Achieving Employability of Students in a Challenging Environment Dori Pavloska – Gjorgjieska, PhD MIT University Skopje

Situation Source: World Bank, Eurostat

Questions Which knowledge, skills, and competencies are required in the regional labour market? Can higher educational institutions (HEIs) adjust their pedagogical concepts in order to meet the labour market requirements? How should they do that? CM Notes: Question 2: Depends on the HEI. Liberal arts universities aren’t typically focused on vocational skills but on creation of knowledge and critical thinking. Service towards the labour market is more for the professional faculties such as law, medicine, business, engineering, education. So the focus would be on this type of HEI, where their relevance to the labour market is more critical.

Methodology Labour Market Research – job ads www.ofertapune.com (Kosovo), http://duapune.com/ (Albania), www.najdirabota.com.mk (Macedonia), www.nadjiposao.rs (Serbia) Analysis of the needs for skills in the labour market (2013/2014) – Employment Agency of RM Stakeholders meetings (focus groups) Survey Questionnaire – graduated students CM Notes: Feb-April 2012 based on analysis of job postings on four major employment websites for the Balkan region. 28 advertisements randonly selected for analysis of skills and competencies required by employers. 2013 research: 1237 regionally advertised positions analysed, focused on 500 advertisements for marketing/management graduates. 2. Focus groups with potential employers held in Jun and November 2011. Around 20 participants each in high level positions as owners, financial, HR and marketing managers of production and trade companies and NGOs. 3. Survey to first generation of graduates (IBCM), focused on skills required by their employers. (Small sample size).

Findings: Labour Market Research

Findings: Labour Market Research

Findings: Labour Market Research

Findings: Labour Market Research

Findings: Labour Market Research

Findings: Stakeholder Meetings Desirable Skills: IT, project writing, project management, raising funds, innovativeness Links between educational institutions and companies Creating an entrepreneurial mindset

Findings: Survey Questionnaire Employment - very often by internship companies or self-employment; Obligatory internships - opportunity to gain knowledge, skills and competences and finally employment; Most useful skills: project management, English language, communication and organizational skills, sales, marketing, promotion, teamwork, market research; Career office - crucial in establishing and maintaining relationships with local companies and organizations.

Analysis There is demand for students with bachelor’s degrees with knowledge and skills in specific business and management areas. Knowledge: trading, sales, management, business administration, marketing, finance, internationalization, law, economics, statistics, entrepreneurship, project management, market research; Skills: IT, English language, communication, teamwork, organization, analysis, innovativeness, interpersonal skills, negotiation, project writing skills; Competences: ability to solve real life problems How to deliver such an education?

Pedagogical concept Explicit Knowledge Tacit Knowledge Theory Conceptualization Experimentation Practice Reflection Experience Conceptualization: Explicit knowledge processed through theory (in-class learning) Experimentation: conceptual knowledge becomes grounded (in-lab learning) Experience: practical application of tacit knowledge, reinforcing tacit knowledge gained from experimentation (in-field learning) Reflection: brings inherent tacit knowledge to the surface (competence gaining)

Conclusions Combine explicit and tacit knowledge, theory and practice Follow labor market needs Strong career offices, dedicated to building stakeholders networks Quality standards

MIT University Career Center Cooperation and regular communication with stakeholders – adapting curriculum (conceptualization); Guest speakers, student projects (experimentation); Internships (experience); Reflective workshops (reflection).

Thank you! dori.pavloska@mit.edu.mk