Evaluate the extent to which ‘employability’ has been adopted as the new contract in the...

8/9/2019 Evaluate the extent to which employability has been adopted as the new contract in the employment relationshi

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Evaluate the extent to which employability has been adopted as the new contract in the employment relationship and how thisaffects

graduates and graduate recruiters.

Julie Boyer - 07838785

Evaluate the extent to which employability has been adopted as the new contract in the

employment relationship and how this affects graduates and graduate recruiters.

Introduction

The erosion of job security and a change in the economic climate has led to changing career

directions and a new emphasis on employability and transferable skills. Employability is becoming a

key benchmark for career success (Carbery and Garavan, 2005). Labour government aspirations

were to increase participation in Higher Education and figures in recent years,; 42-45 per cent of

school leavers now joining HE institutions indicates that the era of mass HE participation has arrived

(Rae 2008); however after 10 years of growth under Labour, Britain's universities and Higher

Education facilities are facing the prospect of retrenchment as a result of proposed government cuts

in HE funding. Business Secretary Lord Mandelson announced the government is to cut HE funding

in England by 398m for 2010 2011. Prior to the recent economic crash there has been a fairly

stable period of economic growth in the UK since the recovery of the stock market fall in 1990

1993; therefore many graduate age employees have no experience of recession or economic

downturns and how this can and will affect employment, recruitment and selection.

Employability is a concern to students; the prime motivation in attending university for the majority

of students is not to study a particular subject in depth, but to enhance their employment prospects

(Stewart and Knowles, 2000). Some theorists suggest there are three key elements to employability;

the ability to gain initial employment, the ability to maintain employment and make transitions

between jobs and roles within the same organisation to meet new job requirements, and the ability

to obtain new employment, if required, by being independent in the labour market and able to

manage employment transitions between organisations (Hillage and Pollard, 1999). Graduates need

to leave university having acquired some if not all of the skills required to facilitate these

employability prospects. The National Student Forum Annual Report 2009 contains a chapter

dedicated to Employability encompassing the visions and expectations students have of their HE

establishments,Priority 1: a clear university or college-wide employability strategy. The survey

emphasises students desire for universities and colleges to focus on the development or review of

their employability strategies. This presents challenge for HE institutions to identify if employability


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skills exist, what are they, and how can they be supported and enhanced in HE establishments; it is

also argued that providing young people with skills for employability is an ethical responsibility

(Bhaerman and Spill, 1988). Recent research supports a shift towards employability skills being

increasingly key in the recruitment and selection of graduate employees. (Herbert and Rothwell,

2005, p. 16) supported the value of work integrated learning involving academic institutions and

business organisations referring essentially to work based placement opportunities. (Morse 2006)

found that many organisations attach some strategic importance to work integrated learning by

offering direct work experience to those who may be their future employees. ( Fanthorne, 2004)

supported these findings by suggesting employers seek people who are work ready as opposed to

solely academically qualified. These finding suggest students could benefit from universities

promoting and investing in more work based placements and sandwich courses when looking to

secure graduate careers.

The trading subsidiary of the HECSU has found that Nearly two-thirds of vacancies on offer are open

to graduates from any discipline. This appears to suggest that employers may be looking for more

general employability skills in graduates obtained both through applying themselves in an academic

environment and through previous work experience rather than the actual knowledge learnt

through Higher Education study. Recent literature would support the theory that there is a general

set of employability skills that employers have identified which allow students to make the

successful transition from education into employment. Schofield (1996) identified that an employer

would tend to view an undergraduate with a second class degree and a range of transferable skills

more favourably than a postgraduate without them. In addition national statistics currently reflect

this trend with a rising number of graduates either failing to or taking longer to secure graduate level

jobs; a recent study from HESA (2006) found that less than 60 per cent of graduates enter full time

work, whilst others may opt for further study to enhance their prospects and that increasingly

graduates put off the search for a graduate level job and choose to engage in voluntary work or

travel instead.

The National Centre for Social Research on Destination of Leavers from Higher Education found that

The proportion of employed males and females in graduate occupations is in decline from 2004 /05

when the first study took place to 2008 overall by 10%.


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The problem in short is that there is a decline in graduates finding employment, specifically in

graduate level roles; the notion of a graduate level job and a linear career path are no longer

realistic expectations for the twenty-first century graduate in any subject of study, as graduates

engage with a diversity of work, many working in smaller enterprises, or on a freelance basis (Ball

2003). HE institutions need to identify working patterns that graduates can learn from to ensure

they are equipped with the employability skills expected in todays labour market. The value of this

research could enable graduates and post graduates to secure employment by indentifying and

enhancing their skill sets according to what employers require in the current changing economic

climate. If these skills can be identified it may enable organisations to develop localised or even

standardised (in the case of some organisations) HR strategies to get the most from current labour

markets and retain graduate level employees once they have been recruited.

