Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Business graduates and management jobs: An employability match made in heaven?

Wilton, Nick

Authors

Nick Wilton



Abstract

The rapid growth in undergraduate business education over the last three decades has coincided with the growing dominance of an economic ideology of higher education (HE); that its role is principally one of contributing to national competitiveness through the development of graduate 'employability'. In particular, undergraduate business education has been promoted as one means by which to address long-held concerns about managerial skills shortages in the UK and employers' criticism over the work-readiness of graduates. There are concerns, however, about the extent to which HE is able to adequately prepare graduates for employment. Drawing on data drawn from a questionnaire survey of 1999 graduates, four years after graduation, and a programme of follow-up qualitative interviews, this article reports on the experiences of recent business and management graduates. In particular this article explores the relationship between skills developed on undergraduate programmes and those subsequently used in employment, particularly in managerial careers. © 2008 Taylor & Francis.

Citation

Wilton, N. (2008). Business graduates and management jobs: An employability match made in heaven?. Journal of Education and Work, 21(2), 143-158. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080802080949

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Apr 1, 2008
Deposit Date Jan 5, 2011
Journal Journal of Education and Work
Print ISSN 1363-9080
Electronic ISSN 1469-9435
Publisher Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 21
Issue 2
Pages 143-158
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080802080949
Keywords graduates, labour market, employability, management, careers
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1022766
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13639080802080949




Downloadable Citations