College Learning for the New Global Century - 10

Appendix

Do Employers Value Liberal Education?
In 2006 and 2007, AAC&U commissioned Peter D. Hart Research Associates to conduct several studies of employers’ views on student learning in college.* Summarized below are selected data and key conclusions from this research. The surveys and focus groups reveal strong support among employers for an increased emphasis on providing all students with the LEAP “essential learning outcomes.” Employers reject any trend toward narrow technical training at the college level; they believe that, to succeed in the global economy, students need more liberal education, not less (see page 11). Employers want college graduates to acquire versatile knowledge and skills.They also expressed a strong desire to see more emphasis on helping students put their knowledge and skills to practical use in “real-world” settings. This preference was reaffirmed when employers were asked how colleges can productively assess whether students have achieved the essential outcomes. Employers in the 2008 LEAP survey dismissed multiple choice tests in favor of assessments that evaluate communication skills and analytic reasoning and students’ ability to apply what they are learning to complex problems.

Employers Are Dissatisfied With Skills and Abilities of Recent Graduates

• Fully 63 percent of employers believe that too many recent college grad-

uates do not have the skills they need to succeed in the global economy. Employers recognize the importance of higher education, but they see significant room for improvement in graduates’ levels of preparation.

• A majority of employers believe that only half or fewer recent graduates
have the skills and knowledge needed to advance or be promoted in their companies.

• In none of twelve skills and areas of knowledge tested—from writing
to global knowledge to ethical judgment—do a majority of employers rate recent graduates as “very well prepared.” Only eighteen percent of employers rate college graduates as “very well prepared” in the area of global knowledge. More than 45 percent rate them as “not well prepared” at all in this area.

*In November/December 2006, Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc., interviewed 305 employers whose companies have at least twenty-five employees and report that 25 percent or more of their new hires hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a four-year college.The margin of error for this survey is +/-5.7 percentage points. In January 2006, Hart Research also conducted three focus groups among business executives—one each in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Fairfax, Virginia; and Atlanta, Georgia. This research focused only on preparation for economic success. The results, therefore, do not reveal respondents’ views on education for citizenship or personal development. In November/December 2007, Hart Research interviewed another 301 employers.This survey’s margin of error was also+/- 5.7 percentage points.The complete findings from the focus groups and the national can be found online at www.aacu.org/leap.

See the survey on “How Should Colleges Prepare Students to Succeed in Today’s Global Economy”
10 AAC&U | Executive Summary

College Learning for the New Global Century

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of College Learning for the New Global Century