Title: Examining the Evidence: Graduate Employability atNelson Mandela Metropolitan University

Authors: Heather Nel and Marian Neale-Shutte

Affiliation: Office for Institutional PlanningNelson Mandela Metropolitan University

Postal address: PO Box 77000Nelson Mandela Metropolitan UniversityPort Elizabeth 6031

Telephone: (041) 5042718

Facsimile: (041) 5041811

E-mail: Heather.Nel@nmmu.ac.za Marian.Neale-Shutte@nmmu.ac.za

Examining the Evidence: Graduate Employability at Nelson MandelaMetropolitan University

AbstractGlobally there is increasing pressure on higher education to enhancethe employability of graduates by ensuring that university learningexperiences contribute to inculcating the knowledge, skills andattributes that will enable graduates to perform successfully ascitizens in the knowledge economy. Graduate employability is evidencedin a mix of personal attributes, understandings, skilful practices,and the ability to reflect productively on experience. This paper willprovide an analysis of survey research conducted at Nelson MandelaMetropolitan University (NMMU) to investigate graduates’ perceptionsof the extent to which their particular university qualificationcontributed to employability. The research was conducted by means of astructured questionnaire survey administered among NMMU graduates atgraduation ceremonies in April 2011, with an online follow-upquestionnaire administered two months later. Of a total of 5397graduates, 2379 completed the questionnaires resulting in a responserate of 44.1 percent. The overwhelming majority of respondentsreported that their qualifications and study experiences at NMMU hadenhanced their employability and this was supported by the researchfindings which demonstrated that 68 percent of all respondents hadsecured employment at the time of graduation. Respondents recommendedvarious courses of action to further enhance graduate employability,including increased exposure to work-integrated or experientiallearning and improved relations between university academics andemployers. The study revealed that the purposeful design and deliveryof curricula and co-curricular activities support the development ofintellectual and interpersonal skills that enable graduates to fulfila role, rather than merely possessing the immediate task-relatedskills that enable them to perform a specific job.

Key words: graduate, employability, unemployment, knowledge, attributes, skills, qualification

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INTRODUCTION

High youth unemployment is one of the most pressing issues facing theworld today. The urgency to tackle this problem has been made all tooclear by the events in North Africa, the Middle East, and Londonprecipitated by disenchanted youth. South Africa’s unemployment rateof 24 percent is among the highest in the world and rises to 32.4percent if discouraged workers are included. The employment challengefacing South Africa’s youth is even greater. Using the country’sdefinition of youth (15 to 34 years), about three million young peoplewere unemployed in December 2010 and 1.3 million were discouraged.This translates into an unemployment rate of 34.5 percent andrepresents 72 percent of overall unemployment. Applying theInternational Labour Organisation’s definition, which restricts“youth” to those aged between 15 and 24 years, the number ofunemployed is more than 1.2 million (30 percent of overallunemployment) with an unemployment rate of 49 percent: one in everytwo people below the age of 25 looking for work is jobless. The ratioof youth to adult unemployment in South Africa is about 2.5 meaningthat the youth unemployment rate is two and half times larger than theadult unemployment rate (National Treasury 2011, 13).

The growing joblessness amongst people with university degrees hasbecome a disturbing trend in the post-apartheid South African labourmarket (Bhorat 2004; Pauw et al. 2006; Moleke 2010). Globally, thestructure of employment has shifted from manual work in manufacturingto jobs in the services sectors, which require higher levels ofknowledge and skills. Alongside this, technological advances andglobal economic forces have driven the demand for graduate knowledgeand skills in a wide variety of jobs. The nature and organisation ofjobs have changed, requiring higher levels of skills and creatingbroader opportunities for graduates in the labour market. The capacityof the economy to create enough jobs to absorb the growing number ofnew entrants is another key variable in the job market equation. Thegrowth in labour force entrants has outstripped growth in employmentcreated, resulting in low absorption rates (Moleke 2010, 88).Furthermore, there is general consensus that unemployment is

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‘structural’ in the sense that there is a mismatch between the typesof workers supplied and those demanded by the economy. Past policieshave done little to close the skills deficit in the economy throughthe provision of high quality education (Pauw et al. 2006, 1).

