Exploring Synergies between Employers and Educators

Towards Graduate Effectiveness

Abstract

The idea for this study originated from the University Council of Jamaica’s 2023 webinar hosted as one of the events for its annual Quality Assurance in Higher Education Week. The theme under consideration was Strengthening Quality in Teaching and Learning Practices in Higher Education: The Graduate Effectiveness Imperative. The webinar highlighted the need for consistent practical exposure to the field/industry, the importance of non-technical skills, work ethics and values, and the need for greater synergy between academia and employers. This paper focuses on the importance of graduate effectiveness in higher education; the quality assurance systems used in higher education to strengthen graduate effectiveness; and possible strategies to improve graduate effectiveness in the workplace. Given the concerns expressed and the strategies shared, an exploratory sequential design mixed methodology was used to explore the articulated gap that exists between the graduates’ skills and competencies and the employers’ needs and expectations. Data derived from the employers’ themes from the webinar; the survey responses from the purposively selected higher education institutions (HEIs); and document analysis of selected UCJ Standards were analysed for patterns, trends and relationships. The findings indicate that there are both HEI and employer-related barriers which impact the technical and non-technical preparation of students for the world of work.  This suggests that there is scope for employers and HEIs to engage in strategic partnerships towards the strengthening of the graduates’ effectiveness.