About the Project

Recent GO data highlighted that Warwick Graduates are notably less likely to agree they are utilising what they learnt during their studies in their work compared to other HE graduates. GO data inform the University’s TEF ranking and impacts Warwick’s league table positioning. This problem affects how we compare to other institutions. This has already been picked up by WONKHE. Moreover, this perceived mismatch between our students degree skills and those required in the workplace could limit the range of positions our students feel they can apply for and harm their chances of securing positive graduate outcomes.

In 2023, the National Foundation for Educational Research found that “whilst specialist skills and knowledge are vital in most occupations, it is transferable ‘essential employment skills’ that will be in greatest demand across the labour market in 2035.” Placement students undertake extended graduate level work experience during their degree. Those engaged in placements have expressed that they struggled to adjust to the skills required in their placements. Therefore, placement cohorts make an excellent group to investigate the perceived skills gap.

Project Aims

The project team will investigate the perception of a skills disparity for graduates entering the labour market. This includes investigating how degree skills are applied to workplaces, and to what extent the perceived disparity is impacted by students' ability to link and articulate the skills gained in their degree to those required to their employment context. It will then make recommendations for departments to help students critically understand, articulate and further develop their skills to prepare them for the transition into the workplace.

This project will generate resources to inform departmental practices, and the School of Life Sciences has committed to implement initial project recommendations. Academic and service departments, including Student Opportunity (SO) teams involved in skills, employability and placements will be informed of the recommendations to implement in their own contexts. Warwick students are highly sought-after by graduate recruiters. Helping students to develop their skills, better articulate and link them to their careers, increases their potential job market success.

Project Team

Lead: David Molyneux (Student Opportunity)

Lead: Marion Patel (Life Sciences)