|
Students need to prepare for work |
|
|
|
Wednesday, 12 December 2007 |
Universities must help students develop the skills required to thrive in the workplace as well as providing academic and professional learning, according to Cabinet Secretary for Education Fiona Hyslop.
Speaking at Napier University’s Skills for Scotland event today, Hyslop said that universities had to ensure students were ready to ‘hit the ground running’ when they left university.
Hyslop said:
“I would like to challenge our universities further to consider the impact of their provision on students' employability. In the past it has been possible for some students to pass through university successfully and only begin to develop their employability skills once they move into the world of work. This is no longer possible or desirable.
“Universities like Napier University already embed employability skills in vocational areas, for example, in the health service, and there is best practice in other areas which needs to be shared. In the modern economy, employers are looking for graduates to hit the ground running and to start to make an immediate impact on the business. This creates a challenge to our universities in terms of employability - one to which they will have to continue to respond to in new and creative ways.”
One person has commented on this article. 1. Students need to prepare for work
Elaine Harris, Unregistered There is a pilot programme about to begin that tries to address this issue: Aiming University Learning @ Work is a partnership project between students, academics and employers. It is based at University of Glasgow, which is the lead partner, and also involves Glasgow Caledonian University and University of St. Andrews. It is funded through a Strategic Change Grant from the Scottish Funding Council.
|
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 December 2007 )
|
Holyrood news 
