Understanding Employability Skills of Global Graduates in Transition to Employment

Cristina López Moreno, a Senior Lecturer in Spanish at Sheffield Hallam University, discusses the importance of preparing students for the global job market. She emphasizes the need for international experience and intercultural capabilities, highlighting core competencies such as communication, leadership, teamwork, and self-management. By analyzing key research sources, she aims to enhance students' employability skills for success in a global context.

• Employability Skills
• Global Graduates
• Transition to Employment
• Intercultural Capabilities
• Core Competencies

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1. TRANSITION INTO GRADUATE EMPLOYMENT: UNDERSTANDING THE EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS OF THE GLOBAL GRADUATE Cristina L pez Moreno Senior Lecturer in Spanish Sheffield Hallam University LLAS Languages in Higher Education Conference 2016 University of Warwick, 6-7 July 2016

2. We have to send our best and brightest overseas and make sure they have training that will allow them to be the global leaders [of the future] Black, Morrison & Gregerson, 1999, p. 20

3. My background Senior Lecturer in Spanish and Hispanic Studies at Sheffield Hallam University. Course Leader for: International Business with French / German / Spanish Languages with International Business Languages with Tourism Languages with TESOL Work Placement officer for Spain. Academic and Employability Advisor for L5 and L6 students.

4. My interest in graduate employability Experience of many years witnessing the development of my students' employability skills. Concern about my students' poor understanding of their skills and the uniqueness of their profile. Interested in the UK context: Highly globalised Scarcity of graduates with overseas study or work experience

5. Main research sources AGR, CIHE, CFE (2011): Global Graduates into Global Leaders British Council (2013): Languages for the Future British Academy (2015): Born Global project The Higher Education Academy (2015): Internationalising Higher Education Framework

6. What is a Global Graduate? Model for the global graduate: extended study or work experience abroad excellent intercultural capabilities Global graduate A global graduate has the core competencies employers traditionally look for AND The global attributes needed to engage with others and work effectively in a global context

7. Analysis of employability attributes CORE COMPETENCIES Prospects (2015) GLOBAL COMPETENCIES Global Graduates into Global Leaders (2011) Good communication Effective leadership Planning and research Teamwork and interpersonal skills Self-management Relevant work experience Work collaboratively with international teams Enhanced communication skills Drive and resilience Embracing multiple perspectives and challenge thinking

8. Main research finding: Global skills more important than language Global Competencies Mean Ranking 8.2 An ability to work collaboratively with teams of people from a range of backgrounds and countries Excellent communication skills: both speaking and listening A high degree of drive and resilience An ability to embrace multiple perspectives and challenge thinking A capacity to develop new skills and behaviours according to role requirements A high degree of self-awareness An ability to negotiate and influence clients across the globe from different cultures An ability to form professional, global networks An openness to and respect for a range of perspectives from around the world Multi-cultural learning agility (e.g. able to learn in any culture or environment) Multi-lingualism Knowledge of foreign economies and own industry area overseas An understanding of one s position and role within a global context or economy A willingness to play an active role in society at a local, national and international level. AGR, CIHE and CFE: Global Graduates into Global Leaders (2011) 7.5 5.6 5.4 4.6 4.4 4 3.9 3.6 2.4 1.7 1.7 1.6 0.5

9. Student Outwards Mobility Study or work experience abroad is one of the best ways to gain a global skills-set. A combination of experiential, hands-on learning and Immersion and interaction in an international environment "Experience of working overseas and immersion in a different culture can catapult a graduate into being considered for rewarding and challenging roles" (Global Graduates, 2011) The UK is ranked 25th for external mobility (Prof. Colin Riordan, Chair of the UK Higher Education International Unit. UK Strategy for Outward Mobility Report, 2013)

10. Destination countries of internationally mobile British students Number of British students abroad: 27,377 Outbound mobility ratio: 1.2% Source: UNESCO, Global Flow of Tertiary Education Students (2016)

11. Destination countries of internationally mobile German students Number of German students abroad: 119,223 Outbound mobility ratio: 4.3% Source: UNESCO, Global Flow of Tertiary Education Students (2016)

12. How do language graduates fit into this context? Students with language skills AND international experience can easily demonstrate that elusive global skills-set. HOWEVER, many language students do not understand what their soft skills are or their uniqueness. "I am interested in language jobs" - this self-limits options for language graduates. languages are rarely the only thing employers look for. Many graduate schemes will accept students from any course - yet many language students do not apply. Students must define themselves through their skills-set and their international education/experience instead.

13. Give your students the right language to define themselves A global graduate - International education and/or extended work experience abroad. A global mindset - with cultural agility, maximum adaptability and extended experience of studying/working collaboratively in multicultural teams A global skillset, which includes (but is not limited to) professional fluency in one/two foreign languages Language graduates are added-value recruits. Individuals with these skills can pick the work they want. Mark Cahill, Managing Director ManpowerGroup UK, NEMEA

14. "But I don't want to work in a corporate enviroment..." Any international institution MI5 The Foreign and Commonwealth Office The Civil Service (Fast Track Scheme) The Diplomatic Service

15. References Bridger, K (2015): Academic perspectives on the outcomes of outward student mobility. Higher Education Academy. Available on: https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/resources/academic_perspectives_on_the_outcome s_of_outward_student_mobility_-_final_report.pdf British Academy (2014): Born Global Project. Available on http://www.britac.ac.uk/policy/Born_Global.cfm British Council (2013): Languages for the Future available on https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/languages-for-the-future-report-v3.pdf British Council (2015): Broadening Horizons: The value of overseas experience. Available on: https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/broadening-horizons-report.pdf Diamond, A et al (2011): Global Graduates into Global Leaders. Available on http://www.ncub.co.uk/reports/global-graduates-into-global-leaders.html HEA (2014). Internationalising Higher Education Framework. Available on https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/resources/internationalisingheframeworkfinal.pdf Riordan, C (2013): UK Strategy for Outward Mobility Report. Available on http://www.international.ac.uk/media/2468186/uk-he-international-unit-uk-strategy-for-outward- mobility.pdf UNESCO, Higher Education Statistics, various years: www.uis.unesco.org/Education/Pages/tertiary- education.aspx UNESCO, Global Flow of Tertiary Education Students http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/Pages/international-student-flow-viz.aspx (last accessed on 13th June 2016 )