engleski

Employers’ views on students’ employability in Eastern Croatia

Given the economic context and the situation of great competition for graduate jobs in Croatia, students are particularly interested in securing a degree that will enhance their employment prospects. The tensions between employers and academia remain because of faculty staff’s concerns that engaging with the employability agenda will lead to a diminution of academic standards and objectives (Gunn et.al. 2010). It is vital that universities produce graduates that economy needs, with the skills that employers value. Therefore, HE should take into account the employment needs of their students, including the generic skills and abilities needed in the workplace and reflect this in the strategy, curriculum and course design. With the objective to investigate the employers’ views on what skills and attitudes are important for employment, in April 2015 a total of 134 questionnaires from employers from Croatia were collected. In these surveys employers value problem solving skills, learning skills, willingness to learn, as well as enthusiasm and intelligence as the most important for employability. The findings indicate that skills and attitudes which employers expect graduates to bring to the workplace, such as intelligence, enthusiasm and motivation, application of knowledge, problem solving and learning skills are weakly developed during HE. This study highlights the growing need that HEIs put more emphasis upon promoting employability of students through skills development based upon employers’ priorities, upon structured approach to work placements, internships and work based learning opportunities, as well as meaningful partnerships with the employers. Strategic planning, as well as monitoring the effects of teaching at HEI in increasing the employability of students, is critical.

employability ; graduates ; employers ; skills and attitudes ; HEI

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