Exploring managers' perceptions of workforce readiness of recent college graduates

The knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for success in today's workforce are evolving in response to continuing automation and computerization. The evolving labor market has challenged the efficacy of higher education institutions to prepare graduates for the workforce. Colleges and universities have instituted several strategies for successfully equipping graduates for the workforce; still, research has shown that many employers are dissatisfied with the "hard" and "soft" skills exhibited by recent college graduates in the workplace. This parallel convergent mixed-methods study was designed to explore the extent to which recent college graduates are prepared with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that current research indicates are essential for success in the workforce. This study reviewed numerous demographic variables associated with recent college graduates, as well as their perceptions of their own workforce readiness. Utilizing purposeful sampling to survey recent college graduates, surveys were designed to gain insight into the efficacy of respondents' undergraduate program of study to prepare respondents for the workforce. Additionally, nine semi-structured interviews with individuals who had at least two years of experience since 2015 managing or supervising recent college graduates at their place of employment were conducted. Interviews were conducted to gain insight into the extent to which employers considered recent college graduates prepared for the workforce. Maximal variation sampling was utilized to ensure the nine semi-structured interviewees were drawn from several different sectors or industries of the economy. The cross-sectional survey for the study fielded a total of five responses and provided very little insight into the study's research questions; therefore, qualitative semi-structured interviews were the sole source of data for analysis, findings, results, and interpretations. Three major themes and their respective subthemes emerged from the data: (1) Few relevant skill and attitudinal proficiencies were reported to exist in recent college graduates; (2) Several skill and attitudinal deficiencies were reported to exist among recent college graduates; and (3) Managerial considerations in the workplace, some unique to recent college graduates, existed. Two results emerged following data analysis: (1) Recent college graduates in the workplace do not fully exhibit the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that employers prefer; and (2) Upskilling recent college graduates for the workplace remains a task of employers, as institutions of higher education continue to produce graduates ill-prepared for the workforce.