The current generation of young Canadians leaving higher education institutions has been finding it hard to secure employment in their respective fields of specialization. Most of them have been through years of schooling yet they lose in the struggle that exists in the labor market. This could be as a result of university education failing too much societal needs. The situation raises fundamental questions about whether the young generation will secure jobs that are as per their education in the near future. This study focuses on finding out the extent to which university education in Canada needs to change for it to match the labor market’s expectations.
Changes in the Current Modelling of University Education in Canada which Will Help it Reflect Societal Needs
Improved Transition Out of Education
According to Johnson et al. (258), just like the global labor market, the Canadian labor market has gone through fundamental changes over the previous generation which are to the disadvantage of the young generation. Organizations have moved from the tradition of employing fresh graduates and would instead train the existing workforce to deliver the required outcome. This is because training a skilled worker is cost effective compared to training new graduates who have no work experience.
The current changes in the labor market require universities to improve the transition of students out of education. Employers are no longer recruiting by informal ties since they need workers who will take the shortest time possible to learn and start producing. They need graduates who have gained experience through internships and entrepreneurial operations. Universities should, therefore, embrace the responsibility of equipping their students with not only theoretical skills but also practical work experience which can be gained through internships, (Johnson et al. 326).
One of the reasons why changes in the labor market are working against the young generation is because most entry-level and semi-skilled level jobs are being exported in huge numbers. Globalization has made it possible for organizations to recruit foreign workers and offshore most of their operations. Such jobs used to be offered to high school students, hence gaining work experience before they complete their education. The current economy requires a workforce that is rich in knowledge rather than physical labor which was needed in the traditional industry. The need for competitiveness in experience and practical skills has made the competition between the young generation and older people fiercer. Universities should, therefore, ensure their graduates have enough skills to outdo the older generation.
Deregulation in the labor market has made organizations less willing to provide substantive formal training to a graduate who was previously used as a stepping stone into work. Rather than training graduates to be the kind of employees they wish to employ, organizations expect “oven ready” transition of students out of campuses. Such candidates take a shorter period and consume fewer resources in orientation and training.
High Quality Career Provision
The complexity of the labor market has made it harder for the young generation to make informed choices on the human capital that they should invest in, leading to a mismatch between the skills possessed by the labor market and the ones acquired by the students. The mismatch has led to over-supply of graduates making it impossible for most of them to find graduate employment. They, therefore, end up seeking middle-level jobs which also raises risks to their peers who have no university education.
The complexity of the labor market has led to the need for new skills and capabilities, (Morley 134). This demand has made transitions more fractured since the labor market is more complicated at all levels. Schools are now finding it hard to decide on what to offer since employers’ needs have become more heterogeneous. The future demands of the labor market are also uncertain but with the use of the modern technology and increased research the schools can come to a valid conclusion on what they should offer to their students.
Universities should make good information about what the labor market needs available to both students and those who are yet to enroll. The mismatch between the skills possessed by graduates and those required by employers can only be solved by helping students in making the right choices concerning the education and training that they should acquire. Informed decisions can only be made whenever there is good labor market signaling. If universities think of students’ career choices as investment decisions, they will provide all the resources required for the decisions to be informed.
More Structured Pathways from Education to Work
It is clear that the Canadian educational system has a structured pathway that is followed from one class to the other, (Clinebell et al. 101). On the other hand, the transition period from education to work is not structured in a way that the students know what to expect and the path to follow once they are done with their university education. The dynamic and deregulated nature of the labor market requires new skills from graduates to help them navigate the transition and sustain their jobs. Vocational training is one of how universities can facilitate the effective application of knowledge by their graduates. This can help in mitigating the risks of a poor transition from education to work, especially in areas of great disadvantage, for instance, in medicine.
Funded coordinators can also be of great help in making transitions more effective. Such coordinators could work between universities and employers as a coherent pathway to move through after university education. Graduate entry schemes which in most cases lead to long term employment are becoming rarer and rarer, (Harvey 124). There is a need for universities to train students on how to handle the challenges in the labor market which would give them the confidence to navigate in it. By so doing, the young generation will be able to show adaptability and resilience.
Universities should equip students with the ability to apply the knowledge acquired in different and unfamiliar circumstances. Employers are currently looking for workers who can fit in the dynamic work environment. The ability to personally solve problems by applying the knowledge acquired in school is therefore vital. Besides, interviewees should be confident enough to demonstrate their various capabilities to potential employers for them to secure and sustain a job in today’s competitive labor market.
