Background and Purpose In 2010, 20.5 million were students enrolled in bachelor's degree programs in four-year public universities in the United States 1. Approximately, 60% of these were first-generation students (students whose parents did not earn a four year college degree)2. However, what has been largely overlooked in research on first-generation students in the United States is the issue of post-degree employability or the transferability of education into graduate level employment opportunities. The primary purpose of this research, therefore, was to explore if and how the educational biography of first-generation students impacted their transition into graduate level positions in the corporate sector. Research Methodology The study was guided by three research questions: how first-generation graduates described the process of navigation into the corporate world; how they perceived their transition into graduate level employment; and what role they envisaged for educational institutions in supporting this transition. The researcher conducted a qualitative inquiry of the transition experiences of 14 first-generation graduates employed in the financial industry in a metropolitan city in the United States and collected data through semi-structured interviews. Using a phenomenological approach, the researcher described and interpreted the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of these 14 individuals with regard to their transition from education to employment. Findings This study indicated that the education level of parents seemed to be a more serious determinant and driver of the immediate occupational outcomes of first-generation students, more so than their racial, social or economic background. The study found that restricted access to cultural and social capital within the families resulted in first-generation graduates being disadvantaged on four grounds: ineffective career decision making skills; lack of familiarity with corporate culture and expectations; inadequate preparation for the world of work; and lack of access to professional networks. Conclusions The four disadvantages resulted in first-generation graduates starting at entry level positions in the corporate sector, having to invest time and effort to learn corporate culture and expectations, experiencing delayed growth within the organization, along with facing a possibility of being discriminated against during recruitment process. This study clearly indicated the need for policy and programs that could support transition of first-generation graduates into graduate level employment. The study also found the need for faculty to play a proactive role in enhancing the career orientation of first-generation students, the importance of lobbying for more inclusive recruitment practices in the corporate sector, and the significance of creating graduate level positions to match the increasing supply of graduates. 1U. S. Census Bureau (2012). The 2012 statistical abstract: The national data book. 2. U.S. Department of Education, NCES (2010, September). Web tables: Profile of undergraduate Students 2007-2008.

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This study examines how institutional actors interpret, influence and respond to skills availability in the labour market for graduates. It researches and draws lessons from the Maltese experience of managing graduate employability over three decades, focusing on the three fastest-growing economic sectors, namely, Accountancy, Pharmachem and ICT, each of which is the subject of a case study. The study investigates the interaction of governments, firms, higher education institutions and professional associations in identifying skills shortages and gaps, as well as in devising policy frameworks and skills regimes at national, sectoral and corporate levels. Drawing upon theories of employability and employee skills, first, there is development of an analytical framework to examine how these institutional actors affect the labour market, which informs the analysis of the three case studies. The qualitative research involved an interpretative analysis of key policy documents related to graduate employability and seventy in-depth interviews with interlocutors positioned in strategic policy making, senior management, academic, expert and professional leadership roles within government, regulators, major corporations, higher education institutions, training providers and professional associations. The data was thematically analysed. Twelve key themes emerged from the in-depth interviews, which included the following: use of different language; the meaning of employability; the value of credentials; the role of the University; perceptions; expectations; competitiveness; modes of training provision; labour mobility; placements and incentives; collaboration and skills gap. The institutional actors across the three focal sectors, namely, accountancy, pharmachem and ICT tended to emphasise some themes more than others, these having previously been identified in scholarly literature (Appendix 1). Both patterns and inconsistencies emerged from a comparison of the accountancy, pharmachem and ICT sectors. In so far as the labour market is concerned, the study revealed a lack of technical skills and major non-technical graduate skills gaps, specifically, in the aspects of communication, teamwork and problem-solving. A number of professional characteristics or behaviours were also identified as lacking with Accountancy, Pharmachem and ICT graduates, namely, attitude, confidence, drive, professional outlook, independent working, personality fit and a ‘can do’ approach. The study revealed the absence of permanent systemic connections between the formulation of national and sectoral economic strategies on the one hand, and higher education and training policies on the other. Consequently, state higher education institutions have been responding reactively to labour market needs, which could explain the endemic skills gap which the study found. The study concludes by discussing limitations and limits to this research as well as recommending policy initiatives and further research that could contribute to the science and practice of public policy in this field.

