Promoting social work graduates’ employment through the social work curriculum : employers’ perspectives on the employability of UNISA’s newly qualified social workers

Abstract

The silence about employers’ perspectives on the employability of newly qualified Social Work graduates from the largest open distance-learning university in South Africa was highlighted as the problem for this study. Underpinned by the theory of collaborative advantage as the theoretical framework adopted for this study, and following a qualitative research approach, the researcher entered into a research partnership with the social work fraternity. The aim was to explore employers’ perspectives on the employability of Unisa’s newly-qualified social workers and to gather suggestions for promoting graduates’ employment, and accordingly informing Unisa’s social work curriculum. This paper reports on these perspectives and suggestions.

Keywords

• Employability
• newly qualified social workers
• fit for practice
• employers' perspectives
• open distance learning university
• social work curriculum
• qualitative research