Extending and Adapting What and How They Teach Narrow the Distance Between Classroom and Workplace
The challenge that universities are facing is more about what they teach and how they teach it. There is need to embrace new teaching schemes as well new contents of their teachings. Rather than the traditional labor market which required structural knowledge, the current labor market requires the use of initiative to solve problems, (Zagonari 8). This poses a question of pedagogy and effective utilization of community-based resources. Pedagogy offers new and tested means of teaching students on how to be creative and apply the knowledge that they have acquired. Giving students the chance to engage with real people in real workplace environments can also be an excellent way of teaching.
Rather than trying to predict the future, research has consistently confirmed that universities should train their graduates for the changes that they will experience in their workplaces (Harvey 86). Most universities prepare their graduates for the jobs that existed a generation ago instead of preparing them for those that will come in future. The advice of going to school gaining education and securing a good job may not be valid for this generation since entrepreneurial skills are more important. Entrepreneurship education will give students the skills and knowledge required by the current labor market. It is worth noting that it should be part of every subject, rather than being taught separately.
By so doing, universities will equip students with the ability to spot opportunities, connect dots, deal with uncertainties and have solution focused attitudes. The objective should not be to ensure deep conceptual understanding, although it is essential, but the ability of the students to use initiative in solving different problems. The labor market needs intellectual resources to handle the myriad unfamiliar opportunities that come along. All courses should be aimed at developing the students’ mindset to enable them to discover and seize opportunities. The country should base its evaluation of education on creative problem solving coupled with numeracy and literacy.
Universities should teach students in a manner that emerging knowledge is routinely applied in unfamiliar and different situations that exist in the real working environment. One of the most significant concerns of employers is how poor the basic numeracy skills taught in most higher education institutions are. This has made it possible for someone to leave school with a good grade in mathematics but be incapable of applying the same in the real world. This is a real problem not only for employers but also to the young generation. Employers are increasingly losing confidence in academic qualification and are therefore recruiting people with real-world experience. Some employers include their numeracy tests during interviews as a way of finding out the ability of the interviewees to apply what they have learned.
Universities need to start working with employers for them to give students the best chances of succeeding in their workplaces later in life. Since the employers are complaining that graduates lack the required skills and knowledge, they have the capability of guiding universities on the skills and knowledge that they should equip students with. This can be partly done by offering internship opportunities which will give the students work experience. By so doing, the students and the universities can have the understanding of what is required of them, hence closing the gap between university and societal expectations.
According to Hunt et al. (86), universities needed to be honest with the student on how prolonged and complicated the transitions from school to work have turned out to be in this generation. They should also be frank about the challenging nature of the labor market where only the creative and innovative can survive. Universities and the government need to embark on constant research concerning these changes for them to match the needs of the society and make the transitions much easier. The current curriculum should be adjusted to include preparation for the transition period as well as improving the variously available pathways. Exposure to the workplace is an essential aspect that should be mandatory for all university students.
Conclusion
The current generation has been finding it difficult to secure employment in their respective areas of study after their university education. This is due to the existence of a mismatch between societal needs and the education offered by higher education institutions. It is therefore important for the Canadian university education to embrace changes that will ensure an effective transition of students from the university to the workplaces. Such changes include improved transition out of education, high quality career provision, adoption of more structured pathways from education to work, and extending and adapting what and how they teach to narrow the distance between classroom and workplace. It is essential for universities to be honest with students on the challenges that exist in the current labor market. Students should also be provided with information on how prolonged and complex the transition from education to work has become. By so doing, they will understand the need to make informed decisions while deciding on the courses that they should pursue. Besides, universities should not offer the education that they provided to the previous generation but should train the students on how to adapt and respond to changes in their future workplaces. Employers are currently looking forward towards employing people who have work experiences rather than having to invest in training new employees which consume a lot of organizations’ resources.
Works Cited
Clinebell, Sharon K., and John M. Clinebell. "The tension in business education between academic rigor and real-world relevance: The role of executive professors." Academy of Management Learning & Education 7.1 (2008): 99-107.
Harvey, Lee. "New realities: The relationship between higher education and employment." Tertiary Education & Management 6.1 (2000): 3-17.
Hunt, Lynn, Lynne Eagle, and Philip J. Kitchen. "Balancing marketing education and information technology: Matching needs or needing a better match?." Journal of Marketing Education 26.1 (2004): 75-88.
Johnson, Larry, et al. NMC horizon report: 2016 higher education edition. The New Media Consortium, 2016.
Morley, Louise. "Producing new workers: Quality, equality and employability in higher education." Quality in higher education 7.2 (2001): 131-138.
Zagonari, Fabio. "Balancing tourism education and training." International Journal of Hospitality Management 28.1 (2009): 2-9.