Within this context, it is interesting to note that, although graduateunemployment in South Africa remained low relative to overallunemployment, actual graduate unemployment increased by almost 50percent between 1995 and 2005 from 6.6 percent to 9.7 percent, makingit the fastest growing unemployment rate (Pauw et al. 2006, 10). InSouth Africa, there has been a rapid expansion in the number ofuniversity graduates, yet these graduates are not always employabledue to mismatches in qualifications acquired and labour market skillsrequired, with an oversupply in fields where labour demands are lessacute (such as the social sciences, humanities and commerce degreeholders), and graduates not being of a high enough quality, andlacking soft skills (such as time management, communication, creativethinking, and ability to work independently), practical skills andexperience (MacGregor 2007, 1). This is supported by a DiscussionPaper released by the National Treasury (2011, 13-14) which reportsthat an important reason why joblessness is so high among the youth isthat young people struggle to gain work experience, which is animportant signal of ability to potential employers. This could explainthe large number of young South Africans who are unemployed and thesignificant numbers who spend sustained periods without a job afterleaving education.

It is clear that, against expectations, unemployment is rising amongstyoung and better educated people and university graduates are noexception. Graduate employability has become an important aspect ofinstitutional and academic planning since there are benefits to begained by higher education institutions, employers and graduatesthemselves gaining an improved understanding of the factors resultingin unemployable graduates. This paper therefore aims to explore theextent to which graduates at the Nelson Mandela MetropolitanUniversity (NMMU) are gaining employment in a field related to whatthey studied. Attention will be devoted to analysing the perceptions

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of NMMU graduates in respect of the extent to which their universityqualification developed the key knowledge, skills and attributes toenhance their employability, as well as their overall levels ofsatisfaction with respect to their experiences of their universitylearning experience. The findings of this research will lay thefoundation for various recommendations to ensure that universitygraduates are better prepared for the world of work through a range ofcurricular and co-curricular interventions.

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The statutory responsibilities of universities are twofold, namely, toprepare and equip graduates with entry-level knowledge and skills forthe labour market and to play a leadership role as a custodian ofknowledge (Jarvis 2000, 56-59). However, nationally andinternationally the ability of graduates to access employment relevantto their knowledge and skills has attracted the attention of variousrole players within the higher education sector. In a study conductedby the South African Council on Higher Education (CHE) on relationsbetween higher education and the labour market, it is reported thatbusiness, government and civil society expect higher educationinstitutions to ensure that graduates are employable, in the sensethat they are prepared to enter the labour market and make acontribution as high-level skilled employees (Kruss 2002, 59).

A South African study by Maharasoa and Hay (2001, 145) found thatirrespective of race and gender, students agreed that employability isone of the greatest factors influencing their choices of universitycourses to study. Despite this, evidence is showing that, in additionto the problem of increasing graduate unemployment, more graduates maybe in ‘non-traditional’ areas of work, not relevant to their field ofstudy, and that are not considered ‘graduate level’ (Harvey, Moon andGeall 1997). Especially first destination jobs are often not linked toa distinctive career, but are an initial job step and involvegraduates taking jobs for which they are ‘overqualified’ (Koen 2006,4). A Human Sciences Research Council study (2000) also reported that

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a perception existed amongst the respondents that their jobs could bedone by a person with a qualification lower than the one they held.

Harvey and Green (1994) argue that the perceived skills gap betweenthe labour requirements of an industrially developed society and theoutputs from the higher education system occurs for four reasons: A view that education is a 'once-and-for-all' activity, which

ignores the need for lifelong learning and a continuous updating ofskills.

A lack of communication between higher education and employersregarding strategies to enhance graduate employability.

The indifference and inconsistency of employers in identifying whatthey want.

The perceived threat to academic autonomy and freedom posed bycloser links with and increased responsiveness to the world of work.

Similarly, research conducted by Koen (2006, 17-19) demonstrates thatthe key graduate employment problems in the South African contextrelate to the demographics of graduates, mismatches between graduateskills and labour market needs, graduate shortages in key fields, biasin terms of higher education institutions attended, and crucialdifferences in time-to-employment across economic sectors. The growingnumber of unemployed graduates is challenging the ability of highereducation institutions to provide the requisite education for nationaldevelopment, economic growth and competitiveness.

Reich (2002) argues that advanced economies need two types of high-level expertise, namely one that emphasises discovery and another thatfocuses on exploiting the discoveries of others through market-relatedintelligence and the application of interpersonal skills.Professionals with this expertise are described as ‘symbolic analysts’and share a series of achievements, namely, they are imaginative,creative, and possess the relevant disciplinary understanding andskills to apply their knowledge in various contexts.

Higher education institutions are not always successful in preparinglearners for the complexity inherent in the role of symbolic analysts.