Context

Employer Perspective

From an employer perspective, key issues include graduate remuneration, skills and competences

Heaton et al (2008). Recent changes in the economic environment may ultimately mean that

employers want to employ people they perceive to be work-ready graduates (Harvey and

Contributors, 2003, p. 1) so they dont need to invest time and money in new graduate employees in

developing those soft skills that can be acquired through previous work experience. Scholarios et al.(2003) highlights the vital role of work-based placements in leading to more effective induction and

shorter periods of job training. The majority of Universities these days offer placement

opportunities and sandwich courses to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Employers may also consider the impact of the new psychological contract and how this may affect

graduate employees commitment and loyalty to an organisation once they are in employment.

Kelley-Patterson and George (2002) highlight the contrast between the essentially transactional,

medium and short-term orientation of the graduate employees and the inconsistencies of the longer

term expectations of managers/employers. The Psychological contract symbolises the relationship

between the employee and employer and can allow employers to get the most from their

employees by understanding employees expectations. Could this relationship and understanding


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benefit if its roots were established prior to permanent employment with the graduates of the

future through higher education access such as employer mentoring schemes, placement

programmes and work integrated learning? Psychological contracts are by definition perceptual

and idiosyncratic (Aggarwal,U and Bhargava,S 2008) therefore each student, graduate and employee

are likely to react differently to any one set of circumstances. Employers should be aware that the

Psychological Contract of employees is formed as a result of interaction of various macro and micro

variables (Coyle-Shapiro and Neuman, 2004) the early establishment of this contract may have a

huge impact, positively or negatively on the strength of the relationship and the expectations of

both graduates and employers.

Kotter (1973) affirms how organisational strategy and human resource practices can influence

employees impressions of the psychological contract and organisational outcomes. Some research

suggests that Human Resource policies and practices send strong messages to individuals regarding

what the organisation expects of them and what they can expect in return (Rousseau 1995). This

suggests that HR practices with regards to recruitment and selection and personal development

approaches can be indicative of an employers intentions and an employees future. Employers

could benefit from attracting the right candidates with the relevant skill sets if they were to define

the attributes they require; the suggested benefit of this could be Human Resource recruitment

strategies gearing graduate schemes towards developmental opportunities in line with the new

psychological contract should help to attract and retain the right calibre of graduate.

There is research to suggest that there has been a shift towards academia and traditional HE

qualifications becoming secondary or at least less important than previously regarded with

employability skills developed through work based learning gradually becoming more sought after.

It should therefore be possible for human resource departments to define employability skills when

developing recruitment and selection policies and procedures.


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Graduate Perspective

Graduate expectations may have to adjust to current climate reality. Graduates need to identify if

there is there a shift in employers needs and wants when recruiting from the current labour market;

if so how can graduates compensate and bridge the gap between academic qualifications and their

perceived employability? King (2003) has concluded that, while many graduates still value the

structured, predictable opportunities of a traditional graduate programme the issue of employability

is a key concern. This may suggest that graduates are realising the importance of soft skill

development and recognise that transferable skills may be equal to academic ability in the current

employment market.

Rousseau (1992) suggested the new psychological contract hasexperienced a shift from relational

to transactional; employees need to gain skills and qualifications to enable them to compete andenhance their employability. Some research suggests that the psychological contract based on an

exchange theory (Cox and Parkinson 1999) may now have extended into higher education and the

enhancement of graduate employment prospects through the incorporation of not only traditional

academic learning agreements but the development of employability enhancement through the

inclusion of work based learning, placements, sandwich courses and transferable soft skills. The

National Student Forum Annual Report 2009 states that HE students would like explicit recognition

and active promotion of the value of work placements, volunteering programmes and part-time jobs

increased resources for, and the promotion of the use of, personal development plans the provisionof optional modules/classes that consider how the skills/knowledge developed during

study/placements translate across into the work environment. HE establishments need to

determine how they can meet the changing needs of students and fulfil their side of the

psychological contract whether that be through greater investment and integration of careers advice

facilities for both undergraduates and graduates; the addition of employer or alumni mentoring

schemes, or investment in high quality, well structured placement programmes. The survey

suggests that in order to establish a successful placement programme for all three parties, the

student, the university and employer; a dedicated work placement specialist unit is a necessity.

Issues of competition for placements and quality of placements are also considerations that need to

be addressed.


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Berg (1999) found that at employee level, strong HR systems have been associated with increased

job satisfaction and decreased employee fatigue and occupational injuries; therefore suggesting that

HR practices can have a considerable impact on not only organisational performance but employee

attitudes. Currently an employees relationship with the organisation commences with the

recruitment process (Rousseau, 2001). This selection process usually forms the basis for mutual

expectations and can be the catalyst for reactions if either parties expectations are not met.