Thesis (MPA.) -- University of LImpopo, 2017 / The Internship programme has been used by many governments and employers throughout the world to integrate academic theory learnt at schools and Universities and practiced in the workplace. The South African government introduced the Public Service Internship Programme(PSIP) in 2002, and one of its objectives was to reduce the high rate of graduates who are unemployable by appointing them as graduate interns for a period of 12 months, thus providing them with the public service skills and experience required by the Public Service in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to investigate the implementation of the Public Service Internship Programme with regards to its contribution to the employability of graduates: The case of the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment, and Tourism in the Republic of South Africa. The study used the qualitative research method to interview 80 respondents ranging from Executive Management, Senior Management, Middle Management, Junior Management, Operational employees, Mentors and Graduate Interns to solicit their views and understanding on the implementation of the Public Service Internship Programme within the department. The study used content analysis to analyse data obtained from the 80 research respondents. The analysis was made using themes in line with thematic content analysis. The research findings confirmed that Graduate Interns are obtaining the necessary and relevant skills that will make them employable after completing the PSIP. The PSIP imparts Graduate Interns with skills that contribute to their employability in both the public and private sectors. It instils confidence and provides exposure and experience to Graduates Interns to have competitive advantages during job interviews in the public service and the private sector. It is a very useful programme that must be supported and encouraged in the public service as it assisted many to get jobs and reduce the rate of graduate unemployment in South Africa. It is relevant, useful and necessary to deal with the unemployment of graduates. It is successful and must be promoted because most Graduate Interns are employable during and after the completion of the programme. The study made the following recommendations; That all stakeholders must be inducted on PSIP to ensure its successful implementation, mentors must be trained on mentoring and coaching prior to their appointment, Mentoring vi be linked to the key result areas and key performance indicators of employees for it to be recognised in terms of the Performance Management and Development System, PSIP must be monitored and evaluated like all other government programmes, that the assignment of duties to graduates must be in line with their qualifications and their careers, graduate interns should be allowed to attend departmental meetings and functions as part of their learning areas, that those interning on the departmental Human Resources Management and Development be granted access to the PERSAL system as it is an important system in the South African Public Service, exit interviews must be conducted to get feedback from the interns on the implementation of the programme, and that proper allocation of offices or work spaces must be done by the department to enhance and improve the working conditions of the Graduate Interns

Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom(IPS) / This study investigated development centres as a method to improve the generalised self-efficacy of university graduates. This research was motivated by the various challenges graduates face in order to successfully transition into the world of work. To reach employability, graduates face high unemployment rates, inequality, a slow growing economy, high employer expectations, and a skills mismatch, all of which impacts their self-efficacy, performance and motivation levels. The sample population for this research included Industrial Psychology graduates at a select university in the Western Cape, South Africa (n=17). A quasi-experimental methodology was implemented where an intervention group (n=7) and a control group (n=10) were taken through a development centre approach. The primary research objective was to identify whether the generalised self-efficacy of graduates can be positively affected by a development centre approach in the short-term and long-term.

Thesis advisor: Zhushan Li / Higher education institutions are expected to improve the employability-related outcomes of their graduates. Previous assessments of graduate employability have largely focused on assessing the quality of a graduate’s first career-related position after graduating, referred to as their first destination, under the assumption that graduates who secure higher quality first destinations are more highly employable. Previous assessments of first destinations have focused more on simple descriptive information (e.g., monetary compensation, number of hours worked per week, etc.) as opposed to evaluating more complex, multidimensional constructs related to employment quality. Assessing these types of constructs would not only provide institutions with more information on graduate employability outcomes, but could also improve the quality and utility of this information. This study investigated whether the theory of Person-Job (P-J) Fit could be generalized to assess a new self-report employment quality construct for recent Bachelor’s degree graduates called First Destination Fit (FDF). Using a mixed-methods research design, the study investigated the dimensionality of this construct, the extent to which the construct is invariant for graduates who secure employment first destinations versus all other types of first destinations (e.g., continued education, military service, etc.), and the extent to which the construct is associated with similar constructs as P-J Fit. Survey scale items were rigorously developed, evaluated, and refined using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, as well as cognitive interviews. The results suggested a four-dimensional framework for understanding FDF. These dimensions were Needs-Tasks fit, Needs-Field fit, Previous-Experience-Tasks fit, and Previous-Experience-Field fit. In large part, these dimensions were found to be related to similar constructs as P-J fit has been found to be related to, particularly for graduates with employment-type destinations. However, this four-dimensional framework was found to be better fitting for graduates with employment-type destinations compared to graduates with non-employment destinations. The study contributes a newly developed and rigorously evaluated scale for HEIs to use to collect new, important information about their graduates’ employability. It also began the process of validating this new scale using advanced psychometric testing. Implications for the scale and future directions for research are discussed. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation.

yes / With some of the lowest levels of graduate employability across university campuses, and the non-vocational nature of most Politics/International Relations (IR) undergraduate degree programmes, the discipline faces a huge challenge in responding to the increasingly prevalent employability agenda in higher education. Indeed, as Politics/IR students feel the burden of the £9000 annual student fee now charged by most universities,5 and an ever-more contracting and competitive jobs market, a review of existing employability training and learning in the Politics/IR curriculum in universities has never been so essential. As such, this paper – based on a Higher Education Agency (HEA) funded project, Employability Learning and the Politics/IR Curriculum – explores the employability learning provision in a cross-section of English higher education institutions (HEIs) with a view to identifying examples of good practice in order to generate reflection on how best the discipline can respond to the employability agenda. The original project maps how employability is ingrained in various Politics/IR departments’6 curriculum. Here we present some of our preliminary findings. The bulk of this paper is formed by a discussion of the results we have gathered to date. Before proceeding to the data, however, we begin this paper by setting out the background to the employability agenda. In particular, we seek to highlight the ways in which the employability agenda has developed and been framed in higher education, as well as detailing the statistics on graduate employability in Politics/IR in order to provide some quantitative context. In so doing we aim to lay out the scale of the practical and pedagogic challenges we face as a discipline. We then go on to discuss the methodology of the project, before finally presenting and analysing our findings.

