From classroom to career: An innovative approach to prepare university students for the world of work
Most of us have heard it by now – there is a skills shortage. Our latest Talent Shortage Survey reveals a widening skills gap in the UK, with cross-sector shortfalls reaching an 18-year high of 80%. And it isn’t just technical skills that are in high demand and short supply. In today’s fast-paced world, as the nature of work evolves, there is increasing demand for adaptability, communication, collaboration, creativity, problem-solving and resilience. Having the right soft skills is going to be critical to an organisation’s ability to transform at scale.
Next year (2025), Gen Z will make up 30% of the total workforce and by 2030, 65% will do jobs that don’t exist yet. In the UK, there are over 800,000 undergraduates and postgraduates leaving higher education every year. Unfortunately, many of these individuals have left university without the skills organisations need. In their 2024 Student Employment Survey, ISE found that 49% of employers believe that their graduates do not possess the skills and attributes they need to be work-ready.
So how do we overcome this challenge and prepare the next generation of talent for the world of work?
At Manpower we want to ensure that graduates have the skills they need before they enter the workplace and that we are creating a sustainable pipeline of talent for organisations across all sectors. That is why we have partnered with Coventry University. This innovative collaboration aims to enhance job and career prospects for students helping them to develop in-demand skills, build work readiness and access to opportunities across Manpower, so that they enter the world of work with the skills employers need.
- Attributes Framework: To enable students to demonstrate the attributes and skills businesses need, Coventry University have developed the Attributes Framework. Leveraging Manpower’sindustry-leading insights to ensure that it was reflective of the skills needed across industries, the framework is embedded into the curriculum providing a measure of performance against critical soft skills including communicating effectively, acting with integrity, adaptability, thinking creatively and getting things done. As a foundation of all courses, the Attributes Framework provides students with the opportunity to develop and hone the traits employers need along with the ability to evidence these to ensure that they are work-ready.
- Work experience is a great way to boost employability, develop the skills and mindset organisations need and stand out from the competition. 74% of employers agreed graduates who completed an internship or placement arrived with better skills and attitudes than other graduates. However, not all courses include placements and there has been a year-on-year decline with only 7% of students completing a sandwich course. Through our partnership, we are able to provide students with access to temporary and permanent work across our network of more than 1,000 clients, across all industries and sectors. Working closely with the university, we facilitate the connections to ensure that employment opportunities are relevant and complement their degrees.
- Mentoring: By connecting students with experts across Manpower (and our wider clients), we are providing a broader view of career options and opportunities alongside advice to help develop essential skills.
The innovative programmes we are developing provide a platform for us to work together and reshape a better, brighter future – one that is more skilled and more diverse. With talent shortages at an 18-year global high, we are committed to being creators of talent at scale and this initiative provides great opportunities to guide people to take the steps required to improve their employability and prosperity for the long-term. To learn more about the partnership and how we can support your organisation, please fill in your details here and a member of the team with be in contact.
