Careers in a Changing Era: How Higher Ed Can Fight the Skills Gap and Prepare Students for a Dynamic World of Work

Inside Higher Ed today is releasing our newest special report, "Careers in a Changing Era: How Higher Ed Can Fight the Skills Gap and Prepare Students for a Dynamic World of Work."

As tuition prices continue to rise, students consider college an investment more than ever, and they want that investment to pay dividends in the form of a job. Thankfully, the gap between what employers want and what colleges teach their students isn't insurmountable.

But there are many factors that colleges can't control, including economic uncertainly and stagnant wages. There are also several shifts occurring in the public arena: employers are seeking an analytical mind and social skills from college grads; employers are offloading their training responsibilities; and employers are hiring less from within their own ranks, preferring instead to recruit the workers of other firms. At the same time, the ascendant class of pundits and business associations observes mismatches in specific sectors of the workforce and ascribes them to every pocket of the labor market.

Colleges, witnessing a shift in perception about their own value, have sought adjustments to their model in multiple ways. This special report describes what institutions of all kinds are doing to improve the employability of their students. The strategies covered in this report should inform the decisions other colleges make to get ahead of the narrative that they’re not doing enough to prepare students for today’s economy.

It is available for purchase here; you may also download a free preview of the report. We invite you to sign up for a webcast on the themes of the report on Tuesday, May 5, at 2 p.m. Eastern.