The “Graduate Employability: Employers’ Perception Survey Report 2018-19” is a research publication of Naqeebz Consulting head by Muhammad Moazam Shahbaz – a catalyst in influencing skills agenda in Pakistan.
The report outlines the missing links between the skills of graduates passing out of Pakistani Universities, and their suitability for employer by the corporate Pakistan. It highlights the issues raised by 212 corporate respondents who were canvassed, encompassing business owners, C-level executives and HR leaders from a range of businesses, SMEs to Large National Corporations and SMEs.
According to the findings of this report, 78% of employers expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of university/college graduates who approached them. This has a double-edged impact: it causes frustration for employers as well as graduates and their parents.
Overall Reasons for Dissatisfaction:
Based on the results of survey report it is clear that the current output of graduates from the higher education system in Pakistan is not in congruence with the requirements of a corporate Pakistan.
82% of employers stated that they do not consider ‘grades’ while recruiting fresh graduates. Academic grades are important – so are corresponding enabling and soft-skills! They collectively drive productivity and have a wide-ranging impact on civic engagement.
Factors Influencing the Recruitment
For Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), it is an enormous task to prepare graduates as per the industry/corporate demands. It requires engagement with the industry which is continuously changing. What required is a well-thought shift in the academic curriculum, teaching methodology, and assessment criterion to groom the kind of skilled graduate the industry demands. There is a need to build enhanced cohesion of efforts and to establish dialogue that drives enhanced rapport and greater collaboration between HEIs and employers from all industries.
The future of work is changing rapidly. It is worth nothing that to respond to these changes, we need graduates to be ready with the skills which drive adaptability and innovation.
Naqeebz Consulting has recommended policy-level reforms in the higher education sector to create an enabling environment for development of capacity building in favor of change, and acknowledge the importance of employability and enterprise skills as core competency requirements.
Complete survey report can be downloaded from Naqeebz Consulting’s website www.naqeebz.com/geeps
Naqeebz Consulting is a business consulting firm, with its headquarters in Lahore, involved in Research; Training & Development and Digital Marketing.