Research suggests that it is essential for the recruitment process to be managed effectively; it may

significantly influence employees attitudes and behaviours (Kotter, 1973). Mistakes in this process

can lead to a perceived break the psychological contract. Could HE institutions facilitate

management of expectations? Could undertaking an undergraduate or postgraduate placement

programme help students to bridge that employability gap by enabling organisations to believe

they are work ready and for graduates to fulfil current recruitment criteria?

Research objectives

1. Has there been a tangible shift towards human resource recruitment strategies prioritisingemployability skills, soft skills and transferable skills over traditional degree specific

knowledge?

2. Is it possible for human resource departments to define employability skills whendeveloping recruitment and selection policies and procedures?

3. Is there any benefit in Human Resource recruitment strategies gearing graduate schemestowards developmental opportunities in line with the new psychological contract in order to

attract and retain the right calibre of graduate?

4. Is the current economic climate responsible for a change in how human resourcedepartments intend to attract and retain relevant graduate employees?


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5. Does undertaking an undergraduate or postgraduate placement year help students to bridgethat employability gap and enable organisations to believe they are work ready?

Literature review

Graduate Recruitment

There is evidence to suggest that graduate recruitment has become increasingly more complex and

critical; there is a realisation that the recruitment and selection procedures need to ensure that

graduates are best fit and work ready to enable organisations to stay robust in the ever changing

economic climate. It would be reasonable to expect that with the increased participation in highereducation, there would be a trend towards more graduate recruitment schemes and graduates in

employment. A recent research article by Heaton et al (2008) Graduate recruitment and

development sector influence on a local market/regional economy found that under two thirds of

graduates enter full time work. In 2004 The National Centre for Social Research conducted a survey

on Destination of Leavers from Higher Education and found that 79% of graduates were not

employed in graduate level roles. It is important to consider possible reasons for these changes. A

research article by Rae (2008), Riding out the storm: graduates, enterprise and careers in turbulent

economic times suggests that the current economic climate could be a factor, employment trendscan be seen as a lagging indicator of economic change; jobs may continue to grow for a period after

economic growth has slowed; this may also affect graduate employment. Conversely, the CIPD

labour market survey in May 2008 found that most employers responding anticipated that

employee numbers would remain fairly stable and most planned to continue to recruit staff. In

addition The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) recruitment survey 2008 predicted the

highest increase in graduate vacancies for 10 years of 16.4 per cent (cited in Rae 2008).

The statistics show worsening percentages of graduates able to find graduate level employment,

however the research is conflicting as to the reasons for this but there has been a proliferation of

research suggesting it could be down to the change in employers needs when recruiting graduates in

the current unstable economic climate. The Association of Graduate Recruiters (1999) reported that


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despite receiving an average of 68 applications per vacancy and despite handling almost 4,000

applications, graduate employers still find it hard to fill vacancies, largely because of shortages of

good quality graduates; it is important to consider what constitutes a good quality graduate and

could it be that graduates are of the same quality as they have always been but employers have had

a shift in expectations when it comes to graduates and the skills they expect them to possess. Recent

research debates the responsibility of universities and HE institutions have in equipping and

preparing graduates for the workplace and these changing expectations. Employers recruitment

processes often identify explicit criteria within the job description and people specification but more

and more there appears to be evidence of increased implicit un-stated expectations; organisations

want to employ people with firm or industry specific knowledge and experience (Van Buren, 2003).

Ghoshal (1999) supported this claim by arguing that individuals with a portfolio of transferable

generic skills are highly valued by employers and thus will move easily from job to job or

organisation to organisation thus implying that transferable skills, work based knowledge andexperience are the skills employers most desire even if they are not explicitly referred to in their

recruitment and selection policies. It is important to recognise that graduates are increasingly

exposed to subjective recruitment strategies which may focus on personal attributes such as loyalty,

commitment, honesty and integrity, enthusiasm, reliability, personal presentation, common sense,

positive self-esteem, sense of humour, balanced attitude to work and home life, ability to deal with

pressure, motivation and adaptability (Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 2002).The

literature suggests there may be increasing implications for graduates looking to secure appropriate

level employment, it is important to consider the impact of employability and how graduates canensure they have the best opportunity to increase employment success by equipping themselves

with the skills employers desire.

