Purpose: This research aims to understand employers' views and preferences on the assessment of holistic competencies (HCs) in graduates, a topic with existing gaps in literature. With the disparities between higher education practices and employer expectations concerning HC assessment, the study focuses on what employers wish to see in graduates'…

This publication presents information on employers' use and views of the vocational education and training (VET) system. The findings relate to the various ways in which Australian employers use accredited and unaccredited training to meet their skill needs and their satisfaction with the training. Australian employers can engage with accredited…

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 explore the employers' perceptions of graduates with on-line degrees. Design/methodology/approach: The Ajzen and Fishbein's (1980) theory of attitude formation and change informed the study. This Web-based study used self-administered open-ended questionnaires to collect data. It used purposive sampling to select 15…

This research explores how COVID has impacted technology internships, including student and employer participation, satisfaction, and challenges; changes in the structure of internships; and impact on student employment outcomes. The roots of this study emerged in summer of 2021, as the authors were completing a three-year study funded by the…

This research is about how one community college preserved and strengthened their technology internships during COVID with commitment and creativity. Although the college, employers, and students faced technical, logistical, and supervisory challenges in maintaining technology internships through the pandemic, the college was committed to ensuring…

This mixed-methodology study explored the perceived necessity for a college degree in the paramedic profession from the view of paramedics and paramedic employers in the United States. Since its inception in the 1960s, the paramedic profession has not established a college-level education standard in the United States. Although there are presently…

This study, carried out in Chile, describes difficulties in the incorporation of employability as an objective in the training of psychologists. Prior research emphasized confusion of key actors about how to train and measure employability. To illustrate that confusion, we compared perspectives of university Psychology department heads and…

Individuals from diverse minority backgrounds in the United States represent a one-of-its-kind collaboration in understanding diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) challenges in workforce staffing and representation per Equal Opportunity norms. This study involved primary and secondary research in the realm of DEI to develop an…

To meet the demands of jobs, now and in the future, jobseekers should possess a variety of skills frequently requested by employers. Skills can be both academic and technical in nature but also include personal qualities and advanced cognitive skills, such as decision-making and interpersonal skills--referred to in this report as success skills.…

The graphic design industry has moved beyond its traditional focus on printed matter to deliver multidimensional communication projects involving diverse audiences and media channels. No longer a skills and service industry, graphic design increasingly informs business strategy and innovation processes, requiring heterogeneous expertise, a…

Research over the last decade has pointed to a soft skills gap between employers' expectations and students' workforce preparedness after they graduate (Stewart, et al. 2016; Hart Research Associates 2015). While public opinion often criticizes colleges and universities for failing to prepare graduates, there is also a disconnect between employers…

Nearly one-third of workers in the United States lack digital skills, and more than 38% of those workers are required to use moderate or advanced computer skills on the job. This skills gap creates talent and growth issues for businesses of all sizes -- from large companies looking to grow and invest in the United States, to small and mid-size…

This article examines engineering employers' perspectives on an electronic portfolio for hiring purposes. Eleven employers of engineers viewed one student's electronic portfolio (ePortfolio). To learn the potential for using ePortfolios within the hiring process, hiring managers, human resources directors, and recruiters from the engineering…

This paper describes current trends and issues in implementing micro-credentials. The COVID-19 epidemic, combined with the increasing cost of higher education; employer concerns about graduate skills and competencies; increasing inequities in access; and student frustrations about lack of job opportunities have all been a catalyst for…