Universities Not Preparing Young People for the Workplace, Say Business Leaders

A general view of a graduation ceremony in England on Oct. 19, 2015. Chris Radburn/PA Media

Most UK business leaders believe that universities do not prepare graduates for the workplace, according to a survey.

Among the 600 UK business leaders interviewed for the survey conducted by tech start-up Multiverse, 70 percent do not believe the current higher education system delivers the skills needed for the workforce.

UK universities are not offering courses that link to real-world experiences in the workplace and are not sufficiently teaching durable soft skills like teamwork and leadership, business leaders are quoted as saying.

Only 32 percent of business leaders believe a graduate’s degree grade is one of the top three indicators of their potential, the findings suggest.

Meanwhile, 59 percent of executives at larger companies say they learned more valuable skills during their first two years in the workplace than during university.

‘Far Removed’ From Reality

Euan Blair, founder and chief executive of Multiverse, which provides apprenticeship programmes, said: “The university system is far removed from the realities of the workplace and there’s little to no correlation between academic grades and job performance. Yet many businesses still require a degree to open the door to the best jobs.

“We need to completely rethink our relationship with education. To keep up with the rapidly accelerating pace of technological change, the idea that a three or four-year degree is enough education for a three or four-decade career has passed.”

He added: “The best preparation for the workforce will increasingly come from applied learning, delivered on the job.

“Instead of relying chiefly on the higher education system, businesses should prioritise apprenticeships and training programmes that run throughout someone’s career. The future of learning is working.”

‘Complementary’

But Universities UK (UUK), an organisation representing British universities, said university degrees and practical education “do not sit in tension.”

A UUK spokesperson said: “Universities provide a wide-ranging education, preparing students for life beyond the classroom, as well as training the next generation of doctors, nurses, engineers, and teachers.

“Their value continues to be recognised by employers, with our research indicating that there are one million more professional jobs in the UK than workers with degrees to fill them.

“Degree apprenticeships and other forms of ‘on the job’ learning are invaluable for many people at all stages of their education, and universities are some of the biggest providers of these qualifications in the UK.

“Contrary to the popular narrative, university degrees and practical education do not sit in tension, but are instead complementary parts of the higher education landscape.”

‘Tidal Wave of Wokism’

The report comes at a time when British universities face criticisms over their record in defending free speech on campus.

Christopher McGovern of the Campaign for Real Education told The Epoch Times last year: “A tidal wave of wokism is flooding our university campuses and drowning free speech and liberty of expression. The lights are going out on campus, and we are unlikely to see them lit again in the lifetime of the current generation of academics and woke commissars who preside over our institutions of learning.”

Cambridge professor Arif Ahmed, who was recently appointed as the Office for Students (OfS) director for freedom of speech and academic freedom, said free speech “is the only real engine of both scientific discovery and social progress.”

But in a commentary in The Times of London, he said, “There are urgent threats to free speech and academic freedom in our universities and colleges.”

Ahmed’s new role was announced weeks after the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act became law.

The historic legislation will establish a new complaints system and strengthen the legal duties on higher education providers in England to “protect and promote” freedom of speech on campuses, for students, staff, and visiting speakers.

Owen Evans and PA Media contributed to this report.