What do job adverts tell higher education about the ‘shape’ of biomedical engineering graduates?

Abstract

Higher Education Institutions are required, at least in some Countries, to design their curricula taking into account the needs of relevant industry. Use of Industrial Advisory Committees is a common way of demonstrating this input. This paper explores an additional window to industry needs through the textual analysis of job advertisements. 36 internet published adverts using the “Biomedical Engineering” search phrase were downloaded and textually analysed to identify the mentioned technical skills, generic skills and the adjectives used to describe the required level of proficiency in them. Results of the analysis of these adverts, using qualitative research analysis software starts to reveal a relevant technical skills hierarchy that Higher Education can use to help inform curricular designed for this employment pathway. The analysis of the generic skills reveals those rated important by employers for different levels of jobs, again of potential use to curriculum designers. Finally the results reveal the adjectives used to show the level of ability employers seek of their graduates. Herein lies a significant difference across the supply and demand side of the first employment transition. The difference can be rationally explained but does not help in closing the gap between what Higher Education provides in terms of graduates and what Industry seeks. The paper concludes that dialogue between Industry and Higher Education could usefully focus on the way skills are defined and claims of ability warranted as a means of closing the “Higher Education is not gives us what employers want” claims.