Enhancing graduate employability attributes and capabilities formation: a service-learning approach
SOURCE: Teaching in Higher Education
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2019
TITLE AUTHOR(S): N.Mtawa, S.Fongwa, M.Wilson-Strydom
KEYWORDS: EMPLOYABILITY, GRADUATES, LEARNING
DEPARTMENT: Equitable Education and Economies (IED)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 11115
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/15065
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/15065
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2019
TITLE AUTHOR(S): N.Mtawa, S.Fongwa, M.Wilson-Strydom
KEYWORDS: EMPLOYABILITY, GRADUATES, LEARNING
DEPARTMENT: Equitable Education and Economies (IED)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 11115
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/15065
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/15065
If you would like to obtain a copy of this Research Output, please contact Hanlie Baudin at researchoutputs@hsrc.ac.za.
Abstract
Graduates' employment outcomes remain a critical factor for all stakeholders in the sector. Positive graduate outcomes enhance students' aspirations for a university, accountability to the government for funding, and as a proxy for university quality and curriculum relevance. However, with high unemployment rate, graduates feel unprepared for the world of work, while employers perceive graduates as lacking core employability soft-skills. Academics on their part struggle to integrate employability skills in the curriculum. Furthermore, globalisation, diversity in society and workplace, call for graduates with social and humane values. Informed by the Capability Approach, we argue that community service-learning (CSL) has the potential to enhance graduate employability skills while fostering human capabilities. From the analysis of qualitative data, critical thinking, communication skills, and teamwork; and capability for affiliation and dimension of agency were identified. We conclude that CSL enhances graduate outcomes beyond the narrow premise of training graduates solely for employment.-
Related Research Outputs:
- First employment experiences of graduates
- Employment and employability: expectations of higher education responsiveness
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- Gender inequality persists in artisan employment in South Africa
- The HSRC's graduate employment survey 2000: phase 6
- The HSRC's graduate employment survey 2000: phase 7
- Remuneration of graduates: as on 1 October 2000
- The graduate
- Women graduates with selected engineering qualifications on the HSRC register of graduates as at December 1999
- Women graduates of UCT with engineering and related qualifications on the HSRC register of graduates as at November 1999
- Graduates in South Africa, aged 65 years and under on the HSRC register of graduates as at November 1999
- Graduates with doctorates related to molecular biology on the HSRC register of graduates as at November 1999
- University of Natal graduates with biochemistry qualifications on the HSRC register of graduates as at November 1999
- Graduates in agricultural occupations on the HSRC register of graduates as at November 1999
- Graduates in South Africa, aged 65 years and under, with agricultural qualifications on the HSRC register of graduates as at November 1999
- SA university qualifications awarded 1991 to 1998, as per the HSRC register of graduates, as at September 1999
- MBA/MBL/PhD business administration graduates on the HSRC register of graduates, as at October 1999
- Graduates with qualifications in economic and management sciences on the HSRC register of graduates 1990 to 1998, as at May 1999
- Graduates aged 35 or less, with specified qualifications on the HSRC register of graduates, as at May 1999
- Graduates with specified professional qualifications on the HSRC register of graduates, 1993 to 1998, as at May 1999