What do graduate destination data imply for the teaching of biochemistry?

Abstract

While recognising the technical skills of new graduates, employers criticise their lack of general skills (such as literacy and communication skills), which are rarely an explicit part of undergraduate biochemistry courses. However, a significant proportion of biochemistry graduates are employed in jobs which do not require biochemical knowledge, and so these graduates rely heavily on their general skills. Several factors are likely to increase the proportion of graduates taking jobs outside biochemistry, which will enhance the importance of emphasising the teaching of general skills within the biochemistry curriculum.