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Am I Fit for Tomorrow’s Labor Market? The Effect of Graduates’ Skills Development during Higher Education for the 21st Century’s Labor Market

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  • Omar Habets

    (Research Centre for Employability, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, 6131 MT Sittard, The Netherlands)

  • Jol Stoffers

    (Research Centre for Employability, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, 6131 MT Sittard, The Netherlands
    Faculty of Management, Open Universiteit, the Netherlands, 6419 AT Heerlen, The Netherlands
    Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA), Maastricht University, 6211 LM Maastricht, The Netherlands)

  • Beatrice Van der Heijden

    (Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, 6500 HK Nijmegen, The Netherlands
    Faculty of Management, Open Universiteit, the Netherlands, 6419 AT Heerlen, The Netherlands
    Department of Marketing, Innovation and Organisation, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
    Business School, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China)

  • Pascale Peters

    (Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, 6500 HK Nijmegen, The Netherlands
    Nyenrode Business Universiteit, 3621 BG Breukelen, The Netherlands)

Abstract

This study contributes to the employability skills debate by investigating how students’ self-perceived 21st century skills relate to the self-perceived fit between their higher education curriculum and their future labor market for a sustainable entry to this labor market. Survey data from 4670 fourth-year students over a period of four years were analyzed. Furthermore, out of this group, 83 students were monitored longitudinally over their full educational student careers. Results showed a positive relationship between students’ self-perceived 21st century skills and their self-perceived “education-future labor market fit”. Among more recent cohorts, a significant improvement in their self-perceived 21st century skills was found. Overall, this study indicated that in order to deliver “employable” graduates, students need to be thoroughly trained in 21st century skills, and their development should be retained and expanded. This is one of the few studies that uses a vast amount of both cross-sectional and longitudinal data on skills and labor market perspectives among new graduates.

Suggested Citation

  • Omar Habets & Jol Stoffers & Beatrice Van der Heijden & Pascale Peters, 2020. "Am I Fit for Tomorrow’s Labor Market? The Effect of Graduates’ Skills Development during Higher Education for the 21st Century’s Labor Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-13, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7746-:d:415920
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    References listed on IDEAS

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