Workplace skills

Advice on how to help students develop employability skills for the 21st century workplace, covering real-world experience and authentic learning that aids graduates in the transition to professional careers

A robot hand dangles a businessman above a wastepaper bin

How your graduates can beat AI in the job market of tomorrow

Your students are facing a competition against a faster, better and cheaper opponent in 2025’s job market – AI. Ioannis Glinavos offers his advice on prepping them for the fight

Ioannis Glinavos

University of Westminster

Two people sit and discuss a CV

Four ways to weave job skills teaching into the university experience

With research finding a hefty proportion of graduates underemployed, what can higher education do to improve career readiness? Erica Estes and Sean O’Keefe offer advice

Erica Estes, Sean O'Keefe

University of Arkansas

College professor talking to students

Humans develop humans

Even small interactions with lecturers, tutors and peers offer opportunities for students to develop interpersonal skills, so it’s important we recognise and value these to ensure they are not lost, writes Marianne Savory

Marianne Savory

Leeds University Business School

Three young engineers in hazard gear

Steps to adapt engineering education to changing skills demands

Context-based learning, teamwork and creativity are all elements that could help engineering training respond more effectively to the needs of complex workplaces, writes Parakram Pyakurel

Parakram Pyakurel

New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering

A group of students laugh while using laptops

Four ways to create an entrepreneurial culture at your institution

Universities are perfectly placed to help start-ups get off the ground. Alan Murray, Robert Crammond and Kingsley Omeihe advise on how best to get your students thinking with a business mindset

Alan Murray, Robert Crammond, Kingsley Omeihe

University of the West of Scotland

job interview candidate in wheelchair

Get real about hiring people with disabilities

For too long ‘lived experience’ has been an inadequate requirement for jobs that make decisions for people with disabilities, and recruitment practices need to change, write Paul Harpur and Brooke Szücs

Paul Harpur, Brooke Szücs

The University of Queensland

Box of chocolates

Heart skills to future-proof students

These 10 skills might sound as soft as the centre of a Valentine’s Day chocolate, but they are essential for the careers and employability of our students, writes Elizabeth Reid Boyd

Elizabeth Reid Boyd

Edith Cowan University

Two office workers having a conversation

How to turn down a promotion without losing face

Being offered a promotion might be satisfying, but if it doesn’t align with your career goals, you should not feel obligated to accept the job, writes Shwetha Mudabagilu Krishnapp

Shwetha Mudabagilu Krishnapp

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Students discussing sustainability

Sustainability accounting is coming: here’s how to navigate it

We can expect radical changes in sustainability accounting over the next few years. Developing a sustainability mindset for yourself and your students seems like a good place to start, write Sulaiman Aliyu and Toby York

Sulaiman Aliyu, Toby York

Middlesex University

Trainers and a water bottle lie abandoned on a beach

Sprinting in hindsight: what we learned from validating university programmes at pace

Having used a Design Sprint methodology for university-wide academic programme validation, has the dash to a photo finish improved quality processes? Zoë Allman and Leanne de Main share their experience

Zoë Allman, Leanne de Main

De Montfort University

Podcast title card

THE podcast: microcredentials are knocking. Will higher education answer?

Tips from 10 years of Moocs at the University of Edinburgh and a call to arms to embrace technology for greater equity and financial sustainability

Melissa Highton, Michael D. Smith

The University of Edinburgh, Carnegie Mellon University

Laptop, hard hat and blueprints on desk

What support students need to succeed in work placements

Students in work-based learning placements need support before, through and when returning from their experience. Here is advice for universities and academic tutors to maximise the benefits of the opportunity for all

Saheda Begum, Zoë Allman

De Montfort University

Recruiter going through an Academic cv

How to craft a compelling academic CV

Being able to condense your qualifications and achievements into an impactful academic CV is key to standing out as a researcher. Here, Ishwar Bhiradi offers advice on articulation, visual appeal and savvy AI integration to help you make a memorable first impression

Ishwar Bhiradi

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

A woman interviews for a new job at a university

How to show you’re the best person for the job

Many applicants struggle to articulate their successes in their applications for a job, promotion or award. Harriet Dunbar-Morris is here to help you make your case

Harriet Dunbar-Morris

University of Buckingham

Two men shaking hands

Enhancing negotiation skills: a step-by-step guide for graduate students

The art of job-offer discussions is a skill that will serve scholars throughout an academic career. Here is what to consider and what to say at each stage of the process

Gaeun (Gwenn) Seo

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Five figures stand in a line, each wearing an outfit relating to a profession

