Connecting enterprise and graduate employability

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to demonstrate the rationale for connecting enterprise education with employability and career development in the design of curricula and learning experiences within UK higher education.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reflects on the experiences of practitioners, including the author, in embedding enterprise education and in seeking to develop a holistic approach which connects enterprise and employability through personal and career development.FindingsThe article presents “connected” models of individual learning and of the institutional integration of enterprise, personal and career development. These are located within a critique of existing approaches to graduate employability, including examples of innovative practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe article builds on the early experiences of connecting graduate enterprise and employability in the UK and proposes that further research is required as the field develops in experience and complexity.Practical implicationsThe article provides models, strategies and examples of effective practices for embedding enterprise and employability in higher education.Originality/valueThe article is innovative at a conceptual level in arguing for a “connected” and holistic approach to employability and enterprise development for students and graduates.