Employability toolkit to bridge skills gap in higher education

Genesis was contracted by the Education Development Centre under USAID’s Leading Through Learning Global Platform agreement to develop a Higher Education Employability Toolkit for Africa as well as Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

The project aimed to:

• Identify evidence-based practices supporting the employability of higher education learners globally.
• Enhance the utilisation of these practices through localised knowledge dissemination.
• Understand the factors impacting employability.

The overall goal is to provide actionable knowledge for higher education institutions, USAID staff and partners in Africa and the LAC.

The project takes place against a backdrop of significant shifts and challenges in the global education landscape.

The number of students enrolled in higher education has more than doubled over the past 20 years, with 100 million enrolled globally in 2000 and growing to 235 million in 2020. Between 2000 and 2020, access to education increased at a faster pace among women than it did among men. For women, the gross enrolment rate in higher education increased from 19% in 2000 to 46% in 2020, outpacing the growth among men, which increased from 19% to 37%.

Despite this progress, a concerning trend persists. It is reported that 60% of employers consider recent graduates unprepared for the world of work and 40% reported that graduates could not fill entry-level vacancies due to their lack of skills. Additionally, despite increased access to higher education, evidence suggests that women may not experience corresponding improvements in labour market opportunities.

This “mismatch” between the skills possessed by graduates and those demanded by economies has led to widespread calls, under the banner of employability, for higher education to improve its labour market relevance. The gap between academic learning and workplace requirements necessitates systemic reforms, not just in higher education, but also in the labour market.

Meantime, the evolving landscape of employment, influenced by advancements in artificial intelligence, digital skills, challenges related to climate change, and the fourth industrial revolution, is transforming the nature of work.

These shifts are reshaping employment dynamics in ways that are still not entirely comprehended. Consequently, the task goes beyond merely preparing graduates for immediate employment; it entails equipping them with the adaptability and skills required to thrive in an ever-changing job market.

While higher education institutions strive to impart knowledge and skills, the transition from academia to the workforce remains complex. As a result, enhancing the employability of graduates, particularly within the higher education system, plays a critical role in sustaining the competitiveness of nations within today's knowledge-driven global economy, marked by rapid transformations.