1 In the old days university life was easier, and you didn't need to
worry about finding a job. You spent your time chatting late into the
night with new-found friends in coffee bars. You played your heart
out on the football pitches and cricket fields, or paraded across the
stage as a leading light of the university dramatic society. Whatever
your interest, university life catered for it. And you would usually keep
up with the work, too, by doing the required reading and dashing off
the week's essay at the last minute. The only thing you didn't find
time for was thinking about what came afterwards, at the end of those
three exciting years. But you didn't need to, because whatever your
chosen career, the companies were all lining up to offer you a job.
2 That was what it was like in the old days as a student in the U.K. But
things have changed. A study of Britain's major multinational
companies reveals that even with a good degree, graduates can no
longer walk into the top jobs. The number of universities has
increased by over 40 percent in the last two decades, and over 50
percent of young people now go on to higher education. So with an
abundance of graduates, a good degree has become vital in the
search for a job. Competition is tough, and today's students are
spending more time than ever preparing for final exams, or working
to pay off debts.
3 But that's just the problem. In the opinion of managers from more
than 200 British companies, students are spending much time
studying, or worrying about making ends meet. Instead, they should
find time to join clubs and acquire basic skills related to teamwork
and making presentations. The managers also say that they are
prepared to leave jobs unfilled rather than appoint graduates without
the necessary skills to get ahead in the global market.
4 But what can be done about the problem? The solution, the
managers believe, is to include social skills in degree courses; and
some universities are taking the advice. At the University of
Southampton, for example, history students need to do a 12-week
project – frequently related to the local context – working in teams of
six or seven. This includes making a presentation, writing a group
thesis, and carrying out a public service. This service might involve
teaching schoolchildren or making a radio programme about a topic.
5 This sort of cooperative approach can help many students develop
personal skills, or soft skills, which will help improve their prospects in
their search for a job. Employers know people who possess soft skills
can often communicate ideas clearly, work well with others, and stay
organized. Such individuals are usually better at meeting deadlines,
and completing tasks to a good standard, thus proving their reliability
and trustworthiness.
6 Equally interesting in the Southampton project is the conviction
that students should be aware of the wider community, and find ways
to make contributions to it. In today's shrinking world, students are
increasingly aware that a university is not an ivory tower of learning,
cut off from the real problems of the world. On the contrary,
university can be an agent for change for a better world. There are
numerous ways in which students can make a difference to the world.
For example, volunteering before, during, or after degree courses has
become very popular among students. However, with courses
making heavy demands on students' time, a popular option is to take
a gap year before or after university.
7 Typically, volunteering might mean helping the sick or elderly,
entertaining needy or disabled children at holiday camps, or teaching
in rural areas. It could also include working on agricultural or
environmental projects.
8 For students who choose this path, one positive result is gaining a
wealth of experience to be added to their CVs, which will not go
unnoticed by future employers. But a word of warning is in order: You
should remember what your priorities are. As Shane Irwin, who
worked for seven years in Papua New Guinea, puts it: "Volunteering
teaches you valuable career skills, but I don't think you should be
looking to bolster your CV through volunteering – the main reason
you should get involved is because you want to help."