Preparing graduates for an ever-evolving world

Published On: 13 November 2024|

The man who prides himself for creating youth-centred brand experiences offered some insightful counsel to universities at the recent Higher Education Conference in October. Mr Ronen Aires, co-founder and CEO of Student Village, South Africa’s most prominent student marketing and graduate development specialists, spoke on how educational institutions can prepare students better for a future marked by disruption, technology, and changing work dynamics.

As he addressed the topic Graduate Needs and the Needs of Employers: How can Universities Shape the/for the Future, one of his points of focus was the changing mindset of graduates regarding employment. He said, “One in four — and it is getting close to one in three — students want to work for themselves.” This shift indicates a general desire in youth for self-fulfilment in their careers instead of merely pursuing the so-called traditional career objectives. Independence and self-actualisation are increasingly important to students who no longer want to earn a good paycheck but make a meaningful difference.

Mr Aires (left) said this new class of graduates is “wired to work both with humans and technology” and is socially conscious. Often passion-driven, they seek a vocation that aligns with their values – a  shift in perspective that necessitates a fundamental rethinking of how universities prepare their students for the workforce. 

In his words, students “want to be part of a solution,” which indicates a demand for educational programmes that foster critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

He also spoke about resilience among graduates. While many students have overcome huge barriers to arrive at university, they go on to face persistent mental health challenges in the workplace, that affect their professional performance. The implications are deep, he said, noting that employers are reporting a need in graduates for more resilience, and persistence, in today’s fast-moving and unpredictable work environment. 

This makes it more crucial for universities to do much more than just highlight the challenges; they must arm their students with the tools to make them “solution makers,” through programmes that build in resilience and adaptability.

Aires also pointed out the skill gap between what employers seek and what graduates possess. He said, “30% of companies can’t find the right talent,” underlining a disconnect that is increasingly concerning in this context of high unemployment. Employers seek academically competent graduates with important skills in problem-solving, communication, and the ability to adapt to new situations, he said.

“If you think beyond the parking lot, these are the kinds of graduates that you have to be producing,” he said, emphasising forward thinking and innovative graduates, hence the pressure on universities to provide graduates who can meet such demands and push change.

Turning his attention to the importance of micro-credentialling, he compared this pedagogy to “prepaid mobile phone contracts” where students can “top up” their skills without changing their education setup. This flexibility means students can build appropriate skills that are in demand within the current employment market. 

He said many students are now looking for institutions that offer these credentials, realising that a traditional degree may no longer be sufficient in securing one a job.

He then progressed to practical experience by students; “not only just internships –but you can do this virtually, too.” He was suggesting incorporation of practical experiences into the curricula, in the quest to prepare students for the complexities of modern workplaces –making them more attractive to employers.

AI as a tool to create personalised education

As technology continues to disrupt industries, Aires urged universities to leverage these advances in their approaches to teaching and learning. He advocated using artificial intelligence to generate adaptive learning environments that meet the differential needs of individual students. If one uses AI for tutoring and adaptive learning, as he explained, one could have personalised learning styles for the future. This idea of personalised education also meets the expectations of the modern learner, who values independence and interactivity in learning processes.

While Mr Aires conceded that most graduates were not ready for entrepreneurship right after university, he reiterated the need to instill an entrepreneurial mentality, saying that “graduates make quite lousy entrepreneurs when they come out.”  However, later on, they can become successful in business ventures if they receive proper experiences and skills. Therefore, universities have a critical role in creating ecosystems that support budding entrepreneurs and provide mentorship, resources, and opportunities for collaboration.

He said this is important not only for budding entrepreneurs but also for all the graduates coming into an increasingly complex job market. Innovation and critical thinking can form a leading platform where students become leaders and bring change in their respective fields.

Within USAf, preparing students for jobs that may not yet exist is a priority focus area (alongside work-integrated learning, etc) of the World of Work Strategy Group (WSG) which, for the past few years, was chaired by Professor Thandwa Mthembu, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Durban University of Technology. Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg, recently took over the chairpersonship of the WSG. 

Mduduzi Mbiza is a contract writer for Universities South Africa.