The value of employability-focused assessment: Student perceptions of career readiness

Abstract

Post-graduation employment outcomes remain a central focus for students, tertiary institutions, and governments. This interest has seen universities now aiming to provide students with a wide variety of authentic employability or career readiness opportunities to support each student’s work-ready preparedness, in a scalable and transferrable manner. This study explored the extent to which students perceive and value career readiness opportunities undertaken within their undergraduate degrees. Scaffolded opportunities and assessments were undertaken by students enrolled in professional and generic degrees within a Health Faculty. The activities and their assessment design aimed to support student career planning and readiness for future employment. This research affirmed the importance of embedding employability-focused curriculum throughout the degree, especially in first-year subjects within both professional and generic degrees. Whether the employability activity was a stand-alone assessment task, or intentionally designed to explicitly address employability and career readiness over the entire semester, students appreciated it. They recognised the value of these initiatives in enhancing their career readiness and facilitating their transition to employment. Multiple employability assessments scaffolded within subjects and throughout degrees can effectively cater to diverse student groups, providing opportunities to enhance their skills and confidence as they navigate the path to employment.