Quality of Graduates Produced by Tertiary Institutions in South Africa and the Graduates' View of the Workplace
1. Introduction 2.1 Background of the Problem
The nature of this report was to investigate the existing gap between employer’s view on the quality of graduates produced by tertiary institutions in South Africa and the view of graduates regarding the workplace. Higher Education South Africa (HESA) has recently undertaken a research study from the employer’s perspective regarding the nature of the gap between employer expectations and graduate quality in the workplace (Parker, 2009). This perceived problem has impacted business globally in a negative manner. Not having competent and equipped graduates in the workplace have various negative repercussions on the organisation. 2.2 Scope and Limitations
Synovate will examine this problem from the Graduate Employee’s (GE) point of view as well as the employer’s. The limitations of HESA’s report were that they only focused on employers expectations of graduates. A broad overview of the problem could not be obtained because time was also a limitation since the research was done in short period of time. By interviewing only four graduates and one employer/manager a clear and concise understanding of the problem was not easy to conclude. Geographically there was also a limitation, HESA had conducted its survey based on the view of the entire South Africa, Synovate did research in the Western Cape only. 2.3 Research Question
The research question is to investigate the gap between employer’s expectations of graduates and the actual skills and competencies of graduates in the workplace. What graduate attributes employers feel are necessary to be successful in the workplace. 2.4 Layout of the Report
In total, five questionnaires have been used to present the findings in this report. Four graduates with more than one-year working experience was interviewed, as well as an employer. These questionnaires can be found in appendix 1 at the back of the report. This report will discuss the findings
The nature of this report was to investigate the existing gap between employer’s view on the quality of graduates produced by tertiary institutions in South Africa and the view of graduates regarding the workplace. Higher Education South Africa (HESA) has recently undertaken a research study from the employer’s perspective regarding the nature of the gap between employer expectations and graduate quality in the workplace (Parker, 2009). This perceived problem has impacted business globally in a negative manner. Not having competent and equipped graduates in the workplace have various negative repercussions on the organisation. 2.2 Scope and Limitations
Synovate will examine this problem from the Graduate Employee’s (GE) point of view as well as the employer’s. The limitations of HESA’s report were that they only focused on employers expectations of graduates. A broad overview of the problem could not be obtained because time was also a limitation since the research was done in short period of time. By interviewing only four graduates and one employer/manager a clear and concise understanding of the problem was not easy to conclude. Geographically there was also a limitation, HESA had conducted its survey based on the view of the entire South Africa, Synovate did research in the Western Cape only. 2.3 Research Question
The research question is to investigate the gap between employer’s expectations of graduates and the actual skills and competencies of graduates in the workplace. What graduate attributes employers feel are necessary to be successful in the workplace. 2.4 Layout of the Report
In total, five questionnaires have been used to present the findings in this report. Four graduates with more than one-year working experience was interviewed, as well as an employer. These questionnaires can be found in appendix 1 at the back of the report. This report will discuss the findings