The National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB), which comprises of senior university and business leaders promoting greater collaboration, and is supported by government, has today welcomed a report from University Alliance which recommends greater links between companies and institutions in order to improve graduates’ career prospects.
The report titled ‘Closing the gap: Unlocking opportunity through higher education’ says that careers guidance is patchy at best and that greater collaboration between universities and business would lead to better knowledge among students of routes to career progression.
The findings compliment the NCUB report ‘Career Portfolios and the Labour Market for Graduates and Postgraduates in the UK’ published in April 2014 which found that only by universities working with businesses could graduates be ensured the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the work place.
Aaron Porter, NCUB Director of External Affairs, said:
“The old understanding of graduates careers where studying a particular subject leads to a related career no longer holds true for most people.
“Collaboration between universities and business must go beyond careers advice to help universities provide the hard and soft skills employers need, and to create effective work placements that give students useful experience.”
ENDS
NCUB Press Office – Will Hoyles 07772 512519 will.hoyles@ncub.co.uk
The NCUB Career Portfolios report is available here.