Supporting graduate employability from generalist disciplines through employer and private institution collaboration: Final report

Based on 2013 survey data, Graduate Careers Australia reported that graduate employability rates are the lowest they have been in twenty years. Graduates from four disciplines had the lowest rates of full-time employment four-month post degree completion and were therefore highlighted in the national commissioned call for research; these degrees were humanities, computer science, life sciences and visual/performing arts. The aims of this project (commissioned in December 2013) were to: • achieve a greater clarity on the issues, challenges and contexts of graduate employability; • identify and review the strategies that have been successfully used to address these challenges; • create opportunities for the diverse stakeholder groups to share their perspectives; and • promote strategies that may be used by the various stakeholders to collaborate on improving graduate outcomes. Graduate Employability means that higher education alumni have developed the capacity to obtain and/or create work. Furthermore, employability means that institutions and employers have supported the student knowledge, skills, attributes, reflective disposition and identity that graduates need to succeed in the workforce (Hinchliffe & Jolly, 2011; Holmes, 2013; Knight & Yorke, 2004; Yorke, 2006; Yorke & Knight, 2006). The project activities included: reviewing the literature; surveying students, graduates, higher education personnel and employers (705 valid surveys received); conducting in-depth interviews and focus groups (147 participants); and hosting a multi-stakeholder national graduate employability symposium (150 delegates).