Three ways to help graduates transition into the job market
Worldwide, 75 million young people are trained but don’t have a job. One of the reasons why graduates from higher education (HE) and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions may be unemployed is the irrelevance of their skills and knowledge.
The UK Aid-funded Skills for Prosperity (S4P) programme aims to transform HE and TVET systems in partner countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, so that they equip young people with skills needed by the job market. This will help them find a decent job and, ultimately, drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
But what is the best way to go about it?
While there are no “off-the-shelf” solutions as each context is different, our experience delivering S4P has given us some insights into three promising approaches that we are piloting across different countries. S4P technical advisers John Mountford and Advance HE’s Lindy-Ann Blaize Alfred have reviewed these in our latest report “Supporting graduate transition into the job market”. [Read on for a snapshot or click here for the full report.]
Three approaches at a glance
1. Work-based learning and private sector engagement in Nigeria
Work-based learning, including through apprenticeships, internships/traineeships and on the job training, can reduce skills gaps as it ensures that HE and TVET learners acquire skills demanded by employers. In Nigeria, where S4P is delivered by Palladium, we have brought together policy makers, HE and TVET providers and private sector employers to design and deliver the National Apprenticeship and Traineeships System (NATS).
From February 2022, NATS will pilot apprenticeships for 1,500 learners in the priority sectors of agriculture, ICT and creative industries, both at their workplace and at college. These will equip learners with technical and employability skills, such as communication and teamwork, which will help them transition into the job market. NATS will also build employers’ capacity to contribute to work-based learning programmes and will build a “mentor bank” of industry experts who can be assigned to learners to support them.
S4P has co-designed the pilot with national TVET policy makers to map it to established systems and quality assurance processes. This will ensure quality and that learners completing the programme obtain a recognised qualification, so that achievements gained through NATS last beyond the duration of S4P.
2. Innovative careers advice and guidance in Kenya
In Kenya, where S4P is implemented by a Leonard Cheshire-led consortium, we have been piloting an innovative approach that combines online modules and face-to-face careers advice. S4P will deliver online courses from Accenture’s Learning Exchange portal (LX) to 240 final year students aged 21 and 22, in partnership with identified TVET and specialist providers’ careers services. The modules focus on areas such as English as a second language, digital and financial literacy, and career planning and job search strategies. They will help learners become work ready as they prepare to enter the job market.
To ensure relevance with the country’s skills needs, the courses have been selected in partnership with the TVET Directorate at Kenya’s Ministry of Education. The pilot is also building the capacity of participating TVET and specialist providers through additional IT and coaching resources for their careers centres.
As this initiative places a strong emphasis on inclusivity, at least half of the learners have disabilities and around 50% are women. The pilot harnesses online methods to improve access to education and skills training, particularly for disadvantaged groups, which is even more relevant in a COVID-19 era.
3. Mentoring women in Mexico
In Mexico, 75% of female college graduates don’t have a job in the formal economy. It is particularly hard for them to access positions in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), which are typically better paid. To promote equal opportunities, S4P, which is implemented by a DAI-led consortium in Mexico, will start delivering a mentoring programme with the Autonomous University of Chihuahua (UACH) in March 2022. This initiative aims to encourage women to complete their STEM undergraduate studies and inspire them to pursue a specialisation in these fields.
S4P will also establish a support network which will involve female professionals in STEM and will assign these to final year female engineering students so they can act as their mentors. This will provide them with role models, help them overcome stereotypes on gender roles and ultimately support their transition into the job market. The programme also aims to embed practice within UACH so that this initiative can be replicated with a wider student cohort.
These are just some examples of promising approaches that S4P has been piloting in our partner countries. There are more that can be read about in the report, from Indonesia to South Africa. Despite their differences, what we have observed across the board is that programmes aiming to support employment should be designed taking into account national and local labour markets, so they can meet skills needs.
Moreover, employers should be closely engaged in the design of work-based learning programmes and other approaches that aim to help HE and TVET graduates transition into the job market. This will ensure that the skills they gain are actually in demand. Finally, mentoring graduates is a valuable tool to bridge the gap between education and employment.
Do you work on initiatives that aim to support graduates’ transition into the job market? What has been your experience so far? Let us know in the comments below.
Cover photo: Learners using the Learning Exchange portal (LX) in Kenya.