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Subject matter is often compartmentalised and learners are expected tolearn what is put in front of them and to work individually andcompetitively. Nationally and internationally, there is increasingpressure on higher education to enhance the employability of graduatesby ensuring that the learning experience contributes to inculcatingthe knowledge, skills and attributes that will enable graduates toperform successfully in the 21st century knowledge society. It isimportant to note that graduate employability, in this sense, goeswell beyond the simplistic notion of key skills, and is evidenced inthe application of a mix of personal qualities, attributes,understandings, skillful practices, and reflective capacity.Furthermore, employability should not be narrowly equated withgraduate employment since there is no certainty that the possession ofa range of desirable characteristics will necessarily guarantee thatuniversity graduates are employed since there are too many extraneoussocio-economic variables that can impact on this. It must beemphasised that “employability implies something about the capacity of the graduate tofunction in a job, and it is not to be confused with the acquisition of a job, whether a graduatejob or otherwise” (Yorke 2006, 7).

In this respect it must be noted that, despite the fact that theresearch findings presented in this paper will provide an indicationof the extent to which NMMU graduates have been successful in securingemployment, the primary focus will be on assessing strategies toenhance the employability of graduates. The following researchquestions will be addressed:o What are the employment destinations of NMMU graduates at the point

of graduation?o Have NMMU graduates found employment in a field related to what

they studied?o How do NMMU graduates perceive the extent to which their

qualification/programmes at NMMU have developed the key knowledge,skills and attributes that enhance their employability?

o What are the strengths of and areas for improvement with respect totheir academic qualification?

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o What are the levels of satisfaction amongst NMMU graduates withrespect to their programme/qualification experiences, theirlecturers, and with NMMU generally?

RESEARCH DESIGN AND DATA COLLECTION

To achieve the aims of this study, quantitative techniques were usedto collect and analyse data. The sampling frame included all 2010 NMMUgraduates and a non-probability convenience sampling method wasemployed to obtain the sample. A structured self-report questionnaire,consisting of a number of closed- and open-ended items, wasadministered to NMMU graduates at the April 2011 graduationceremonies, with an online follow-up questionnaire administered tograduates from all faculties two months later. The respondentscomprised both under- and postgraduate students and, of the total of5397 graduates, 2379 respondents completed the questionnairesresulting in a response rate of 44.1 percent.

Data from the questionnaires were captured manually into an Excelspreadsheet and the data files stored electronically. Data analysisfor the closed-ended items in the questionnaire was executed usingStatistica. Descriptive statistics and cross tabulations wereperformed. The statistical analyses were conducted by the principalresearcher, and the data was analysed in line with the intendedpurpose and outcomes of the study.

In addition to the overall results, various sections of thequestionnaire were also analysed on the basis of relevant variables,such as: qualification type, faculty, ethnic group or sector ofemployment. For example, the results were analysed for the wholesample and then broken down by qualification type and faculty.

The questionnaire made use of a five-point Likert scale to obtainratings, in a range from excellent (5) to very poor (1), for the itemsrelating to the graduate attributes and skills and a range fromstrongly agree (5) to strongly disagree (1) for the items relating tograduates’ course experiences. The responses for individual items are

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presented in tabular form as mean scores. The mean scores representthe aggregate of the responses on the range from “excellent” to “verypoor” or “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree”. In theinterpretation of the individual items, mean scores are interpreted inthe following manner: A score of 4.2 and above indicates very good to excellent OR agree

to strongly agree; A score between 3.4 and 4.2 indicates an acceptable level – average

to very well OR neutral to agree; A score of between 2.6 and 3.4 indicates room for improvement – poor

to average OR neutral to disagree; A score of less than 2.6 signals a problem that is in need of urgent

attention.

The open-ended responses were analysed using semiotics. One form ofsemiotics according to Myers (1997, 5) is the use of content analysisto draw valid references from the empirical data to “context.” Thiskind of analysis allows the researcher to search for uniform/non-uniform patterns, and extract recurring themes from the data. Both thepositive and negative themes extracted from the open-ended responseshave been integrated with the quantitative results and triangulatedagainst the trends extracted from the comprehensive literature review.Verbatim responses are used where necessary to reflect graduateperceptions as honestly and accurately as possible.

RESULTS

Biographical data indicated that the sample was generallyrepresentative of the total population comprising all 2010 NMMUgraduates in respect of the following variables: All seven faculties and the George Campus were proportionately

represented with the exception of the faculties of Arts (15.2%),Business and Economic Sciences (29.8%), and Engineering, the BuiltEnvironment and Information Technology (16.9%) which were slightlyover-represented. The faculties of Law (0.6%) and Education (18.1%)were under-represented in the sample. The under-representation couldbe due to the fact that a large number of Education graduates

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studied through distance mode, and they could thus perhaps havedecided not to travel to Port Elizabeth for the graduation ceremonydue to the costs of doing so. Problems in the administration of thesurvey during one of the graduation ceremonies led to the Lawgraduates not receiving pens, and thus being unable to complete thesurvey at their graduation ceremony.

