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The jobs students want today, and the skills required for them, are changing. By 2025, advances in digitalization, data, and artificial intelligence are projected to create up to 97 million new jobs while displacing 85 million existing ones. As the global talent shortage widens, higher education institutions must lean into equipping students with job skills that will power the new, digital economy - from data analysis and software engineering to [user experience] UX design and digital marketing. A new survey conducted by Coursera and featured in this report identifies the unique pain points of students searching for a job and employers that are hiring in this new market. The data makes clear that both students and employers view skills as the pathway between education and employability. 60 per cent of students around the world said that 'using their skills' matters the most to them in a job and 77 per cent of employers are already using or actively exploring skills-based hiring.

The survey data further reveals that industry micro-credentials, such as Professional Certificates offered by Coursera, provide a valuable link between students and employers. Professional Certificates teach students the specific skills needed for in-demand, entry-level jobs such as data analyst, software engineer, digital marketer, and more. By earning a Professional Certificate, students can demonstrate to employers that they are qualified and job-ready. Higher education institutions can use Professional Certificates in Coursera's Career Academy to enhance their curriculum and attract and retain students that are increasingly focused on employment outcomes. Skills-based learning is key to driving employability across the hiring ecosystem. Higher education leaders, employers, and government leaders must align their efforts to help students obtain the skills that make them job ready

This report first explores global student, employer, and university leader perspectives on industry micro-credentials and skills-based learning and hiring. The second half of the report delves into how these three parties vary on a country-level. The key insights featured are based on a survey of nearly 5,000 students and employers in 11 countries - Australia, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (U.S.) - in collaboration with two market research firms, Dynata and Repdata. Our sample sizes enabled us to obtain results with an industry-standard range of error at a 95 per cent confidence level.

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This paper compares within-country programmes of initial vocational education and training (IVET) in Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany and their outcomes. Specifically, it aims to analyse and compare the labour market success of graduates of different tracks at the [International Standard Classification of Education] ISCED 3 level in both early and later stages of their careers. The comparison is based on the analysis of [Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies] PIAAC 2013 OECD study data. A composite multidimensional indicator was constructed to measure labour market success and subsequently used as a dependent variable in regression models.

The results indicate that in the systems with dual IVET at the ISCED 3 level (Germany and Austria), graduates are indeed more successful at the labour market than their counterparts with other ISCED 3 tracks. However, their advantage diminishes in later stages of the career. Additionally, in Austria, the success of dual education young graduates is mediated by individual characteristics. In the system with only school-based IVET (the Czech Republic), this track does not guarantee substantively higher labour market success for young graduates compared to other ISCED 3 tracks and also to those with lower education. Czech apprentices in the later stages of career succeed even less than those with below ISCED 3 education.

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Purpose: Drawing on human capital theory and sustainable career theory, this paper aims to explore the impact of undertaking an industrial placement on the 'Great Eight' competencies as perceived by university students and line managers. Design/methodology/approach: 618 students and their line managers across three cohorts ([pre-Coronavirus Disease 2019] pre-COVID-19) took part in a longitudinal quantitative study. Students completed a three-wave questionnaire at the placement's start, middle, and end. Line managers completed the questionnaire during waves two and three to offer 360-degree feedback. Descriptive statistics and repeated measures [analysis of variance] ANOVA were applied to the dataset.

Findings: The impacts of undertaking a placement were highly variable for different competencies at the sub-scale level, although at the eight-scale level, the nuance was less pronounced. However, students self-perceived that all eight competencies increased between the start and end of the placement. Surprisingly, line managers perceived students' competencies to be higher than perceived by the students. Originality/value: The value of undertaking a placement is often poorly measured (e.g. satisfaction) rather than competency-based outcomes, which can lead to conclusions that are overly simplistic and difficult to use in practice. Theoretically, this study advances understanding of human capital theory and sustainable career theory by understanding the role placements can play in developing human capital and preparing university students for sustainable careers. Practically, the findings of this study can help to close the university-industry skills gap by informing curriculum and placement scheme design and supporting students to acquire personal resources and signal these to prospective employers as an antecedent to career sustainability.

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The importance of embedding employability skills in English Higher Education has received increased attention since the introduction of tuition fees and employers claiming that graduates lack the necessary skills for the workforce. This paper considers how these employability skills align with students' aspirations, when there is uncertainty around their career trajectory, an area that appears unexplored in current literature.

Using an interpretative approach this small-scale study (n=25) sought views of first year students within an HE institution in the East Midlands of England. This paper reports on students' career aspirations and motivations for studying, and working in, the field of Early Childhood, at the commencement of their studies. Through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, students reflected on their aspirations and motivations to follow this degree trajectory.

This paper purports that students embark on this degree with a generic interest in working with children but are uncertain about career directions. They welcome the breadth of opportunities the degree could lead to. It is therefore argued that 'it's ok not to know what I want to do'. It is the role of academic and professional staff to embed a breath of opportunities for exposure to the range of career pathways available.

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This study explores the approach taken to teaching agriculture in further education [FE] colleges in England. There is almost no literature that focuses specifically on this group and therefore little is known about the teaching of this specialist subject area. The article begins by providing background both to the FE sector and agriculture. It then considers pedagogic content knowledge and its use as a tool for investigating and understanding practice. The findings from interviews with 17 practitioners involved in teaching agriculture are presented.

These focus on beliefs on preparing learners for a career in the sector, the decision-making process when planning sessions and accounts of teaching practice. The findings suggest that there are a number of features that make teaching agriculture distinct from a more general pedagogical approach. These include the impact of context on pedagogical decisions, the value placed on theoretical and practical aspects and proximity to industry through resourcing. It is hoped that making these visible will enable the transfer of knowledge within the teaching community and promote a greater understanding of this area of provision within the further education sector.

