The disrupted workplace: are the digital and group skills needs of employers being addressed by universities?

Pauline Ann Mary Bremner ,Audrey Frances Laing

doi:10.47408/jldhe.v0i16.535

Pauline Ann Mary Bremner , Audrey Frances Laing

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.v0i16.535

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Abstract

Upskilling moves quickly in today’s ‘disrupted’ workplace, and skill sets need to change to meet the needs of the digital economy (Gray, 2016), sometimes referred to as the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). Using a mixed methods approach and drawing on data from relevant stakeholders, the aim of this research is to explore, evaluate and identify any mismatch between degree learning outcomes and employability skills. The research also proposes specific strategies to address identifiable skills gaps. Focusing on the views of Fashion Management (FM) alumni, the study highlights gaps in digital skills as well as gaps in professional /group skills which some alumni felt were missing from their university education. The research also notes the importance of digital skills in the workplace from the employers’ point of view. This strengthens the argument for employers and universities to work more symbiotically to address any gaps between degree outcomes and employability skills in order to provide graduates who are ‘work ready’ for 4IR.Given the findings, the authors recommend that the data gathered be used not only to inform and enhance our FM degree, but perhaps more importantly, and in a broader educational and academic context, that universities be mindful that they fully address the changing skills requirements of future employers. While this research focuses on FM alumni and employers, because of the creativity and management which are core to this course, the findings are relevant across many related management and creative industries university courses.

Highlights

The stimulus for investigating this topic was previous research by Crebert et al (2004) and Bennett et al (2016), who discussed the development of generic skills at university, as well as research conducted by Hinchliffe and Jolly (2010), Wilton (2012), Jackson (2014) and Bremner (2017) on the issues of university degrees meeting the needs of industry
Students to reflect and be more aware of the skills they have developed over the course of their studies. Taking these elements into account the aim of this paper is to explore and evaluate a possible mismatch between the Fashion Management (FM) degree-level learning outcomes (LLOs) and employability skills required in an increasingly ‘disrupted workplace’
It was clear from the mixed methods research that the Fashion Management alumni believed that changes were required in relation to group/professional and digital skills within the degree programme

Summary

Introduction

The stimulus for investigating this topic was previous research by Crebert et al (2004) and Bennett et al (2016), who discussed the development of generic skills at university, as well as research conducted by Hinchliffe and Jolly (2010), Wilton (2012), Jackson (2014) and Bremner (2017) on the issues of university degrees meeting the needs of industry. Norton’s (2016) Higher Education Academy report highlights the need to embed employability into university degrees, and Bennett et al (2016) discuss the strategies required by universities in order to achieve this. At degree level, the feedback which course teams tend to receive is from Student Evaluation Questionnaires (SEQs), the National Student Survey (NSS) and the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE). This data is often extrapolated to produce analytics and generate league tables which are used in the external environment in order to benchmark courses and universities. Our four-year BA Honours Fashion Management (FM) course at Robert Gordon University achieves high course satisfaction rates, there was neither recent empirical research to support course developments nor an Institutional Led Subject Review (ILSR)

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