A conference held at the University of
Ulster will discuss how universities can suitably prepare graduates and
undergraduates so that they are better able to compete in the global job
market.
Dr Redmond, Head of Careers &
Employability at Liverpool and one of the country’s leading experts on
generational theory and the graduate labour market, will address leading
figures in higher education today (May 10th) at the ‘Employability:
How Higher Education Can Rise To The Challenge’ conference.
He said: “Since the global economic
downturn of 2008, job markets for graduates have been transformed. Unemployment
and under-employment have both markedly increased, leaving many people
uncertain about the value of university credentials.
“At the same time, fast-growing economies
in India and China are increasing their share of global ‘knowledge jobs’,
leaving many in the West uncertain about how or where to compete.
“So what can universities do to help
students prepare for an uncertain and volatile career future? What is the
formula for long-term employability and how can the university curriculum
prepare students for life in a post-crunched world?”
Professor Denise McAlister, The University
of Ulster’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Teaching & Learning, also agreed that
more must be done to ensure that students develop employability skills so that
they can succeed in the graduate
job market.
She also went on to say
that these skills would enable graduates to help in the development of “modern,
sustainable knowledge-based economies.”
The conference comes in the
wake of the
latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which show that
over a third (35.9%) of recent graduates in 2011 were working in non-graduates
positions that did not match their level of expertise. This is up from 26.7% in
2001.
Echoing
the views shared by Dr Redmond and Prof McAlister, Liam Burns, President of the National Union
of Students, said: "At a time of record youth unemployment it is more
important than ever that there are opportunities to develop the education and
skills we need for economic recovery."
How confident are you of performing in the graduate jobs market?
Do you feel that employers will look upon you as a potential candidate?