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Microbusiness owners face significant challenges in accessing, acquiring and controlling resources, including human resources. This research examines the resource value(s) gained by microbusiness owners when they engage in a temporary human resourcing strategy using interns. Qualitative, information-rich, narrative interviews with microbusiness owners examined resourcing motives, management experiences and perceptions of human resource value. The data were subject to thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the unforeseen value of working with an intern was learning 'management by doing', which arose due to a challenging of owner-intern dynamics, compelling owners to develop their skills, knowledge and practice of management and leadership. Second, microbusiness owners were strategically motivated to fill human resource skill and expertise gaps at little or no cost, gaining expected value. Thus, temporary human resources enable microbusiness owners to gain both expected and unforeseen value. Future research should focus on examining the value of unforeseen learning from low/no cost resources on microbusiness growth and sustainable development potential.

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This inquiry was launched in January 2022 and aimed to look at how well the current system for careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) is working, with a particular focus on children and young people. We received 136 written evidence submissions and held seven oral evidence sessions with a range of witnesses, including a panel of young people aged between 16 and 19, supported by Teach First. In our final oral evidence session we took evidence from the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, the Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP, under whose Chairmanship the Committee had started the inquiry.

The system of careers education, information, advice and guidance has seen much change in recent years. Since responsibility for CEIAG was transferred to schools and colleges in 2012, the landscape has developed significantly, in particular with the introduction of the Gatsby benchmarks and the 2017 Careers Strategy. The report finds that it appears the right framework is broadly in place, but there is a lack of a clear overarching strategy and stated outcomes. The report's recommendations cover the areas of: the organisations delivering CEIAG, CEIAG in primary schools, embedding careers into the curriculum, connecting employers with schools, and improving CEIAG provision for specific groups of pupils.

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New technologies, such as Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) or the Internet of Things (IoT), offer great opportunities for societies to enjoy the benefits of an increasingly interconnected world. However, the use of digital technologies also implies greater exposure to the risks of cyber attacks. The number of cyber attacks is outstripping defence capabilities, and one reason for this is the lack of an adequately skilled cyber security workforce. Enterprises around the world are facing shortages of skilled professionals in this area, limiting their ability to contain threats.

This report analyses the evolution of the demand for cyber security professionals from January 2012 to June 2022 in five countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The analysis in the report leverages the information contained in nearly 400 million job postings collected from the internet (online job postings, OJPs). The report also looks at the supply side, zooming in on the landscape of cyber security education and training programmes in England (United Kingdom) and the policies and initiatives to make these programmes more accessible and relevant.

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Universities can play a key role connecting student demand for education with industry demand for skills. This paper explores how to use data to focus industry collaboration and student recruitment in ways that deliver benefits to them and universities. Around the world many industries are experiencing workforce gaps. One study put the cost of workforce gaps in the United States at US$8.5 trillion by 2030, and another found the unrealised value of skill vacancies in Canada was already at C$25 billion in 2020. In Australia, [Chief Executive Officers] CEOs anticipate that in 2023, 90 per cent of businesses will be affected by staff shortages. But rather than the problem being simply a shortage of skills, it is more accurate to frame it as a mismatch of skills. That is, employers are finding it difficult to fill many roles due to the lack of workers with the specific skills or experience required, while at the same time many people cannot find work with the skills they have developed.

Universities have an enormous opportunity to act as skills connectors - understanding the demand for study and the demand for skills, and bridging the divergent preferences of students (as prospective or current employees) and industry partners (as employers). To help universities achieve this, we have developed a methodology that gives universities clear guidance on the biggest questions in their recruitment, industry partnering and course development investment decisions. Integrating key data sets on industry and student demand in Nous Group's Data Insights for Market Analysis (DIMA) platform, this methodology provides a powerful evidence base for universities to generate value for industry partners and students, and to further invest in their own mission. This paper demonstrates how this methodology can be applied, with a focus on opportunities for universities in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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The UK finds itself navigating the ongoing impacts of the [Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)] pandemic, leaving the EU, the cost-of-living crisis and climate change. Without an increase in the number and diversity of engineers and technicians, the UK lacks the capability to tackle some of the biggest challenges we face, from energy security through to sustainable farming. Apprenticeships are central to addressing current and future skills gaps. Led by former Labour and Conservative ministers Lord Knight and Lord Willetts, in partnership with EngineeringUK, the inquiry seeks to uncover the reasons behind the worrying decline in engineering, manufacturing and technology apprenticeships starts seen over recent years in the UK.

Despite a modest uptick in numbers last year, engineering-related apprenticeship starts in England are still 9 per cent lower than in 2014/15. What's more, the uptake varies by subject with a worrying 34 per cent decline for engineering and manufacturing technologies. We set out to investigate what could be done to reverse the decline in apprenticeship starts over recent years and to achieve sustained growth in engineering, manufacturing and technology apprenticeship, particularly for young people.

The report sets out a 5-point plan aimed at addressing the barriers and concerns identified by businesses, education providers and young people: (1) rebalance education - ensure that the secondary school system is fit for the future and there is genuine parity of esteem between technical and academic pathways; (2) support young people - provide better support for young people throughout their apprenticeship journey and take decisive action to break down barriers; (3) refocus funding - ensure long-term funding for apprenticeships at all levels and greater equity between vocational and academic routes; (4) enable businesses - enable more [small and medium-sized enterprises] SMEs to play an active role in apprenticeships. Work together with employers as well as providers to ensure that engineering and technology apprenticeship standards are given the strategic importance they merit and meet the skills needs of the sector; and (5) employers taking action - encourage employers to play their part in growing and sustaining apprenticeships for the future and to help widen opportunities for young people.

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