Leverage careers educators’ academic expertise to improve careers education

Careers-focused learning can benefit when careers educators bring their academic expertise into the equation. Anna Branford and Luella Leon of RMIT explain how

Anna Branford , Luella Leon

RMIT University

How to land the promotion

Hone the story of your career to make a case for promotion

Reflecting on achievements, considering broader impacts and shaping a narrative that resonates can help you craft a compelling career story that enhances your chances of promotion

Eleonora Pantano, Rachael Lamb

University of Bristol

Woman holding small umbrella over wooden figure

Struggle, strength and growth: safety as an engine for change

Talking about experiences with purpose in a safe space can help develop students’ life skills. Here are strategies and techniques that foster an environment and feeling of security

Kathleen Chim, Lai Tsz Chui, Benjamin Tak Yuen Chan

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

veterinary students on work placement watching farmer worm a sheep

Leveraging internships to empower first-generation students

Professional placements – whether paid or unpaid – offer practical, hands-on experiences aligned with students’ academic pursuits and help level the playing field for first-gen students in competitive job markets

Lisa M. Lee

Virginia Tech

Cathedral Square and Market Hall, Peterborough

Multilayered interventions to foster community relationships

Key components of positive community engagement include institutional-, faculty- and course-level links, writes Tom Williamson. Here, he offers a road map for embedding universities in their local area and regional economy

Tom Williamson

Anglia Ruskin University

Choosing paths concept

How to help postdocs take a holistic look at career choices

After their terminal degrees, many postdocs find themselves at a career crossroads. Here, Karena Nguyen offers four key considerations across background, skills, values and interests to help determine what’s next

Karena Nguyen

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Black academic presenting at medical conference

Lots of talk about diversity in corporations, but what about universities?

Why real progress won’t be made unless universities solve three persistent issues: access to networks, unconscious bias and insider culture, writes Blane Ruschak

Blane Ruschak

The PhD Project

Rocket launching from research concept

How do you leap from research lab to Silicon Valley start-up?

The good news is that times of turmoil are ideal for innovation – and far more skills are transferable from bench to IPO than you might imagine. Here are eight actions that will get your start-up off the ground

Ben Clark

University of Southampton

Men and woman chatting at a networking event

Three steps to unearth the hidden curriculum of networking

How to support students in developing networking skills that will enhance their future career prospects

Julia Freeland Fisher

The Clayton Christensen Institute

A male student sitting talking to an advisor

Student support: four ways to innovate for improvement

What fresh approaches could provide more proactive, tailored and cohesive student support? Andy Wistow shares insights from pilot schemes designed to do just that

Andy Wistow

University of Bristol

Student career uncertainty

Want student success? Modernising your careers centre is vital

Camille Dumont gives advice on how to adapt a university careers centre to better align with the evolving needs of students and the job market

Camille Dumont

Post University

Aged care worker

Higher apprenticeships reimagined for lifelong learners

If Australia is serious about addressing pressing skills shortages and rapidly changing technology and labour markets, lifelong learning must become a practical reality, not an abstract goal, says Mish Eastman

Mish Eastman

RMIT University

Engineers working on a drone

The three Cs of the 21st-century workplace: cognition, character and career

Changing skill demands require a lifelong approach to education that prioritises self-efficacy, critical thinking and a growth mindset. Here is how these elements can fit together in learning and career preparation

Vijayakumari Seevaratnam, Russell Manfield

The University of Queensland

Stackable microcredentials for university learners

What’s needed for stackable microcredentials towards a degree?

Forest Tan describes how to begin creating a flexible pathway where learners can accumulate microcredentials aligned to industry that can stack towards a degree

Forest Tan

Singapore Institute of Technology

Lifelong learners at university

How to coach in-employment lifelong learners for success

A team from Singapore Institute of Technology offers insights from working with in-employment learners who are seeking to upskill by studying for degrees

Chow Peck Chee , Julian Matius , May Lim

Singapore Institute of Technology

man ticking virtual list on laptop

What makes an effective microcredential programme?

