The main aim of this study was to explore and describe the circumstances on the ground concerning employability of Environmental Science (ES) graduates in Botswana and to provide evidence that would either confirm or refute claims that graduates in Botswana, in general, are not employable. The second aim of this study was to describe whose role it is to enhance the employability of graduates. Furthermore it was also the aim of this study to investigate whether or not employability audits could be used as a quality assurance mechanism to ensure the employability of graduates in Botswana. These issues were investigated using the contextual framework of employability which explains the quality of higher education in relation to employability of graduates. This research reports on the findings of a case study of the Environmental Science programme offered by the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Botswana which was conducted in June 2012. The study revealed and confirmed gaps among ES graduates in the knowledge, skills and competencies required for the world of work. As a result of these gaps, ES graduates were found not be immediately employable without further on the job training. This created a lot of discontent among employers interviewed. The study concluded that higher education should go beyond providing education for the general development and well-being of individuals and address issues related to employability of graduating students. Conflicts in the possible roles of higher education and industry in enhancing the employability of ES graduates in terms of the changing expectations of the world of work were identified. The study highlighted the possible role of employability audits in enhancing employability not only of ES graduates but all other graduates in Botswana. Furthermore the study recommended that employability audits should be introduced in the tertiary education system of Botswana as a quality assurance mechanism. It further recommended collaboration and partnership with industry as key to the success of any measures put in place for the enhancement of the employability of graduates in Botswana. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / PhD / Unrestricted

Det anses idag vara upp till individen att se till att vara anställningsbar, därav ligger ett stort fokus på individperspektivet i frågan om anställningsbarhet. Ur ett individperspektiv handlar anställningsbarhet om vad som kan anses vara viktiga egenskaper och kompetenser för att individen ska klara av att möta konkurrensen och de skiftande kraven på arbetsmarknaden. Syftet med denna studie är att ta reda på vilka upplevelser och tankar som finns bland personalvetarstudenter, alumner och arbetsgivare för att försöka förstå hur en kan bli medveten om sin egen anställningsbarhet och kunna påverka den. I studien undersöks deltagarnas upplevelse av begreppet anställningsbarhet, hur de föreställer sig att olika val kan påverka anställningsbarheten, samt hur personalvetarstudenters och alumners inställning gällande anställningsbarheten kan påverkas på olika sätt. Detta är en kvalitativ studie där resultatet bygger på semistrukturerade intervjuer, med ett urval studenter, alumner och arbetsgivare, som analyserats med hjälp av tematisk analys. Resultatet visar att det blir svårt att påverka den egna anställningsbarheten utan en självmedvetenhet, vilket förutsätter en förmåga att kunna reflektera över sina val, erfarenheter, egenskaper och kompetenser. Det visar även att individens upplevelser och förväntningar påverkar inställningen gentemot arbetsmarknaden vilket leder till att de kan gå miste om arbetsmöjligheter. / Today it is considered to be the individual's responsibility to ensure that they are employable, hence a significant focus on the individual perspective on employability. From an individual perspective, employability implies what can be regarded as important characteristics and competencies for the individual to be able to compete and match the changing demands in the labor market. The purpose of this study is to investigate Human Resource Management (HRM) students, alumni, and employers' experiences and thoughts that intend to understand how to become aware of one's employability and ability to influence it. The study examines the participants' experience of the concept of employability, how they imagine that different choices can influence their employability, and how the attitude of HRM students and alumni regarding employability can be influenced in different ways. This is a qualitative study and the result is based on semi-structured interviews, with a selection of students, alumni, and employers, which is analyzed using thematic analysis. The result shows that it will be difficult to influence one's employability without self-awareness, which requires an ability to reflect on one's choices, experiences, characteristics, and competences. It also shows that the individual's experiences and expectations affect the attitude towards the labor market, which means that they may miss out on job opportunities.

El libro constituye una guía didáctica para quienes se encuentren en la búsqueda de una carrera profesional. Los consejos, metodologías y ejercicios presentes en la publicación son de suma utilidad para que el lector pueda conocer sus competencias y habilidades que mejor puedan adecuarse a una carrera profesional y después a un determinado campo laboral. También se explican las demandas de los diversos centros laborales y cuál es el tipo de profesional especialista o generalista que requieren en la actualidad. / This book is a teaching guide for those who are in search of a professional career. The advice, methodology and exercises in this book are of much use, so the readers identify the competencies and skills they have and that better adjust to a professional career and later to a certain field of work. The demands of the different workplaces and the type of specialized or general professional required today are also explained.

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.

Due to the passage of the Gainful Employment Rule of 2015, for-profit schools must ensure graduate employability, which forces vocational schools to make student success a priority. The concepts of stress mindset from the cognitive activation theory of stress and stress management self-efficacy from social cognitive theory were used in this study to assess the relationship of each to the employability of graduates. This study utilized a nonrandomized convenience sampling method and a multiple logistic regression with categorical dependent/criterion variables (gainful employment versus not) and continuous predictor variables (stress management self-efficacy, stress mindset) to compare the relationships. Stress mindset levels were measured using the stress mindset measure while stress management self-efficacy levels were measured by the stress management self-efficacy measure with 66 participants. The results of this study indicated that while both increased levels of stress management self-efficacy and a positive stress mindset were associated with a significantly increased likelihood of gainful employment, on its own, stress management self-efficacy was a better indicator than was stress mindset, on its own. The implications for positive social change from the results of this study, are a greater understanding of the importance of stress management self-efficacy and a positive stress mindset on the employability of technical school graduates. This knowledge could lead to the creation of improved stress management and stress mindset assistance for technical school students, which could lead to increased employability in these graduates.