Employability

There has been much discussion regarding employability in recent years and many diverse theories

concerning what employability actually means. Dearing (1997) suggested that the term

employability is used to refer to the ability of an individual to gain employment appropriate to

his/her educational standard; whilst Hillage and Pollards (1998) defined Employability as the

capability to move self-sufficiently within the labour market to realise potential through sustainable

employment. Initially these definitions appear to be almost opposing in nature. If we assume


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Dearing is referring to education in the traditional context of academia, the suggestion that a

graduate or post graduate would be regarded as a relatively high academic achiever would therefore

infer that they would find comparable high level employment. A survey carried out by the Higher

Education Careers Service (HECSU) found that up to 40,000 of this year's graduates will still be

struggling to find work in six months time and that one in ten of 2010 graduates will find themselves

unemployed, and of those in work, many may have taken lower level employment in retail

establishments, bars and restaurants in order to earn a living and meet financial pressures,

especially after incurring debts at university. The suggestion is that this is a result of the ongoing

impact of the recession despite the economys slow crawl towards recovery; and that there has been

a tangible change in the skills employers are seeking, now more than ever employers require

graduates that are equipped to hit the ground running. It would however be reasonable to consider

that Dearing (1997) does not specify, although it is inferred, that this statement refers to all

graduates. More recent research by Cox and King (2006) appears to support the findings Hillageand Pollards (1998) and suggests that in todays challenging business environment the possession

of subject skills alone is no longer sufficient for new graduates in meeting employer requirements;

increasingly it is necessary for them to gain transferable skills which will enhance their prospects of

employment. Atkins (1999) opposes this and states that there is no reason why employers should

have a common set of skills that they require graduates to develop as this may vary with the region,

the size of business, and the market orientation of the business. The National Employer Skills

Survey for England 2009 investigated employers perceived skills gaps in their graduate recruits and

found that customer-handling and team working were considered to be lacking in half of thegraduates employed that year. Other soft, generic skills such as oral communication and problem-

solving skills were the next most commonly noted as deficient or lacking. Less common skills gaps

included a lack of proficiency in written communication skills and insufficient general IT skills. It

could be derived from this study, which incorporates responses from just over 79,000 employers and

claims to be by far the largest and most comprehensive source of information on current skills

issues affecting employers in England; that the clearest and most substantial skills gap that exists

UK wide is a lack of transferable soft skills or employability skills. There is evidence from the

literature to support the existence and importance of employability skills and the validity of

graduates possessing both theory and practical skills in order to comply with a changing recruitment

and selection criteria. There is also evidence to suggest the insignificance of these transferable skills

with employers still seeking employees with a proven track record of applied learning depending on


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sector, size and organisation. It would be fair to state that the literature offers no set definition for

employability; employability encompasses a range of skills, practical and theoretical, and takes into

account current climate, labour market, academic achievement, previous experience not to mention

the size of an organisation and the sector it operates in. The term employability is used to mean a

set of achievements that comprise skills, understanding and personal attributes that make an

individual more likely to secure and be successful in his/her chosen occupation (Yorke and Knight,

2004). It can largely be agreed that any reference to employability skills refers to the soft skills and

two suggested main elements of these soft skills covered in theory are subject skills and

transferable skills; Transferable skills refer to certain personal abilities of an individual, which can

be taken from one job role to another, used within any profession and at any stage of his/her career

while subject skills are more relevant to ones career (Cox and King, 2006). For the purpose of this

study it is important to bear in mind the proposition that employability is built around a wide range

of attributes and skills; a view that appears to be widely accepted.

Psychological Contract

Employability, the conditions determining it, and its role in shaping and reshaping individual careers,

has emerged as a key objective for those seeking ongoing, worthwhile employment (Forrier and Sels,

2003). There is much research to suggest that the link between employability and career aspirations

and progression opportunities is embedded in the new psychological contract. An article byMaguire (2002) Psychological contracts: are they still relevant suggests that employability is the

basis for the new psychological contract and that employers and graduates see employability as a

reciprocal agreement which allows flexibility and adaptability for the employer and an investment in

the employees professional development making them more attractive in the labour market . It

looks like a hopelessly one-sided contract, but in fact the desire for job security is going out of

fashion. Continuous service to one master is increasingly seen as stultifying rather than safe. The

dynamic people of todays dynamic world are attracted to jobs where they can see clear

opportunities for themselves, with opportunities spreading in all directions (Bagshaw,

1996). Research by Rousseau (1992) supports this viewpoint by highlighting a shift in the new

psychological contract from relational to transactional. Garavan (1999) refers to employability as

the emerging new deal in which employability, as opposed to employment security is now


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considered the new form of psychological contract between employers and employees. Meister

(1998) surmised that employability reflects the new psychological contract in which the individual

recognises that career self-management will provide a fair deal for the future and a greater

likelihood of employment success. This suggested shift in expectations advocates individualism,

where employees are concerned with preserving their own interests, with elements of pluralism

where each employee has their own goals within a common goal (Fox 1966).

