How College Contributes to Workforce Success: Employer Views on What Matters Most

Survey
Oct. 2020
Sample Size: 496
Demographics: hiring managers
Topics: Learning Value Career Readiness

Top Findings:

  • Found substantial support among employers for the outcomes and experiences of a liberal education and makes it clear that a liberally educated graduate is strongly positioned for success in the job market. Nine in ten employers believe that it is important to achieve the learning outcomes that define a contemporary liberal education, for example, and that it is worthwhile to obtain a college degree. The same number say they would be more likely to hire a job applicant who had participated in at least one of a defined set of engaging educational practices, often called “high-impact practices.”
  • Significantly fewer employers believe college-educated applicants have received this type and level of preparation. Only six in ten say that recent graduates possess the knowledge and skills needed for success in entry-level positions at their companies or organizations.
  • Employers have confidence in higher education and value the college degree.
  • A liberal education provides the knowledge and skills employers view as important for career success.
  • Personal aptitudes and mindsets also play an important role in career success.
  • Completion of active and applied learning experiences gives job applicants a clear advantage.
  • Both breadth and depth of learning are needed for long-term career success.
  • College graduates are becoming more effective at communicating their achievements to employers.
  • Employers see room for improvement in the preparation of college graduates for work.
  • Views on higher education and perceptions of recent graduates vary significantly by employer age and educational attainment.
  • Younger employers (under 40) place a significantly higher value on civic-related learning outcomes and experiences than older employers (50 and above) do.