The sample per qualification type was relatively proportionate tothe total number of 2010 graduates at NMMU. While graduates withCertificates and Professional Bachelor’s degrees were slightlyunder-represented in the sample, this was not the case for graduatesin possession of Diplomas, General Formative degrees, and B Techdegrees. Most notably, those graduates in possession of a Diploma(32.1%) and a General Formative degree (21.8%) were quitesignificantly over-represented compared to a proportion of 24.5 and13 percent respectively in terms of the total NMMU graduatepopulation for these qualification types in 2010. The sample wasrepresentative of the various postgraduate qualifications offered atNMMU with the exception of Honours degree graduates which wereslightly under-represented (10.7%) compared to a proportion of 11.3percent of the total NMMU graduate population, while B Tech degreegraduates were slightly over-represented (13%) compared to aproportion of 10.8 percent of the total NMMU graduate population.

With respect to gender, 1353 (57%) of the respondents were femalewhile 1015 (42.5%) were male. Eleven respondents (0.5%) did notindicate their gender. The gender distribution in the sample wasrepresentative of the gender breakdown for all 2010 graduates where56 percent were female and 44 percent were male.

The majority of the respondents (71.4%) were aged 20-29 years, while28.4 percent were 30 years and older, and four respondents (0.2%)did not indicate their age. The sample slightly under-representedthe mature learner age groups and this can probably be attributed tothe non-attendance, at their graduation ceremony, of a large numberof the distance education graduates in the Education faculty.

More than half of the respondents (51.3%) were Black, while theremaining were White (28.4%), Coloured (14.3%), and Asian (1%). 37respondents (1.6%) did not wish to indicate their race and a further14 respondents (0.6%) did not respond to the item. The race

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distribution in the sample revealed a slight over-representation ofColoured respondents and an under-representation of Blackrespondents, but was relatively proportionate to the race profile inthe total population of all 2010 NMMU graduates.

The majority of the respondents (92.3%) were South African citizensor permanent residents while 7.3 percent were not citizens orpermanent residents of South Africa, and 0.5 percent did not answerthis item. This is generally representative of the total populationof all 2010 NMMU graduates in that 92 percent are South Africancitizens while 8 percent are citizens of other countries.

Interestingly, 37.2 percent of the respondents were first-generationstudents meaning that they were the first person in their family tohave qualified with a university diploma or degree.

Of the 2010 NMMU graduates who participated in this study, 62.2percent indicated that they are in paid employment while 37.1 percentare unemployed. Of those respondents who are in paid employment,nearly half (49.5%) are studying further whilst working. Of thoserespondents who indicated that they were studying further, themajority (73%) were doing so at NMMU.

Figure 1: Employment status of respondents

62%

37%1%

Employment Status

EmployedUnemployedMissing

Of the 37 percent of respondents who are unemployed, Figure 2 depictsthat more than half (54.8%) are studying further on either a full- orpart-time basis, 35.4 percent are searching for work, 3.6 percent areperforming voluntary or unpaid work, while others are: taking a gapyear (1.5%); not working due to personal ill health or family

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responsibilities (0.9%); travelling (0.7%); awaiting their internshipor registration with a professional council (0.5%); and in the processof emigrating (0.1%). Twenty three respondents (2.6%) indicated thatthey are not looking for work.

Figure 2: Destinations of unemployed graduates

55%

1%

1%0%

1%0%3%

4%

35%

Of the Unemployed graduates ...Studying further

Taking a gap yearTravellingEmigratingNot working due to personal ill health or family responsibilitiesWaiting for intrernship/registrationNot looking for workVoluntary/Unpaid work Looking for work

The main reasons provided by the above mentioned respondents for beingunemployed included: a lack of available jobs (24.9%); a lack of workexperience (21.3%); a lack of opportunities in the respondent’sparticular field of study (9%); being over-qualified for the positionapplied for (1.4%); or being under-qualified for the position appliedfor (1.1%); and international graduates who indicated that it isdifficult to find work as a foreign national (1.3%). Most graduateslisted a combination of the above reasons for being unemployed.

A lack of work experience was particularly regarded as a problem byrespondents from the Faculties of Arts (34.2%), Business and EconomicSciences (19.4%) and Science (18.6%). Respondents from each of thefaculties were of the opinion that a lack of employment opportunitiesin their field was also responsible for them being unemployed, butthis was particularly mentioned by graduates from the Faculties ofEducation (18.6%), Arts (17.6%) and the George Campus (14.3%).Interestingly, fewer graduates completing national diplomas (50.7%)

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and general formative undergraduate degrees (33.5%) are employed thanall other qualification types.

