The value of post-secondary education is experiencing a revival, with 73% of recent grads reporting they felt their education was a good investment, up from just 52% last year.
This is according to Cengage Group’s fourth annual Graduate Employability Report, released today. This report surveyed recent graduates (both with traditional 2-or 4-year degrees, as well as skills programs) and employers to better understand perceptions of how education is informing job readiness, and the broader trends impacting the workforce.
Some of the takeaways that stood out to me in this year's report:
➡ The value of education is on the up: Earlier this Spring, I shared my cautious optimism as National Clearinghouse reported growth in college enrollments, and data from our Employability Report offers additional support that individuals are feeling a renewed sense of value in post-secondary education. We saw a significant increase in the number of grads who felt their education was a good investment, and, in fact, this figure was the most favorable it has been since we started asking this question in 2021.
➡ There is a growing focus (and need) for education that supports employability: 57% of grads believe their college or training program provided them with the skills needed to perform their first professional job, up from 41% in 2023, and 65% report institutions are teaching courses, curriculum and programs that align with the work they would be doing in their job. That said, there is still work to be done in connecting education to employment, with 39% of grads reporting they didn’t apply to entry-level positions because they felt underqualified and lacked some of the listed skills, this is up from 33% last year.
➡ AI is creating career doubt: The data reinforces what most of us are experiencing in the workplace today – GenAI is at the forefront of nearly every conversation. In fact, 51% of grads say the pace of technology is making them second guess their career choice, up from 33% in 2023. This omnipresence can create a great deal of uncertainty and fear, but it is important not to read too much into the sensationalism, and rather, find grounding in the opportunity. The data supports the growing need for GenAI training and skills development, with 69% saying they need more training in working with new technologies in their current roles. Given the rapid speed at which GenAI is evolving, the development of these skills must come from use, practice, and experimentation – both in the classroom and the workplace. We cannot live in fear of this technology, but rather, we must create environments where individuals can gain exposure to these tools and deepen their skillset in working alongside GenAI.
Learn more about the key findings in our press release here: https://lnkd.in/eHnCeB83
#employability #educationforemployment #GenAI
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3yMichael , so impressed as a retiree in your leadership.