Graduates 'lacking job skills' (1 Viewer)

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Graduates 'lacking job skills'

Graduates 'lacking job skills'
Samantha Maiden and Joseph Kerr
March 13, 2006


UNIVERSITIES and TAFE colleges are turning out graduates who are not "job-ready" and have skills better suited to academic pursuits, warn leading Australian business groups.

The Business Council of Australia accuses universities of stifling the "culture of entrepreneurship", producing graduates without adequate problem-solving skills.

The group, which represents the nation's 100 biggest companies, says this failure is choking creativity and limiting Australia's competitiveness in the global market.

In a major report backed by companies across many industries, the BCA will urge academics to put greater emphasis on communication skills and to ensure that students are given a solid grounding in the basic skills required in the workplace.

[...]

The claims prompted an angry response last night from one of the nation's most respected university chiefs, Melbourne University vice-chancellor Glyn Davis, who urged business to "produce the evidence" that graduate quality was in decline.

The chairman of the Group of 8 "sandstone universities", Professor Davis said the opinions of the BCA did not constitute evidence.

[...]

In a separate report also due for release today by the BCA, Changing Paradigms, one of Australia's biggest car manufacturers, Holden, says engineering graduates are a particular concern. "Holden Innovation considers that universities have fallen behind in the ability to meet industry needs," the report says.

Australia's biggest independent oil and gas exploration company, Woodside, also notes that the education system is "not turning out enough skilled people".

Insurance Australia Group also raises concerns about the shortage of workers in the panel-beating and motor vehicle repair trades.

[see link for the full article]

The above may be of interest to some.

 

[santaslayer]

No Uni course has the time or capacity to churn out 'job ready' grads. Some skills are learnt within uni, but the majority of it should be learnt (fairly quickly) on the job. ie. You can't expect Finance students to be making money first day on the job.

TAFE is a different matter. TAFE should be a place where most skills are learnt within the course. That's what it was created for.

Problem solving skills though, should be well developed during university. The fact that these businesses hired the graduates without assessing their skills in this area is partially their fault.

 

[PrincessSJ]

I beg to differ, i think it depends on the type of degree you choose...

degrees such as teaching, nursing, occupational therapy etc provide countless examples for hands-on experience in the field and learning the 'job-skills' that are required *IF* the student is prepared to put in a little bit of extra effort volunteering and such through out the course of the degree..

having not had a lot to do with business, finance, law students etc i have no idea whether there are such opportunities... is there??

 

[santaslayer]

I beg to differ, i think it depends on the type of degree you choose...

degrees such as teaching, nursing, occupational therapy etc provide countless examples for hands-on experience in the field and learning the 'job-skills' that are required *IF* the student is prepared to put in a little bit of extra effort volunteering and such through out the course of the degree..

having not had a lot to do with business, finance, law students etc i have no idea whether there are such opportunities... is there??

1) Yes it depends on the degree but we are talking about business. I note that I incorrectly typed "No uni course" but my example indicates that I am referring to business.

2) Volunteering is not part of university. It's a personal choice. The article is talking about university courses. Not personal choices.

3) Opportunities are everywhere. For law you can volunteer your services to legal aid or similar. For other majors in business, there are opportunities to sacrafice an income to work in certain firms for the benefit of experience. Friend told me to try out for QANTAS. Note that just because it is 'volunteer' work does not make it easy to get.

4) This thread has shit ratings.

 

[hipsta_jess]

degrees such...occupational therapy

I love you SJ!

Anyways, I think it depends a lot on your degree too. For example, mine requires that I do at least 1000 clinical hours during my 4 years of uni. I know of other programs that also have extensive fieldwork opportunities.

Sure, some degrees don't offer this, and I think it is definitely a short-coming...but I think in these degrees (business, commerce, etc), a lot of students work in their chosen field (either during the day, and uni at night, or during summer internships) by choice. Yes, this isn't a direct link to the uni itself, but if students are willing to do whatever it takes for them to get the edge over other students, then good on them.

 

[+Po1ntDeXt3r+]

i heard that nursing needs more prac time for a 3 yr degree... it was criticism about practical versus academic nursing..

medicine averages 3 yrs (~42 week yrs not the normal 30ish week/yrs..) in undergraduate degree.
then post-grad its all studying/workin for lik 3-9 yrs.. before ure completely independent. and still ppl arent ready..

 

[Cyph]

No Uni course has the time or capacity to churn out 'job ready' grads. Some skills are learnt within uni, but the majority of it should be learnt (fairly quickly) on the job. ie. You can't expect Finance students to be making money first day on the job.

Why not?

Unfortunately, what you've said is probably the truth.. but, I don't feel it should be.

I'm definitely in agreement with the article, at least for my degree, B. Commerce.

 

[copious]

You guys are missing the point. You have to churn yourself into a 'job ready' grad. That is, go out and work summer vacation, or part time or whatever in your field of study. Even if it means you come out 1 year later than everyone else, your in a better position to secure a grad job.

 

[ur_inner_child]

seriously, those who don't work at all during uni should be worried...

its not hard to get a decent part time job during uni. Sure it means you weekend might be precious now, or that you may have to do some reading during a work lunchbreak, but its honestly not that hard

there are a lot of degree related jobs - ones that say "would suit final year law student" etc the shit is awesome.

I suggest a part time admin job in the early years - where you can actually say that you've used microsoft office in your work experience.

 

[vodkacrumble]

i heard that nursing needs more prac time for a 3 yr degree... it was criticism about practical versus academic nursing..

agreed - a new grad came to my work and she was absolutely not ready or safe to be practicing independently. no idea how she managed to get through uni and be registered. her name has now disappeared from the roster, so i don't know what's happened to her...

 

[santaslayer]

You guys are missing the point. You have to churn yourself into a 'job ready' grad.

Not really.
The only 'experience' you get from those is you start to learn the culture of the organsiation.

The article does blame 'unready' grads on universities and TAFE. No one is missing the point.

 

[copious]

Yeah I know what the article is trying to say, what I'm trying to say is undergrads need to go out and get experience before they graduate. Even if the degree doesnt offer a co-op and internship, go and find one. I love hearing grads going for grad jobs then complaining " why are they looking for an "experienced" grad , i just graduated! " Point is, there are alot of grads out there with 1-2 yrs experience in the industry. Im not saying people with no experience wont get a job, it just makes competing tougher.

When you get experience in an org. not only do you learn their culture, you learn how to communicate with different areas of business / technology, business process and politics.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Is it possible to do MORE problem solving?

 

[...]

its not hard to get a decent part time job during uni. Sure it means you weekend might be precious now, or that you may have to do some reading during a work lunchbreak, but its honestly not that hard

I suggest a part time admin job in the early years - where you can actually say that you've used microsoft office in your work experience.

but but... i don't need a job, my mummy pays everything for me..and i dont want to get my hands dirty

 

[Good_riceZ]

But I thought hard work in uni and top grades would've done no?
I think ive been mislead once again...

 

[santaslayer]

But I thought hard work in uni and top grades would've done no?
I think ive been mislead once again...

Yes, University medal would suffice. I don't think they'd care if you have a life or not. Not many problems would come your way when it comes to job hunting.

 

[Good_riceZ]

I wanna be headhuntered, at least thats what the headhunters club i joined told me