Exploring the perspectives of engineering undergraduates on employability and employability building activities

Abstract

PurposeThis study was conducted to gain a better understanding of engineering students' perceptions of the meaning of employability and the activities that contribute to employability development.Design/methodology/approachA survey was used to take a cross-section of student perspectives at key stages in the degree, and was followed by a series of focus groups to further explore student opinions on employability. Responses to selected open-ended questions and relevant sections of focus group transcripts were analysed using a thematic analysis approach.FindingsIt was found that students have different perspectives on the meaning of employability, with the majority describing employability as having the right skills, attributes or competencies. Employability development activities were integrated into three broad categories: developing engineering knowledge, skills and industry experience; career building and industry awareness; and degree progression and completion. Participants also identified barriers to employability development and suggested areas for improvement.Practical implicationsThe study recommends university staff ensure there is a shared understanding of employability within the student cohort by explicitly reframing employability as being about becoming a professional and that students are repeatedly exposed to the relevant set of industry competencies or standards. The study also outlines a range of activities that students connect to their employability development.Originality/valueThe findings of this study will assist university staff across the sector to make decisions about how they can best support employability development in their undergraduate students.

Can HRM lead to occupational integration? Evidence from Madagascar

“…Having started by satisfying the needs of organizations, employability applies to the labour market, a broader concept. In this case, skills management for employability extends outside the organization (Howell et al, 2022). This implies specific and transversal competences which are confronted with different management modalities (Becker, 1964).…”

“…Similarly, vocational integration has been conceived as a phase of socialisation during the life cycle of the person where unemployment is not a social and/or individual pathology (Uddin, 2021). In this respect, it should be noted that this integration ends when the individual has reached a stabilized position in the employment system (Howell et al, 2022). It is a process by which individuals who have never belonged to the labour force enter a fixed position in the employment system.…”

Kickstarting an Engineering Success Center at a Hispanic Serving Institute

“…With the pandemic, the opportunities for personal enrichment were greatly limited, with the loss of internship programs, networking events, and overall social interactions with colleagues in a technical atmosphere. Revitalizing these efforts and advancing their development is crucial for student professional development, which has shown to be a significant contributor to successful entry into the workforce [12]- [15]. We tried to overcome these limitations and leverage the advantages of online interactions through the following events.…”