Graduate employment at the time of graduation (i.e. within six monthsof writing the final examinations in 2010) was 87 percent. Just overhalf the graduates (54%) had already secured employment beforegraduating, 33 percent had secured employment within six months, while11.6 percent took longer than six months to find employment. Only asmall percentage of graduates (1.4%) indicated that they were self-employed.

It is noteworthy that 78.4 percent of the respondents were in paidemployment relating to the qualification they studied at NMMU, whilst21.6 percent were not. The majority of respondents who obtainedqualifications from the George Campus (90.6%) and from the facultiesof Health Sciences (86.9%), Science (85.3%), and Engineering, theBuilt Environment and Information Technology (84.2%) were employed ina job relating to the qualification they had studied at NMMU. Nearly athird of the graduates from the Faculties of Arts (30.0%) and Businessand Economic Sciences (30.9%) indicated that they were not employed ina job relating to their field of study. Slightly more graduates(44.4%) stated that it was difficult or somewhat difficult to find ajob in their field of study, while 25.4 percent found it to be asexpected, and 30.2 percent found it easy or very easy to findemployment in their field of study.

For 85.9 percent of the graduates their qualification was a formalrequirement or important in securing their employment. For 61.4percent of the graduates their results were a formal requirement orimportant in securing employment.

Of the respondents who were in paid employment, 95.7 percent wereworking in South Africa, while 4.3 percent indicated that they wereworking outside of South Africa. The majority who were working outsideof South Africa were working in Botswana (24), with six working inZimbabwe and five in the Seychelles. Although those NMMU graduates whowere working in South Africa were located in each of the nine

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provinces, the majority (72%) were working in the Eastern Cape,followed by Kwazulu-Natal (7.2%), the Western Cape (6.3%), Gauteng(5.9%), and Limpopo (4.7%).

Just more than half of the respondents (50.4%) indicated that theyparticipated in experiential or work-based learning during theirstudies at NMMU, whilst 43.8 percent did not do so. Greater numbers ofgraduates on the George Campus (73.3%) and in the faculties ofEngineering, Built Environment and Information Technology (62.8%) andHealth Sciences (60.7%) indicated that they had participated inexperiential or work-based learning during their studies. The majorityof those who answered this question (91%) felt that experiential orwork-based learning enhanced their employability. Of those who did notparticipate in such opportunities during their studies, 78.6 percentfelt that had they done so, this would have enhanced theiremployability.

It is interesting to note that only 15.6 percent of the respondentsheld co-curricular leadership positions on campus whilst they werestudying at NMMU, whilst 73.9 percent did not. Greater numbers ofgraduates on the George Campus (28.0%) and in the faculties of Law(35.7%) and Business and Economic Sciences (19.2%) indicated that theyhad held co-curricular leadership positions on campus during theirstudies at NMMU. The majority of those who answered this question(97.5%) were of the opinion that co-curricular leadership had enhancedtheir employability. Just less than half of the graduates who answeredthis question (49%) felt that even though they did not hold co-curricular leadership positions on campus whilst they were studying atNMMU, had they done so, it would have enhanced their employability.

Table 1 below provides an analysis of graduate perceptions of theextent to which their qualification/programme at NMMU equipped themwith 22 graduate skills or attributes that are regarded ascontributing to employability. The majority of the mean ratings by thegraduates were between the 3.4 and 4.2 cut-points, indicating thatrespondents were of the opinion that these attributes and skills werewell developed through their qualification/programme. Only four

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attributes achieved a mean rating above the 4.2 cut-point meaning thatthe respondents felt that these were very well developed through theirqualification/programme. These were as follows: ability to work as ateam (4.29); respect for other people’s perspectives and knowledgesystems (4.28); self-management skills including the ability to workalone, exercise initiative, apply time management, etc. (4.27);ability to function in a multicultural context (4.24).

The lowest mean ratings were assigned to entrepreneurship (3.66),learning through interaction with other related fields ofstudy/disciplines/professions (3.77), awareness of the latest advancesin my field of study (3.89), social awareness (3.93), and excellencein my field of study (3.99). However, despite being rated lower, themean ratings for these attributes were above the cut-off point of 3.4which means that respondents felt that these were satisfactorilydeveloped through their qualification/programme.

Table 1: NMMU Graduate Skills and Attributes – Ranked from Most toLeast DevelopedATTRIBUTE/SKILL NUMBER

OFRESPONSE

S

MEANRATING

1 Ability to work as part of a team 2360 4.29

2 Respect for other people’s perspectives andknowledge systems

2360 4.28

3Self-management skills (i.e., ability to workalone, exercise initiative, apply timemanagement, etc.)