Short, flexible and skills-focused, microcredentials must balance the needs of students and industry. Here are tips on how to develop courses that achieve this

Temesgen Kifle

The University of Queensland

Student money worries ahead of internship

Equitable access to work-integrated learning is finally on the agenda in Australia

A group of Australian academics discusses what changes could ameliorate the issues faced by students from equity groups when it comes to accessing internships

Anne Hewitt , Craig Cameron , Deanna Grant-Smith , Laura Grenfell

The University of Adelaide, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland University of Technology

Young woman arrives for a job interview

Alumni as a benchmark of student success

Three focal areas by which universities can track student success by looking at what graduates go on to do after completing their courses

Adeola Matthew

The University of the West Indies

Young woman working as an electrician

Three strategies for creating a field experience course

Three important steps needed to create an effective field experience course that aids students’ learning and development, shared by Donna-Maria Maynard

Donna-Maria Maynard

The University of the West Indies

Career adviser and student

Engaging students with careers resources early and often

Here’s how career centres can reach out to students before they’ve even set foot on campus, and why it matters for their future job search and development

Amaka Nwoko, Widalys Santiago, Davia Woulard

Georgia Tech’s Center for 21st Century Universities

Person on a tightrope

Pathways to prosperity in casual academia

The journey from adjunct to permanent requires adaptability, foresight and self-awareness. Here, Andrew Stapleton offers tips – such as diversifying skills, strategic branding and mobility – to enhance an academic career

Andrew Stapleton

Independent academic

Two men competing in basketball

How to encourage students to engage in the broader university offering

Getting involved in campus life beyond the classroom brings multiple benefits for students, so how can universities encourage greater participation in the range of activities on offer?

Irina Shcheglova

Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Muslim student working on engineering project

How to work with industry in mutually beneficial ways

Collaboration through professional societies offers students real-world learning opportunities and universities a way to enhance graduate employability. Here’s how to do it

Ali Zwain

Al-Mustaqbal University

Chained to the desk

The scramble to push students towards internships is troubling

With employability at all costs now dominating HE, we seem to be ignoring the very real problems of a system built on free labour and work placements, says Anne Hewitt

Anne Hewitt

The University of Adelaide

A group of students discussing a project

Teamwork, support and structure: the core principles of rewarding student internships

Student internships are an effective way to facilitate student-staff collaboration but, to work well, they require teamwork, the right support and structure, and a focus on tangible outputs

Craig McEwan

University of Exeter

A holographic image of urban development emerging from the tablet

How can students learn to be innovative?

Teaching students innovative thinking through the use of business case studies and ‘learning by doing’, explained by William Cheung and Edward Yiu

William Cheung , Edward Yiu

University of Auckland

Jobs of the future

Training students for jobs that do not exist yet

The rethinking of course materials and programmes to incorporate future trends is a key requirement for all forward-thinking providers, write Aaron Taylor and Victoria Rafferty

Aaron Taylor, Victoria Rafferty

Arden University

Environmental considerations for businesses

Accounting for sustainability: we need to change how we teach

Accountants of the future will need to respond to as yet unknown sustainability reporting standards. Freirean dialogic teaching where lecturers learn alongside students through discussion helps build the skills to respond to such change

Jennifer Rose

University of Manchester

Bernardo Pereira Nunes

Three innovative authentic assessments to encourage soft skill mastery

Students on hard skills-intensive courses such as computer science need to develop effective communication and other soft skills. Bernardo Pereira Nunes offers three assessments to help

Bernardo Pereira Nunes

Australian National University

Business student presents to her peers

How business schools could lead the charge to revive faith in higher education

As US higher education faces a drop in student numbers, business schools could help transform universities into the cross-disciplinary experiential learning hubs needed today, write Ahmad Al Asady and Siri Terjesen

Ahmad Al Asady, Siri Terjesen

North Dakota State University, Florida Atlantic University

Design thinking at university

Recommendations for using design thinking in the classroom

How to prepare a design thinking workshop, from introducing the concept to students through to ideation and eventually pitching their idea

Karla Margarita Banda Martínez, Graciela González-Valdepeña

Monterrey Institute of Technology

International graduate in job interview

The top three ways to support international graduate employability

Building effective partnerships with employers and using feedback to shape curricula and careers services will boost outcomes for students, universities and industry alike

Eric Huang

University of East London

Four people expressing different emotions through large smileys

Negative thinking has a role to play in helping students plan their careers

Three recommendations that balance the power of negative and positive thinking to guide career planning for students

Anna Branford , Harriette Richards , Carolina Quintero Rodriguez

RMIT University

Mixed age classroom at university

Introducing microcredentials: a guide for educators and students

May Lim provides insight on how to design effective microcredentials that provide tangible benefits for students’ job function and career aspirations

May Lim

Singapore Institute of Technology

Three architecture students and an instructor work on a project

What is authentic enquiry learning?

When students work in teams to examine a real-world problem, the result offers a means to bring teaching and research together. Here, Kate Black and Jonny Hall explain how this pedagogy benefits students, academics and society

Kate Black, Jonny Hall

Northumbria University