Competing perspectives on graduate employability: possession, position or process?

• Published in: Studies in higher education (Dorchester-on-Thames) Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 538 - 554
• Main Author: Holmes, Leonard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 01.05.2013; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: College graduates; Curriculum; Educational sociology; Employment; graduate employability; Graduates; Higher education; Identity; Intervention; Skills; Social theory; Stakeholder; university-industry transition
• ISSN: 0307-5079; 1470-174X
• DOI: 10.1080/03075079.2011.587140

Employability has become, and is likely to continue to be, a major issue for a variety of stakeholders in higher education. The article examines three competing perspectives on employability, termed here as the 'possessive', 'positioning' and 'processual' approaches. The first of these, based on notions of skills and attributes, dominates the policy and practice discourse but, it is argued, is deeply flawed in theoretical terms. The second perspective, based on social positioning theory, is shown to be more in accord with the evidence of employment outcomes, but tends, arguably, to lead to a 'counsel of despair'. The processual perspective is then presented, particularly focusing on the concept of graduate identity. The article argues that this is theoretically robust, is supported by empirical evidence, and provides a sound basis for curriculum and other forms of intervention to enhance graduate employability.