It could be assumed that recent changes in the current economic climate along with technological

developments have contributed to a change in graduate expectations; the desire for a job for life has

evolved and employment opportunities have experienced a major paradigm shift. Many

organisations have had to become responsive to change in order to survive the recession and this

has contributed to the erosion of job security with some organisations having to make workforce

and labour cuts or changes in their workforce dynamics. Employment and having a career are nowseen less in terms of employment security within a single organisation and more in terms of

individual employability across relevant labour markets (Iles et al, 1996). There are some

discrepancies in recent research findings with regards to what employers expect from graduates. An

article by (Raybould and Sheedy, 2005) Are graduates equipped with the right skills in the

employability stakes? States that nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of vacancies on offer are open to

graduates from any discipline, suggesting that the majority of employers are not necessarily looking

for specific academic subject knowledge, rather just a proven ability to study at a certain level.

Harvey (2003) found that it is education and not training that interests employers. The academiaversus employability skills debate wages on although research findings are heavily weighted

towards an increasing recognition and desire for graduates and new employees equipped with

employability skills. An extension of this concept is employability security as opposed to

traditional job security; Moss and Kanter (1999) found that graduates expected to be provided

with developmental opportunities that will assist in the accumulation of human capital and

enhance future job prospects . Some research considers the negative impact of this new

transactional contract; Pfeffer (1994) argued that employability may have a negative impact on

employee commitment and contribution to organisational success. Sennett (1998) believed that

the employees lose out in an employability relationship; 15-18 per cent of individuals, who enter a

company espousing employability values, the first five years will reward them with upward mobility,

however, a similar percentage experiences rapid downward mobility and the remainder find that


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their wages gradually fall. Many theorists argue the need for employee commitment and loyalty to

an organisation in order for it to adapt and survive in a turbulent economic climate. Critics of the

employability concept may suggest that graduates believe it is their organisations duty and part of

the transactional nature of the psychological contract that they should be supported in expanding

their skills profile, even if they then choose to move companies in order to further their careers

rather than ploughing the skills back into the organisation that has supported their personal and

professional development. Some researchers believe there is a significant risk is associated with

investment in employability skills, there is no hard evidence to suggest that employees will respond

with greater loyalty and commitment, in fact there is much evidence to the contrary, which could

and does result in employers investing time and money into graduates that then leave the

organisation to pursue other opportunities.

If there is, as the majority of the research suggests, a trend towards employability skills becomingmore critical when pursuing a graduate career; this would suggest it would be wise for graduates to

familiarise themselves with the recruitment and selection policies of organisational human resources

departments, so the seeds can be sown for the mutual exchange theory which is the basis of the

new psychological contract. Findings of Garavans (1998) study on graduate employees revealed that

in the initial three years of a graduate securing a job, the major expectations related to career

development opportunities, they seem to abide by the transactional contract as suggested by

Rousseau (1992) as opposed to the relational components of the psychological contract. However

after the initial three years in employment, Garavan noted a shift in emphasis where greater valuewas now placed on pay and promotion, compared to the pre-organisational entry situation. He

found that career development was still of high importance but that the relational aspects of the

contract were increasing in importance. This stance would advocate the benefit of increased

employer participation in the fulfilment of the psychological contract; it would suggest that if in the

initial stages of their careers graduates feel like their personal and professional development is

supported then they could be more likely to form a relationship with the organisation and

demonstrate a longer term loyalty. There could be an argument to support the nurturing of the

employee/employer relationship from as early on as possible in order to strengthen this loyalty. The

National Student Forum Annual Report 2009 reports how Anglia Ruskin University has introduced an

Employer Mentoring Scheme, to help to translate ability into employability. The scheme was

introduced after graduate recruiters identified a lack of business awareness among graduates as


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being a significant barrier to progress. It could be suggested that early interaction between

graduates of the future and their potential employers could help with the future fulfilment of the

psychological contract where graduates feel listened to and invested in and employers have access

to graduates with enhanced employability skills and realistic expectations - which in turn could

strengthen the future relational aspects of the contract.

The evidence suggests that employability is still an emerging concept. There are some

discrepancies in the literature with regards to employability and its integral relationship with the

psychological contract. Specifically do employment relationships that start out with employability

priorities eventually move to the more traditional relationship if the contract is perceived as

fulfilled? It is also important to consider how the concept of employability can and will influence

Human Resource recruitment and selection policies and training and development opportunities in

organisations both pre and post graduation.

Placements and Work Based Learning

It is generally agreed that employability skills and specifically transferable skills are developed

through work experience and there is an argument to support how integral universities could be in

helping graduates develop these skills through offering and encouraging work based placements to

undergraduate and post graduate students. Dench (1997) surmises that graduates are sought who

possess work-related skills in addition to their subject specific skills. There is further evidence tosuggest that employers require work ready graduates; the notion of first jobs in which graduates

could develop their employability skills at an employers expense is disappearing (Davies, 2000).

