Employment-Focused Education Strategies

Louder for the people at the back 🎤 Many organisations today seem to have shifted from being institutions that develop great talent to those that primarily seek ready-made talent. This trend overlooks the immense value of individuals who, despite lacking experience, possess a great attitude, commitment, and a team-oriented mindset. These qualities often outweigh the drawbacks of hiring experienced individuals with a fixed and toxic mindset. The best organisations attract talent with their best years ahead of them, focusing on potential rather than past achievements. Let’s be clear this is more about mindset and willingness to learn and unlearn as apposed to age. To realise the incredible potential return, organisations must commit to creating an environment where continuous development is possible. This requires a multi-faceted approach: 1. Robust Training Programmes: Employers should invest in comprehensive training programmes that equip employees with the necessary skills for their roles. This includes on-the-job training, mentorship programmes, online courses, and workshops. 2. Redefining Hiring Criteria: Organisations should revise their hiring criteria to focus more on candidates’ potential and willingness to learn rather than solely on prior experience or formal qualifications. Behavioural interviews, aptitude tests, and probationary periods can help assess a candidate's ability to learn and adapt. 3. Partnerships with Educational Institutions: Companies can collaborate with educational institutions to design curricula that align with industry needs. Apprenticeship programmes, internships, and cooperative education can bridge the gap between academic learning and practical job skills. 4. Lifelong Learning Culture: Encouraging a culture of lifelong learning within organisations is crucial. Employers should provide ongoing education opportunities and support for professional development. This includes continuous skills assessment and access to resources for upskilling and reskilling. 5. Inclusive Recruitment Practices: Employers should implement inclusive recruitment practices that remove biases and barriers. Blind recruitment, diversity quotas, and targeted outreach programmes can help ensure that diverse candidates are given a fair chance. By implementing these measures, organisations can develop a workforce that is adaptable, innovative, and resilient, ensuring sustainable success and growth.

South Africa’s youth unemployment rate (Q1 2025) stands at a staggering 62.4% – by far the highest among major economies. Compare this to India (15%), the UK (12.2%), or Japan (3.9%), and the scale of our challenge becomes clear. But the problem isn’t just a “𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐨𝐛𝐬.” 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dNJiTS4A Research shows it’s a 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 and 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 crisis: 📌 Habiyaremye (2022) demonstrates that soft skills like problem-solving, networking, and leadership have a greater impact on employability than technical training alone. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/de4eTA_Q 📌 Morsy & Mukasa (2019) highlight widespread skills mismatches, where graduates are overeducated but underskilled for real market needs. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dr--Mpzg 📌 Öhlmann (2022) and de Jongh et al. (2024) show how race, geography, and lack of social capital leave millions of young South Africans locked out of opportunity. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dVxPu7Vu 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dzYnWmTR 📌 Ebrahim (2025) finds that employer incentives (e.g., payroll tax credits) can nudge companies to hire youth. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dmhyEDbp 👉 What does this mean for South Africa’s tertiary education strategy? We must shift from a supply-driven model (producing graduates) to a demand-driven model (producing employable, adaptable talent). That requires: ✅ Embedding work-integrated learning and apprenticeships into every qualification. ✅ Aligning curricula to growth sectors like ICT, advanced manufacturing & green economy. ✅ Elevating TVETs and dual education systems to equal status with universities. ✅ Incentivising entrepreneurship and linking graduates to procurement ecosystems. ✅ Building digital platforms that connect students directly to employers. South Africa’s universities, TVETs, government, and industry must come together to co-create pathways that bridge learning and work. Visual credit: Trade Brains https://lnkd.in/dBQ-8unJ #SouthAfrica #YouthUnemployment #HigherEducation #SkillsDevelopment #TVET #FutureOfWork #PolicyReform #InclusiveGrowth

This edition explores the evolving landscape where education meets employment opportunity: Discover CUNY's groundbreaking degree mapping program that's delivering remarkable results - 43% more student internships, 144% increase in full-time employment, and 34% higher starting salaries by integrating career milestones with academic pathways. For job seekers, we dive into essential strategies: optimizing your profile for LinkedIn's Spotlight feature (boosting recruiter engagement by 64%), crafting remote-ready resumes, and building authentic networking relationships that transcend platforms. Plus, explore the growing consensus around AI literacy as a fundamental competency rather than a specialized skill - with 30% of workers already using generative AI in their jobs. Whether you're a student seeking clearer career pathways, a professional transitioning to remote work, or looking to strengthen your networking approach, this edition provides actionable insights for navigating today's dynamic job market.

