Last week I addressed want students want out of their coursework. This week I will touch on what employers want. This is important to know if we are going to change the way we teach. Perhaps by incorporating more active learning and group work, and really embrace the Significant Learning Outcomes. The question, “Are we doing right by our students? Are we preparing them for the ‘real’ workforce?”

The data that I pull from is from Hart Research Associates in their 2013 online survey of employers that they conducted for the American Association of American Colleges & Universities, and the whole report can be found here ==> 2013_Employer Survey

• 93% of respondents agree that students need a “demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems,” and this is “more important than their undergraduate major.”
• 90% say ethical judgement, integrity and intercultural skills, as well as the capacity to continue to learn are important.
• A flipped classroom approach to learning also has broad appeal among employers. Three in five (59%) say an approach that deemphasizes lectures and devotes classroom time to dialogue, debate, and problem solving in groups or alone with the guidance of the instructor will help prepare students a lot or a fair amount for success beyond graduation.

I can see our General Education Outcomes and our Significant Learning Outcomes embedded in employer’s responses. It would seem, to me, that we are moving in the direction that employers want, and we will be preparing them not only for entry-level positions, but for advancement (another concern of employers).

If you get a change, give the whole survey a read. It is pretty interesting and, according to employers, we still have a ways to go to prepare students for an increasingly complex workplace.