The idea of work based placements for undergraduates and postgraduates is not new; some subject

areas and HE courses such a teacher training, nursing and law have necessitated an element of work

based learning, as have professional qualifications such as the ACCA which require three years

professional experience alongside the academic qualification before graduates can be awarded full

chartered status. Bowes & Harvey (1999) suggest there is evidence that has not only been a

resurgence of interest in work experience and placement opportunities during the latter half of this

decade, but an increase in the number HE establishments offering sandwich courses for a range of

subject areas. The National Council for Work Experience was created in October 1998 which

endorses this view of increased participation. In addition the chair of the National Committee of


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Inquiry into Higher Education (NCIHE) Lord Dearing made a key recommendation that all HE students

should be afforded the opportunity to develop their employability skills by participating in a work

based learning placement or sandwich course; students can benefit from experience in many

different settings, structured and informal, paid and unpaid. Their academic experience should help

them understand how experience relates to their personal and future development.(NCIHE, 1997)

There is further research to suggest that there may be many contributing factors as to why

employers and graduates consider placements and work based learning opportunities and why they

appear to be increasing in popularity and perceived importance. At the moment many employers

are concerned that universities are not producing work-ready graduates (Harvey 2003), therefore

making the induction process and initial introduction to work time consuming and lengthy. Cottrell

(2003) found that subject specific skills acquired through traditional academic university courses

meant that students usually leave university with a good appreciation of their chosen subject asthey have studied it intensively for the previous few years. However, Foley et al (2004) noted the

tension between formal education and vocational training as some employers believe that

individual subject skills may not be enough to meet their requirements for work ready graduates.

Bowes & Harvey (1999) supported this view by proposing that Sandwich students are advantaged in

the labour market, at least in the early part of their careers. Champions of traditional academic

educational processes who may be critical or suspicious of the integration of vocational learning in

HE institutions should be encouraged by research that has directly correlated higher final degree

classifications for students that have undertaken a placement year as part of their degree course.Some theorists have hypothesized that meta-cognition skills, learning how to learn, is likely to be a

contributing factor to the increased performance of final year degree students returning to study

after a year in industry. Raelin (2000) acknowledges meta-cognition as an inherent value-added trait

of work-based learning. You could argue that the a year in industry allows graduates a wider world

perspective of where theory applies; a placement year can also be used as a year long case study

which affords students practical examples they can site in exams and coursework, allowing a more

competency based approach to academic learning.

There is also theory to suggest that the inclusion of a work based placement can accelerate the

development of transferable skills desired by employers such as analytical and problem-solving skills,

interpersonal skills, personal planning and organisational skills and team-working, Which in turn can


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support a students ability to achieve more scholastically. It would not be unreasonable to suggest

that some of the skills learnt in the work place are directly transferable as the skills needed to

succeed academically.

Fanthorne (2004) suggests that there are three benefits to students undertaking work placements

other than the perceived benefit of developing transferable skills; some skills may be learned or

developed, a students own personality may develop and work based placements may be

instrumental in deciding on future career direction. Without this work based experience there is

research to suggest these skills would not develop effectively leaving graduates at a disadvantage

when tackling the current job market; passivity still dominates learning and higher education

students may still be over taught therefore limiting the development of the highly valued

transferable skills(Race 1995). A research paper by Greenbank (2002) Undergraduate work

experience: an alternative approach using micro businesses suggests that the graduate labourmarket is changing and work based learning placements can be used as a vehicle for linking theory

and practice and developing transferable skills. This viewpoint supports the integration of the

traditional cognitive and intellectual structure universities provide with work based learnt

transferable skills. Morse (2006) found that there are a number of non financial costs and benefits

that may not be widely recognised but which are significant with regards to work based placements.

Morse (2006) also highlights that some organisations may feel a corporate social responsibility to

take on work placement students. Although there is much evidence to suggest that employability

is the responsibility of individuals many suggest that organisations have a duty to ensure thatemployees are afforded the opportunity to develop their skills and competences so they are

attractive in a competitive labour market. Organisations may be under increasing pressure ethically

to facilitate these needs in order to fulfil the psychological contract and assist in rectifying the

increasing unemployment or low level employment graduates are forced to take. One way of

fulfilling this ethical responsibility to ensure graduates are equipped with the skills required would

be to engage with graduates during their HE years either through employer mentoring schemes or

undergraduate and graduate placement schemes. It is important to bear in mind that many

organisations may be reluctant to explicitly state their expectations, an example of this would be

traditional recruitment and selection techniques of application and interview are usually based on

both an explicit job description clearly defining the requirement of the role in addition there may be


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many un-stated requirements such as if the applicant will fit into the culture of the culture of the

company; employers state that they want people with the right skills, qualifications and

experience, yet there is an increasing emphasis on recruiting to fit the organisations

culture and desired image (Backhaus, 2003). Employment success is often as dependent on meeting

these un-stated expectations as on a match with the written selection criteria (Brown, P., Hesketh,

A., Williams, S. 2003). This would suggest that graduates could benefit from immersing themselves

in industry during their placement year or through partaking in employer mentoring schemes so

they pick up on the subtleties of the un-stated requirements therefore enhancing their chances of an

organisational fit.

