Opportunity Issue 108
Opportunity magazine is a niche business-to-business publication that explores various investment opportunities within Southern Africa’s economic sectors. The publication is endorsed by the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI).
Opportunity magazine is a niche business-to-business publication that explores various investment opportunities within Southern Africa’s economic sectors. The publication is endorsed by the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI).
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HIGHER EDUCATION<br />
Closing the gap<br />
Universities should be equipping students with the skills and abilities they need to thrive in the modern<br />
workplace, argues Cymbeline Harilal, Instructional Designer at The Independent Institute of Education.<br />
Most parents wish to provide their children with the<br />
skills, competencies and therefore education to<br />
become successful and accomplished in their careers.<br />
In pursuit of this objective, they place their trust in<br />
universities and other higher-education institutions to properly<br />
prepare their children for the ever-changing job landscape.<br />
However, given how dramatically the world of work has<br />
changed and continues to change, it is crucial for all highereducation<br />
institutions to consider and in many cases review their<br />
offering, to ensure they deliver relevant and integrated curricula<br />
that adequately meet employer demands and enable students to<br />
excel in their chosen fields, an education expert says.<br />
“Higher-education institutions must therefore now, more<br />
than ever before, include and be intentional in integrating<br />
21st-century and industry-aligned graduate attributes into all<br />
curricula,” says Cymbeline Harilal, Instructional Designer at The<br />
Independent Institute of Education (The IIE), a leading private<br />
higher-education provider.<br />
Harilal notes that between the corporate and educational<br />
sectors there is a concerning mismatch between industry demands<br />
and graduate attributes developed in universities.<br />
“It is necessary for universities to bridge the gap through the<br />
delivery of dynamic curricula that address the disparity between<br />
skills supply and industry demand. The relevant skills outlined in<br />
the World Economic Forum's report on 21st-century requirements<br />
highlight the significance of an adaptable curriculum in response<br />
to changing job demands. These 21st-century skills comprise<br />
foundational, competencies, character qualities and technical<br />
skills.”<br />
The broad skills categories can be described as:<br />
Foundational<br />
Students must be able to apply the core skills of literacy,<br />
numeracy, scientific, IT and financial literacy. These are<br />
predominantly developed in school but some students who<br />
matriculated from schools in disadvantaged communities may<br />
need additional support.<br />
52 | www.opportunityonline.co.za
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