Matching university graduates' competences with employers' needs in Taiwan

Abstract

The dramatic expansion of the number of higher educational institutions in Taiwan has contributed a great deal to the growing unemployment rate of university graduates. Given the accumulated number of students who graduated in previous years and failed to find a job, the pressure of finding a job is growing each year. On the other hand, however, many employers lamented that they are struggling to find qualified job candidates. The major reason for this mismatch is that the traditional university instruction that most graduates receive is no longer adequate for the changing demands of the new market, and employers are also failed to notice that the definition of a good job perceived by students is very different from decades ago. To address this mismatch, it is important to understand what employers want in graduates and what students are seeking in a job. By administering questionnaires to both employers and university students, we endeavor to identify the component of a good job perceived by students, and skills demanded by employers for work accomplishment. Questionnaires were administered to 250 students and 250 employers, and many differences between the two parties were identified. Suggestions were given for students, universities, and employers to narrow the talent gap between employers and university graduates.