2361 4.27

4 Ability to function in a multicultural context 2358 4.245 Ability to accommodate change 2347 4.176 Capacity for critical thinking 2361 4.16

7 Electronic communication skills (e.g. e-mail,PowerPoint, etc.)

2365 4.15

8 Openness to new ideas 2360 4.159 Capacity for creative thinking 2359 4.151 Respect for constitutional values and principles 2369 4.15

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ATTRIBUTE/SKILL NUMBEROF

RESPONSES

MEANRATING

0 (e.g. equality, equity, humanity, diversity andsocial justice)

11 Commitment to ethical behaviour 2360 4.15

12 Written communication skills 2364 4.14

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Ability to verbally present information in aclear manner

2364 4.11

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Capacity to apply knowledge and skills in arange of contexts

2335 4.10

15 Respect for the natural environment 2342 4.10

16 In-depth knowledge of my field of study 2359 4.08

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Capacity for generating innovative solutions tocomplex problems

2342 4.00

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Excellence in my field of study 2360 3.99

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Social awareness (i.e. general knowledge ofsocial, political, economic, technological,environmental, etc. issues impacting on mydiscipline/ profession)

2368 3.93

20

Awareness of the latest advances in my field ofstudy

2346 3.89

21

Learning through interaction with other relatedfields of study/ disciplines/professions

2341 3.77

22 Entrepreneurial skills 2361 3.66

In the final section of the questionnaire graduates rated theirsatisfaction with regards to their qualification/programme, theirlecturers, and the university more generally. Overall, the graduateswere very satisfied with their qualification/programme rating it at

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4.3 and their lecturers at 4.2. The two areas where the graduates werethe least satisfied were that their qualification/programme was goodvalue for money (4.17) and that their lecturers generally gave themhelpful feedback on their academic performance (4.15).

Table 2: Satisfaction with NMMU Qualification/Programme and Lecturers

STATEMENTNUMBER OFRESPONSES

MEANRATING

I am satisfied with the quality ofeducation I was provided at NMMU 2376 4.34

4.3I would recommend thisqualification/programme to another person 2369 4.29

My qualification/programme has equipped meadequately for the world of work 2370 4.24

My qualification/programme was good valuefor money 2366 4.17

My lecturers taught content that wasrelevant 2373 4.34

4.2My lecturers motivated me to do my bestwork 2369 4.25

My lecturers were available forconsultation 2370 4.24

My lecturers generally gave me helpfulfeedback on my academic performance 2365 4.15

From Table 3 it is apparent that the graduates rated their overallsatisfaction with NMMU at 4.3 which is a high level of satisfaction.Although the item NMMU was my first choice when I decided to attend universityachieved the lowest mean rating of 3.94, a more detailed analysis ofthe responses revealed that 68.1 percent of the respondents agreedthat NMMU was their first choice when they decided to attenduniversity, 14.1 percent were neutral, and 14.7 percent disagreed. Itis furthermore encouraging to note that the majority of therespondents agreed or strongly agreed that: They are proud to be known as an NMMU graduate (89%). They would recommend NMMU to another person wishing to study further

(87.1%).

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NMMU makes an effort to develop well-rounded graduates (83.5%).

Table 3: General Satisfaction with NMMU

STATEMENTNUMBER OFRESPONSES

MEANRATING

NMMU was my first choice when I decided toattend university 2305 3.94

4.3I am proud to be known as an NMMU graduate 2311 4.52I would recommend NMMU to another personwishing to study further 2304 4.47

NMMU makes an effort to develop well-rounded graduates 2307 4.34

Finally, in the open-ended responses, graduates were requested toreflect on the strengths and areas for improvement of NMMU with regardto graduate employability. The top three strengths that were mentionedmost frequently by the respondents were that their NMMUqualification/programme: Equipped them with the knowledge, skills and attributes needed for

success in their careers (632 – 47.4%). Are good quality and internationally recognised, and that the

university or particular academic department has a good reputation(238 – 17.9%).

Are lectured by experienced, knowledgeable and committed lecturers(146 – 11%).

The top three areas for improvement that were highlighted by therespondents were: Improve particular aspects of the content and delivery of their

qualification or programme (557 –55.9%). These included suggestionssuch as encouraging smaller classes, ensuring that the latestteaching technology is used, enhancing the approachability oflecturers, and ensuring that lecturers are suitably qualified andexperienced.

Incorporate more practical work into programmes/qualifications andprovide assistance to students to ease their transition into theworld of work (257 – 25.8%). Respondents recommended that

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experiential or work-based learning should be a compulsorycomponent of their programme/qualification, entrepreneurial skillsshould be taught, career guidance for students should be enhanced,and advice should be provided to first-year students in choosingappropriate modules/majors.

