Students want universities to elaborate on employability skills and to give more support to help them develop these important competencies, according to a CBI / National Union of Students survey.

The survey of 2,614 students shows more than half (57%) want universities to do more to help them understand employability skills, such as customer awareness, team working and self management. Two in three would like more support in developing these skills. Most students (79%) say that they decided to go to university to improve career prospects. 

Susan Anderson, CBI director for education & skills, says: “Employability skills are the most important attributes that businesses look for in new recruits, but graduates are currently falling short of employers’ expectations.

“Competition for jobs is intense and graduate unemployment remains high, so students need to proactively develop relevant employability skills. But at the same time all universities need to explain these skills better and make sure they embed them in teaching.”

Aaron Porter, NUS National President, says: “Access to higher education opens the doors to a world of possibility but it is incumbent on universities to do more to work with both students’ unions and employers to equip their students to face the challenges the future brings. Students are increasingly demanding of their institutions and quite rightly expect more in the way of information, support and resources to prepare them for life after university.”