In Pursuit of 'Job Ready' Graduates

by Eric Kaufman--

While many students pursue post-secondary education as a way to advance their employment prospects, research shows that a post-secondary degree falls short of this goal far too often. "While policymakers typically think of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programs as a sure pathway to college-level employment and high wages, the reality is more nuanced" ("Talent Disrupted" Executive Summary, 2024, p. 2). Many employers are reluctant to hire recent graduates, preferring instead to hire applicants with more experience in the workforce. While the rational varies, employers say recent graduates often cannot handle their workload and tend to struggle with professional behavior, including basics like eye contact (Intelligent, 2023).

Part of the problem may be the way that we approach college coursework, typically focusing more on students' knowledge than their behavior and their resilience in the face of uncertainty. Considering the question of "Why Aren't College Grads 'Job-Ready'?," Casey (2024) argued: "If we’re selling ourselves as equipping students to thrive in the marketplace, then we must teach relevant norms" (para. 18).  This starts with classroom activities and assignments.  Individual performance and demonstration of knowledge are not enough; we need to challenge students to fully engage in a more dynamic learning environment and embrace their potential for problem solving.

Among potential solutions, opportunistic collaboration stands out for its ability to prepare students for workplace success.  Opportunistic collaboration involves an emergent process, where groups form, break up, and recombine as needed to complete a complex task (e.g., a large project with a community partner). "Compared with traditional lecture, fixed teams, and interacting teams, opportunistic collaboration is the most effective structure in teaching team learning through fostering communication, support, and learning networks" (Love et al., 2022, p. 396).  While a course instructor still has a role to play in facilitating some of the structure, the approach requires fluidity based on the needs of the task and the opportunities the students identify for improved collaboration.  When students are engaged in "flexible collaboration centering around ideas and free collaboration structures," they are able to overcome conventional hindrances to problem solving (Chen & Zhang, 2024, p. 1).  Even among elementary students, promoting opportunistic collaboration in the classroom results in more collective responsibility and knowledge advancement, aligning closely with the organic and distributed social structures found in workplace environments (Hong, 2011; Zhang et al., 2009). Whether in the classroom or the workplace, the collaborative capacity is determined by the attention to collaborative work, collaborative relationships, and collaborative behaviors (Scott & Manning, 2022).  

woman placing sticky notes on wall while other watch


How might we better encourage students and recognize them for their investment in opportunistic collaboration?  The AWT4CL Employability Skill Badges may be helpful.  Educators who want to explore this resource are encouraged to start with the Welcome Module.





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