Improve NMMU’s facilities, equipment, resources, and administration(176 – 17.7%). Respondents suggested that NMMU should increase thenumber of residences to accommodate more students on campus,provide newer library books, better equip existing lecture venuesand build more venues on the Summerstrand North and Second Avenuecampuses, and invest in more computers and software programmes.Several respondents commented on the need for better communicationbetween faculty administration and students, as well as the need toimprove timetabling.

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DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

It is evident from the results of this study that the overwhelmingmajority of NMMU graduates regarded their qualifications and studyexperiences at NMMU in a positive light, and felt these developed thekey knowledge, skills and attributes that enhanced theiremployability. It was particularly encouraging to note that themajority of the respondents were of the opinion that their studies hadcontributed to their personal development and maturation and they haddeveloped what Reich (2002) refers to as the ‘soft’ or generic skillsthat enable the disciplinary base to be deployed to optimal effect.These generic skills and attributes included the ability to work in ateam, respect for multiculturalism and diversity, self-management, andcommunication skills. This is significant given that employersconsistently state that, to succeed at work, most people in futuremust develop a range of personal and intellectual attributes beyondthose traditionally made explicit in programmes of study in highereducation institutions. These personal attributes are important toallow graduates to fit into the work culture, do the job, developideas, take initiative and responsibility, and ultimately helporganisations deal with change (Harvey 1999, 6).

From the results of the study it is evident that co-curricularleadership is reaching a small group of students, and that thesestudents feel that these experiences have enhanced theiremployability. This suggests that an area for improvement in enhancingthe employability of graduates is the need to encourage students toactively participate in co-curricular activities while they are stillpursuing their studies. Yorke and Knight (2004, 6) note in this regardthat although higher education institutions are not able to impactdirectly on students’ extra-curricular activities, they can helpstudents to recognise the significance of co-curricular activities bypresenting them with evidence of how certain achievements can besupported through their participation in such activities.

In addition, graduates who participated in this study voiced a demandfor more practical skills and for more work experience and preparation

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for work before graduating as they felt this would significantlyenhance their employability. Some of the suggestions were for closerlinks to industry in terms of guest lectures by industry experts, forsite visits/tours/field trips, and for closer working relationshipsbetween employers and NMMU academic departments. The respondentsexpressed a desire that NMMU would assist them with preparation forthe world of work, by developing “employability competencies” such ascompiling curriculum vitae, conducting oneself in a job interview, etc.

In this regard, Harvey (1999, 12) correctly argues that graduateemployability is not about getting graduates into jobs nor is it evenabout delivering ‘employability skills’ in some generic sense. Ratherit is about empowering critical lifelong learners by developing theirreflective and transformative abilities. This requires an approach toteaching and learning that goes beyond requiring students to learn abody of knowledge and be able to apply it analytically. Increasingly,in a world of change, learners need to be able to help theorganisations in which they work after graduation to transform andadapt. Graduates will not be able to do so if they are not able towork in teams, communicate well, analyse, and synthesise. Yorke andKnight (2004, 9) refer to “considerate pedagogy” as embracing therange of teaching and learning practices that are necessary to supportthe intentions associated with embedding employability in thecurriculum. These need to allow students to come to terms withpractices that may be unfamiliar, ambiguous and even disturbing. Biggs(2003, 1) uses the term ‘constructive alignment’ to convey theimportance of coherence in curriculum design. His conception ofalignment starts with learners who construct their own understandingsfrom their experiences of the world. He argues that the pedagogicalapproach needs to engage students positively in their learning, andshould discourage a relatively passive approach that is likely to leadto surface, rather than deep, learning.

Coherent curriculum design and lecturers’ pedagogical skills, andtheir interest in, support of, and communication with students aretherefore crucial issues needing attention. This relationship andinteraction with the lecturer has been shown through literature on

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student success and retention to be important to student success. Theimportance of the relationship is borne out by this study as graduatesreflected on the extent to which interaction with and constructivefeedback from their lecturers assisted them in developing theknowledge, skills and attributes that contributed to theiremployability.

RECOMMENDATIONS

On the whole, this study demonstrates that the design and delivery ofNMMU curricula do support the development of knowledge, skills andattributes that enable graduates to fulfil a role, rather than merelypossessing the immediate task-related skills that enable them toperform a specific job. However, given the current global and localeconomic situation, NMMU will need to work closely with employers andother relevant stakeholders to try and create more pathways toemployment for its graduates.

