed and designed for younger generations. Kits designed for use by older adults have the potential to promote cognitive, physical, and social engagement.Objective: This study sought to determine characteristics and abilities of older adults that predicted efficiency, perceived usability, and engagement in building a market-available kit. Methods: Fifty-nine adults, 25 males, and 34 females, ages 55 to 87 (M = 70.80, SD = 8.44) completed a series of assessments for spatial visualization, visual abilities, working memory, and dexterity before assembling a robot kit. Results: Backwards regression was utilized to create significant prediction models for five outcome variables: time on task, perceived system usability, task engagement, distress (i.e. negative affect), and worry (i.e. self-focused attention). Conclusion:Results indicated that younger individuals and those with higher spatial visualization ability completed the build faster and perceived the kit to be more usable. Dexterity in the non-dominant hand also predicted faster build times. The findings of this study can be used to inform gerontechnological designs of assembly kits. Future studies can examine if the important factors identified here are predictive of performance in building more complex robotic kits.

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