What Employers Want

A study by the Association of American Colleges and Universities

The following data is from a research study by the Association of American Colleges and Universities.  The study was done to determine what employer’s wanted and needed from college graduates in the 21st century.

The study discovered that 63% of employers believe that recent college graduates (from both 2-year and 4-year schools) do not have the skills for the global economy of the 21st century AND a majority of the employers believe that less that 50% of these graduates are promotable. Below are the skills that employers confirmed that were essential:

1) Integrated Learning

• Applied knowledge in real-world settings_________ 76%

2) Intellectual & Practical Skills

• Teamwork skills in diverse groups______________ 76%

• Critical thinking and analytic reasoning__________ 73%

• Written and oral communication_______________ 73%

• Information literacy ________________________ 70%

• Creativity and innovation ____________________ 70%

• Complex problem solving ____________________ 64%

• Quantitative reasoning _____________________  60%

3) Personal and Social Responsibility

• Intercultural competence ____________________  76%

• Intercultural knowledge _____________________ 72%

• Ethics and values _________________________  56%

• Cultural values and traditions ________________   53%

4) Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World

• Science and technology _____________________ 82%

• Global issues ____________________________  72%

• The role of the U.S. in the world ______________   60%

• Cultural values and traditions ________________   53%