The employers' perceptions of what makes graduates marketable

Abstract

In today’s world, industries are experiencing changes more rapidly. Various factors are propelling these changes such as globalisation, internationalisation, rapid changes in technologies and intense competition. These changes have a profound impact on higher education institutions, as education is the foundation on which a competitive workforce is built. Despite some impressive improvements in performance in the higher education institutions, many students still emerge from the education system ill equipped to meet the challenges of life and employment. In the era of a new revolution in which knowledge and applied intelligence is rapidly becoming the key to national survival and success, “marketable” graduates are needed to help their organisations gain a competitive advantage. Industries are in constant need for a consistent and reliable supply of educated and skilled business graduates. On the other hand, universities have the responsibility to produce graduates that will meet the market needs or the requirements of the industries. However, universities are lagging behind in meeting the needs of the industries. In addition to that, there is a gap between the knowledge, skills, and qualities possessed by the universities’ graduates and the knowledge, skills and qualities required by the graduates’ prospective employers.