There is broad range of literature that is relevant to the research objectives of this study and lots of

opposing findings within that literature. Recent research topics included under the employability

umbrella include a shift in expectations and an updated view of what constitutes the psychologicalcontract alongside a relatively dramatic change in the economic climate have changed the direction

of research. Ethical issues and corporate social responsibility are now receiving more focus than

ever before. This study will help to clarify any real world scenarios and potentially be at the

forefront of researching the changing nature of employability and the effects that has and will have

on graduates past, present and future.

M

ethod

Qualitative: - Semi structured, participant interviews will be held with eight Human Resource

managers in charge of graduate recruitment across a range of sectors to enable theresearch

questions to be directed and the participants to respond to that direction, (Robson 2002). Interviews

will be conducted on a one to one, face to face basis to with the option to gain additional

information if relevant. Part of this explanatory study will be used to develop the questions and

relevant themes that will be included in the quantitative survey. It may be possible to subject some

of the qualitative findings to statistical analysis; for example the semi structured interviews may ask

the respondents to name five employability skills. It may then be possible to draw some

correlation with these answers by coding the answers in SPSS to denote any trends. The main focus

of the interviews will be to probe in order to answer the research objectives. It will be important


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that all interviews are conducted professionally with the same level of enthusiasm as the manner in

which the you interact with your interviewee and ask the questions will impact on the data collected

(Silverman 2007). Each interview will be recorded on Dictaphone and transcribed at a later date for

inclusion in the appendix.

Quantitative:- Once the qualitative stage of the research is complete a questionnaire will be devised

around the running themes highlighted in the qualitative data with each respondent being asked to

respond to the same set of questions in a predetermined order, (Oppenheim 2000). These themes

may include the identification of different skill sets and their importance to employers. The

questionnaires will be based largely on ranking the importance of a wide range of skills, knowledge

and experience by employers when recruiting graduates followed by some semi-structured

questions relating to changes in recruitment methods in the current climate and the importance of

placement and work based knowledge. This is a deductive approach (Saunders, M. Lewis, P.

Thornhill, A. 2009) that will allow the analysis of the data through descriptive and inferential

statistics through the use of SPSS coding.

The questionnaires will be self administeredelectronically by survey monkey and by post delivery

and collection techniques. 100 + questionnaires will be distributed to Human Resource

departments and graduate recruiters to aim for a 50% response rate.

The qualitative research will be an essential component in defining the different skills sets,

knowledge and experience to include on the quantitative questionnaires. The quantitative research

will be a formulaic way of assessing which skills sets HR graduate recruiters consider give graduates

the employability edge.

Methodology

The overall research approach will be a mix of primary qualitative and quantitative research. The

qualitative interview techniques outlined in the method should allow additional information to be

ascertained if relevant and ensure that answers can be defined in terms of what and how but also

in terms of why. This will be important in gaining a full understanding of the explanatory study

Saunders, M. Lewis, P. Thornhill, A. (2009). Face to face interviews have been chosen for the


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qualitative data collection as managers are more likely to agree to be interviewed rather than

complete a questionnaire remotely (North et al cited in Healey 1991).

The quantitative questionnaires will be designed to maximise the response rates, validity and

reliability of the results by ensuring they are designed carefully and presented clearly and concisely

(Saunders, M. Lewis, P. Thornhill, A. 2009) A clear introduction and end to the questionnaire is

essential as is the assurance of anonymity. A pilot test survey will be held in a controlled sample

group to highlight any inconsistencies or ambiguity with the questionnaires and their layout. The

questionnaires will highlight behaviours as they will ask HR professionals to rank the attributes and

qualities they look for when recruiting graduates both in the past and current climates; these are

behavioural variables (Saunders, M. Lewis, P. Thornhill, A. 2009). The quantitative questionnaires

will act as back up to prove or disprove the findings of the semi structured interviews. They will be

less time consuming then the semi structured interviews and allow statistical breakdown of the data

collected which may be harder or impossible to achieve through qualitative research alone.

Limitations: Some organisations, such as public sector based companies may not have specific

graduate recruitment schemes in place; therefore it may be difficult to ascertain relevant data on

graduate employability and graduate recruitment techniques. These companies may only be able to

comment on general recruitment of graduates and non graduates; this information will still be

relevant as it should still highlight the skill sets employers look for when recruiting new members of

staff in the current economic climate.

