Bridging the Gap: Mapping Project Management Education to Graduate Employability and Entrepreneurship at the University of Cape Town (UCT)

Abstract

This chapter examines the role of project management education in enhancing graduate employability and entrepreneurial capabilities through a detailed case study of the Strategic Project Management course at the University of Cape Town. Set against the backdrop of South Africa’s rising graduate unemployment—currently at 11.8%—the study addresses the persistent mismatch between academic training and labour market demands. Using a mixed-methods approach, it combines quantitative mapping of employability, entrepreneurship, and curriculum design variables across assessments with thematic analysis of student feedback. The findings reveal that the course successfully embeds core transversal competencies—such as communication, teamwork, decision-making, leadership, and self-efficacy—through a practice-based pedagogy grounded in real-world client engagement. Structured project templates, iterative feedback loops, and partnerships with companies like Procter & Gamble and Lindt provide authentic simulations of workplace demands. Quantitative results show that 100% of entrepreneurship and 93% of employability variables are addressed across the course, with Assignment 1 being the strongest integrator of entrepreneurial competencies. Over 80% of students reported increased confidence in professional capabilities, and qualitative feedback highlighted high engagement with experiential learning (19.6%), industry partnerships (17.4%), and outcome expectations (10.9%). Nonetheless, the study identifies critical gaps in reflective and metacognitive skill development, particularly in self-awareness, learning orientation, and improvisation, indicating the need for deeper integration of reflective pedagogies and personalised assessment strategies. The chapter proposes an integrative framework that combines project-based learning with entrepreneurial education to support sustainable employability. The course’s model offers a scalable blueprint for universities seeking to bridge the education-employment gap through collaborative curriculum design, industry-aligned assessments, and transformative teaching practices.