This paper analyzes how employers use discourse to ideologize the value of college internships--a historically emergent form of contingent, temporary, educational labor which has rapidly become a major feature of both higher education and labor relations in the United States (Frenette, 2015). The analysis is based on in-depth interviews with…

This study uncovers students', professors', and employers' micro-credential programs perceived value. Using a phenomenological methodology, we unveiled the meaning of participants' shared experiences. We performed a narrative analysis of students' written assessments and built a robust information-gathering structure with professors' and…

Purpose: The world of work is becoming digital, a process accelerated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic and resultant remote working guidelines. Online internships have become more popular in this context, and yet there remains a lack of research investigating how these internships are perceived across stakeholders. The purpose of this paper was to…

Purpose: This study examined the factors impeding the implementation of micro-credentials and accepting it as a credible source of earning professional qualifications and certifications necessary for pursuing higher education or other career goals. Design/methodology/approach: The factors were identified by reflecting on the recent literature and…

Purpose: This paper aims to analyze Northern Manitoba employers' indexes of employability skills that influence the UCN (University College of the North) students' employability in indigenous contexts. Design/methodology/approach: This study constructs the employability skills into six indexes from employers' perspective: reading comprehension,…

Purpose: The research presented in this paper deepens our understanding of the experience of apprentices and employers engaged in degree apprenticeships. Design/methodology/approach: The research is focused upon ten in depth interviews. Data collection and analysis was undertaken following a grounded theory approach. Findings: The data analysis…

Purpose: The information technology (IT) sector is a powerful factor in present-day society, and its role in pro-sustainability policies is crucial. This study aims to gain insight into IT students' perspectives on the role of education for sustainable development (ESD) in their academic curriculum as well as to project their attitudes and actions…

Enhancing graduate employability is an increasing focus within higher education, however, although part-time work is a majority experience for students the skills gained through non-professional employment are often treated as having limited value in constructions of graduate employability. This paper engages in dialogue with a series of viewpoint…

The main objective of the study is to analyze the EU labor market needs and expectations in 21st Century skills in five countries from the point of view of academicians and HR managers. The meta-analysis research method was used to analyze the current reports of Turkey, the Czech Republic, Italy, Bulgaria, and Spain. The research results and…

With the rapid digital developments, the practice and study of VR/AR technologies reached almost all the design disciplines by considering different applications. Therefore, there is continuous pressure on design education, where course programs in graphic design, media design, fashion design, and product design must promptly incorporate these new…

In this article, the authors consider whether the noncognitive skills typically associated with college and career success are equally valued by university officials and employers. Using a taxonomy that represents the range of noncognitive skills that appear in both higher education and employment scholarship, they present research funded by the…

The applied dissertation was designed to understand the perceptions of private-sector employers regarding the selection of candidates from distance-only higher education institutions. Guided by signaling theory as a framework, the study explored the mismatch between institutional, student, and employer expectations of skills and readiness for the…

Purpose: The paper looks at the feasibility of university placements supporting small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) to operate in a sustainable manner. Due to size and resource constraints, many SMEs may regard sustainability more as a burden than a value-adding commercial strategy. Design/methodology/approach: A two-year study was conducted…

Providing students with verifiable 21st-century skills and competencies has become increasingly more challenging for Higher Education Institutions (HEI). This study sought to investigate why institutional data from a college in the northeast reported lower levels of acquiring job- or work-related skills compared to other colleges in the system's…

Understanding the needs of end users (customers, stakeholders) and the simultaneous application of new methodologies for the implementation of strategic plans in order to meet the needs of external (employers) and internal consumers (students and teachers) are essential elements of quality management in higher education. This article aimed to…