NMMU needs to recognise the mutual benefits of enhancing therelationship between academic staff and the relevant employers.Respondents felt that NMMU must create more opportunities forexperiential learning and exposure to the workplace before graduation.The current NMMU strategy for experiential learning and servicelearning, and the existing graduate placement programmes could bebroadened to facilitate closer links with industry. Close attentionalso needs to be devoted to curriculum design, as well as pedagogicalpractices, to ensure that these contribute to developing thetransferable skills and attributes that characterise employablegraduates.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, initiatives that help improve graduate employabilityare to be encouraged, especially where they include significant work-related elements or are embedded in the curriculum. Graduateemployability raises fundamental questions about the purpose andstructure of higher education and as such it is not about training or

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providing add-on skills to gain employment. On the contrary,employability is about how higher education develops critical,reflective, empowered learners who have the capacity to assist theirorganisations to succeed in a highly competitive, global knowledgesociety.

This study has revealed that there is a growing expectation fromexternal stakeholders that higher education institutions will beresponsive to the need to ensure that graduates are employable, in thesense that they are adequately prepared for the demands of the worldof work. The aim of this study was to create an awareness of theexpectations of university graduates regarding graduate employability,as well as strategies required to address identified shortcomingscontributing to graduate unemployment. As noted by Pauw et al. (2006,2) although there is no easy solution or “quick fix” there are certainstrategies that can be implemented by higher education institutions toenhance graduate employability:

“While no single short-term solution will solve the problem, policies which move toincreasing the quality of our education, limiting enrolment to some courses and‘incentivising’ companies to take up graduates…will ensure that future graduates areabsorbed”.

REFERENCES

Bhorat, Haroon. 2004. The development challenge in post-apartheidSouth African education. In Changing Class: Education and Social Change in Post-Apartheid South Africa. Ed. L. Chisholm, Cape Town: HSRC Press.

Biggs, John. 2003. Aligning teaching for constructing learning, accessed 16November 2011. [Available online] http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/documents/resources/database/id477_aligning_teaching_for_constructing_learning.pdf

Brown, Phillip and Lauder, Hugh. 1996. “Education, Globalisation andEconomic Development.” Journal of Education Policy. II (1):1-25.

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Harvey, Lee. 1999. Employability: Developing the Relationship betweenHigher Education and Employment, Opening presentation at the Fifth Quality inHigher Education 24-Hour Seminar, Warwick University. 28 October 1999.

Harvey, Lee, Sue, Moon and Vicki, Geall. 1997. Graduates’ Work:Organisational Change and Students’ Attributes, The University of Central Englandin Birmingham: Centre for Research into Quality. Accessed 16 November2011. [Available online] http://www.uce.ac.uk/crq/publications/gw/

Harvey, Lee and Green, Diana. 1994, Employer Satisfaction. Birmingham, QHE.

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Jarvis, Peter. 2000. “The Changing University: Meeting a Need andNeeding a Change.” Higher Education Quarterly. 54(1):43-67.

Koen, Charlton. 2006. Higher Education and Work: Setting a New Research Agenda.Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council, accessed 17 November 2011.[Available online] www.hsrcpress.ac.za

Kruss, Glenda. 2002. Employment and Employability: Expectations of Higher EducationResponsiveness. Paper presented at CHE Colloquium. Building Relationshipsbetween Higher Education and the Private and Public Sectors. SandtonConvention Centre, 27-28 June 2002.

Maharasoa, Maboreng and Hay, Driekie. 2001. “Higher Education andGraduate Employment in South Africa.” Quality in Higher Education. 7 (2):139-147.

MacGregor, Karin. “South Africa: Joblessness amid skills shortage,” University WorldNews, November 4 2007, accessed February 16 2011. [Available online] http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20071101145653965

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Moleke, Percy. 2010. The Graduate Labour Market. In Student Retention andGraduate Destination: Higher Education and Labour Market Access and Success. Eds.Letseka, Moeketsi, Cosser, Michael, Breier Mignonne, and Visser,Mariette, Cape Town: HSRC Press.

Myers, Michael. 1997. “Qualitative Research in Information Systems.”MIS Quarterly (21:2), June 1997: 241-242.

Pauw, Kalie, Oosthuizen, Morné and van der Westhuizen, Carlene. 2006.Graduate Unemployment in the Face of Skills Shortage: A labour market paradox.Development Policy Research Unit, University of Cape Town, accessed 16February 2011. [Available online] http://www.dpru.uct.ac.za/sites/default/files/sites/default/files/DPRU%20WP06-114.pdf

National Treasury. 2011. Confronting Youth Unemployment: PolicyOptions for South Africa. Discussion Paper. Pretoria: National Treasury.

Reich, Robert. 2002. The Future of Success. London: Vintage.

Yorke, Mantz. 2006. Employability in Higher Education: What It Is –What It Is Not. Learning and Employability, Series One. York: Learning andTeaching Support Network (LTSN).

Yorke, Mantz and Knight, Peter. 2004. Embedding Employability into theCurriculum, Learning and Employability, Series Three. York: Learning andTeaching Support Network (LTSN).

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