Argument Essay Outline. Closing the Gap between College and Career

Closing the Gap between College and Career
La Tunya Mahadeo
CSU Global
Closing the Gap between College and Career
Universities and Colleges have always had challenges in meeting the needs of the ever-changing employment culture. This arises due to the changes in the nature of jobs and the ever-changing world through technology and innovation. Over the past four decades, the number of jobs requiring postsecondary education have increased form 28% to 59%. This trend is also expected to increase up to 65% in 2020. The reason as to why this gap is continuing to broaden is because the expectations of employers from graduates are very complex due to these changes. Additionally, technical and professional skills are not enough in the current job world. Most of the hiring managers require employees with strong creativity, communication, innovation, and collaborative attributes. This gap should be closed because fresh graduates should be in a position to apply these abilities in both soft and hard skills in their job positions. To close the gap between colleges and career expectations, there is a need for partnership. This partnership should focus on addressing current market demands so that colleges can equip students with the knowledge and skills that they deserve. Ultimately, students will not only possess skills but also the ability to apply these skills across different industries and job roles. Although internships have not been effective in closing this gap, it is very important for the concerned stakeholders to come up with ways in which colleges can partner with employers to offer effective training that is in line with the current career expectations.
The gap between the college and career can only be addressed if colleges are capable of stepping up their training based on the employer's expectations. Most employers are of the idea that graduates lack the adequate skills to be fully effective in the job. Claims are that universities continuously dwell on the theoretical aspect of learning at the expense of practical which is not appropriate especially for the result drive industries (Wilson, 1977). For instance, students will low-efficacy normally dwell on their perceived inadequacy and difficulties in their situations. Students are therefore optimistic about getting employment. Adding to the high competition among companies, employers are becoming more reluctant in providing training to their employees due to high costs. Colleges, therefore, need to work towards meeting the expectations of the employer.
One of the ways to achieve this is through college career services. Colleges should employ career services professionals so that they can update them on the current requirements in the job market (Henry & Stahl, 2017). College faculties will then take appropriate actions and include these requirements in their faculties where possible. Furthermore, college career experts will be responsible for conducting workshops to equip students with the required skills (Bastedo et.al, 2016). Career services will help colleges equip students with the necessary skills that are needed by employers (Henry & Stahl, 2017). This approach will help bridge the gap between colleges and careers in many job sectors and industries.