Title: Crafting employability strategy in skills-driven labour markets

Authors: Mahmoud Yousef Askari; Abdelkader Mazouz; Ghaleb A. El Refae

Addresses: Al Ain University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 64141, Al Ain, UAE ' Al Ain University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 64141, Al Ain, UAE ' Al Ain University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 64141, Al Ain, UAE

Abstract: In this paper, we propose that universities could facilitate the employability of their graduates by utilising the three main university functions of teaching and learning, research, and community engagement. Our approach is built on the assumption that the role of universities in the success of their graduates might exceed the transmission of theoretical knowledge in a typical classroom and should go beyond their graduation ceremony. The professional life journey of students starts after graduation and as soon as they start their trained-for careers in the labour market. To reach that happy end of starting the desired future career, universities have a role to play in making the dream of a good job come true. Thus, we argue that the four-year period that students spend in getting their bachelor degrees should include a mixture of theoretical knowledge, applied skills, and a taste of work in real life organisations.

Keywords: employability; strategy; labour markets; applied skills.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEBR.2018.093379

International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 2018 Vol.16 No.1, pp.126 - 136

Received: 19 Apr 2017
Accepted: 02 Jun 2017
Published online: 25 Jul 2018 *

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