Success by Degrees
Preparing Our Graduates for Alberta's Second CenturyFinal Report of the Senate Task Force on Graduate Employability, May 1997
click here to request a PDF version of the report (~720 K)
The pdf file above is a complete version of the document. Acrobat Reader software is required to view this file. Below is the executive summary:
Executive SummaryThe Senate Task Force on Graduate Employability was struck in response to a growing awareness that the employment market is changing extremely rapidly, and that the University should explicitly analyze, develop, and promote its students' employability skills. In an era of high unemployment, high student debt load, and general economic uncertainty, students and parents alike are concerned that investing in an education should provide a solid foundation for employment beyond graduation. Although the primary responsibility of a University is to its academic and intellectual effort, the Task Force believes that offering preparation for the work-world is an important secondary responsibility that the University of Alberta should consider closely.The University of Alberta is justifiably proud of its graduates' many and varied achievements in the work-world. Its graduates have succeeded very well in an extremely competitive marketplace, with higher-than-normal wages and extremely low unemployment rates. One recent study found that University ofAlberta graduates have only a 1.5% rate of unemployment five years after graduation, far below thenational rate of approximately 10%. This success reflects an increasing trend both in Canada and around the world, namely, that moving to a knowledge-based economy represents the key to a successful future. Everywhere, the development of stronger economies is inextricably linked to the continuing development of advanced education systems. The University of Alberta should remain at the forefront of that transition. A University education is no longer a guarantee of a good career, but it still remains the single most effective way of assuring success, and its effects are lifelong. Employers have told the task force that the University is the pre-eminent place to prepare our youth for the globalized 'knowledge economy' of the twenty-first century, and that broad-based skill sets like critical thinking, adaptability, clear communications skills, and cultural sensitivity are far more important than specific skills. This is in line with President Rod Fraser's eleven desired skill sets (see page 12 of the pdf file)for a University of Alberta student. Furthermore,the University is the ideal place to help develop those qualities in its students, no matter what the field of study.
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The task force has four main recommendations to improve graduate employability. We believe that the implementation of these will ensure that graduates of the University of Alberta will continue to succeed and to compete with the world's best. Achieving the goals will require the involvement of all stakeholder groups, including businesses, governments, parents, students, and the University. To this end, the Senate Task Force on Graduate Employability makes the following recommendations:
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