Young unemployed individuals have often been struggling from an early age with disabilities or unfortunate circumstances, which makes their journey to employability unique. It is crucial that the individuals stay motivated to change and overcome hardship on their road to self-sufficiency. This thesis aims to understand how to motivate young long-term unemployed individuals through the lens of Self-Determination Theory and propose digital gamification concepts that can increase the users’ employability. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with long-term unemployed individuals and occupational therapists. The analysis of the interviews pointed to several behavioral and motivational needs which gamification can fulfill by increasing the sense of autonomy, competence, and belonging for the individual. Three design concepts exemplifying this application were created and show that there are several motivational needs of the young long-term unemployed, that potentially can be met in a digital context.

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.

Debido a la coyuntura actual y la necesidad de apoyo en las actividades diarias en el hogar, junto con las de trabajo y estudio, los hogares se ven en la búsqueda de personas que los apoyen con sus tareas domésticas. Por ello, Willasun al identificar esta necesidad propone una plataforma digital para la contratación de proveedores (personas que brindan servicios para el hogar). El servicio de Willasun tiene como principal misión brindar confianza, mediante el uso de filtros rigurosos para la selección de proveedores apropiados en las tareas que les sean asignadas. Para ello, se implementará los servicios mediante una plataforma web tanto para clientes (que buscan el servicio) y proveedores. Asimismo, se proyecta que los clientes llegaran mediante la recomendación directa obtenida a través de una red de contactos entre amigos y familiares, la cual se complementará a través de una campaña de publicidad mediante el canal de redes sociales como Facebook, Instagram y WhatsApp. Willasun se caracteriza por usar la innovación y tecnología en el desarrollo de sus actividades desde la búsqueda del servicio hasta la contratación del mismo para el cliente, y para el proveedor desde la postulación de empleo hasta ser vinculado con el cliente final, todo esto 100% digital sin ser necesario el contacto físico para la contratación del servicio ya que se tiene programado las entrevistas, envío de resultados de exámenes médicos, antecedentes penales, firma de contrato, entre otros de manera virtual. / Due to the current situation and the need for support in daily activities at home, along with work and study, households are looking for people to support them with their household chores. Therefore, when identifying this need, Willasun proposes a digital platform for contracting providers (people who provide services for the home). The main mission of the Willasun service is to provide trust, using rigorous filters for the selection of appropriate providers for the tasks assigned to them. To do this, the services will be implemented through a web platform for both clients (who seek the service) and providers. Likewise, it is projected that clients arrive through the direct recommendation obtained through a network of contacts between friends and family, which will be complemented through an advertising campaign through the social media channel such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Willasun is characterized by using innovation and technology in the development of its activities from the search for the service to the hiring of the same for the client, and for the provider from the job application to being linked to the final client, all this 100% digital without the need for physical contact to contract the service, since interviews are scheduled, sending results of medical exams, criminal records, signing of the contract, among others, virtually. / Trabajo de investigación

Die Dissertation hat die wissenschaftliche Zielsetzung, zu einer möglichst fundierten Aussage darüber zu gelangen, ob und inwieweit dem Hochschulsport die Befähigung zugesprochen werden kann, in seinen Tätigkeitsbereichen berufsqualifizierende Bildungsprozesse für engagierte Studierende zu generieren, welche sich mit den veränderten Anforderungen an den universitären Kompetenzerwerb decken. Der Lösungsansatz, der dabei hinterfragt werden soll, steht im Zusammenhang mit einem veränderten Bildungsbegriff bzw. -bewusstsein und den damit verbundenen Chancen des Systems Hochschulsport, sich durch eine fundierte Analyse der eigenen Ressourcen über seine Rolle als sportbezogener Dienstleister hinweg auch als bildende Instanz neu im Hochschulbereich zu positionieren. Die methodische Vorgehensweise dieser Arbeit orientiert sich grundsätzlich an den gängigen wissenschaftlichen Standards zur Untersuchung eines Forschungsanliegens im sozialwissenschaftlichen Kontext. Die beiden großen inhaltlichen Blöcke, die den Aufbau dieser Arbeit charakterisieren, sind eine hermeneutische Einbettung und Reflexion des Themas in Form einer ausdifferenzierten Literaturanalyse, sowie ein empirischer Teil, in dem eine eigenständige Datenerhebung und -auswertung am betroffenen Personenkreis stattfindet. In einem abschließen Fazit werden die aus dieser Arbeit hervorgegangenen Daten, Ideen und Handlungsansätze im übergreifenden Gesamtkontext bewertet und in ihrer Signifikanz für weitere zukünftige Entwicklungen reflektiert. Dabei wird auch auf die Einschränkungen dieser Studie und den weiteren Forschungsbedarf eingegangen.

The objective of employability of graduates is one of the main comerstones of the Bologna process and hig quality education is a key to achieving employability. The main purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze what kind of occupation sport sciences students had after they completed their studies at Umeå University. Furthermore, the intension was to study the alumnus understandings and experiences concerning employability. This was investigated through a web-based survey and the study was based on 54 surveys. The result indicated that more than half of the alumnus currently has an employment that corresponds with their higher education. There were a big variation in employers and job titles. The main reason to why alumnus at the moment didn't have an employment that corresponded with their education was the lack of jobs. In addition the result indicated that 75% of the alumnus had experienced that their education in sport sciences had increased their employability.