Persistent concerns about college graduates' foundational skills for workforce preparedness compels educators to continue exploring ways to address them. Although effective communication is widely regarded as essential for entry-level professionals, which skills matter most may vary. Employers' satisfaction with communication skills also shifts…

Globalization and rapid changes in technology have led to a shift in the skills employers need. These changes have resulted in a gap between the skills people have and those required by industry. This exploratory case study sought to better understand the uniquely human skills employers desire and technical educators should teach in order to…

Several studies show that while collegiate sales programs effectively prepare students for sales careers, there are various opportunities to improve. In this research, we look at how sales education impacts the career preparedness of recent 4-year college graduates. We focus specifically on the development of self-leadership and sales-related…

Recent changes in the labour market and higher education sector have placed graduates' employability on the agenda of researchers, policymakers and employers in both advanced and developing economies. Yet, the question of whether higher education equips graduate students with the employability skills employers require remains under-studied…

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, low-skilled workers have continued to move around the labour market. Working from home presents a new set of challenges for employees and managers alike. Our new research with the Chartered Management Institute looks at the role of managers in supporting low-skilled workers to thrive in their new workplaces…

Residence Life Training Programs have evolved over the past quarter century, yet few studies have explored how changes in training impact the preparation and retention of staff. Utilizing a mixed-method design of survey and interview data with housing professionals trained since 1993, this study explores trends in residence life training and…

This article explores the experience of 10 graduate interns employed in an academic development team at a modern British university. The interns came from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds with no previous experience of academic development. We worked intensively with them to build their research and professional capabilities. They learnt to…

Adult learning for skill acquisition, employability, professional development, and self-sustenance are key issues in the current globalized and dynamic knowledge economy. Smooth and successful transition from school to work for young adults means that there is an appreciable match between skills acquired in the school and skills required in the…

This paper reviews literature that explores the role of judgement in professional practice. It discusses how workplace decisions, work activities and reflection on these activities may contribute to the development of wise judgements, or 'wisdom', and how workplaces can leverage these activities for induction and transition to work programmes.…

Employers demand for skilled technology workers has never been higher. Opportunities for individuals interested in working in technology to acquire the requisite skills have expanded to meet the increased demand. The expansion of training offerings calls into question the quality of new ventures such as coding academies and the necessity of…

This paper presents evidence of employer and graduate attitudes on the skill set requirements for professional accountants, and whether university accounting programs develop these skills, and in particular emotional intelligence (EI) skills. We use priority indices and strategic mapping to evaluate the positioning of 31 skills. This analysis…

By 2020, the global need for information security professionals is expected to reach six million and the shortfall in meeting that need is expected to be over one and a half million. Not only is there a shortage of cybersecurity professionals but those who are graduates of a cybersecurity program are not adequately skilled to assume significant…

We present the results of a longitudinal evaluation of the Western Region 4-H Institute, a 5-day training program designed to enhance the skill sets of early-career Extension professionals organized around the 4-H professional research, knowledge, and competencies model. Programs such as this often are assessed for their short-term relevance and…

Adult non-formal education and training (NFET) in South Africa was adopted in 1990 to address the problem of unemployment of non-educated and unskilled adults. Public and private NFET centres aim to meet the training needs of adults who were deprived of formal education that would foster access to opportunities for employment. The paper reports on…

This paper reports on the author's experiences of working with accountancy employers to develop a deeper understanding of skills development and employability in the accountancy profession. It notes that while there is a well-developed literature that examines skills development amongst university accounting students, there is also evidence of a…