Magister Artium - MA (Psychology) / The present study aimed to determine the employment and employability profiles of alumni from structured professional Masters programmes in psychology. Issues of low enrolment rates and high attrition rates are at the fore of transformation efforts in the South African higher education sector. The concern of graduate employability and the relevance of skills training received to the labour market are of international concern. Graduate tracer studies have been successfully implemented internationally to attempt to understand these issues. Training relevance is of particular concern for the field of psychology in South Africa, as there is a significant shortage of mental health professionals. Understanding where graduates from professional Masters degrees in psychology find employment, as well as understanding their employability, may lead to greater absorption of graduates from these programmes into the workforce. Permission to conduct the present study and ethics clearance was obtained from the Senate Research Committee of the University of the Western Cape, and all relevant ethics principles were adhered to. An incentivised, online survey was conducted with a sample of 29 Masters-level graduates from two professional psychology programmes at a historically disadvantaged university. The study used a modified version of the Standard Instrument for Graduates. The survey had a 50% response rate (29 of 58) after at least four electronic reminders. Respondents graduated between 2008 and 2013, 13 from the clinical Masters programme and 16 from the research Masters programme. Descriptive statistics were used to depict the employment and employability profiles of the alumni. Most of the respondents were female (n=21), and about a third were first generation students (n=11). Most of the respondents were currently employed (n=25). They were employed in a variety of fields, predominantly health (n=10) and higher education (n=7), and largely clustered in the public sector (n=17). This suggested a transferability of skills. The training received was perceived to be relevant, in terms of accessing employment and conducting current work. Most of the clinical graduates were registered as clinical psychologists (n=12) with the Health Professionals Council of South Africa. There were varied registrations held by graduates from the research programme and some were not registered. The respondents held generally positive attitudes towards their alma mater. These descriptive results were interpreted through the use of McQuaid and Lindsay's (2005) framework of employability, based on the interaction between their individual factors, personal circumstances and external factors. Through this frame, the results highlighted the complex nature of the employability of these graduates.

Magister Artium - MA (Psychology) / The present study aimed to determine the employment and employability profiles of alumni from structured professional Masters programmes in psychology. Issues of low enrolment rates and high attrition rates are at the fore of transformation efforts in the South African higher education sector. The concern of graduate employability and the relevance of skills training received to the labour market are of international concern. Graduate tracer studies have been successfully implemented internationally to attempt to understand these issues. Training relevance is of particular concern for the field of psychology in South Africa, as there is a significant shortage of mental health professionals. Understanding where graduates from professional Masters degrees in psychology find employment, as well as understanding their employability, may lead to greater absorption of graduates from these programmes into the workforce. Permission to conduct the present study and ethics clearance was obtained from the Senate Research Committee of the University of the Western Cape, and all relevant ethics principles were adhered to. An incentivised, online survey was conducted with a sample of 29 Masters-level graduates from two professional psychology programmes at a historically disadvantaged university. The study used a modified version of the Standard Instrument for Graduates. The survey had a 50% response rate (29 of 58) after at least four electronic reminders. Respondents graduated between 2008 and 2013, 13 from the clinical Masters programme and 16 from the research Masters programme. Descriptive statistics were used to depict the employment and employability profiles of the alumni.

Magister Artium - MA / This study evaluates the extent to which the Environmental Internship Programme has impacted upon graduate employability in the City of Cape Town. Graduate unemployment crisis has been categorized as one of the socio-economic issues affecting the nation of South Africa with graduates struggling to find jobs in the areas which they graduated from. On the other hand, organisations are suffering from a lack of skills in different spheres. In order for this gap to be bridged, human resource development strategies have been put in place for graduates such as; internships, training and learnership programmes. In 2005, the Environmental Resource Management Department (ERMD) launched a programme called the Environmental Internship Programme (EIP) to address the needs of graduates in the environmental management field. The programme is a yearlong internship aimed at bridging the gap between academic learning and the first steps of a professional career. The aim of the ERMD is to create a pool of skilled professionals to be absorbed into the city as well as provincial, national government and the private sector by making the interns better employable by the time they leave the EIP. It is against this background that this study evaluates the impact of the programme on graduate employability. Within the investigation, the researcher looked at the appropriate legislations, and policies that govern a programme of this nature. The study utilizes primary and secondary research information based on interviews and open-ended questionnaires.