In addition if the recruitment departments for SMEs and larger companies are centralised it could

mean there is a lot of travelling involved to meet the recruitment team and carry out the semi

structured interviews. Travel should not be an obstacle however it could prove very time consuming

and it may be that a contingency plan of telephone interviewing needs to be carried out if this is the

case. This in turn highlights inconsistencies in the conducting of the semi structured interviews

which could affect the result, (Silverman 2007). It will therefore be that contingency telephone

based interviews will only be held as a last possible scenario.

An obvious limitation of questionnaire based research is the high probability of poor response rates.

It will be important to distribute as many questionnaires as possible to try and collect a good sample

size to analyze. In order to encourage responses there will be a raffle incentive with the numbers

from each of the labelled questionnaires returned and included in the draw; the prize will be a 25


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voucher for the shop of the winners choice. Once again the respondents will be assured of their

anonymity with regards to the data theyve provided.

Ethics : During the collection of face to face data the researcher is placed in a position of power as

probing questions can be formulated which can cause the interviewee discomfort or stress

(Saunders, M. Lewis, P. Thornhill, A. 2009). It is imperative that the questions are tackled sensitively

and respondents are given the option not to answer any questions they dont feel comfortable with.

Respondents will be given the option to withdraw from the study at any time, even retrospectively

to completing interview and anonymity will be respected in all interviews and questionnaires

responses. A consent form will be used to ensure all participants in the qualitative survey are happy

to be recorded and have their interviews transcribed. The consent form will also outline the option

to withdraw from the study at any stage. All questionnaires will include an overview and

introduction to the research objectives (Zikmud 2000) to ensure participants are not deceived or

misled. Privacy, anonymity, voluntary participation, maintenance of confidential data will all be

considered and controlled.

Proposed analysis and presentation of results

Quantitative data in its raw form, that is before the data has been processed and analysed, convey

very little meaning to most people (Saunders, M. Lewis, P. Thornhill, A. 2009). Quantitative findings

will be expressed in relevant graphical format generated through the coding of the completed data

sample and inputted into SPSS. The importance and popularity of different skills will be examined

through the trends highlighted through SPSS breaking down the result into trends, cross tabulation

of data variables and standard deviation of results. Frequency distribution will help identify these

trends which can then be expressed as a line chart or pie chart for example. Code -9 will be used to

signify when a question has not been answered or there is a missing value so these are eliminated

from the analysis and results are not skewed.

The qualitative questionnaires will be transcribed and included in the appendices of the final

dissertation. Relevant findings and quotes will be highlighted throughout the research project

although in more detail in the research findings and analysis section of the research report to

highlight running trends and themes or opposing viewpoints. This is a deductive approach to

analysis as the questions have been developed to relate directly to the research objectives. A


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summary of the key findings will be produced to ensure the analysis is accessible and academic. It

may be possible to quantify some aspects of the qualitative research using SPSS as previously

mentioned in the methodology section of this proposal.

Conclusion

In conclusion this research project will aim to clarify if there been a tangible shift towards

organisations human resource recruitment strategies prioritising employability skills, soft skills and

transferable skills over traditional degree specific knowledge and explore the possibility that the

current economic climate is in some way responsible for this change. The research should also

ascertain whether the undertaking of an undergraduate or postgraduate placement can help

students to bridge that employability gap and enable organisations to believe they are work

ready.

Recommendations.....

5. Incentivise placement providers to increase the number of, and improve the quality of,placementson offer

6. Identify ways in which university careers services can be better supported to meet the specificneeds of particular student groups(e.g. disabled students, international students and postgraduate

students)

explicit recognition and active promotion of the value of work placements, volunteering programmes

and part-time jobs increased resources for, and the promotion of the use of, personal development


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plans the provision of optional modules/classes that consider how the skills/knowledge developed

during study/placements translate across into the work environment an employer mentoring scheme

in which employers volunteer to mentor students a curriculum offer that includes the opportunity for

students to engage with alumni or employers working in a related field and is co-developed with

employers systematic integration of the university or college careers service into students everyday

lives

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Julie Boyer 07838785

Questionnaire

Liverpool John Moores Universitys employability strategy centres around theWorld of Work (WoW) process, which expects every student to develop andreflect on the eight transferable graduate skills the university has identifiedalongside their subject skill s and, to a greater or lesser extent, undertakesome kind of work-related learning. The eight essential graduate skills are:analysing and problem-solving, team-working and interpersonal skills, verbal

communication, written communication, personal planning and organising,initiative, numerical reasoning, and information literacy and IT skills.Key Points: Employer-verified World of Work (WoW) programme available to everystudent, enabling them to build up a portfolio detailing how they have acquiredeight key graduate skills and a certificate of higher level WoW Skills Review of every curriculum to build in employability andwork-related learning Ready-for-work job application skills and employability advice

Strong relationships with local, regional and national employers and brokerage hubFor more information see www.ljmu.ac.uk/WoW

36 NationalQuestionnaire

Evaluate the extent to which ‘employability’ has been adopted as the new contract in the...

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