Building a Future-Ready Workforce: Global Approaches to Talent and Skills Development In today’s rapidly evolving industrial landscape, preparing a future-ready workforce is essential. With technological advancements—from artificial intelligence and IoT to automation reshaping industries worldwide—continuous learning and adaptability have become the cornerstones of competitiveness. Global Trends Shaping Workforce Development Across the globe, several trends are emerging as best practices for nurturing talent: - Digital Literacy and Technical Skills: Countries like Singapore invest heavily in digital literacy initiatives, ensuring their workforces are proficient in emerging technologies. This proactive approach not only boosts productivity but also fosters innovation. - Lifelong Learning: The Nordic countries have built cultures centered around lifelong learning. Emphasizing continuous education and upskilling helps workers remain agile and relevant in the face of rapid technological change. - Public-Private Collaboration: In Germany, the integration of academic learning with vocational training and strong industry ties has resulted in a workforce that is both technically skilled and highly adaptable to modern industrial demands. These examples demonstrate that effective workforce strategies combine formal education with ongoing professional development, industry partnerships, and a commitment to innovation. Strategic Initiatives for a Future-Ready Workforce Drawing from global insights, organizations and governments can consider the following initiatives: 1) Invest in Emerging Technologies: Prioritize training programs that focus on artificial intelligence, data analytics, robotics, and other key areas. Collaborations with tech leaders and academic institutions can help update curricula and ensure that learning keeps pace with technological evolution. 2) Foster a Culture of Lifelong Learning: Encourage continuous upskilling through government-sponsored programs, employer-sponsored training, and flexible learning platforms. Cultivating an environment where continuous learning is valued can help individuals and organizations adapt to change. 3) Strengthen Public-Private Partnerships: Closer collaboration between the public sector, industry, and academia is critical. These partnerships can drive curriculum development, support on-the-job training, and facilitate knowledge sharing that aligns educational outcomes with industry needs. 4) Implement Robust Talent Management Practices: Organizations should create clear career development pathways, mentorship programs, and regular upskilling opportunities. A proactive approach to talent management ensures that employees remain engaged and prepared for future challenges. A Call to Action By embracing these approaches, organizations and policymakers alike can help create an environment where talent is continually developed and innovation thrives.

This new op-ed by Dana Stephenson & Jane Swift makes an important point: the gap between education and the workforce is often the result of misaligned systems, and states have a real opportunity to close it through smart policy and coordinating structures. Across the country, we’re seeing promising examples of states using policy levers and innovative partnerships to expand work-based learning. These strategies include: ✅ Incentivizing colleges to embed internships, apprenticeships, and (paid?) clinical placements into degree pathways. ✅ Aligning new WBL opportunities with in-demand occupations. ✅ Collecting data to make outcomes transparent so policymakers, students, and employers can see the value of WBL. At New America, we’re encouraged by states taking action to design stronger bridges between learning and earning. These bridges help students build careers while meeting employers' workforce needs. Read the OpEd here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dXvc7iTJ #HigherEd #WorkforceDevelopment #WorkBasedLearning #CareerPathways #StatePolicy #EconomicMobility #Skills

Establishing a high-quality work-based learning program can be complex because it involves the collaboration and commitment of both schools and local industry to develop opportunities that look quite different from traditional schooling. Five themes emerged in how states are expanding or improving their offerings in this field: 1 - Promoting access to and equity in work-based learning opportunities for marginalized student populations by dismantling barriers to participation and completion 2 - Providing dedicated funding for work-based learning to expand opportunities for students to build relevant career skills and experience 3 - Strengthening work-based learning program requirements and data reporting to promote strong, consistent program quality and identify gaps in learner access and success 4 - Expanding work-based learning opportunities through public-private partnerships to ensure that youth have access to meaningful career-connected learning experiences throughout their education 5 - Altering state-level work-based learning governance structures to promote higher-quality work-based learning opportunities #workbasedlearning #WBL #careerconnectedlearning #k12 #apprenticeship #youth #genz #industry https://lnkd.in/eRqyPcbR

Is higher education in survival mode? Fontbonne University, Marymount Manhattan College, University of the Arts, College of Saint Rose... each of these institutions represents the growing list of colleges in America that have merged or closed altogether. On top of that, a 2023 survey found that only one-third of students felt college was worth the cost. 38% were on the fence, and nearly a third said it wasn’t worth it at all. What can colleges do to protect themselves? Career services and enrollment teams need to join forces to demonstrate the true value of education. It’s not just about getting students in the door anymore. It’s about ensuring they enroll with a vision of an outcome, persist with purpose and graduate with the skills and confidence they need to succeed. When enrollment offices work hand-in-hand with career services, they can create a clear pipeline from admission to graduation to employment. Here’s how: 1. Co-market outcomes. Highlight the career paths alumni take and the companies they work for. Career services can showcase success stories, while enrollment teams can leverage them to attract students. 2. Create an enrollment experience that’s “career-first.” From the first interaction, introduce students to career advisors, highlight internship programs, and promote skills training. 3. Drive a “return on education” narrative. Tuition is an investment, and like any investment, it needs a return. Give prospective students real data about salary outcomes and job placement rates. Any other ideas? How are your career services and enrollment teams working together to demonstrate value?

🆕 Resource from Iris Palmer and Sarah Nzau for New America: Strategies for #CommunityColleges to Build the #Workforce of the Future 🎓Community colleges are at the forefront of efforts to train workers, address workforce gaps, and prepare for future job demands. Aligning workforce development with regional economic development strategies is crucial, especially as technology reshapes workplaces, requiring workers to reskill. ❓Unfortunately, many community colleges lack the strategic capacity to align #workforce training to longer-term regional #economicdevelopment. This is particularly true for #emergingfields or changing occupations, including the #innovationeconomy. 💡Some community colleges, however, have the strategic vision and organization to bridge this gap. They equip workers with the necessary current #skills while fostering lifelong learning, supporting immediate #employment, and long-term career advancement. Columbus State Community College is one of those colleges - and we've learned a lot from Rebecca Butler, Ph.D., David Harrison, and their teams about what it takes to maximize the impact of community college education on #students and the local economic development strategy. Three tactics learned include to: 1. Make talent development a leadership priority 2. Build grant capacity and ensure that grants align with long-term strategic outcomes. 3. Leverage specific industry expertise. 📖See the details in Iris and Sarah's article: https://lnkd.in/eHjiAgpm