I wholeheartedly agree with the statement because I believe universities and colleges do not adequately prepare students for the world of work. University courses only prepare students by teaching them about their chosen degree subject. This provides students with the qualifications needed for the future, but does not prepare them in other important areas such as making career choices, job applications and other skills they might need in the workplace.

Universities should offer more courses that allow students to explore what kinds of jobs they are best suited to in terms of their skills and personality. They should also provide more information about what jobs are related to their degree. It is because of this lack of preparation that students either graduate with no idea of what kind of job they would like to do, or end up doing a job that they actually have no interest in.

It is also important to provide students with information on job hunting including applications and interviews, but also salary negotiation. Many students graduate unaware of the best methods of searching for a job or how to negotiate an appropriate salary. There should therefore be courses that inform students about this and offer advice that will help to single them out from the other applicants, as well as ensure that they obtain a fare wage from their employer.

University courses should also make students more aware of the importance of transferable skills in the workplace and help them to build on them. This includes skills like teamwork, networking and time management. While the university does prepare students to some extent with these skills, it does not prepare them for the different emphasis that is placed on them in the workplace. For example, while courses may occasionally utilise teamwork skills for group activities in class, it does not prepare students for the daily necessity of working with and obtaining information from your colleagues in order to complete a task.

Therefore, universities should provide students with more career direction before they leave university to ensure students are happy in their chosen career. It should also equip them with the skills they will need to do the job in order to decrease the stress of making the transition from full time education to working life.