Employability in higher education: what it is, what it is not

This publication is intended to serve two purposes. First, it makes a case for employability as a set of achievements which constitute a necessary but not sufficient condition for the gaining of employment. Employability is, on the analysis presented here, considerably more complex than some proponents of ‘core’, ‘key’ and ‘transferable’ skills have suggested, and is strongly aligned with the academic valuing of good learning. The second purpose is consequential, in that this publication has considerable implications for curricular activities in higher education. The relationship between higher education and the economy has, for a long time, been a topic of debate, and the historical perspective is outlined in sections two and three. Sections four, five and six discuss the concept of employability, with a preferred definition being put forward in section five. Section seven suggests that, whilst employers might ask for multi-competent graduates, some aspects of employment-related capability can only be developed in the employment context: work placements of various kinds during a higher education program may however make a significant contribution. Sections eight and nine together constitute a challenge to simplistic thinking about skills.

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